- KFF Health News Original Stories 4
- Efforts To Instill Empathy Among Doctors Are Paying Dividends
- Retail Health Care Spurs Innovation In South Florida
- In Florida, 93 Percent Of Enrollees Get Financial Help For Obamacare
- Missouri Gov. Endorses Work Requirement As Part Of Medicaid Expansion Plan
- Political Cartoon: ‘Insult To Injury?’
- Health Law 3
- King V. Burwell Raises Concerns For GOP Governors, Triggers A Fact Check
- The Clock May Run Out On Utah Medicaid Expansion Compromise
- Washington State Exchange Confronts Funding Shortfall
- Capitol Watch 2
- Congressional Leaders Explore Long-Term Fix To Medicare Physician Payments
- GOP Leaders Mull Parliamentary Tactic If High Court Does Not Strike Federal Health Subsidies
From KFF Health News - Latest Stories:
KFF Health News Original Stories
Efforts To Instill Empathy Among Doctors Are Paying Dividends
Often considered less important than technical skills, having a good bedside manner is important to helping patients and can lead to better outcomes. (Sandra G. Boodman, )
Retail Health Care Spurs Innovation In South Florida
In September, Florida Blue will debut three “integrated care” facilities designed to cater to South and Central American populations by offering primary care, specialty services, labs and diagnostics under one roof — a model common in Latin America. (Chabeli Herrera, The Miami Herald, )
In Florida, 93 Percent Of Enrollees Get Financial Help For Obamacare
Florida and Mississippi had the highest percentage of enrollees receiving a tax credit to help them pay premiums. (Chabeli Herrera, The Miami Herald, )
Missouri Gov. Endorses Work Requirement As Part Of Medicaid Expansion Plan
Despite the Democrat's embrace of a work requirement for the first time, the plan got a hostile reaction from some GOP lawmakers. (Jordan Shapiro, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, )
Political Cartoon: ‘Insult To Injury?’
KFF Health News provides a fresh take on health policy developments with "Political Cartoon: ‘Insult To Injury?’" by Chris Wildt .
Here's today's health policy haiku:
If you have a health policy haiku to share, please Contact Us and let us know if we can include your name. Haikus follow the format of 5-7-5 syllables. We give extra brownie points if you link back to an original story.
Opinions expressed in haikus and cartoons are solely the author's and do not reflect the opinions of KFF Health News or KFF.
Summaries Of The News:
King V. Burwell Raises Concerns For GOP Governors, Triggers A Fact Check
News outlets analyze the possible fallout of this case now being considered by the Supreme Court.
The Hill:
GOP Governors Scramble For Answers On ObamaCare
Republican governors are scrambling to come up with a response if the Supreme Court cripples ObamaCare, leading to a tangle of divergent views that could make it tougher for the GOP to rally around a single solution. Political pressure on Republican governors to act will be intense if the high court invalidates subsidies that help millions of their states’ citizens buy health insurance. (Sullivan, 3/12)
The Washington Post's Wonkblog:
The Supreme Court’s Obamacare Decision Could Do The Most Damage In The South
If the Supreme Court rules this summer that federal-run Obamacare exchanges can't provide health insurance subsidies, the results could be chaotic for those receiving the financial aid across the country — but especially in the South. About 11.7 million people have signed up for 2015 exchange plans, including 8.8 million who selected coverage in states with federal-run exchanges, the Obama administration announced Tuesday. The vast majority of those people are receiving subsidies, which on average cuts monthly premiums by 72 percent. Those size of the typical discount, though, varies by state. (Millman, 3/11)
USA Today/FactCheck.org:
Fact Check: King V. Burwell Fallout
The plaintiffs in this case — David King and three other Virginia residents – argue that the language of the ACA stipulates that insurance subsidies should only be available in states that set up their own exchanges, not states that rely on the federally run HealthCare.gov. The plaintiffs focus on language in the law about subsidies being available for those enrolled in an exchange "established by the State." The federal government, meanwhile, argues that the law, as a whole, makes clear subsidies should be available for those enrolling in any exchange, whether established by the state or federal government. (Robertson, 3/11)
But even beyond the court case, the law faces other challenges, too -
California Healthline:
The Quiet Threats To Obamacare
King v. Burwell isn't the only challenge the ACA faces. California Healthline spoke with experts and pored over recent research to determine some of the other biggest threats to the law's viability and success. (Wilson, 3/11)
The Clock May Run Out On Utah Medicaid Expansion Compromise
News outlets report that a deal for Health Utah may be in the works but there may not be enough time before the legislative session ends at midnight Thursday to complete negotiations between the House, Senate and Gov. Gary Herbert's office.
