Posts Tagged “Health Care Reform”
ShowHide 3rd Party PapersHealthLeaders Media: Reforms Impact – Staff and Service Cuts Expected
HealthLeaders Media Intelligence Report: Staff and Service Cuts Expected
Debt Reduction Task Force: Restoring America’s Future
New Republic: Five Part Series Examining How Republic Control of Congress Might Affect Policy Debates – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
National Center for Policy Analysis: The new health care law enacted last spring will be devastating for the elderly and the disabled because of draconian cuts in payments to doctors and hospitals
Commonwealth Fund: Analysis shows that up to 16.6 million workers are in firms that would be eligible for the tax credit in 2010 to 2013.
Commonwealth Fund: The Affordable Care Act is likely to stabilize and reverse women’s growing exposure to health care costs
Urban Institute: How will hospitals be affected by health care reform?
Urban Institute: How will physicians be affected by health care reform?
CBO Presentation: In CBO’s judgment, the health legislation enacted earlier this year does not substantially diminish that pressure.
National Institute for Health Care Reform: Health Coverage for the High-Risk Uninsured: Policy Options for Design of the Temporary High-Risk Pool
CommonwealthFund: Young adults between the ages of 19 and 29 represent one of the largest segments of the uninsured; approximately 13.7 million were uninsured in 2008.
CMS ONC: Estimated Financial Effects of the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,” as Amended
ShowHide Commentary
A Patient-Centered Health Care Vision
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Brookings Institute issues another one of those “vision” pieces for the American health system. We need less vision and better analysis of and solutions for the real problems. All this vision is just impeding the clear sight of policymakers.
Tags: Health Care Reform
Massachusetts and Consumer Costs
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Health Reform hasn’t turned out quite as advertised in Massachusetts, with continuing issues about access and cost. A recent study in Health Affairs indicates that many families are still facing significant out-of-pocket costs.
The Effect of Minimum MLR Requirements
by Kevin Roche on Friday, April 19, 2013
One of the supposed consumer protections in the reform law is the requirement that a minimum amount of premium be spent on medical costs. A paper from the American Action Forum explains how this requirement could actually increase costs and hurt consumers.
Society of Actuaries Weighs in on Rising Health Care Costs Under Reform
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, March 28, 2013
There has a been a flurry of similar reports recently, but none should have more credibility than the one from the Society of Actuaries stating that yes, claim costs and therefore insurance premiums will rise dramatically in the individual market in 2014.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
Health Reform Chaos?
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Managers, owners and investors in health care businesses should probably be preparing for a fair amount of chaos toward the end of this year and in 2014. The full implementation of the health reform law is very likely to have a broad set of unintended consequences that will preoccupy providers, payors and patients.
Tags: Health Care Reform
CMS Research on the Uninsured
by Kevin Roche on Monday, March 25, 2013
Supposedly the reform act will be fully implemented next January and millions of Americans will be getting health insurance for the first time. A brief from CMS discusses who the potential newly insured are, providing market research for interested parties.
Tags: Consumers, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Uninsured
How Much Will Premiums Go Up?
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
When the reform law was being sold to a dubious public, we were told that premiums would actually be lower. That is obviously not going to be the case, but how much higher they will be is still a matter of debate.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
NBGH Survey
by Kevin Roche on Friday, March 15, 2013
The latest Towers Watson/National Business Group on Health survey of employers reveals information regarding strategies relating to the implementation of the health reform law. Much of what companies say they will do is not good for consumers, but that is what the law’s proponents should have anticipated.
Tags: Employee Benefits, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
GAO on the Effect of the PPACA
by Kevin Roche on Monday, March 4, 2013
The Government Accounting Office performed a more current analysis of the likely budgetary effects of the federal health reform law, finding that its cost containment provisions are unlikely to provide sustainable benefits in the long-term and that the law will cause federal spending to rise more than it otherwise would without the law.
ADP Survey of Large Employers
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Many large employers may consider shifting more employees to part-time status as a result of the implementation of the reform law, according to a survey by ADP, and they may take other actions to minimize their costs under the law.
Tags: Employers, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
New Federal Insurance Rules
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Now that it looks like the health reform law will be fully implemented, agencies are cranking out bushels of regulations. A Kaiser Family Foundation brief summarizes the provisions of three rules that relate to private health insurance and employment-related health benefits.
2012 Potpourri XL
by Kevin Roche on Friday, December 28, 2012
Our last Potpourri for 2012 is the ultimate in health information, containing not lumps of coal but tasty nuggets of holiday goodies, including transition care from hospital to primary care, how to control health spending growth, use of market incentives to improve the health system, building a good health insurance exchange and Massachusetts’ experience with the uninsured after reform.
Tags: Care Management, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Health Insurance Exchange, Hospital Readmissions, Transitional Care
AHIP on Insurance Tax Hit
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, December 18, 2012
The reform law begins to really kick in for 2013, with many new taxes and regulations. Unpleasant surprises abound and an Oliver Wyman report for America’s Health Insurance Plans examines the likely effect of the new health care coverage tax.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
2012 Potpourri XXXVII
by Kevin Roche on Friday, December 7, 2012
Our latest Potpourri captures the excitement of the holidays with scintillating items on certificate of need program effects on utilization, the public’s views on health care costs and government’s role in health care, the cost of developing new drugs and a survey on physician compensation.
Tags: Drugs, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Physicians, Regulation
2012 Potpourri XXXVI
by Kevin Roche on Friday, November 30, 2012
Another in our series of Potpourris, tasty, succulent morsels of health data food, including this week the effect of mammography screening, improving health and health costs, state costs to run health insurance exchanges, family caregiving and the costs of fixing Medicare’s physician reimbursement.
