Pennsylvania's four BlueCross BlueShield plans have staked out different territories, effectively eliminating market competition between the Blues. One of the reasons that the reform model
For more than 20 years, PNHP’s Senior Health Policy Fellow Don McCanne, M.D. wrote a daily health policy update, taking an excerpt or quote from a health care news story or analysis and commenting on its significance to the single-payer movement.
PNHP has archived Dr. McCanne’s listserv below; to read current daily analysis on a broad range of health justice topics, please visit the McCanne Health Justice Monitor website.
Pennsylvania’s Blues avoid battle
Pennsylvania's four BlueCross BlueShield plans have staked out different territories, effectively eliminating market competition between the Blues. One of the reasons that the reform model
Why are insurers buying back their shares?
Health plan profits: Relying on the marketBy Emily BerryAmerican Medical NewsApril 5, 2010Boosting earnings per share keeps Wall Street (and shareholders) happy. And in for-profit
Why are insurers buying back their shares?
When some of the non-profit Blues insurers converted to for-profit status, the primary reason given for that conversion was to open access to
Hospital executives rank United HealthCare and WellPoint/Anthem as worst
Fourth Annual National Survey of Hospital Executives Reveals "Best" and "Worst" Among the Nation's Insurance companiesRevive Public RelationsMarch 31, 2010From the perspective of hospital executives,
Hospital executives rank United HealthCare and WellPoint/Anthem as worst
From the perspective of hospital executives, the two worst insurers in the nation happen to be the largest - United HealthCare and WellPoint/Anthem,
Gaming the individual mandate
Short-term customers boosting health costsBy Kay LazarThe Boston GlobeApril 4, 2010Thousands of consumers are gaming Massachusetts’ 2006 health insurance law by buying insurance when they
Gaming the individual mandate
Health policy science told us ahead of time that a mandate for individuals to buy private health insurance would not work if the
WellPoint/Empire drops four non-profit hospitals
WellPoint Unit Drops Stellaris From NetworkBy Avery Johnson and Suzanne SatalineThe Wall Street JournalApril 2, 2010A unit of WellPoint Inc. dropped Stellaris Health Network, a
WellPoint/Empire drops four non-profit hospitals
It is common to hear hospital administrators complain about low reimbursement rates from Medicare, yet how many terminate their participation in the Medicare
Taiwan to move towards more equitable financing
Talk of the day -- Health insurance overhaul nearly readyBy Sofia WuFocus Taiwan News ChannelMarch 30, 2010The health insurance premium rate will be raised from
Taiwan to move towards more equitable financing
Taiwan's single payer system has been phenomenally successful, though they, like all other nations, have had to confront increases in health care costs. Under the