Salt Lake Tribune:
Hope For Utah Medicaid Decision Is Alive, But Barely
Low-key negotiations on Medicaid expansion continued among the House, Senate and Gov. Gary Herbert's office Wednesday, but no one was placing odds on a compromise before the legislative session ends at midnight Thursday. "I remain optimistic," said Sen. Brian Shiozawa, R-Cottonwood Heights. "We continue to be optimistic," said Marty Carpenter, Gov. Gary Herbert's spokesman. ... Medicaid expansion — the governor's Healthy Utah plan vs. the House's Utah Cares plan — has consumed a huge expanse of the 2015 Legislature's bandwidth. The prospect of a special session on Medicaid, however, was growing by the hour Wednesday as lawmakers considered the complexity of redrafting bills — and finding money — in the session's final hours. (Moulton, 3/11)
Deseret News:
Healthy Utah Deal In The Works
There's a deal in the works in the ongoing back-and-forth between the House and the Senate over Gov. Gary Herbert's Healthy Utah alternative to Medicaid expansion. But there may not be enough time to get the governor, House Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper, and Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, on board before the 2015 Legislature ends at midnight Thursday. No one involved in the negotiations was willing to talk about the details of the compromise reportedly reached between House Majority Leader Jim Dunnigan, R-Taylorsville, and Sen. Brian Shiozawa, R-Cottonwood Heights. Shiozawa said only that he and Dunnigan have had "reasonable talks" about what's expected to be a combination of the governor's plan for providing health care to low-income Utahns and the House's more limited version, known as Utah Cares. (Riley Roche, 3/11)
The Associated Press:
Utah House Panel Votes Down Governor's Medicaid Plan
Lawmakers in Utah's House of Representatives rejected Governor Gary Herbert's Medicaid plan and instead pushed forward their own alternative proposal to help some of the state's poor get health insurance. Soon after a House business and labor committee voted 4-9 March 4, against the Republican governor's proposal, they turned their attention to an alternative plan from House GOP lawmakers. (Price, 3/12)
News outlets also offer Medicaid expansion developments from Nebraska, Missouri and Florida -
The Associated Press:
Nebraska Panel Advances Medicaid 'Redesign' Measure
A new effort to expand Medicaid coverage in Nebraska is headed to a full debate in the Legislature. The Health and Human Services Committee voted 5-2 on Tuesday to advance the Medicaid Redesign Act to the floor. (3/11)
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Nixon Outlines Medicaid Plan, Endorses Work Requirement
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on Wednesday said he was willing to work with Republicans on a plan to expand the state’s Medicaid program and even offered endorsements for conservative ideas that have drawn reproach from some health advocates. Speaking at a career center in Springfield, Mo., the Democratic governor said he would support a proposal to require Medicaid recipients to work or pay more for their government-funded health insurance if it meant more people could enroll in the program. (Shapiro, 3/12)
Tampa Bay Times:
League Of Women Voters "Will Not Rest" On Medicaid Expansion
In the latest update to the Florida Medicaid expansion debate, the League of Women Voters in Florida held a call Wednesday afternoon supporting the recent passage of a proposal in the Florida Senate that hopes to expand coverage to about 800,000 uninsured Floridians. The League’s president, Deirdre Macnab, said she was encouraged by the passage of the bill in the Senate and is hopeful it will also go on to pass in the more conservative Florida House. (McGrory, 3/11)
Washington State Exchange Confronts Funding Shortfall
News outlets in Minnesota and Colorado also report on other developments regarding the health law's online state insurance marketplaces.
