The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
A few years ago, federal officials began rating Medicare Advantage plans – using a scale of one to five stars – but seniors’ advocates, policy analysts, insurers and some top Medicare officials agree the ratings are flawed. Even so, the star system is about to become more significant.
Chart depicts percentage of beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans by rating.
A new Obama administration regulation lays out how employers and insurers can revise their health plans
The overall health care plan remains unpopular, and Republicans are campaigning on a promise to repeal the law and replace it with something less costly. But when it comes to repeal – well, Democrats think that could help them, too.
A bill before Congress that would extend richer federal Medicaid assistance to states has now become an issue in the Kansas governor’s race.
In the long run, there’s no getting around the fact that Advantage plans will shrink in generosity and availability. Anything else would defy a fundamental law of economics that also happens to be a fundamental law of politics: you get what you pay for. And that might not be a bad thing.
Administration officials tout the Medicare drug rebate as an early and tangible benefit of health reform while Senate Democrats continue trying to advance a legislative package that includes the Medicare physician payment fix and, potentially, an extension of enhanced Medicaid funding for states.
Now that health reform is law, reporters covering this topic are shifting from political angles to the issues and questions surrounding how the law is implemented. This briefing for reporters discussed story ideas and approaches for reporting on health reform going forward.
More than 2.2 million Americans have atrial fibrillation, the most common heart arrhythmia, but treatment choices vary widely
Under the new health law, a nonprofit entity called the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute will be established to carry out a comparative effectiveness research agenda, starting in 2012. The law bars the government from using findings as the sole basis for decisions about what Medicare will cover.
New health plans must cover tests, supplements for pregnant women, and home visits for young mothers.
The health care industry is bulletproof when it comes to increasing spending or creating jobs as growth rates often double the rest of the economy.
Controversy erupted this week after the director of the Congressional Budget Office said the new health overhaul law won’t significantly reduce government speding on health care and a New York Times story critiqued Dartmouth research on health spending.
Much of this week’s major health policy news stems directly from Congress’ unfinished business related to the Medicare ‘doc fix’ as well as the House Democrats’ decision not to include enhanced Medicaid funding and COBRA benefit subsidies in their sweeping jobs bill.
The proposal to extend COBRA subsidies to those laid off through the end of the year is languishing in Congress. So the unemployed may soon pay more to remain on COBRA, look for insurance on the individual market, go on Medicaid or lose coverage altogether. And that could further tax a health system already struggling to keep up with the number of uninsured.
A new survey finds that, when it comes to their own health care, most people say “more is better, newer is better, you get what you pay for.” That’s frustrating for experts who say these things are often not true.
Gov. Chris Christie is cutting services and New Jersey’s anti-smoking program in order to reduce the deficit. Other states are feeling the pinch as well.
The law will extend health insurance to 32 million currently uninsured Americans by 2019, and will also have an impact on how nearly every American buys insurance and what insurance must cover.
Bowing to pressure from Democratic fiscal conservatives, House Democratic leaders scaled back health-related provisions in tax extenders legislation the House passed before beginning its Memorial Day recess.
Bowing to pressure from Democratic fiscal conservatives, House Democratic leaders scaled back health-related provisions in tax extenders legislation the House passed before beginning its Memorial Day recess.
