HCR Update from Mark Sanna: 11 million adults may drop their dental insurance as a result of a requirement in the affordable care act that they buy dental benefits for their children, the National Association of Dental Plans is warning. The changes could come about as a result of rules published online November 26 by HHS to define what "essential benefits" health insurance plans must include when sold to individuals or small groups, such as companies with fewer than 50 employees.

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: Starting next year, taxpayers will only be able to deduct medical expenses that exceed 10% percent of their adjusted gross income. For years that threshold has stood at an already formidable 7.5 percent of income. The change affects taxpayers who itemize deductions on Schedule A of the 1040 form instead of taking the standard deduction.

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: Papa John's CEO John Schnatter says he had no plans to "close stores and cut jobs because of Obamacare." Schnatter insisted his company actually plans to expand, regardless of any Affordable Care Act costs, and that he's "cool" with all full-time workers getting health care coverage.

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: The New York Times reports that Democrats are asking Republicans to define what "structural changes" they want in Medicare and Medicaid. Meanwhile, the House speaker wrote on op-ed saying the health law should be part of the upcoming debate on debt.

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: The Obama administration released new health care regulations Tuesday that preclude insurers from adjusting premiums based on pre-existing or chronic health conditions, tell states what benefits must be included in health exchange plans, and allow employers to reward employees who work to remain healthy.

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: In a study to be published on today in the journal Pediatrics, more than 40% of boys in middle school and high school said they regularly exercised with the goal of increasing muscle mass. 38% said they used protein supplements, and nearly 6% said they had experimented with steroids.

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: During his weekly address today, President Obama warned Republicans that there are only two possible outcomes for negotiations over the looming "fiscal cliff." He said that either they agree to allow tax breaks to expire for the top two percent of American earners, or taxes will go up for everyone.

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: There's nothing quite like a deadline to focus the mind. Even a deadline that's not quite real. Friday was originally the day that states were supposed to not only tell the federal government whether they planned to run their own health exchanges but also how they planned to do it.

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: President Obama reassured leaders of labor and progressive groups on Tuesday that he will not yield to Congressional Republicans and extend Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans as he negotiates for a deficit-reduction plan to avoid looming tax increases and spending cuts.

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: A coalition of groups is launching a campaign to emphasize federal funding for medical research ahead of negotiations on the "fiscal cliff." Research!America and several dozen patient, industry and other health organizations have planned a week of advocacy starting Monday to convince lawmakers to "champion medical innovation."

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: With many states lagging far behind schedule, the Obama administration said Friday that it would extend the deadline for them to submit plans for health insurance exchanges, the online markets where millions of Americans are expected to obtain private coverage subsidized by the federal government.The original Nov. 16 deadline will be extended to Dec. 14 — and in some cases to Feb. 15.

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: Not all hurdles have been cleared for the new health care law. Republican governors who opposed the law have to decide whether it's better for their states to now help carry it out. The administration could stumble carrying out the complex legislation, or get tripped up if budget talks with Congress lead to scaling back the plan.

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: President Barack Obama's re-election ensures the survival of his landmark health care law, but predominantly Republican state officials will get a big say in how it is carried out. State lawmakers will control whether millions of uninsured people get coverage through Medicaid beginning in 2014, as the law envisions. They'll also decide whether to set up online markets where individuals can shop for coverage and seek federal subsidies to lower their costs.

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: The turnout for today's presidential election is expected to be strong, thanks to the perceived tightness of the race and the intense public concern about the economy. But reliable estimates are hard to come by.

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: Democrats hoped President Barack Obama would make inroads with seniors this year. ... for the most part, they just don't seem willing to give Obama a chance — despite their distrust of Ryan's budget and Medicare reforms. ... the president's health care reforms have made things even more difficult, pollsters say. There's an inherent distrust of any changes to the existing system, and continuing resistance to the underlying idea of universal health care, which many seniors fear will cut into their benefits.

HCR Update from Mark Sanna: It's estimated that providers who self-referred patients for advanced imaging made about 400,000 more referrals than they would have had they not had a financial interest in the imaging equipment and that these referrals cost the Medicare system an additional $109 million, according to a new Government Accountability Office report.