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Many insurance providers that offer mental health care are supposed to cover it just as they would cancer or diabetes care. But advocates say enforcement is a problem.

It's far from unanimous, but many believe Newton's law of inertia will kick in even if the fedreal statute that launched changes in the nation's health care system is found unconstitutional.

Choosing a physician is never easy. But if you're in the market for a doctor, newly published ratings and a few practical tips could make the process a little less bewildering.

Walk-in clinics are getting traction with consumers, hospitals and retailers. A visit to a clinic costs less than one to the doctor or hospital emergency room. And the clinics present less of a hassle.

Will the administration's health law survive the Supreme Court? A majority of bettors think not. Over at Intrade, a "prediction market" for current events, the betting gave chances of about 58 percent that the court will disallow the mandate.

Trimming the rise in obesity in the U.S. by just 1 percent over the next two decades would reduce health care costs by by $85 billion. The fight isn't likely to be cheap. But new researchers shows that even a small dent in obesity rates could pay off.

Babies are born too soon at a higher rate in the United States than in 125 other countries. The first worldwide rankings of preterm births show the problem isn't limited to the developing world.

Under some state laws, a patient's positive test for alcohol can mean that insurers won't pay hospitals and doctors for care after an accident. To sidestep the potential problem, hospitals often don't screen patients for alcohol use.

Nonprofit hospitals pay no federal, state, or local taxes. In return, they are expected to offer a community benefit, including free and discounted care for low-income patients. But a study by the Congressional Budget Office found that, on average, not-for-profits are providing only slightly more uncompensated care than for-profit hospitals.

Insurers and employers are looking to stem the rising costs of expensive specialty drugs. One approach is to vary the copayment depending on the health value they calculate the drugs provide.