Jerry Brown faces tricky budget options-sacbee.com

Jerry Brown faces tricky budget options-sacbee.com: The collapse of budget negotiations leaves a temporary vacuum as state leaders decide where to head next.

Merck Paid $20.4 Million in Speaking Fees to U.S. Doctors-wsj.com

Merck Paid $20.4 Million in Speaking Fees to U.S. Doctors-wsj.com: Drug maker Merck & Co. paid $20.4 million last year to more than 2,000 U.S. doctors and health-care professionals to discuss the company's products and certain health-care topics with other professionals.

Making Clinical Trials Less of a Tribulation-wsj.com

Making Clinical Trials Less of a Tribulation-wsj.com: For developers of new drugs and treatments, one of the toughest hurdles has nothing to do with medicine. It's recruiting patients for clinical trials. And when it comes to recruiting minority patients, the challenge is even greater.

The Secret to Fighting Infections-wsj.com:

The Secret to Fighting Infections-wsj.com: As medical director for Johns Hopkins University's Center for Innovation in Quality Patient Care, Peter Pronovost, 46, has spent most of his career as a champion of innovative but practical solutions to fix system flaws that can lead to deadly mistakes and complications in hospitals. That mission took on new urgency in 2001, after 18-month-old Josie King died at Johns Hopkins following missteps in her care.

As health-care law turns 1, supporters using occasion to shape its image-washingtonpost.com

As health-care law turns 1, supporters using occasion to shape its image-washingtonpost.com: This week, a loose federation of left-leaning groups is convening nearly 200 gatherings to peddle the virtues of health-care reform. A women’s speak-out in Philadelphia. A small-business round-table discussion in Albuquerque. A fish fry for seniors in Columbia, S.C. From the Obama administration alone, 42 officials are fanning out to events in 22 states.

Orrin Hatch: Health care law can't be fixed-politico.com

Orrin Hatch: Health care law can't be fixed-politico.com: Sen. Orrin Hatch says there are too many problems with the health care law to fix it, and he doesn’t rule out an all-out push to repeal or defund the law — as House Republicans want — even if that means defeating a long-term spending agreement to fund the government for the rest of the year.

Justice Department: Speed up health care case-politico.com

Justice Department: Speed up health care case-politico.com: The Obama administration has asked the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to expedite consideration of the health care reform law — the second step in a process set in motion by U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson.

In Health Law Rx for Trouble-wsj.com:

In Health Law Rx for Trouble-wsj.com: Patients are demanding doctors' orders for over-the-counter products because of a provision in the health-care overhaul that slipped past nearly everyone's radar. It says people who want a tax break to buy such items with what's known as flexible-spending accounts need to get a prescription first.

Brown's countdown, Day 58: Republicans declare impasse in budget talks with Brown-sacbee.com:

Brown's countdown, Day 58: Republicans declare impasse in budget talks with Brown-sacbee.com: Gov. Jerry Brown's prospects of reaching a budget deal by his deadline this week dimmed markedly Monday when a quintet of Republicans with whom he'd been negotiating declared an impasse.

Martha Coakley backs President Obama's law with Mitt Romney's-politico.com:

Martha Coakley backs President Obama's law with Mitt Romney's-politico.com: Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley is coming to the defense of the Democrats' health care reform overhaul — and she's using Mitt Romney's health care law as ammunition

Obama offers states more flexibility in health-care law-washingtonpost.com:

Obama offers states more flexibility in health-care law-washingtonpost.com: President Obama sought to defuse criticism of the new health-care overhaul Monday by saying he is willing to give states an earlier opportunity to opt out of certain key requirements - but only if they can find their own ways to accomplish the law's goals.