MedPAC’s SGR Solution: Bad Medicine For A Chronic Problem
In a failed Congressional experiment with “global spending caps” on physician services, US physicians ended up owing Congress and the Medicare program over $300 billion. The Congressional advisory panel MedPac issues a flawed proposal for cleaning up the so-called Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) mess.
The Fallen Souffle Economy
Continued economic troubles may be bringing healthcare’s three decade long run to an end. Can the health system adjust to scarcity?
Letting Go Of Employer-Based Health Insurance
Intense White House criticism of a McKinsey study predicting a large number of employers dropping coverage when the ACA is implemented begs a question. Suppose health reform actually foretells the end of employer based coverage? It might not be a bad thing. This posting is about Letting Go of Employer Based Coverage.
The Unbridgeable Gap between Left and Right on Health Reform
Controversy rages over health reform. A Republican landslide in November, 2010 strips the Democrats of control of the House of Representatives, and brings into office a new wave of conservative Republicans committed to repealing the Affordable Care Act. Many of the newly elected Republican majority do not believe there is a problem of access to healthcare. This posting discusses the unbridgeable gap between Republicans and Democrats on health reform.
Swamp Creature
Republicans have set themselves the political goal of “repealing and replacing” ObamaCare. They are unlikely to succeed and face significant political dangers, as they confront the Swamp Creature called the Affordable Care Act of 2010.
Marooned in the Horse Latitudes
The US economy languishes while the health system continues adding jobs. Are the two phenomena related? Is America marooned in the horse latitudes?
Eight Rules From The Heart Of Power: How Did Obama Do?
In his book on Presidential politics and health reform, Heart of Power, health policy analyst Dr. David Blumenthal offered eight rules for Presidential conduct of health policy. How did President Obama do?
Last Helicopter Out of Saigon!
President Obama is running out of time and public patience in the health reform debate. Obama must move quickly or health reform will slip from his grasp. The political price paid for health reform will be steep.
Panicky People Make Bad Decisions : Salvaging Health Reform after Scott Brown
After Scott Brown’s shocking election to Ted Kennedy’s Massachusetts vacant Senate seat, the Democrats lose their filibuster proof Senate majority. Can health reform be saved? This posting advocated starting over with a stripped down, affordable new bill.
There Be Dragons: The Fiscal Risk Of Premium Subsidies In Health Reform
The core of health reform is transforming a nearly $1 trillion private health insurance market. Health reform legislation will eliminate most of the health insurance industry’s risk management practices (medical underwriting, etc.) and restrict its gross margins and earnings. The Congressional Budget Office issues an astonishingly rosy forecast of how health reform will affect private health insurance markets. What is wrong with their forecast? What are the fiscal and policy risks of health insurance reform?