Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Feature Highlights Recent Blog Entries
"Blog Watch" offers readers a roundup of health policy-related blog posts.
The American Prospect's Ezra Klein looks at news that Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) is "emerging as a top choice" for HHS secretary and comments, "But be clear: Sebelius is a choice for Health and Human Services, not health reform. She'd be a newcomer to Washington, with few contacts on the Hill and little knowledge of the players or the process." Igor Volsky of the Center for American Progress Action Fund's Wonk Room discusses Sebelius' health care record saying it "suggests that she's a practical proponent of Obama's health principles, willing to pursue, promote and defend comprehensive reform, despite political opposition." Gregory Schneider of the State Policy Network blog offers a different take: "If Sebelius gets the HHS job, she will fit right in with the climate of big spending inside the beltway, something she learned on the job here in Kansas."
Greg Scandlen on John Goodman's Health Policy Blog critiques an Urban Institute analysis of health savings accounts.
Maggie Mahar of the Century Foundation's Health Beat Blog examines (here and here) whether money in the stimulus package for comparative effectiveness research "will have teeth." Mahar concludes: "Given what the administration already has accomplished ... I am more and more optimistic that President Obama will meet his target."
Sarah Arnquist of the Health Care Blog looks at claims from Massachusetts members of Physicians for a National Health Program that only a single-payer program can succeed in the state.
Henry Stern of Insure Blog hosts the most recent edition of Health Wonk Review, a biweekly compendium of more than two dozen health policy, infrastructure, insurance, technology and managed care bloggers. A different participant's blog hosts each issue.
John Hood on the National Review Online's The Corner discusses arguments over whether cost-shifting from emergency departments is responsible for health care cost growth.
Vanessa Fuhrmans of the Wall Street Journal's Health Blog looks at reports of growing demand for prescription drug assistance programs.