Tags: Elder Care, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance Exchange, Medicare, Wellness and Prevention, Workplace
KPMG Report on Health System Change
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Another consultant’s report on the American health system, this one from KPMG and focusing on the supposed transformation from a volume-based system to one founded on value. While leaders of health care system participants recognize the likelihood of significant change, they also seem determined not to let their share of health system spending drop.
Tags: Drugs, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance Exchange, Providers
ACA Impact on Business
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, October 24, 2012
A new report from the Urban Institute examines the controversial issue of the impact of the Patient Protection Act on businesses of various sizes, showing that for small businesses it may reduce cost, it likely increases the cost for mid-sized ones and is neutral to large companies.
Tags: Employers, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
2012 Potpourri XXX
by Kevin Roche on Friday, October 12, 2012
Another luminescent Potpourri, focusing on the ACA’s high-risk pool plan; controlling health spending in Massachusetts; what components of EHRs and HIEs may control costs; another survey of employers and dealing with hospital pricing power.
Tags: EHRs, Employers, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, HIT, Hospital
EBRI on Private Exchanges
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, October 10, 2012
The Employee Benefit Research Institute releases a report looking at private health insurance exchanges and defined contribution plans, putting them in historical perspective and suggesting that adoption of these initiatives may not meet the objectives employers hope they will attain.
Tags: Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Health Insurance Exchange
2012 Potpourri XXIX
by Kevin Roche on Friday, October 5, 2012
Our first Potpourri in a while is as diverse and flamboyant as the fall colors, including items on the effectiveness of telemonitoring, the history of health “reform” in the United States, mortality and Medicaid eligibility expansions, continued issues with cost affecting access in Massachusetts and methods to help control imaging use.
Tags: Care Management, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Medicaid, Medicare, Telemedicine
GAO on the PPACA and Employer-Provided Health Insurance
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
The Government Accounting Office weighs in on the ongoing controversy over the effects of the Affordable Care Act on employment-based health insurance, reviewing a number of microsimulation models and employer surveys, finding that there is a wide range of estimates of a decrease or increase in the number of covered persons and substantial uncertainty in the accuracy of the predictions.
2012 Potpourri XXVIII
by Kevin Roche on Friday, September 14, 2012
Another brilliant edition of our Potpourri, focusing on individual health insurance rate reform, variation in traumatic care costs, genetic counseling and diabetes, small business and health care costs and savings from wellness programs.
Tags: Consumers, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Regulation, Wellness and Prevention
Institute of Medicine Report
by Kevin Roche on Monday, September 10, 2012
The Institute of Medicine released a report regarding supposed unnecessary spending on health care in the United States and potential ways to remedy that problem, largely through use of health information technology.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform
2012 Potpourri XXVI
by Kevin Roche on Friday, August 17, 2012
Another sunny Potpourri, brightening your day with rays of data on hospital at home; Medicare care coordination programs; an employer survey on impacts of the reform law; a survey on health habits and employee productivity; first quarter health plan results and ER use and end-of-life care.
Tags: Care Management, End-of-Life Care, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Hospital, Medicare, Wellness and Prevention, Workplace
KPMG on Health Care Transformation
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, August 15, 2012
KPMG releases a report on the ongoing transformation of the United States’ health care system, which affects payers, providers and patients. The firm gives its perspective on the forces driving the transformation and on what responses are needed by participants if they are to continue to be successful.
Will Employers Drop Coverage as 2014 Approaches?
by Kevin Roche on Monday, August 13, 2012
A study from Truven Health Analytics looks at likely outcomes from the reform law’s provide insurance or pay a penalty provisions, suggesting that few employers would likely drop coverage, but some assumptions in the model appear to have flaws.
2012 Potpourri XXV
by Kevin Roche on Friday, August 10, 2012
Another wonderful Potpourri, as lovely as a summer day, with information on small physician practices, medication adherence in Medicaid, access to care in Massachusetts, plan loyalty and PHRs, a survey regarding onsite health centers and hospital productivity in Massachusetts after reform.
Tags: Consumers, Drugs, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, HIT, Medicaid, Physicians
The Concentration of Health Care Spending
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
It is well known that a relatively few people account for a very large proportion of American health spending, a fact reinforced by a recent brief from the National Institute for Health Care Management. What is most interesting is how much this fact is routinely ignored in reform discussions.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
More Primary Care Doesn’t Necessarily Lower Hospital Use
by Kevin Roche on Monday, August 6, 2012
Research published by the National Bureau of Economic Research uses experience from an HRA plan to examine what happens when people presumably have better access to outpatient care. The primary finding is that as there is more outpatient spending, there is a higher likelihood of an inpatient admission and greater inpatient spending, largely for more discretionary treatments.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Hospital, Physicians
Deloitte Employer Survey
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Deloitte surveyed a number of employers for their views on the US health care system. Most feel the system needs substantial improvement, particularly in regard to costs and most view the Affordable Care Act as a bad start to fixing the problems.
Federally Qualified Health Centers
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Federally qualified community health centers are a lynchpin to providing accessible health care for lower income Americans. Two recent reports discuss quality and cost issues at these centers and indicate that they are a very good option for care.
Tags: Access, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Physicians
Deloitte Consumer Survey
by Kevin Roche on Friday, July 13, 2012
Deloitte publishes its fifth annual survey of consumers on the performance of the American health system and the effects of health reform. The health reform law isn’t positively viewed, but people seem satisfied with their own care.
