The Part D Medicare drug program's weighted average monthly premiums will increase 17% in 2008 and 23% since the program's January 2006 inception. The 2008 increase is well above basic pharmacy cost trend meaning the insurers are doing some rate catch-up. The average is weighted by actual enrollment.Premiums for the top two Part D Plans (PDPs) by enrollment are up dramatically. According to a
Read full post »
Browse » Home » All posts
Giuliani Puts His Foot In It With the Claim He Would Have Only Gotten Quality Treatment For His Cancer in the U.S.
There is this myth that all of the extra money we spend on health care at least gets us the best care in the world. Study after study debunked that long ago and the fact that someone running for president doesn't understand that claim is a myth is inexcusable.But Rudy Giuliani actually has a radio ad in New Hampshire that repeats the myth.All Giuliani's remark did was give opponents of a market
Read full post »
Report: "Health Insurer Tied Bonuses to Dropping Sick Policyholders"
It's hard to imagine a worse headline for the health insurance industry just as we are heading into what will be a fundamental debate over who should run our health care system.It is even harder to imagine a dumber thing for the insurance industry to do than continue to argue and litigate the notion that an insurer can cancel--or rescind--an insurance policy for a misstatement of fact on an
Read full post »
Sometimes It's the Little Things--The NCQA Announces an Agreement Between Providers and Payers to Better Pay for the Quality of Care
Particularly in this election season we tend to focus on the big health care reform plans. It is natural to want to see a big fix to a big problem. But everyday things are going on in the market that can make a difference. Make no mistake, these good works will not replace the need for systemic health care reform but it would be wrong to think just big policy changes are the only answer.A case in
Read full post »
What Will It Take to Get a SCHIP Bill This Year? The Budget Outlook Deteriorates Even More
Democratic and Republican negotiators are hard at work to get an agreement on the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) extension.The current SCHIP bill failed to get a veto-proof majority in the House.President Bush has said there is no way he will sign a SCHIP bill with a tax increase in it--the current bill would increase the per pack cigarette tax by 61 cents.The only way the
Read full post »
The Best Places To Get the Inside On the Workers' Compensation Market
Workers' Comp has always been a unique niche in the health care business.If WC is on your mind, I was reminded again today how important it is for you to be a regular visitor on Joe Paduda's "Managed Care Matters." While Joe is also a great source on all things health care, his perspective on WC is a must for those in that business. It's the real insider view that I always enjoy. His recent post
Read full post »
Romney Says There Are Already "Pots of Money" in the States to Pay For Health Care Reform---Where?
Mitt Romney says states could implement comprehensive health care reform without having to raise taxes.However, states trying to replicate the Massachusetts health plan would likely have to raise taxes in order to pay for it. That is the conclusion of a November 3rd Boston Globe article. Here are some points:Massachusetts had something other states don't have--a $610 million uncompensated care
Read full post »
Medicare Buy-In For Retirees--Private Options Make It an Even Better Idea
"We should act now to let companies and unions buy their early retirees into Medicare." That's the point of a Washington Post op-ed today by Democratic Congressman Rahm Emanuel and the president of the Democratic Leadership Council, Bruce Reed.These two former Clinton aides are arguing that:"The troubles at GM and Chrysler--and Ford, which reached a tentative labor agreement this weekend --
Read full post »
"Medicare Advantage: Wrong Way to Spend $54 Billion"--The AMA Goes After the Medicare HMO's Money
The American Medical Association (AMA) in an editorial in its journal, American Medical News, has pulled no punches in its argument that Medicare HMO plans (Medicare Advantage) need to be cut in order to find the money to fix the upcoming Medicare physician fee cuts--10% in 2008 and another 5% in 2009.Without a doubt their attack on "excess payments" to insurers is self serving--as about all
Read full post »
Why Consumers’ Checkbook v CMS is a Sideshow--Bush Administration Refuses to Release Provider Data
Brian Klepper joins us again today with another one of his welcome posts. This time he points out the hypocrisy in CMS, which has been calling for market transparency, refusing to provide provider data to a consumer group.Why Consumers’ Checkbook v CMS is a Sideshowby Brian KlepperThere are people who call for market solutions as the answer to every societal problem, but who then work to restrict
Read full post »
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)