The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
Have you ever been to the supermarket and spotted a balding man with Down syndrome pushing a shopping cart for his elderly mother? Have you ever wondered how he pays his medical bills or his rent? In truth, no single
A new study found states have very different rates of enrollment for eligible kids – from a high of 95 percent in Massachusetts to a low of 55 percent in Nevada.
A nonprofit group is offering a $1,000 prize for the best essay on solving the nation’s problem of high health care costs.
Premiums for family coverage rose about 3 percent to an average of $13,770, but workers are absorbing a greater percentage of the costs, survey finds.
Critics say Medicare Advantage plans are inefficient and costly. But those same critics oppose vouchers for Medicare — even though that approach would set up a direct competition between the private plans and the traditional fee-for-service program.
A new smoking cessation program could lower health care costs, even among seniors.
As mid-term elections approach, the public is split over the law. Federal subsidies to help people buy insurance are popular, while a requirement that most Americans buy coverage isn’t.
Think twice before signing up for a new credit card to cover some doctor or dentist’s services. Regulators and consumer advocates warn that many of these special deals are deceptive.
The whole point of the nation’s conversation about health reform has been to find ways to spend differently so that the result is a higher quality, more humane health care system.
Most people with disabilities who are younger than 65 aren’t eligible for Medicare until more than two years after they qualify for Social Security disability income. But more than 65 patient advocacy groups are asking lawmakers to change the rule.
Physician assistants and nurse practitioners can prescribe medicine, and many operate almost completely independently of physician supervision. And unlike physicians in primary care, the number of physician assistants and nurse practitioners is on the rise.
Today, in almost every other sector besides health, electronic information exchange is the way we do business. Health care providers may agree with the benefits of electronic health records. But they’ve also believed that adopting them was too difficult and expensive.
Martin’s Point in Maine is among those pioneering a concept aimed at making care more efficient.
As Congress’ August recess continues, lawmakers are finding the electorate to be quieter on the topic of health care than they were during last summer’s heated town hall meetings. Even so, the new health law continues to be a topic of discussion during the primary election season and the run-up to this fall’s mid-terms.
With baby boomers about to turn 65, homebuilders see a big market for a building concept called universal design. It means houses are designed so owners can stay as they grow old — even if they develop physical limitations. The trick is making them beautiful enough that no one suspects they’re meant for seniors.
In a response to the August 23 opinion column by Douglas Holtz-Eakin and Michael Ramlet, Timothy Jost, a National Association of Insurance Commissioners consumer representative, says the NAIC has been meticulously transparent and participatory in its processes to implement the medical loss ratio requirement.
There’s a catastrophic shortage of primary care doctors who provide basic health care. And the need is expected to grow as more people receive coverage under the new health law.
District of Columbia city officials highlight early accomplishments in health insurance coverage expansions as reform implementation efforts pick up steam nationwide.
Baby boomers are increasingly using sensors and cameras to monitor their parents’ well-being.
Companies are using monitoring technology to transform elder care, but will seniors give up privacy?