Tags: Consumers, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform
Oregon’s Early Experience With Insuring the Uninsured
by Kevin Roche on Friday, June 29, 2012
The alleged primary spur for passage of the federal reform law was providing insurance for the uninsured, which supposedly would save money in the long run. An Oregon initiative has created an opportunity to see results from a similar effort and a report gives first year outcomes.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Medicaid
PPACA Survives, in a Perverse Way
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, June 28, 2012
A 5 to 4 majority of the Supreme Court has upheld the constitutionality of the individual mandate, but only as a tax, not as an exercise of the Commerce Clause, and has eviscerated the Medicaid expansion. This is likely the worst possible outcome for President Obama, his Administration and the party that supported this ill-advised stab at “reform”.
Tags: Health Care Reform
National Health Spending Projections
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, June 14, 2012
The latest projection on national health spending from the CMS Office of the Actuary is out and published in Health Affairs. It suggests that the very modest reduction in growth rate in the last couple of years is going to end and growth in spending will re-accelerate in the coming years.
2012 Potpourri XIX
by Kevin Roche on Friday, June 1, 2012
Summer is heating up and our Potpourri is smoking too, with nuggets on a silly provision in the final MLR rule; research on causes of readmissions, some within hospital control, some not; why are some hospitals more costly in treating heart failure than others and an unintended consequence of a change in dialysis drug reimbursement.
Tags: Care Management, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Hospital, Medicare, Physicians, Readmissions, Reimbursement
Milliman on 2012 Health Care Costs
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, May 17, 2012
Milliman tracks the average cost of health care for a family and issues an annual report. The 2012 version is out, showing that average family costs are over $20,000 for the first time. That reform law sure is working well to hold down costs.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
2012 Potpourri XIV
by Kevin Roche on Friday, April 20, 2012
More delightful health facts for your edification in our most recent Potpourri, including the cost of obesity, an employer survey on wellness programs, opportunities for hospitals to reduce costs, an employer survey on cost expectations in the coming year, Massachusetts’ and health spending control and incentives in health care.
Tags: Consumers, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Hospital, Wellness and Prevention, Workplace
Massachusetts’ Experience with Universal Coverage and Health
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
As ObamaCare meets judgment at the Supreme Court, evidence about the effect of its predecessor in Massachusetts continues to be amassed. A new paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research examines the effect of near universal coverage on various markers of health in the state.
2012 Potpourri X
by Kevin Roche on Sunday, March 25, 2012
Spring is in the air but take a few minutes to refresh with our latest Potpourri, which includes the Congressional Budget Office’s latest health reform projections, ER use by those with Medicaid or private insurance coverage, the effect of selective outcomes reporting in research, an AonHewitt survey of employers on exchange use, another CBO report on employer incentives for use of TriCare and physician costs to comply with quality mandates.
Tags: Care Management, Comparative Effectiveness, Consumers, Employers, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance Exchanges, Medicaid, Physicians
Employer Views of Reform
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
A crucial question in the next few years is what will happen with employer-sponsored health care coverage in the wake of the reform law’s full implementation. A new survey from Willis reports on some current attitudes and actions among companies in regard to health plan options.
2012 Potpourri IX
by Kevin Roche on Friday, March 9, 2012
Another outstanding collection of summaries from the health research literature, including this week, physicians’ difficulty in understanding the benefits of screening tests, physicians’ feelings about health information technology, AARP’s latest report on prices paid by seniors for commonly used drugs, the real cost of health reform, variation in outcomes and costs of knee replacements and shared decision-making in two common clinical situations.
Tags: Consumers, Drugs, Elder Care, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, HIT, Physicians, Wellness and Prevention
Reform’s Effect on Health Insurance Premiums
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, February 14, 2012
President Obama, his administration and Congressional Democrats sold the health “reform” law in large part by claiming it would reduce health insurance premiums for average Americans, by $2000 they said, and they persuaded “experts” to write papers supporting those claims. Now one of those experts has admitted his previous paid-for analysis was wrong.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
Massachusetts Update
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, February 8, 2012
The Massachusetts reform rolls on, with the state’s residents generally still okay with the changes, although cost continues to be a problem. An article in Health Affairs sums up the current state of affairs.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform
2011 Wrapup
by Kevin Roche on Friday, December 30, 2011
Our final commentary of 2011 reflects on developments in health care for the year. Notably, support for the health reform law continues to be weak and health care cost growth continues to outpace both GDP and inflation.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
Physician Views of Health Care
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Physicians have felt under assault for decades, with managed care restrictions, low reimbursement and malpractice concerns leading the charge. A new survey from Deloitte’s Center for Health Solutions give doctors’ perspectives on health care reform and their profession.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Physicians
2011 Potpourri XXXXVI
by Kevin Roche on Friday, December 2, 2011
The holiday shopping season is in full swing but our Potpourri is free, filled with useful data on high-deductible health plans and utilization, Medicare Advantage plan Stars bonuses, drug complications and hospitalizations, physician office visit trends, premium increases, and patient expectations.
Tags: Consumer Directed Health, Drugs, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Medicare, Patient Satisfaction, Physicians
The Uninsured and the Price of Insurance
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, November 22, 2011
How many people will enroll in the coverage offered via the reform law in 2014 either in Medicaid or commercial coverage? A new paper based on survey work suggests it will be a very high number of the uninsured, but there are several flaws in the reasoning and data.
2011 Potpourri XXXXV
by Kevin Roche on Friday, November 18, 2011
No Potpourri next week due to the holiday, so enjoy this festive collection of health care nuggets, including pay-for-performance in large physician groups, employer views on the effect of the reform law, the effect of physician financial interest in cardiac testing, experience with high deductible plans, medical homes and quality improvement and for-profit and non-for-profit hospital treatment of the uninsured.
Tags: ACO, Care Management, Consumer Directed Health, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Hospital, medical home, Pay For Performance, Physicians
Massachusetts’ Cost Dilemma
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Massachusetts Special Commission on Provider Price Reform has released its momentous report on how to address the surging health care costs in the state, which appear to be largely caused by “excessive” provider prices and price increases. Someday regulators might learn that the more you regulate, the more you regulate.
