Monthly Archives: August 2007

Advance Notice of Outreach & Enrollment RFR

Posted on August 14, 2007 by

The Executive Office of Health & Human Services has posted an advance notice of the Outreach & Enrollment RFR which will be released soon. Click here to read the notice. The grants go to community groups working to reach and … Continue reading →

Posted in MA Health Reform | Leave a comment

Application and Enrollment Delays: One More Thing

Posted on August 13, 2007 by

The frustrating delays and glitches many applicants are experiencing when applying for MassHealth or Commonwealth Care (see post below) has important implications for the next big item on the health policy agenda: the new Pool regulations. The proposed new rules … Continue reading →

Posted in MA Health Reform, MassHealth/Medicaid | 2 Comments

Stress of Success

Posted on August 13, 2007 by

No one said it was going to be easy. In fact, everyone said it was going to be difficult. So far, more than 160,000 people have been newly enrolled in either MassHealth or Commonwealth Care. This is an enormous achievement … Continue reading →

Posted in MA Health Reform | 8 Comments

Blue Mass Group Interviews Kingsdale

Posted on August 10, 2007 by

Check out this well done and provocative interview with Connector Authority ED Jon Kingsdale on the Blue Mass Group blog — click here. Must reading. And the follow-up conversation is lively and full of surprises. With respect to the subsidized … Continue reading →

Posted in MA Health Reform | Leave a comment

Infections Study Recommends Public Reporting

Posted on August 9, 2007 by

Our Consumer Health Quality Council has been pressing for action on healthcare-associated infections (HAI) since its inception last year. Yesterday, the movement to eliminate HAI in Massachusetts took a big step forward. The expert panel convened by the Betsy Lehman … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Care Quality | 3 Comments

Disparities Commission Reports

Posted on August 9, 2007 by

The “Commission to End Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities” issued their final report last night. We’ll post the report here and on the HCFA home page when we get it. You can read the the release summarizing the report from … Continue reading →

Posted in Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities | Leave a comment

Coakley Names Nancy Turnbull to Connector Board

Posted on August 6, 2007 by

Attorney General Martha Coakley has appointed Nancy Turnbull from the Harvard School of Public Health to serve a three year term as the consumer representative on the board of the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority. Nancy will replace Chip Joffe … Continue reading →

Posted in MA Health Reform | 15 Comments

“How ‘Bout the USA?” Romney Is Asked In Emotional Exchange on Health Care

Posted on August 5, 2007 by

Tip of the hat to Lew Finfer for the tip off on this 8/3 WaPo campaign trail story … Confession: I’m on vacation with my wife in Utah, so all matters Romney have a special poignancy for me now: MANCHESTER, … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Care Politics | 4 Comments

Reinhardt Nails the Matter — Are Docs Paid Too Much?

Posted on August 5, 2007 by

Last week we highlighted a provocative New York Times column asking the question: are physicians paid too much?” Click here for that posting. Today’s Times includes a letter in response from Princeton health economist Uwe Reinhardt. Uwe, in his inimitable … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Care Market, US health policy | 3 Comments

Take THIS to the Beach: New Book on Medicare Prospective Payment

Posted on August 4, 2007 by

So, just maybe, we’re warming up for a serious policy conversation in Massachusetts on controlling costs. True or not, I’d like to offer a reading suggestion for everyone who wants to participate. A 2006 book by Rick Mayes and Robert … Continue reading →

Posted in US health policy | 1 Comment