Fox News:
Washington State's Obamacare Exchange Faces Funding Shortfall
The Washington Health Benefit Exchange call center in Spokane is so busy that staffing has been quadrupled, with the center receiving up to 10,000 calls a day. The problem is not enough of those callers are actually signing up for insurance. (Springer, 3/12)
Minnesota Public Radio:
MNsure Bets People Will Buy Health Insurance To Avoid Fines
MNsure officials aim to attract more private-plan buyers with yet another special enrollment period. It offers anyone hit with a federal tax penalty for not having health insurance last year a chance to avoid another tax penalty. (Zdechlik, 3/12)
Health News Colorado:
Exchange Audit Bill Advances; Colorado 24th In Nation For Sign-Ups
A bill supporting a new comprehensive state audit of Colorado’s health exchange sailed through a House committee with unanimous support on Tuesday and heads next to the full House. (Kerwin McCrimmon, 3/11)
Congressional Leaders Explore Long-Term Fix To Medicare Physician Payments
As the next round of cuts -- a 21 percent reduction -- are scheduled to kick in April 1, bipartisan efforts are underway to negotiate a compromise that would permanently revamp this Medicare trouble spot.
The Wall Street Journal:
Congress Explores Longer-Term Solution For Medicare Physician Payments
Congressional leaders are discussing ways permanently to end the recurring scramble to avoid cuts in Medicare payments to physicians, lawmakers and aides said on Wednesday. House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio), Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), and the leaders of several House committees are looking for ways to solve the perennial problem known as “doc fix” before the latest short-term patch expires at month’s end, aides said. (Peterson and Radnofsky, 3/11)
The Associated Press:
House Leaders Looking For Deal To Halt Medicare Payment Cuts
Aides to top House Republicans and Democrats are trying to negotiate a bipartisan compromise to permanently revamp a law that annually threatens cuts in Medicare payments to doctors, including a 21 percent reduction set to take effect April 1. As part of the talks, bargainers are considering budget cuts that could offset part, but not all, of the measure's costs, according to lobbyists following the negotiations. The estimated 10-year price of repealing the annual Medicare cuts is roughly $175 billion. (Fram, 3/11)
CQ Healthbeat:
Wyden Hints Permanent 'Doc Fix' Could Be Near
The top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee suggested Wednesday the House is negotiating legislation to permanently replace Medicare’s physician payment formula, as opposed to passing a temporary patch to avert cuts that would take effect April 1. (Attias, 3/11)
GOP Leaders Mull Parliamentary Tactic If High Court Does Not Strike Federal Health Subsidies
In other Capitol Hill action, some lawmakers are contemplating legislation that would restrict overall drug costs to patients or target such controls to specialty medications in an effort to keep their costs more in line with other drugs.