Tags: Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Providers
2011 Potpourri XXXXIV
by Kevin Roche on Friday, November 11, 2011
The cold is approaching so curl up on the sofa and enjoy the warmth of our Potpourri, this week featuring results from a pay-for-performance program, the effect of the health insurance tax on premiums and employment, the evidence for a stroke treatment, collaborative care for heart disease and physicians views on their practices and health information tools.
Tags: Care Management, Consumers, Evidence-based care, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Medical Care, Pay For Performance, Physicians
Towers Watson Employer Survey
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
The latest Towers Watson survey of employer intentions regarding health benefits indicates that significant changes may occur in the next two to three years, but the biggest danger may be firms’ willingness to play follow-the-leader when it comes to reactions to reform.
More Trashing of the US Health System
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, November 2, 2011
From the Commonwealth Fund comes another in a series of reports bemoaning the woeful inadequacy of the American health system, especially compared to those in other developed countries. Whatever our faults, this type of analysis is filled with its own flaws and provides little useful guidance for addressing our issues.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform
2011 Potpourri XXXXII
by Kevin Roche on Friday, October 28, 2011
Another brilliant Potpourri, with scintillating health care gems, including revising the FDA’s 510(k) process, the essential benefits package for health exchanges, the future of Medicare Advantage, the lack of labor productivity in health care, variation in elective procedure rates and the OIG’s work plan.
Tags: Care Management, Devices, FDA, Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Medical Care, Medicare, Physicians
Insurance Market Competitiveness
by Kevin Roche on Monday, October 24, 2011
The Kaiser Foundation takes a look at the competitiveness of individual and small group health insurance markets on a state-by-state basis, finding that most are relatively concentrated. The report also examines the implications of this concentration for aspects of the reform law, particularly the exchanges and rate review.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
Americans’ View of Health System
by Kevin Roche on Monday, October 17, 2011
An EBRI survey reveals current attitudes by Americans regarding the health system, their health care coverage, how they access care and reflects serious concerns by many Americans about whether the reform law will make the system, better or worse.
2011 Potpourri XXXVII
by Kevin Roche on Friday, September 23, 2011
Another wonderful collection of health care research summaries, including a GAO report on likely effects of the MLR rule, physician work intensity, reducing hospital-acquired infections, discharge followup and hospital readmissions, the effect of pay-for-performance on cardiac care and use of EHRs and health history recording.
Tags: EHRs, HAI, Health Care Reform, HIT, Hospital, MLR, Pay For Performance, Physicians, Readmissions
Bloomberg
by Vita Advisors on Thursday, September 22, 2011
HealthSouth CEO Says Obama Plan May Prompt Sites to Close
Tags: Health Care Reform
Medicaid Managed Care
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, September 22, 2011
A Kaiser Family Foundation report surveys state managed care Medicaid programs, finding a surge in utilization of health plans and addition of eligibility categories to the plans. A great variety of features are used in different states, but the trend toward more managed care is clear.
Tags: Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Medicaid
Towers Watson, NBGH Survey on Value in Health Spending
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Towers Watson and the National Business Group on Health released their latest Employer Survey on Purchasing Value in Health, which delineates actions being taken by many employers to try to limit health spending, while ensuring that employees receive good quality care.
Tags: Consumers, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Workplace
PPACA Projection Accuracy
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, August 16, 2011
An NBER paper analyzes the accuracy of the CBO projections of the enrollment, insurance cost and health spending effects of the PPACA, using the similar Massachusetts reforms as a case study. The paper concludes that the projections are likely conservative, but the author is not likely to be unbiased and he ignores the last two years of experience in Massachusetts.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
LA Times
by Vita Advisors on Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Nearly 18 months after passage of the national healthcare overhaul, American employers say they are providing health benefits for growing numbers of people as they extend coverage to their workers’ adult children
Tags: Employee Benefits, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
Employer Self-Insurance and the PPACA
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, July 7, 2011
A Rand report examines how self-insured employers might be affected by the PPACA, finding it unlikely that small employers will significantly shift to self-funding. The report also finds little reason to be concerned that self-funded plans are worse for employees.
2011 Potpourri XXVI
by Kevin Roche on Friday, July 1, 2011
Fireworks galore for the Fourth of July Potpourri, including dynamite excerpts on the effects of parent caregiving on caregivers’ financial status; health insurance exchanges; physician compensation; provider performance data gathering and use; hospital market concentration; use of HIT in nursing homes and teen use of health websites.
Tags: Consumers, Elder Care, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, HIT, Hospital, Meaningful Use, Pay For Performance, Physicians, Telemedicine
Massachusetts Report on Effect of Global Payments
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, June 30, 2011
The second annual report by the Massachusetts AG on health care spending trends continues to find that provider market power is a major factor and that using a risk-based payment methodology does not reduce payment variation or lower medical spending or utilization.
Tags: ACO, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Providers
Health Care Industries and the Future
by Kevin Roche on Monday, June 27, 2011
PriceWaterhouseCooper discusses opportunities for health care business over the next decade, identifying new segments with growth, as well as challenges that must be overcome.
Tags: Health Care Reform, HIT, Telehealth, Wellness and Prevention
2011 Potpourri XXIV
by Kevin Roche on Friday, June 17, 2011
The week’s Potpourri continues the tradition of presenting excellent nuggets of health information, including EHR use in the VA system, the effect of making surrogate care decisions, screening for ovarian cancer, gaps in health among socioeconomic groups, cancer care guideline compliance, and ER visits in Massachusetts.
