Health Insurance

Coverage Matters, Regardless of What the Supreme Court Says

June 25, 2012 Government

When the Supreme Court releases its decision today or later this week on the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), there will be analyses galore on the law, the politics, and on policy as well. We’ll likely join in. But, in the midst of all that as far as healthcare is concerned , there will be one […]

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The Health Care System in the US is Consuming its Consumers

May 31, 2012 Economics

The Health Care Cost Institute has released a new report, but which is still another reminder of why we cannot afford the US healthcare system. Last week, we pointed to a study that showed increasing dissatisfaction and increasing prices. The 2010 HCCI Health Care Cost and Utilization Report is the first report of its kind […]

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Once Again, The Argument Against Single Payer

March 27, 2012 Federal Government

Even while supporting universal coverage, I wrote and posted arguments against a single-payer system in June, 2005. At some point, I would expect that link to become inactive, so I’ve copied it below in its entirety. Though I might tinker with a couple of minor things, for the moment I’ll leave it as originally written. […]

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Once Again, Why Universal Coverage?

March 26, 2012 Government

I wrote and posted the following on my first blog on February 2, 2005. At some point, I would expect that link to become inactive, so I’ve copied it here in its entirety. I might tinker with a couple of minor things, but for the moment, choose to leave it as originally written: Implicit in […]

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Universal Coverage, “Obamacare,” and the Supreme Court

March 25, 2012 Federal Government

Be careful what you wish for. Coming up this week will be extensive, multi-day arguments before the US Supreme Court on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), labeled derisively by the right as “Obamacare” and perhaps increasing embraced by the Left as “Obamacare.” As Vice President Biden said at the signing ceremony, “this […]

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Significant Decline in Employment Based Health Benefits Resulted from the Great Recession

March 21, 2012 Economics

Employment based health benefits have been declining steadily, but significantly for a long time. But the recent “Great Recession” accelerated that decline much more than my pessimistic self anticipated. From the National Institute for Health Care Reform (a non-profit established by the International Union, UAW; Chrysler Group LLC; Ford Motor Company; and General Motors): Between […]

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New Health Plan Deliberately Excludes High Cost Hospitals & Other Providers

March 21, 2012 Economics

By Robert Weisman from the Boston Globe: Harvard Pilgrim Health Care is teaming up with more than 50 hospitals and 16,500 doctors across the state to offer Massachusetts employers and their workers a 10 percent savings on health insurance by forming what they call a “focused network’’ of medical care groups that excludes Partners HealthCare […]

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