Politico:
Republicans Mull Reconciliation, Await Supreme Court Obamacare Ruling
One leading contender is reserving the technique, which short circuits filibusters in the Senate by letting tax and spending bills pass with a majority vote, to move any legislative response needed to a Supreme Court decision unraveling the Affordable Care Act. The court is expected to decide the case, King v. Burwell, in late June. The court is considering complaints that the law does not permit the administration to provide health insurance subsidies in states that did not set up their own exchanges. A ruling against the administration could cut off financial assistance to as many as 8 million Americans, creating chaos in the program and demanding a quick legislative fix from Congress. (Faler, 3/11)
The Associated Press:
Specialty Drugs Save Lives, Come With Daunting Price Tags
Doctors hail many of these [specialty drugs] as breakthroughs, since they can conquer or control diseases that were once almost untreatable. But they can cost more than $80,000 for a single course of treatment .... Legislatures in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Illinois, among other states, are considering bills that would limit prescription drug costs for patients. Six states, including New York and Maryland, have already passed such measures. Rep. David McKinley, a Republican from West Virginia, will soon introduce a bill for Congress to consider. Some of these bills and laws restrict overall drug costs to patients, while others target specialty medications with measures that aim to keep their costs more in line with other drugs. (Murphy, 3/11)
In addition, a bipartisan bill is introduced to lift federal restrictions against medical marijuana -
The Philadelphia Inquirer:
Booker And Rand Paul Propose Bill Lifting Restrictions On Medical Marijuana
Sen. Cory A. Booker (D., N.J.) joined with Sens. Rand Paul (R., Ky.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D., N.Y.) Tuesday to announce a bipartisan bill to lift federal restrictions against medical marijuana.The legislation would remove the specter of federal prosecution in the 23 states that have medical marijuana programs - including New Jersey - and any others that may be considering one. Washington, D.C., also has a program, and a dozen other states have laws permitting patients to buy Cannabidiol, an ingredient in cannabis that does not produce a high but has been reported to be effective in curbing seizures and treating epilepsy. (Hefler, 3/10)
The Des Moines Register:
Grassley Opposes Medical Marijuana Rescheduling
A bipartisan group of U.S. senators who want to loosen federal medical marijuana laws shouldn't expect support soon from Iowa's senior senator. Republican Rand Paul of Kentucky and Democrats Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Corey Booker of New Jersey introduced a bill this week that would make it easier for people to use state medical marijuana programs without worrying about facing federal charges. (Leys, 3/11)
In other legislative news, an abortion emerges as a hurdle to another proposal -
CQ Healthbeat:
Hyde Amendment Resurfaces In Senate Flap Over Trafficking Bill
A Senate blowup over a bill to crack down on human trafficking marks Republicans' latest attempt to expand the reach of language inserted in various spending bills to bar federally-funded abortions — a gambit that has landed the GOP in hot water before.
Lawmakers agreed to consider a bipartisan trafficking bill (S 178) Monday, with Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., vowing to work with Democrats to advance the measure. But efforts quickly derailed Tuesday when abortion rights supporters discovered that the contentious language was tucked into the underlying bill. (Zanona, 3/11)
Health Spending Picks Up Speed, Breaks Recent Pattern Of Slow Growth
Data released by the Census Bureau indicates that 2014 spending on hospitals, doctors and other health care providers appears to have surpassed the rates of the past five years.
Bloomberg:
U.S. Health Care Spending Probably Jumped 5 Percent In 2014
American health-care spending likely snapped a five-year streak of historically slow growth last year, according to an analysis of new federal data by private economists at the Altarum Institute. The nation’s nearly $3 trillion medical bill grew 5 percent last year, compared with an average annual rate of 3.9 percent from 2009 to 2013, estimates Charles Roehrig, director of the nonprofit institute's Center for Sustainable Health Spending. (Tozzi, 3/11)
Modern Healthcare:
Health Care Spending Picks Up Pace
Perhaps healthcare spending is picking up again, data released Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau indicate. Spending on hospitals, doctors and other providers in 2014 appears to have outpaced the slow growth rates of the past few years, according to the bureau. Healthcare spending grew at a 5.4% annual rate in the fourth quarter unadjusted for inflation or seasonal differences—a sizable difference from the U.S. Department of Commerce's most recent estimate of 3.9% but very close to actuarial predictions from September. (Herman, 3/11)
Iowa Supreme Court Hears Abortion Case
The case, which centers on whether state regulators were trying to protect patient safety when they ordered limits on a telemedicine abortion system, could have implications for telehealth and state boards of medicine.