Tags: Care Management, EHRs, Elder Care, End-of-Life Care, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, HIT, Wellness and Prevention
Employer Reaction to Health Reform
by Kevin Roche on Monday, June 13, 2011
A new report from McKinsey finds that the federal reform law will have more of an effect on the market for employer-based health insurance than other studies suggested would occur. McKinsey believes many employers will drop coverage altogether.
2011 Potpourri XXII
by Kevin Roche on Friday, June 3, 2011
Another round of health tidbits, including the association between primary care workforce and Medicare outcomes, comparisons of Type 2 diabetes drugs, effects of limiting DTC drug advertising, health information exchange sustainability, the effect of the Irish workplace smoking ban and barriers to diffusion of cost-effective care.
Tags: Care Management, Drugs, Elder Care, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, HIT, Medicare, Physicians, Wellness and Prevention, Workplace
2011 Potpourri XX
by Kevin Roche on Friday, May 13, 2011
Another Potpourri, this week delivering factoids on drug companies’ use of technology to reach physicians, waiting times in Massachusetts, use of atypical antipsychotics in nursing homes, unnecessary colonoscopies, EMRs and productivity, and a stupid FDA ruling.
Tags: Drugs, EHRs, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, HIT, Medicare, Physicians, Wellness and Prevention
2011 Potpourri XVI
by Kevin Roche on Friday, April 15, 2011
Happy Easter and welcome to our spring kickoff potpourri, complete with a survey on technology use by consumers; brand drug pricing; how to get individuals to purchase health coverage; views of the Massachusetts reforms; hospital pay-for-performance and use of PHRs.
Tags: Consumers, Drugs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, HIT, Hospital, Pay For Performance
2011 Potpourri XII
by Kevin Roche on Friday, March 18, 2011
Our Ides of March Potpourri, featuring two studies of the impact of wellness programs; the link between hospital spending and mortality outcomes; HHS waiving the MLR requirement for Maine; bills to have CMS disclose physician practice patterns; and research on smoking cessation techniques.
Tags: Care Management, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Hospital, Medicare, Wellness and Prevention, Wireless
Rand on Payment Reform Methods
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, March 1, 2011
A new report from the Rand Corporation reviews various proposals for changing payment methods to providers. The researchers categorize payment reforms into 11 models and review appropriate performance measures for each.
2011 Potpourri IX
by Kevin Roche on Friday, February 25, 2011
A positively presidential set of health care data points for your edification in today’s Potpourri, including examining correlations between hospital volume, quality and costs, improving quality program adherence, creating good insurance markets, the physician gender pay gap, the effects of the health reform law, and potential inconsistencies in HHS’ HIT incentive programs.
Tags: EHRs, Government, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, HIT, HITECH, Hospital, Physicians
Health Status, Income and Use of Services in Canada
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, February 24, 2011
The leading reason advocates use for demanding universal coverage is that it will improve health and health outcomes for lower socioeconomic groups. New research from Canada indicates that this is not likely to be true.
Tags: Consumers, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
Reuters Physician Survey
by Kevin Roche on Monday, January 24, 2011
A survey of 3000 American physicians reveals frustration and a widespread and strong disbelief in the supposed positive effects of the reform law on either health care for patients or physicians.
Tags: Health Care Reform, Physicians
2011 Potpourri III
by Kevin Roche on Friday, January 14, 2011
Once more into the Potpourri breach, this week covering CBO’s scoring of a repeal of PPACA; a global wellness survey; Medicare’s failure to use its data to identify abusive providers; Canadians’ view of their health system; Walmart’s preventive care package; and use of electronic messages to improve cancer screening rates.
Tags: Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, HIT, Medicare, Physicians, Wellness and Prevention
PWC on 2011
by Kevin Roche on Monday, January 10, 2011
PWC gives its perspective on major trends for 2011 in a recently released report. The trends are what would be expected, but some useful consumer survey information is included.
Tags: Health Care Reform
New Year Potpourri or 20ll Potpourri I
by Kevin Roche on Friday, December 31, 2010
Happy New Year and a prosperous 2011 to all of you, a prosperity which undoubtedly will be aided by the insights from our Potpourris, which this week include physicians’ use of patient satisfaction data, drugs for children, Medicaid quality measures, health reform provisions taking effect in 2011 and the FDA’s rate of drug approval in 2010.
Tags: Drugs, FDA, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, HIT, Medicaid, Medicare, Physicians
What Now After the Election?
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, November 6, 2010
There was a big change in the balance of power between the parties in this week’s midterm election but that change may or may not have a significant effect on the health reform law. Changes in government at the state level may have more of a near-term effect.
Tags: Government, Health Care Reform
2010 Potpourri XL
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, October 30, 2010
Is there anything scary about health care? Yes if you have to pay for it! Nothing scary about our Potpourri, just soothing health care nuggets, covering alternative therapies for back pain, CBO’s view on the reform law, peer interaction to help manage diabetes, diabetes prevalence, Massachusetts physician information, accountable care organizations, bias in clinical trial results and the effects of the health law on employer provided insurance.
Tags: Accountable Care Organization, Care Management, Chronic Disease, Disease Management, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Medical Care, Physicians, Workplace
2010 Potpourri XXXIX
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, October 23, 2010
The leaves disappear from the trees but our Potpourri is eternal, this week entertaining you on projected drug spending next year, prescription abandonment rates, avoiding hospitalizations for home care patients, anticipating the effects of the health law on employer-provided health insurance, the NAIC’s final action on the MLR and hospitals views on their ability to achieve the meaningful use incentives.
Tags: Care Management, Drugs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, HIT
Uwe Reinhardt on Cost Control
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Uwe Reinhardt is one of the wise old men of health care economics and policy. The New York Times has a recent blog column by him in which he reviews the perennial issues blocking real change in regard to health cost control.
