Posts All of our commentary in one spot. You can also browse by topics or search. 410 posts in this category Posts pagination Newer 1 … 5 6 7 8 9 … 41 Older No Surprises Act has Unpleasant Surprises for Providers & Patients February 16, 2024 The No Surprises Act is a bipartisan law to protect patients from high medical charges for unavoidable out-of-network care, while providing providers with fair payments. Its implementation suffers from insurer-tilted rules, another example of “regulatory capture”. Reversing the Corporate Practice of Medicine February 12, 2024 A new organization, Take Medicine Back, is sounding the alarm about the corporate acquisition of medicine, which disrupts clinical care – harming both patients and doctors. The solution: enforce existing laws, create new laws, align physician organizations against corporate control, and unionize physicians. Reminders that Private Insurers Use Shady Tactics to Manipulate and Deceive Us February 8, 2024 “Free” preventive services that cost patients hundreds of dollars. A Medicare enrollment “choice” that defaults to Medicare Advantage. These are two newly highlighted devious maneuvers that favor benefits for shareholders over benefits for the public. Value-Based Care Failed, Let’s Admit it and Progress to Real Reform February 4, 2024 The Congressional Budget Office found that CMS experiments in value-based care payment schemes have cost us billions over 10 years, and will continue to do so. A prominent health foundation leader says, let’s double down. We say: time to admit defeat and advocate for a single payer system. Wealth Inequality Drives Health Inequality February 1, 2024 This study reveals that US wealth inequality, at historic highs, creates large health inequality: a lifespan difference of 13 years between the richest and poorest. Rectifying these economic differences would raise overall longevity to levels achieved in other wealthy countries. Oregon & California on Parallel Paths to Universal Unified Financing Health Care January 27, 2024 Two West Coast states have new laws mandating universal health care plans with single payer / unified financing over the next 3-4 years. That represents massive potential for a left coast lead to real US health care reform. Let’s get to work! Who is most efficient in health care? Surprise, it’s the VA January 25, 2024 This new study finds that in the Veterans Health Administration (VA) 22.5% of personnel are administrative or clerical, vs. 29.3% for the rest of the health care system. If non-VA insurers and providers echoed VA staffing, they would need 900,000 fewer administrators and clerks, sharply reducing administrative costs. Single payer efficiency gains would be even greater. Growing Job-Based Insurance Premiums Exacerbate Income Inequality January 20, 2024 For employers, labor costs include both wages and benefits. So when insurance premiums rise rapidly, wages stagnate. A new study finds that this phenomenon reduced total worker income from 1988-2019 by 5%. Lower paid workers and people of color were hit hardest, amplifying income disparities. Most Medical Debt Now from the Insured January 18, 2024 Over the past 5 years, the proportion of US medical debt represented by insured individuals grew from 11% to 58%. Modern health insurance is failing to serve its purpose of assuring financial access to care. Financialization – Structural Harm to US Health Care January 13, 2024 An excellent commentary in NEJM defines and describes the role of financial actors and actions in US health care. Increasingly, insurers and providers are purchased by financial organizations or adopt financial strategies. The focus on health care is disrupted. Posts pagination Newer 1 … 5 6 7 8 9 … 41 Older