The Des Moines Register:
Telemed-Abortion Case Argued Before Iowa Supreme Court
The Iowa Supreme Court was asked Wednesday to determine whether state regulators were legitimately trying to protect patient safety when they ordered limits on a telemedicine abortion system, or whether they were just trying to restrict access to a legal medical service. The arguments centered on the Iowa Board of Medicine's 2013 ruling that doctors must perform in-person physical examinations before dispensing abortion pills. The rule would effectively bar use of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland's telemedicine system, which allows urban doctors to offer the service to small-town patients over a computer video linkup. (Leys, 3/11)
Modern Healthcare:
Iowa Abortion Case Could Have Broader Telehealth Implications
The issue of abortion may be grabbing the attention in a case argued Wednesday before the Iowa Supreme Court, but the case could have broader implications for telehealth practices and state boards of medicine, experts said. The Iowa Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Planned Parenthood of the Heartland Inc. and Dr. Jill Meadows v. Iowa Board of Medicine, a case that focuses on the question of whether abortions should be allowed through telemedicine in Iowa. (Schencker, 3/11)
Meanwhile, in Texas -
The Houston Chronicle:
Former Fetus' Signs Greet Planned Parenthood Rally At Capitol
As lawmakers, students and advocates from across the state gathered at the Capitol on Wednesday to participate in a Planned Parenthood rally, several lawmakers posted signs outside their offices declaring themselves a "former fetus." The signs, distributed by the Texas Right to Life organization, were displayed as a response to the Planned Parenthood Rally and lobby day. (Mekelburg, 3/11)
A selection of health policy stories from Connecticut, Oregon, California, Kansas, Wyoming, North Carolina, Maryland, Texas, Pennsylvania and Kentucky.
Connecticut Mirror:
In Controversial Health Care Bills, Some Agreement On Transparency
This year, some top legislators have their sights set on addressing what they see as troubling changes in the state’s health care landscape. Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney and Minority Leader Len Fasano teamed up to develop a series of proposals focused on the growth of large hospital systems, hospitals' acquisitions of physician practices, and what the two lawmakers warn are the increased costs that result from both. The proposals have been criticized by hospital officials and some others in health care, and are likely to undergo changes before a final version emerges. (Levin Becker, 3/12)
The Associated Press:
Oregon Lawmaker Drops Bill To Ban Most Vaccine Exemptions
Legislation aiming to pressure Oregon parents to get their children vaccinated was abandoned Wednesday because of formidable opposition in a state that has the nation’s highest rate of nonmedical exemptions, a move that comes as several other states wrestle with similar proposals. (3/11)
The Associated Press:
Bills Banning Most Vaccine Exemptions Fail In Northwest
Legislative efforts to increase pressure on parents to get their kids vaccinated failed in Oregon and Washington state Wednesday amid stiff opposition as a handful of other statehouses consider similar bills prompted by a measles outbreak at Disneyland. Oregon's measure, which had the support of Democratic Gov. Kate Brown, would have made the state the third in the country allowing exemptions from immunizations only for medical reasons, and no longer for religious, philosophical or personal reasons. Mississippi and West Virginia are the only other states that have comparable laws in place. (3/11)
The Associated Press:
Hospital Subsidy Bill Becomes Law Without Mead's Signature
Gov. Matt Mead is allowing a bill to put up roughly $2.5 million to subsidize hospitals in the state to become law without his signature. Mead on Wednesday released a letter that he wrote this week to Wyoming Secretary of State Edward Murray expressing his dissatisfaction with the hospital-funding bill. (3/12)
Los Angeles Times:
Countering Criticism, Steinberg Says Mental Health Law Showing Results
Seeking to quell criticism that his signature mental health initiative lacks accountability, former state Senate leader Darrell Steinberg pushed back Wednesday with a study he commissioned showing declines in homelessness, arrests and incarcerations for people receiving treatment under the law. “The public has every right to know exactly how these dollars are being spent and what results are being attained because of this investment,” Steinberg said at a Wednesday news conference. (Mason, 3/11)
