September 10, 2004 Cost of Insuring Workers’ Health Increases 11.2% By MILT FREUDENHEIM http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/10/business/10care.html (story has a good chart that doesn’t show up here) The cost of providing health care…
Canada’s “Monty Python” health care system
…our incredibly valued healthcare professionals while protecting patient care through this time of change and transition. http://www.oha.com/Client/OHA/OHA_LP4W_LND_WebStation.nsf/page/The+Economic+Club+of+Toronto Comment: The Canadian press seems to prefer to characterize their medicare program as…
Don’t Think of a Sick Child
…premiums and the size of networks, and whether we can afford catastrophic, comprehensive, limited, mini-med or scheduled health insurance. But George Bush doesn’t want you thinking about all the sick…
Doctor’s Orders: Health Coverage for Everyone
…And single-payer would “get health care off the backs of corporations so they can be more competitive with products made overseas.” John Arensmeyer spent 12 years running an e-commerce company…
“Managed consumerism”
…world. HDHPs now incorporate elements of disease management for enrollees with chronic conditions; case management for enrollees with complex or comorbid conditions; and utilization management for patients using particularly costly…
The Medicare-for-all concept won’t go away
…first base. The entrenched interests — those with money to throw into campaign coffers and into lobbying — succeeded in shoving it aside. http://host.madison.com/ct/news/opinion/column/dave_zweifel/article_fea11bd1-f781-58b0-b709-c1a02c3d97d6.html Comment: By Don McCanne, MD Just…
Private insurers’ double contracting
…the country because of insurance industry consolidation. Physicians should then contact referring physicians as well as affected patients. Any communication with patients should avoid badmouthing a particular insurance company and…
Blue Shield’s contract dispute with University of California hospitals
…his successor. Paul Markovich, chief operating officer, will take over as CEO Jan. 1. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-0811-health-insure-pay-20120811,0,1114038.story Comment: By Don McCanne, MD We should be able to agree that a health care…
Oncologists Call for a Single-Payer Healthcare System in US
…of cancer care, particularly new cancer drugs, has soared in recent years, say Ray Drasga, MD, a community-based oncologist in Crown Point, Indiana, and Lawrence Einhorn, MD, professor of medicine…
Why employers’ health benefit cost growth of 4.1% is a fraud
…defined contribution strategy. http://www.mercer.com/press-releases/1491670 Comment: By Don McCanne, MD Pop the champagne corks! Businesses have held the rate of health benefit cost increases to only 4.1%! Though that is still…
Health care advocacy group promotes ‘improved Medicare for all’
…any doctor, rather than be restricted by insurance company networks. We would not have insurance companies interfering with treatment. By providing preventive care, by reducing unnecessary paperwork and bureaucracy and…
Don’t weaken Medicare
…premiums, deductibles, copays, networks of physicians and hospitals, etc. Thanks to the ACA, insurance companies will not be able to refuse to offer a policy, but few if any of…