�鶹Ů��

Texas Republicans have long considered the Affordable Care Act a favorite political punching bag. But that hasn’t stopped state budget writers from spending extra money flowing out of Washington under the law sometimes known as “Obamacare.” (Walters, 3/25)

Fifty six percent of those who would benefit from Louisiana's expansion of the Affordable Care Act are employed in occupations that most people rely on almost every day, says a new report from a group that supports the 2010 health law. The report by Families USA estimates that 362,000 state residents would benefit from the expansion, higher than some other estimates, and breaks down some demographics to describe those losing out on health care coverage. (Albert, 3/24)

Baton Rouge hospital is closing the only emergency room on the city's impoverished north side, a real- world ripple effect of the ideological clash over President Barack Obama's health-care law. The shutdown on April 1 serves as an early warning for hospitals in states like Louisiana, where Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal turned down federal money to expand the Medicaid program for the poor. Charity hospitals will lose billions of federal aid beginning late next year, a cut that was supposed to be offset as more residents were covered by Medicaid. (Newkirk, 3/25)

Supporters of people too poor to buy subsidized health insurance under the federal Affordable Care Act contend North Carolina lawmakers and others opposing President Barack Obama's signature legislation are turning their backs on billions of tax dollars and thousands of jobs. Advocates argued Tuesday that would translate to thousands of health care jobs while saving hospitals millions of dollars a year in unpaid bills for treatment they're required to give sick patients who can't pay. (Dalesio, 3/24)