…S. 1042, the Medicare Patient Empowerment Act, in the Senate. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/advocacy/current-topics-advocacy/practice-management/medicare-patient-empowerment-act.page AMA letters expressing “strong support for this legislation”: To Rep. Tom Price: http://www.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/washington/hr1700-ama-letter-of-support.pdf To Sen. Lisa Murkowski: http://www.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/washington/s1042-ama-letter-of-support.pdf Medical…
Differences in prices and spending under Medicare and private insurance
…on many demand and cost factors, hospital prices in monopoly markets are 15.3 percent higher than those in markets with four or more hospitals. http://www.healthcarepricingproject.org/sites/default/files/pricing_variation_manuscript_0.pdf *** Comment: By Don McCanne,…
Aetna makes it easier to buy “under-insurance”
…they are not conversion plans. http://www.aetna.com/members/individuals/ Brochure for California Aetna Advantage Plan options: http://www.aetna.com/members/individuals/health/data/ memberbrochure_California.pdf Comment: The trends represented by the Aetna Advantage plans portend disaster for the future of…
Do the insurance industry reports totally lack all credibility?
…for all. http://www.bcbs.com/issues/uninsured/background/patient-protection-affordable-care-act.html Full report: http://www.bcbs.com/issues/uninsured/background/Impact-of-the-Patient-Protection-and-Affordable-Care-Act-on-Costs.pdf Recent reports from the insurance industry, including this report from the BlueCross BlueShield Association, have been targeted by proponents of the current leading reform…
The urgency for health reform returns
…press release to celebrate a milestone. “800,333 New Yorkers have completed their applications and 501,205 have enrolled for coverage since the launch of the Marketplace on October 1, 2013,” the…
Is the federal employees health program anti-competitive?
…plans must provide, plans will not be competing on price and/or quality, and those are the only things that matter.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/opm-seeks-more-competition-for-em… OPM paper: http://www.washingtonpost.com/r/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/08/06/National-Politics/Graphics/FEHBOPMcompplan.pdf BlueCross BlueShield Association perspective: http://www.washingtonpost.com/r/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/08/06/National-Politics/Graphics/FEHBBlueppo.pdf Many…
So it's the prices, but what do we do?
…prices were once again the highest of those in the countries surveyed for nearly all of the common services and procedures reviewed. http://www.ifhp.com/news97.html And… Determining the Level of Payments in…
So it's the prices, but what do we do?
High health-care costs: It’s all in the pricing
…in the countries surveyed for nearly all of the common services and procedures reviewed. http://www.ifhp.com/news97.html And… Determining the Level of Payments in Health Care By Uwe E. Reinhardt The New…
Is James Glassman a credible voice for free market economics?
…at the major pharmaceutical companies, Glaxo is a British company. Bayer is a German company… The Pacific Research Institute transcript: http://www.pacificresearch.org/press/rel/2004/ma04-01-27/transcript2.pdf For the video: http://www.pacificresearch.org/borderwarsdebate_video.html For the audio: http://www.pacificresearch.org/borderwarsdebate_audio.html And…
Single payer in the Democratic debate
…care system. (APPLAUSE) http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/10/us/politics/transcript-democratic-presidential-debate.html *** Hillary Clinton’s health care proposals: https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/health-care/ Bernie Sanders’ health care proposals: https://berniesanders.com/issues/medicare-for-all/ Donald Trump’s health care proposals: https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform Although today’s message does not seem appropriate…
PNHP's Letter to the Members of the Senate
…no common cause with the Republicans’ obstructionist tactics or alarmist rhetoric. However, we have concluded that the Senate bill’s passage would bring more harm than good. We are fully cognizant…
Nurses, Doctors Announce “Scrubs for SiCKO” Campaign in Conjunction with Debut of Michael Moore’s Film to Spark Genuine Healthcare Debate
…in New York, Washington DC, Chicago and New Hampshire. “SiCKO” profiles a number of Americans with insurance who have been denied needed care by their insurance company, describes how the…