Public Option, Private effects

A recent analysis funded by the insurance industry predicts tough financial times for hospitals if a public insurance option results in significant crowd out of traditionally higher-paying private insurance. In the absence of crowd out, hospitals will have improved revenues. Continue Reading …

Health (Insurance) Reform

A recently released policy brief discusses the bills currently floating through Congress with intentions of reforming the American health care system. Last week, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi introduced the combined health reform bill named the Continue Reading …

The Future of Medicine

Primary care physicians – general internists, family practitioners, general pediatricians – are on the verge of extinction. With pressures pushing young physicians toward specialization, a primary care crisis looms. Other workforce shortages, in general surgery and nursing, are also on Continue Reading …

Redesigning Provider Payment

A recent Health Affairs article explored several options and considerations for converting the current system of provider payments into one where all payments are bundled together for a patient’s entire episode of care. Health care providers are compensated by several Continue Reading …

Are mandates constitutional?

We have reviewed other materials from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in regards to . This current review discusses the important legal basis for and potential arguments against the institution of either an employer or individual mandate to obtain health Continue Reading …