The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
It will take years to make the law’s most important changes. But by the time they are in place, if all goes well, most Americans truly will be better off. The early stages are encouraging.
The agencies that oversee doctors and hospitals promised they will give unified guidance on how medical providers can form “accountable care organizations” without violating antitrust regulations. ACOs are a key part of the new health law.
When it comes to Medicare, where it is everybody’s money and overpriced technologies are a significant factor undermining the senior citizen health care program’s long-term financial viability, paying for products that don’t deliver better is out.
Insurance coverage of mental illness and addiction problems often is skimpier than for physical illness. But that is changing with the mental health parity law that took effect earlier this year and the new health overhaul.
An Institute of Medicine report says nurses should take on a larger role in providing health care and calls for removal of government restrictions, which doctors have repeatedly opposed.
The Obama administration has touted ACOs as a key way that the new health law will help providers work more closely together to lower health costs and improve patient care. But doctors and hospitals are worried about inadvertently violating antitrust and anti-fraud laws. Insurers fear the new doctor-hospital entities could boost health care prices. Industry and government officials are meeting Tuesday to deal with the concerns.
As the November elections near, more Democrats appear to be campaigning on the health care law, touting a package of consumer protections that went into effect for plan years starting after Sept. 23.
As the November elections near, more Democrats appear to be campaigning on the health care law, touting a package of consumer protections that went into effect for plan years starting after Sept. 23.
While the federal government is investing heavily in anti-fraud efforts, private insurers should be given incentives to do the same.
Healthcare.gov, the website created by the new health law to be a one-stop consumer resource, today unveiled detailed cost and benefits information about health plans available in the individual insurance market.
Doctors could save lives by prescribing cheap beta blockers to surgery patients at risk of heart attacks.
The recession’s double whammy – less money and more need – is leaving states with reduced tax revenues and increasing numbers of people enrolling in the federal-state health care program for the poor.
The development of this draft rule is not a contest with winners and losers, but an effort to create a framework to press insurers to spend less money on bureaucracy and more on health care in a way that benefits consumers and keeps insurance markets viable.
Financial and health policy analysts who gathered for the 15th annual Wall Street Comes to Washington Conference reached a surprising meeting of the minds on the new health care law.
Dr. Richard Gilfillan, the new acting director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, has quite a juggling act to perform.
The Florida Medical Association’s controversial decision to express a lack of confidence in the American Medical Association is drawing criticism from its northern counterpart in Maine, which is urging support of AMA leaders.
A new survey explores how people shop for health insurance coverage.
As a federal judge considers the constitutionality of Texas’ 2003 medical malpractice reform – and Gov. Rick Perry campaigns for more lawsuit restrictions – the state Supreme Court has ruled that hospital injuries seemingly unrelated to doctor error can fall under Texas’ stringent medical malpractice caps. Some legal observers say the decision is a perversion of legislative intent, but tort reform advocates contend the high court simply closed a huge loophole in liability reforms.
Provision aims to raise awareness about the risk of the disease to women between the ages of 15 and 44.
Just weeks before the November elections, new polling shows that four out of 10 adults – no matter whether they supported the law – think the health care law did not do enough to change the health care system in America, and 53 percent of Americans are still confused about health reform.