The Sacramento Bee:
Prop. 63 Is Helping Mentally Ill Californians, Steinberg Report Says
A massive tax program former state Sen. Darrell Steinberg pushed to fund mental health services is providing relief to tens of thousands of Californians and decreasing homelessness, hospitalizations and arrests among mentally ill people treated in the programs, according to a report Steinberg released Wednesday. (Rosenhall, 3/11)
The Kansas Health Institute News Service:
Judge Throws Out Centene's Extortion Claim In Lawsuit Over KanCare Practices
A federal judge has thrown out Centene Corp.’s abuse-of-process claim against a former employee who alleged she was fired after complaining about the managed care organization’s business practices. Centene is the parent company of Sunflower State Health Plan Inc., one of three for-profit companies managing KanCare, Kansas’ privatized version of Medicaid. (Margolies, 3/11)
North Carolina Health News:
Lawmakers Expected To Consider Chemotherapy Cost Parity
Cancer treatment advocates are looking to reduce the cost to patients for oral chemotherapy drugs. (Namkoong, 3/12)
The Washington Post:
Maryland House Takes Steps To Reverse Cuts Made In Hogan’s Budget
The plan, which must also be considered by the Senate before reaching Hogan’s desk, will probably restore cuts made by Hogan to Medicaid reimbursements, K-12 education funding and state employees’ salaries. ... Several panels of the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday voted on recommendations that would allow for the restoration of Medicaid coverage for pregnant women whose income levels were slightly above the regular eligibility for the federal program, and on full funding for some of the state’s most expensive public school systems. (Wiggins, 3/11)
The Associated Press:
Disability Advocates Keep Close Watch On New Texas Governor
Abbott’s physical limitations provide more exposure to the difficulties faced by disabled Americans, and the new governor could be an asset to organizations pressing for changes to ease the public lives of the disabled in Texas and elsewhere. But while advocates take some pride in having a governor with visible disabilities, their optimism is muted by Abbott’s record. (3/11)
Nextstar Broadcasting:
Proposal Expands Role Of Nurse Practitioners
Pennsylvania State Representative Jesse Topper has introduced a bill that would allow certified nurse practitioners to treat patients without having a business contract with two doctors. Nurse practitioners are trained to perform and interpret diagnostic tests, diagnose and treat conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, infections, and injuries. They can also prescribe medication. (3/11)
USA Today:
Kentucky Looks At Needle-Exchange Success In Ohio City
A steady stream of weary-looking addicts, many with bags of used hypodermic needles stuffed into old winter coats, walked into an alley behind the health department and joined a small line inside. Called in one by one to a tiny room, the mix of young women, couples and older men gave only their initials, ZIP code and drug of choice to two health workers at folding tables. "Heroin?" asked Lisa Roberts, a nurse with the Portsmouth City Health Department. "Tar, powder or both?" (Kenning, 3/10)
The Seattle Times:
Telemedicine Making Sense For More Doctors And Patients
Increasingly, health-care providers are turning to telehealth — physician services provided over a video or telephone connection — to save dollars and deliver care to remote areas or to patients who may have difficulty getting to medical facilities. (Marshall, 3/11)
NPR:
When Life Overwhelms, This Group Lends A Healthy Hand
Health Leads operates in seven cities across the U.S. and has more than a thousand volunteer advocates, the vast majority of whom are college students. It was founded by Rebecca Onie. Now the organization's CEO (and recipient of a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship in 2009) Onie came up with the idea as a college sophomore in the 1990s. While volunteering at a hospital in Boston, she often asked doctors this question: If you had unlimited resources, what's the one thing you would give your patients? (Kelto, 3/12)
Viewpoints: Save CHIP; Playing 'Chicken' With Health Law; Opioid Epidemic
A selection of opinions on health care from around the country.
Los Angeles Times:
Will Congress Play Politics By Killing Healthcare For 2 Million Children?