2010 Potpourri XXXV
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, September 25, 2010
The days are shortening and the light fades, but there is still enough to read our Potpourri, which this week includes two benefit consultants’ views on health care coverage costs for next year, hospice care at end-of-life, insurance premium hikes in Connecticut, Massachusetts health reform outcomes, and how patients’ characteristics affects doctors’ quality ratings.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, HIT, Medical Care, Pay For Performance, Physicians, Workplace
2010 Potpourri XXXIV
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, September 18, 2010
On the menu for this week’s potpourri–savings from wellness efforts for a large employer; drug reimbursement for Medicaid programs; using remote monitoring in a health plan context; the FDA’s regulatory approach to mobile health uses; the effect of tort reform on imaging rates and hepatitis C pay-for-performance measures.
Tags: Disease Management, Drugs, FDA, Health Care Reform, Malpractice, Mobile, Monitoring, Pay For Performance, Wellness and Prevention, Wireless
Reform to Increase Health Spending!
by Kevin Roche on Monday, September 13, 2010
The Office of Actuary publishes its current estimate of national health spending in the wake of health reform. It finds that the law will slightly increase spending, but there is a big caveat because the projections assume Medicare payment cuts will stay in place.
Accountable Care Organizations
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, August 11, 2010
A Health Affairs/Robert Wood Johnson Issue Brief examines the accountable care organization concept, particularly as embodied in the recent federal health legislation. While there may be potential, as ACOs are structured for Medicare there will be many challenges on the road to meeting expectations.
Tags: Accountable Care Organization, Health Care Reform, Medical Care, Physicians
Massachusetts Reports
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Although its reform effort appears to have gone amok, largely for cost reasons, the state of Massachusetts is producing a lot of useful data and research on medical service delivery, including three recent ones on avoidable emergency room and hospital use and the state of primary care services.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Hospital, Physicians
More Misleading Tripe on Health Insurance Profits
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, July 29, 2010
Trashing insurance companies is popular and one of the most frequent complaints is about their premium increases and profits. A NEJM perspective uses misleading information to continue dumping on health plans.
Tags: Health Care Reform, HIT
2010 Potpourri XXVI
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, July 24, 2010
More midsummer musings, covering possible replacements for AWP, the effect of Part D on heart failure drug use, the VA’s telehealth programs, venture capital activity, self-management of high blood pressure, and of course, more problems with health insurance costs in Massachusetts.
Tags: Drugs, Financings, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Telemedicine
2010 Potpourri XXIV
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, July 10, 2010
Sitting indoors seeking relief from the summer heat? Here’s a montage of cool and refreshing health care items, including CPOE systems, accountable care organizations, Massachusetts’ reform experience, reducing imaging, and medical management trends.
Tags: Care Management, Government, Health Care Reform, HIT, Hospital, Medical Care
Fireworks Potpourri
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, July 3, 2010
We light up the sky with a scintillating selection of health care bombshells. Okay, maybe not that great, but some hopefully useful info on the VA’s health information system, MRIs and emergency cardiac care, business method and process patents, end-of-life care, actuaries’ views on how to control costs and, of course, more issues in Massachusetts.
Tags: Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Medical Care
The US Health System Stinks…Or Does It?
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, July 1, 2010
The Commonwealth Fund issues one of its regular reports designed to demonstrate how bad the US health system is compared to those of other developed countries. Unfortunately, the report is based almost exclusively on subjective survey data and fails to provide any adjustments to create a truer picture of the status of our system vis-a-vis others.
Tags: Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform
2010 Potpourri XXIII
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, June 26, 2010
Once more into the breach with the Saturday health care roundup, including medication adherence, monitoring patients’ health status in their homes, Massachusetts’ reform update and insurance costs, hospitals’ economic contribution, hospital cost shifting and consumers’ views on use of health IT.
Tags: Drugs, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, HIT, HomeCare, Hospital, Monitoring, Telemedicine
Reform Law Will Force Most Employers To Change Their Health Plan
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, June 16, 2010
The Administration has been caught again in how misleading its arguments in favor of the “reform” law were; this time in regard to how many employer-sponsored health plans will have to change as a result of the bill.
2010 Potpourri XXI
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, June 12, 2010
Another potpourri of health care items, including telemedicine, mergers and acquisitions, unnecessary medical care, Massachusetts struggle with health insurance rates and health costs, e-visits, and a different suggestion for reforming the system.
Tags: Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, HIT, M&A, Telemedicine
Will Reform Act Slow Health Costs?
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, June 10, 2010
Two federal budget experts examine CBO’s final analysis of the deficit effect of the health reform bill as passed and find that it is very likely that instead of a small amount of deficit reduction over the next decade, it will likely to add to an already desperate federal fiscal crisis.
2010 Potpourri XX
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, June 5, 2010
More health care nuggets for the weekend, including personalized medicine, health reform, health insurance premiums, telemedicine, and community health centers.
Tags: Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, HIT, Medicaid, Medical Care, Personalized Medicine, Telemedicine
2010 Potpourri XIX
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, May 29, 2010
Summer is starting and you are just laying around at the beach or the lake, eager to get a few missed health care tidbits. Here they are! Telemedicine, health reform, employer provided health insurance, computers providing health care and a nice merger.
Tags: aquisitions, Health Care Quality, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, HIT, Telemedicine
2010 Potpourri XVIII
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, May 22, 2010
Yet another in our long series of weekend catchup on miscellaneous health care items that we missed in earlier commentaries, including telemedicine, smoking bans, engagement in wellness efforts, the cost of high-risk pools, telemedicine and getting results in health improvement programs.
