Daily Rounds: Uninsured In Mass; Injured Nurses; 'Obamneycare;' Sunscreen Pill?

Thousands in Mass. still forgo health care, pay penalty (The Boston Globe) - "Tens of thousands of people like Machado go uncovered each year and pay a fine. Starting in 2014, when much of the national ­Affordable Care Act kicks in, millions of other Americans could face a similar fine, putting Massachusetts in the spotlight as a possible indicator of what lies ahead for the country...Policy advocates say the Massachusetts law lays out a finan­cial and moral incentive to get coverage. But it is not clear that this approach can be effectively replicated nationally."

Obamneycare revisited: Tax penalties most similar part, expert says (NPR) - "We're looking at Romney's assertion on CBS News that even though the court found that the mandate in Obama's law is a tax, the finding doesn't apply to the state law because ... well, here's how he explained it to the network: 'Actually, the — chief justice, in his opinion, made it very clear that, at the state level — states have the power to put in place mandates. They don't need to require them to be called taxes in order for them to be constitutional. And — and as a result, Massachusetts' mandate was a mandate, was a penalty, was described that way by the Legislature and by me. And so it stays as it was.'"

When it's the nurse who needs looking after (The New York Times) - "Nurses’ work is not easy, particularly in the hospital setting, where they must deal with intense intellectual and significant physical demands over three or more grueling 12-hour shifts each week. Not surprisingly, nursing ranks among the worst occupations in terms of work-related injuries, and studies have shown that in a given year, nearly half of all nurses will have struggled with lower back pain. Recent research published in two journals, The American Journal of Nursing and Clinical Nurse Specialist, reveals that when nurses suffer, so do their patients."

Sunscreen pills could provide an easy alternative to lotions (Webpronews.com) - "For those with a sun fetish and a natural aversion to liquid sunscreen, scientists may have something in the works that’s right up your alley. Researchers are currently working on a pill that should, in theory, help protect your body from the effects of the sun. This oral solution, which is fashioned using chemicals found in coral, is still a few years away from appearing on retails shelves. Still, the thought of abandoning lotions altogether is kind of appealing."