I wrote this Kaiser Op-Ed before today's federal court ruling, that held the entire health care law unconstitutional because of the individual mandate. Now that two federal judges have held the individual mandate unconstitutional, this one overturning the entire law because of it, I have to wonder just how long the Democrats are going to wait before they try to amend the Affordability Act in
Read full post »
Browse » Home » All posts
"Quit the RUC"
Brian Klepper and David Kibbe have a notable column at Kaiser Health News arguing that the American Medical Association's Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) is specialist dominated and steers health care resources away from primary care:Not surprisingly, the Committee’s payment recommendations have consistently favored specialists at the expense of primary care physicians. More
Read full post »
The House Health Care Repeal Vote, the National Debt, and the Imperative for Democrats and Republicans to Compromise
This week's House health care repeal vote is little more than a political stunt--everyone knows the effort will die in the Senate.But, when the day is done the only way for the Republicans to do anything with the new health law will be to work out a compromise—repeal before the 2012 elections is impossible and it isn’t very likely after the 2012 elections. Even if the Republicans sweep the
Read full post »
Strong Evidence A Bipartisan Agreement on Health Care Was Possible in 2009
Readers of this blog have often heard me say that a bipartisan agreement on a health care bill was possible in 2009--driven from the Senate Finance Committee. I have continually made the point that the two sides were much closer than is commonly believed--or partisans are willing to concede.Every time I post this, the overwhelming reaction is that I am wrong--with one side inevitably blaming the
Read full post »
Karl Rove’s Criticism of AARP Was a Cheap Shot and Uninformed
Readers of this blog know that I am willing to call AARP out when I think they deserve it. Witness my recent post criticizing their reaction to the chairs of the Deficit Commission and their preliminary report when AARP acted more like a narrow minded advocate than an enlightened organization that understands the inevitability of fundamental reform to the entitlements.And, I have never been
Read full post »
Improving The Health Law In 2011: Realistic Ways To Reach Bipartisan Compromise
This post originally appeared at Kaiser Health News.The new health care law can be changed in ways that would make it acceptable to a bipartisan majority in the new Congress -- and, therefore, to the American people. But to find this elusive middle ground requires consideration of the competing philosophies at the heart of the nation's political divisions regarding this sweeping measure.For
Read full post »
The Democrats Had Better Hope the Supreme Court Overturns the Individual Mandate Before the Middle Class Understands How Bad It Is For Them
This post first appeared as a column at Kaiser Health NewsIs The Individual Mandate Really A Lynchpin In The New Health Law?If the Supreme Court does rule the individual mandate unconstitutional will it really bring down the whole law?I don't see it.First, the individual mandate isn't even close to what it has been made to be -- a provision that would protect the integrity of the health insurance
Read full post »
Back to the Future—Biggest Health Plans Reported to be Building Their Own Political Coalition
I had a real sense of déjà vu this morning reading Bara Vaida’s story in Kaiser Health News:Five of the nation's largest health insurance companies are taking a key step toward building their own inside-the-Beltway coalition to influence implementation of the new health law and congressional efforts to change it. The companies – Aetna, Cigna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare and Wellpoint – are shopping
Read full post »
What Would Happen If You Were To Pass a Big Health Care Bill Without Bipartisan Support?
During the recent health care debate I heard many people on both sides of the debate worry out loud about passing a heath care bill that did not enjoy broad support.I guess this question is no longer a theoretical one.December will be a big month when it comes to seeing some of the fallout accruing from the very partisan passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.First, the White
Read full post »
"Care and Cost"
Good friends David Kibbe and Brian Klepper have finally started their own blog--aimed at becoming a forum for many contributors to the health care debate.I suggest you add, "Care and Cost"––"Health Care Conversations About Hard Choices and Emerging Solutions" to your bookmarks.
Read full post »
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)