Why is it that these campus massacres seem to be a unique American phenomenon?Last week the country struggled to understand why the Imus fiasco hit such a raw nerve.This week, a 23-year-old Northern Virginia kid took some kind of rage out on dozens of innocent people at Virginia Tech.Could it be that the two share some kind of common thread?I believe they do.In my mind that thread has to do with
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Senate Developments on Medicare Advantage Payments to Health Plans and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP) Reauthorization
The Senate is back to work and two important developments occurred last week in the debate over Medicare Advantage payments to health plans and the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP).First, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing where its chair, Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) and ranking Republican, Chuck Grassley (R-IA), both expressed concern about the
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More Than 10 Million Are Now Using Consumer-Driven Health Care Accounts--We Will Soon Have Enough Data to Know How Well HSAs and HRAs Work
Consumer Driven Market Report (CDMR) has issued a report on the success of consumer-driven care in the marketplace.CDMR reports that over 6 million people are participating in health plans that have a health savings account (HSA) as part of their plan—that is an increase of 2.85 million in the last year.Similar health reimbursement accounts (HRAs) now total 4.1 million and are growing at a rate
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Another Victory Declared in Massachusetts--The Connector Exempts 20% of Uninsured State Residents From the Requirement to Buy a Health Plan
The only place there are more victories being declared than in Iraq these days is in Massachusetts.The Massachusetts Health Plan regulator, "The Commonwealth Connector," has issued new rules that will exempt an estimated 20% of the uninsured from a state legal requirement to purchase health insurance.Since the health plan bids came in last month, it has been clear the prices would not make it
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The Medicare Part D Drug Benefit: "The Ugliest Night I Have Ever Seen" - "60 Minutes" Report on How the Medicare Drug Benefit Became Law
As any any of you who know me, or who have regularly read this blog, know, I have great disdain for the Part D Medicare drug benefit--the way it was passed and the horrible health care policy it represents.I do believe seniors are entitled to coverage for their drugs. But instead of layering $8 trillion of unfunded liability (the whole of Social Security has a $4 trillion unfunded liability) on
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A Bipartisan Bill to Ban Genetic Discrimination Continues to Move Through the Congress
The House continues to move toward approving a genetic discrimination bill that would prohibit health plans from collecting genetic information and from requesting, requiring, or purchasing such information for insurance underwriting purposes.Employers would be prohibited from using genetic information in the hiring process.The bill is now working its way through the committee process with
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A Drug Reimportation Bill Continues to Receive Bipartisan Congressional Support
A drug reimportation bill that would enable consumers, drug retailers, and wholesalers to import cheaper foreign drugs from FDA-approved plants and warehouses continues to gain support. The CBO reported that the bill would generate $50 billion in savings for pharmaceutical purchasers over 10 years.While a floor vote has not yet been scheduled in either house, we continue to believe this, or a
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A Mental Health Parity Bill Still on Track for Passage
During the last few weeks we reported that it is likely a bipartisan mental health parity bill will emerge from this Congress after years of inaction on the issue.That prediction still holds today.In past years, the Republican Congressional leadership blocked the bill even though the votes were there for passage--with many Republicans behind it. With the Democrats now controlling the
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The Health Wonk Review--A New and Improved U.S. Health Care System
Jane Hiebert-White host's this edition of Health Wonk Review over at the Health Affairs Blog. Health Wonk Review is a bi-weekly round-up of the best in health care policy blogging. This edition is loaded with commentary on how we might achieve universal coverage--or not.
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The Real Reason Health Care Reform is Hard—Hillary Clinton Leads the Presidential Candidates With $26 Million in First Quarter Campaign Contributions
Reading the press, it’s as though raising money for a presidential run is a sweepstakes to be won—like it’s something to be proud of.Just exactly what should we all be celebrating?Hillary Clinton leads the way with $26 million raised in the first three months of the year before the presidential election. Senator Obama is reportedly going to come in well over the $20 million figure and John
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