The Takeaway: Health Care Law; Avastin; CT Scans; Diet Soda

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in Cincinnati voted Wednesday to uphold the individual mandate provision of President Obama's  health care law. What that means: Congress can require Americans to carry insurance coverage. The ruling is no doubt a boost to the law's proponents, but it's  just one in 30 lawsuits that have been filed challenging the constitutionality of the new law. One particular suit that many experts say is the one to watch is the multi-state action that was heard in 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last month. The judges have yet to deliver their opinion. ...  Making it plain. With the threat of government programs being underfunded or ignored (including Social Security checks), President Obama pressed Congress to resolve differences and make a deal on the federal; budget and raise the borrowing limit. "Stay in town. Let's get it done."

... FDA moves to revoke OK for Avastin. After two days of debate over the safety of Avastin's "off-label" use for breast cancer, an FDA panel voted Wednesday to revoke the drug's approval for such treatment. The ruling is a blow to doctors and experts who say the drug is crucial in extending the lives of late-stage cancer patients. Navigating diagnosis, treatments, survival. ... New proven screening for lung cancer: "Yearly CT scans of middle-aged and older smokers - and former smokers - can reduce the risk of death from lung cancer by 20 percent, according to a eight-year, landmark study funded by the federal government."

... Diet soda lovers take heed: Your drink of choice may be low in calories (or calorie free), but it's doing other damage. (No, this isn't another aspartame cancer study.)  Two separate trials have found that the diet soda may actually increase your waist size or hinder weight loss. Note: One was a mouse study, but the other focused on seniors. ... More on Bank of America's $8.5  billion settlement to clear up its mortgage loan bond debacle. ... Are you and your spouse on the same page about retirement? You might be surprised at the answer. Almost two-thirds of couples between the ages of 46 and 75 don't agree on the age at which they'll retire, says a new Fidelity study. ... Study links diabetes to pollution: A small Swedish study that followed 725 seniors over five years found that "people who had high levels of PCBs were up to nine times more likely to get diabetes than those with very low pollutant levels in their blood."

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