Tags: Consumers, Health Care Reform, HIT, Telemedicine, Wellness and Prevention
Drug Price Increases
by Kevin Roche on Friday, May 21, 2010
AARP publishes one of its regular updates on drug price increases, this one examining changes in pricing for brand name, generic and specialty drugs commonly used by Medicare beneficiaries in the first quarter of 2010.
Tags: Drugs, Health Care Reform
2010 Potpourri XVII
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, May 15, 2010
Here we go again. The CBO now estimates that the health bill has a number of discretionary spending items in it which will likely add over $100 billion to the costs of the act. (CBO Letter) It is really interesting how a few weeks after the law is enacted, the government suddenly finds several new [...]
Tags: Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Medical Care, Telemedicine
2010 Potpourri XVI
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, May 8, 2010
No mother’s day would be complete without some health care news to ruminate on. This week’s include psychiatric drugs, the cost of the SGR fix, home health care costs, telemedicine and using computers to aid in diagnosis.
Tags: Drugs, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, HIT, Medicare, Telemedicine
The “Reform” Truth Will Out
by Kevin Roche on Monday, May 3, 2010
The Office of the Actuary in CMS, which is a highly credible group, paints a far less optimistic picture of the recent health law’s effect than the Administration or Congressional leaders do. And the CBO gives us an estimate of just how many middle-class Americans are likely to pay a penalty rather than buy insurance.
Tags: Health Care Reform
PWC’s Take on Health Reform Effects
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Price Waterhouse Cooper has published a number of interesting reports on aspects of health care. They are one of the first large service companies to forecast changes to the health system that might result for the recently passed health law.
Tags: Health Care Reform, Medical Care
Employer Reactions to Health Reform
by Kevin Roche on Monday, April 26, 2010
The new national health law poses a number of challenges for employers in regard to the health benefits they offer to their employees. A poll published in Business of Insurance gives some early insight into companies’ initial reaction to the new law.
Health Care, the Federal Deficit and Federal Debt
by Kevin Roche on Monday, April 12, 2010
A commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine reminds us that health care has been a major contributor to the federal deficit and consequently the national debt and that it is likely to continue to add to our financial woes, notwithstanding the recent health act.
What! Massachusetts Again? Yep, With a Side of Maine and New York
by Kevin Roche on Friday, April 9, 2010
States that supposedly led the way on health care reform are finding out it was the bleeding edge that they were on. Insurers are always the easy target, but bashing them won’t solve the underlying cost problem. If the federal bill actually is implemented, the experience of these states will likely be replicated nationally.
Tags: Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
Volume and Quality in Hospital Procedures
by Kevin Roche on Monday, April 5, 2010
For some years researchers have examined the link, if any, between the volume of a certain type of procedure or service at a hospital and outcomes. A new study published in NEJM extends that research, finding that at a certain level volume is associated with lower mortality.
Tags: Health Care Reform, Hospital
2010 Potpourri XI
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, April 3, 2010
This week’s collection includes obesity, clinical trials results, how hospitals make money from physicians, strategic implications of reform, what reform is likely to do to young people’s insurance premiums and patents on genes. Enjoy!
Tags: Consumers, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Hospital, Physicians
The Massachusetts Debacle
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, March 30, 2010
The Massachusetts Attorney General’s final report on what is driving health care cost increases in Massachusetts confirms the preliminary version’s finding that most of the spending rise is due to nothing more than application of raw provider market power to extract high prices from private payers. Another report also examines hospitals’ pricing practices.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Hospital, Physicians
Health Care Reform Special
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, March 27, 2010
To the delight of some and the dismay of many, the health “reform” bill has passed and been signed. Very few Americans, or Congresspeople, understand what is in the bill and they are going to be very unpleasantly surprised by the taxes, the continued rapid growth in both health costs and insurance premiums and the severe negative consequences for our national finances.
Tags: Health Care Reform
Health Care Reform Status
by Kevin Roche on Monday, March 15, 2010
We may or may not be nearing the end game of health care reform, at least as currently proposed by the Administration. Whether it passes or not, the problems of cost, access and quality will remain and private, not government, action is most likely to be the source of solutions to those problems.
Tags: Health Care Reform
2010 Potpourri VIII
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, March 6, 2010
The Food & Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health have announced an initiative to collaborate on speeding significant research findings into products and clinical use. (FDA/NIH Announcement) Among other things the collaboration will create a leadership council to facilitate reaching its objectives. They also will award $6.75 million for the study of new [...]
Tags: Drugs, Health Care Reform, Malpractice, Retail Clinics, Workplace
Maybe It’s the Providers that Are the Cause of Spending Increases.
by Kevin Roche on Monday, March 1, 2010
Two more studies suggest that provider price increases, particularly those of hospitals, are the cause for overall spending rises and notes that there is little competitive check on providers’ ability to raise prices. When are policy-makers going to start paying attention?
2010 Potpourri VII
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, February 27, 2010
The latest in our regular amalgamation of health care news items, including telehealth, how many people really die from not having health insurance, silent PPOs, progress in automating claims processing and more on individual insurance policy price hikes.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Telemedicine
What Reforms Should Be Considered If Comprehensive Changes Fail?
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, February 16, 2010
If there is no systemic federal health reform legislation, what are the most important individual bills that could be considered to limit cost increases, improve access and improve quality? In honor of Presidents’ Day, we have a few suggestions for President Obama.
Tags: Health Care Reform
What If There Is No Major Health Reform?
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Right now the prospects for passage of comprehensive health reform appear dim. If nothing is passed, what are the implications for various participants in the health system? Is it more of the same, or will there be significant program, provider and payer initiated changes?
