News From Around The Web
> Consumers have an additional eight days to obtain insurance converage on the state health insurance exchanges, FierceHealthPayer reports. The Obama Administration extended the deadline so consumers have more time to enroll in plans to guarantee coverage on Jan. 1. The deadline is now Dec. 23. Article
> Officials with the Covered California health insurance exchange are encouraged by the number of younger residents who are signing up for coverage, even though more than half are over the age of 45, according to KPBS. Article
> New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and a handful of other Republican governors who have decided to expand Medicaid in their states may complicate any presidential aspirations for the 2016 campaign, according to The Washington Post. Article
Provider News
> Americans believe cost is the most urgent health program facing the country today, surpassing access to healthcare as the most pressing issue, the latest Gallup poll reports. Article
Healthcare IT News
> Hospitals could reduce nosocomial infections by using new technology, such as alarms for scheduled filter changes or pressurized mats in front of hand-washing areas to make sure employees spend enough time at the sink, to help staff comply with healthcare regulations, according to a scientific poster presented at the American Public Health Association 141st Annual Meeting, Medscape reported. Article
And finally...Abandoned hospital has Cabbage Patch Toy maternity ward. Article