Monthly Archives: January 2006

Indications suggest the Health Reform Conference Committee is finally making progress and working toward completion in early February. (Question: why are the senators so much more chatty in public than the reps?) Progress could be real, and could get stalled … Continue reading →

A new report from Families USA and the Economic and Social Research Institute in Washington DC documents the economic benefits of the House health reform plan passed last November and now stuck in a House Senate conference committee. Click here … Continue reading →

From State House News Service today: State House News Service January 17, 2006 HEALTH CARE TALKS RESUME, LEADERS CONFIDENT WITH PROGRESS: Addressing reporters’ questions about the progress of conference committee talks to negotiate final legislation expanding access to affordable health … Continue reading →

Here are excerpts from a fascinating piece in today’s Wall Street Journal: More Employers TryLimited Health Plans Cheap ‘Mini-Medical’ Policies Cover DrugsAnd Doctor Visits, But Little Hospitalization By VANESSA FUHRMANS Employers are increasingly turning to an affordable type of health … Continue reading →

An important issue in the health reform conversation that has not received enough attention is the question of whether individuals should be required by law to buy health insurance. Governor Romney, business groups, and insurers all agree it’s a dandy … Continue reading →

There’s something else important today besides the season premiere of “24″. Two matters of importance to health care in Massachusetts were supposed to occur. One did and the other didn’t. What did happen? As of today, 35,000 to 45,000 low … Continue reading →

Each year, the federal Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) published two valuable reports — national progress reports on health care quality and on racial and ethnic health disparities. This past week, AHRQ released both. Click here for … Continue reading →

The ever-fabulous folks at the Mass. Medicaid Policy Institute and the Center for Health Policy and Research at UMass Medical School have crafted a a first-rate guide to prescription drug coverage in Massachusetts. This covers all forms of public coverage … Continue reading →

Today the Maryland Legislature overrode a gubernatorial veto to approve a law requiring employers with more than 10,000 workers to spend at least 8 percent of payroll on health care for workers or else pay the difference to the state … Continue reading →

A skit can also be worth a thousand words … check out this superb Saturday Night Live piece on the new Medicare Prescription Drug benefit. A well done skit can provide more insight than a dozen dense reports. (You need … Continue reading →