Tags: Health Care Reform
CBO Looks at Republican Budget Proposal
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, February 2, 2010
CBO analyzes a Republican proposal on federal spending, finding that the health care-related provisions would significantly reduce federal spending and national health expenditures, while increasing covered persons by an unspecified number.
Quality Reporting Programs Impose Costs on Physician Practices
by Kevin Roche on Monday, January 25, 2010
Quality measurement and pay-for-performance programs continue to spread, in the belief that they will improve health care quality. A new study looks at the costs these programs impose on physician practices, finding that any financial incentives are usually lower than the costs.
Tags: Health Care Reform, HIT, Pay For Performance, Physicians
2010 Potpourri 2
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, January 16, 2010
Another collection of health care tidbits, a little telemedicine, a little reform, a little on medical care, a little personalized medicine and a smidgen of physician happiness.
Tags: Health Care Reform, Personalized Medicine, Physicians, Telemedicine
Here We Go Again With the Office of the Actuary
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Once more the CMS Office of the Actuary looks at the current Senate reform bill–as passed this time. Findings include a coverage of a few million more persons, slightly higher cost, very slight change in the rate of increase in total health spending.
Tags: Health Care Reform
Better Reform Ideas
by Kevin Roche on Monday, January 4, 2010
It may be too late to stop the current health reform express, but there clearly are better ideas to consider if Congress would merely take a deep breath, pause and think. Alain Enthoven articuates some of those better ideas in a Health Affairs blog post.
Tags: Health Care Reform
New Year Potpourri
by Kevin Roche on Friday, January 1, 2010
Many thanks for your readership of the last year and here are a few health care predictions and observations about likely trends for 2010.
West Virginia Health Report Identifies Possible Savings
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, December 31, 2009
States have often been leaders in experimenting with different methods of delivering and financing health care. West Virginia commissioned a report to identify methods by which it might reduce costs, while increasing coverage and not harming quality.
Report Suggests Reform Bills Will Cost Less Than CBO Projects
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, December 24, 2009
A report suggests that the reforms proposed in the Senate and House bills will lower costs far more than CBO or others project, but the reasoning seems shaky, particularly in estimating lower health costs resulting from coverage.
Tags: Health Care Reform
CBO Looks Anew at the Now Likely to Pass Senate Bill
by Kevin Roche on Monday, December 21, 2009
CBO analyzes the final version of the Senate bill, finding the same effect on coverage and the federal deficit. Once again, the cost reduction which pays for coverage subsidies is vaporous and there is little true reform in this bill.
Tags: Health Care Reform
Money, Money, Money Makes the Health Reform World Go Round
by Kevin Roche on Monday, December 14, 2009
Health care organizations of all types have stepped up their lobbying and campaign contributions, obviously hoping to influence reform. The amount of money spent on these activities suggests the country is only going to get what interest groups paid to get in the bill; malpractice reform is a good example.
Tags: Health Care Reform, Malpractice
More From the Office of Actuary on Reform
by Kevin Roche on Monday, December 14, 2009
The Office of the Actuary strikes again, finding that the current Senate bill would likely increase total health spending over the next ten years and its costs savings are questionable.
Tags: Health Care Reform
Potpourri VII
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, December 12, 2009
Mercer surveyed employers to ascertain their reaction to the proposed tax on high value insurance coverage. The majority said they would reduce benefits to avoid the tax. Seven percent said they would outright terminate insurance coverage. Of those saying they would reduce benefits, most would do so by raising deductibles and copays. Employers also narrowly [...]
Tags: Drugs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Medical Care, Pay For Performance, Telemedicine
Reform Impact on Premiums
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, December 10, 2009
Two groups have put out statements suggesting that the CBO is underestimating the effect of the Senate reform bill on private health insurance premiums, probably by quite a bit. The relatively weak penalty for not having health insurance is likely to cause significant adverse selection among those who choose to buy rather than pay the penalty.
CBO Discusses Senate Bill Effect on Premiums
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The CBO estimates that the Senate reform bill will raise individual premiums by ten percent, although that will be offset by subsidies for many individuals. Overall the CBO finds group premiums would likely decline very slightly.
Senate Begins Health Reform Debate
by Kevin Roche on Monday, November 30, 2009
The Senate takes up its version of the health reform bill, creating an opportune moment to revisit what the goals of reform are and whether this bill will actually widen access, lower cost or improve quality. The answer is likely not.
CBO Report on Senate Bill
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, November 19, 2009
The CBO analyzes the most recent Senate health reform bill, finding it would increase coverage to 94% of Americans and reduce the deficit over the next ten years, but the deficit reduction is based on unsustainable assumptions.
Tags: Health Care Reform
Office of the Actuary Strikes Again
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The CMS Office of the Actuary zings the House bill, finding it will likely increase total national health care spending, its proposed savings from cuts in payments to Medicare institutional providers are unlikely to be sustainable and may reduce beneficiaries’ access to services.
Weekend Potpourri III
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, November 7, 2009
Yet another installment of the weekend health care miscellany that you are undoubtedly growing fond of.
Tags: Comparative Effectiveness, Health Care Reform, Medical Care, Personalized Medicine
ShowHide Headlines
Defending the legality of the national health-care overhaul against an onslaught of angry naysayers.
President Barack Obama is pushing to speed up insurance coverage for young adults in their twenties
What, and when? The effective dates of major provisions of the health-care overhaul legislation
Health insurers are girding for a fight over who should regulate the new the health-care exchanges
House Democrats are increasingly concerned that they could be marginalized at the bargaining table
A Senate aide tells Washington Wire that the two chambers plan to skip the formal conference process
Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson says he doesn’t see how fellow Democrats can resolve all his objections
Atul Gawande: The health-care bill has no master plan for curbing costs. Is that a bad thing?
Unions pressure Democrats on health insurance tax