Health Insurance

Some History: What We Have Learned Regarding Coverage

January 17, 2017 Government

I’ve been working on health coverage issues since the late 70’s. Here are some of the key things that WE have learned during the time since. Prior to Medicare, private insurers did not offer coverage to the elderly. Most elderly simply got dropped when they turned 65. That’s why we have Medicare. Prior to the […]

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Effect of the ACA on Personal Debt – It Goes Down

April 21, 2016 Debt

This is as we – or at least most of us – would expect. Compared to people in states that did not expand Medicaid under the ACA, newly available Medicaid in States that expanded the program enabled newly covered people to reduce their unpaid bills and debts.  Luojia Hu, Robert Kaestner, Bhashkar Mazumder, Sarah Miller, […]

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Ghost of Tom Joad

November 12, 2014 Economics

Somehow the “The Ghost of Tom Joad” feels timely. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band with Tom Morello at Madison Square Garden in NYC, October, 2009.

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More “Chicken Little” on Obamacare?

November 10, 2014 Health Insurance

The latest challenge to the Affordable Care Act has the press and pundits in a dither. The Supreme Court preempted a full panel in the Court of Appeals (District of Columbia Circuit) already scheduled to hear an appeal in December and agreed to hear King v. Burwell. Both proponents and opponents are both amped up […]

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The (Slowly) Shifting Center of Gravity in Healthcare

October 2, 2014 Health Care

A friend sent me an article from Crain’s on New York’s DSRIP program. (Here’s a related DSRIP article, this one from Modern Healthcare.) I think his query was largely, though not entirely, from a hospital perspective. And in return, I sent him this one from Health Leaders on the expansion of new health care businesses.  And then, […]

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What Would Coase and Williamson Say?

September 17, 2014 Economics

it will be interesting to see if they can pull this off. This from the New York Times: “Hospitals and Insurer Join Forces in California” In a partnership that appears to be the first of its kind, Anthem Blue Cross, a large California health insurance company, is teaming up with seven fiercely competitive hospital groups […]

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New Tool to Aid New York’s Medicaid Managed Long Term Care Plans

April 28, 2014 Dashboard

Faced with the challenge of a very expensive Medicaid program, New York chose to dramatically reform it. A key element of the reform is moving Medicaid long-term care patients, including nursing home patients, into managed care plans, especially managed long-term care plans (MLTC). A key element of the new policy is that MLTCs need not have […]

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Jon Stewart Gets it Right

October 11, 2013 Health Insurance

I hardly wish ill to my fellow citizens, even those who live in states that receive more in Federal revenue and other benefits than they pay for in Federal taxes. But I’m rapidly approaching the point when I will revel in the reversing of the financial flows from the self-punishing, mostly Southern states to the […]

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Consolidating the Gains in Health Coverage

November 7, 2012 Health Insurance

Across much of the political spectrum and even among some Republicans, I suspect that there will be at least one shared emotion: relief that a very long election campaign is over. One key implication is that there’s now no question that we will move ahead with implementation of the Affordable Care Act, “Obamacare.” There may […]

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Final Thoughts on the ACA Before the Supreme Court Decision is Announced

June 27, 2012 Democrat

Like most, I’ve done my tea-leaf reading. If we were sitting around over coffee or beer, I’d speculate with you on what the Supreme Court will announce tomorrow as its decision on the Affordable Care Act, health care reform. I won’t here. It’s pointless and there are thousands who’ve already covered that ground. I will […]

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