In the fetid swamp that is America's healthcare coverage system, there has been one consistent ray of light: medical coverage for children. Credit for that belongs to the federal Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, which was established in 1997 as an add-on to Medicaid with special rules and funding. Since its enactment, the uninsured rate for children under 18 has been cut in half, from 14% in 1997 to 7% in 2012. Now that progress is under threat. CHIP funding is scheduled to expire on Sept. 31. Congressional action is required to extend it. If your guess is that the Republican Congressional majority is plotting to cut the program back--if it extends funding at all--you guessed right. (Michael Hiltzik, 3/11)
Politico:
The Federalism Fallacy In King V. Burwell
A great deal is at stake here. If the plaintiffs win, individuals in 34 states—the states that have opted not to operate a state insurance exchange—will still be subject to Obamacare’s individual mandate, but they won’t qualify for federal tax subsidies. As a result, their insurance will cost more out-of-pocket. Moreover, because individuals in these 34 states won’t get tax subsidies, employers in these states won’t be subject to the employer mandate, so they won’t have to offer health insurance and can’t be taxed for failing to do so. And yet, those states would be able to continue registering their profound opposition to the entirety of the Obamacare regulatory scheme, thereby undermining its legitimacy. Given these consequences, supporters of Obamacare are pulling out all the stops to prevent a plaintiffs’ victory. (David Rivkin and Elizabeth Price Foley, 3/11)
news@JAMA:
Of SCOTUS And Chicken
The game of chicken, which was popularized in the 1950s movie Rebel Without a Cause, has many variants, but the basic design goes like this: players involved in a conflict of some sort try not to yield in the hope that the other player will yield first. But the worst and potentially catastrophic outcome is when no one yields. After hearing oral arguments last week, the US Supreme Court (aka SCOTUS) is deliberating in King v Burwell, a case that has the potential to unleash a massive game of chicken around the Affordable Care Act (ACA). (Larry Levitt, 3/11)
Modern Healthcare:
Jeb Bush's Consumer-Choice Model Offers Questionable Choices
Republican heavyweight Jeb Bush, who's likely to run for president in 2016, offered his ideas this past weekend on how to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. But in a speech mostly devoid of details, his most concrete proposal could well worsen one of the biggest consumer problems under the ACA – high out-of-pocket costs. (Harris Meyer, 3/11)
The Washington Post:
The Legal Drug Epidemic
When is this country going to wake up — really wake up — to the catastrophe that prescription opioid painkillers have caused since they came into widespread use in the early 1990s? (Charles Lane, 3/11)
Forbes:
Let Medicare Patients Decide Which Accountable Care Organization To Join
One loudly trumpeted tool to create value in Medicare is the Accountable Care Organization (ACO). Unfortunately, ACOs are underwhelming and soon likely to fall off the radar screen. The ACO model never fooled the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which estimated that in 2010 they would only save $4.9 billion through 2019 – just 11% of the total cuts to Medicare incorporated within Obamacare. ACOs are complicated contracts whereby the government and provider organizations agree to share the gains that provider organization wrings out of Medicare costs. Although we only have two years of Medicare ACO experience, their supporters are already starting to panic that ACOs are “at risk,” according to the title of a recent paper by scholars from Dartmouth College, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health, and the Campaign to Fix The Debt. Total savings for Medicare ACOs last year were $417 million, less than 1% of Medicare spending. (John R. Graham, 3/11)
Money:
Why The Bill To Fix Medicare Keeps Soaring
A perennial congressional battle over Medicare is about to erupt. And the result is likely to be a steep increase in the program’s long-term costs—with older Americans eventually paying many of those bills. (Philip Moeller, 3/11)
The New York Times' The Conscience Of A Liberal:
The Truth About Entitlements
What this chart [of Congressional Budget Office historical detail] tells you right away: 1. The “nation of takers” stuff is deeply misleading. Until the economic crisis, income security had no trend at all. The only way to make it seem as if means-tested programs were exploding is to include Medicaid, which has gone up in part because of rising costs, in part because of a major expansion to cover children (all those 11-year-old bums on welfare, you know). (Paul Krugman, 3/11)
Los Angeles Times:
Prime Healthcare: Villain Or Victim In Daughters Of Charity Story?
Let the finger-pointing begin! Prime Healthcare Services dropped its bid to rescue the six Daughters of Charity Health System hospitals in California this week, citing the lengthy mandates Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris placed on Prime in approving the deal. "The conditions placed on the sale by the California attorney general are so burdensome and restrictive that it would be impossible for Prime Healthcare -- or any buyer -- to make the changes needed to operate and save these hospitals,” Prime's founder and chairman, Dr. Prem Reddy, stated Tuesday. Harris responded by accusing Prime of acquiescing to the conditions during negotiations with her office, then turning around and rejecting them. (3/10)