Monthly Archives: July 2007

Mitt on Health Reform — Ha Ha Ha!

Posted on July 24, 2007 by

Romney mentions health care in New Hampshire — click here – count the ironies: Romney did speak against what he calls “Hilarycare” or “socialized medicine” and told the crowd a private, market-based solution to health care can work. “Do we … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Care Politics | 2 Comments

Gruber Crafts National Version of MA Health Reform

Posted on July 23, 2007 by

MIT economist and Connector Board Member Jonathan Gruber has attempted to translate the MA health reform plan into a national health coverage model: Taking Massachusetts National — Incremental Universalism for the United States. Click here for the overview of his … Continue reading →

Posted in MA Health Reform, US health policy | 1 Comment

Getting Ready for the Fall Fight on Kids’ Health

Posted on July 22, 2007 by

Hard to believe — looks like reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, set to expire on 9/30/07, is shaping up as the major domestic policy brawl in Washington DC this coming fall. Today’s NYTimes editorial – “Vetoing Children’s … Continue reading →

Posted in US health policy | Leave a comment

Summer Reading Tip — Overthrow

Posted on July 21, 2007 by

Once or twice a year we deviate from health topics to something else. Just finished reading an amazing book, Overthrow, by NYTimes correspondent Stephen Kinzer. He tells 14 stories — each the story of a foreign government the United States … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Paying to Promote Performance and Diversity

Posted on July 20, 2007 by

Today Office of Medicaid Director Tom Dehner presided over a MassHealth Payment Policy Advisory Board meeting to discuss the new “pay-for-performance” program (P4P) required under the Health Reform law. The session opened with a presentation by Elizabeth Pressman, director of … Continue reading →

Posted in MA Health Reform, MassHealth/Medicaid | Leave a comment

Bipartisan US Senate Progress on SCHIP/Kids’ Health

Posted on July 19, 2007 by

Looks like President Bush is going to have trouble holding Republicans together to sustain a children’s health insurance veto. This is the latest from our friends at the New England Alliance for Children’s Health: The Senate Finance Committee has marked-up … Continue reading →

Posted in US health policy | 1 Comment

Legislature Hears Health Reform Bills

Posted on July 19, 2007 by

Yesterday the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Health Care Financing held a hearing on several important bills, including S. 661/H. 1166: An Act Strengthening Health Reform sponsored by the ACT!! Coalition. ACT!! organized three panels: employer responsibility, affordability, and benefits. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Care Politics, MA Health Reform | 3 Comments

…In Which We Wonder About DOI’s Sense of Priorities

Posted on July 18, 2007 by

Can’t help wondering about the sense of priorities over at the State’s Division of Insurance. New Commissioner Nonnie Burnes comes out this week with a sort-of deregulation initiative aimed at the auto insurance market. Click here for today’s Globe story … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Care Market, Health Care Politics | 4 Comments

NIH Seeks Appointments to Council of Public Reps

Posted on July 18, 2007 by

Massachusetts gets LOTS of NIH research funding — so maybe somebody out there in blog land will take special interest in this announcement: The Director of the National Institutes of Health is seeking applicants to fill vacant appointments for the … Continue reading →

Posted in US health policy | Leave a comment

DPH to Allow Limited Retail Clinics

Posted on July 18, 2007 by

Let’s just say it: the new Department of Public Health Commissioner John Auerbach is G-O-O-D. His mentor, former DPH Commissioner David Mulligan was the master, and Auerbach may surpass him — in a good way. Two sides were squaring off … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Care Market, Public Health | 1 Comment