Monthly Archives: March 2008

Medical Errors Can Happen to Anyone

Posted on March 17, 2008 by

Medical errors really can happen to ANYONE – we just don’t all end up on 60 Minutes afterwards. Actor Dennis Quaid and his wife gave a tremendous interview to 60 Minutes last night to discuss the preventable medication error that … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Care Quality | 3 Comments

What Did Employers Expect to Pay in Chapter 58?

Posted on March 16, 2008 by

The logjam in the health reform conference committee was broken in March 2006, when representatives of the business and provider community reached an agreement with the legislative leadership on what became the the Fair Share Assessment and the Free Rider … Continue reading →

Posted in MA Health Reform | 7 Comments

New Chartbook on Racial & Ethnic Health Disparities

Posted on March 15, 2008 by

The Commonweath Fund has just released a valuable and accessible chartbook on racial and ethnic health disparities in the United States — Racial and Ethnic Disparities in US Health Care: A Chartbook – including these sections: The Demographics of America … Continue reading →

Posted in Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities | Leave a comment

DiMasi Comments on Cost Control

Posted on March 14, 2008 by

On WBUR’s Commonhealth Blog, Speaker Sal DiMasi comments on cost control in the context of Wednesday’s hearing on Sen. Pres. Murray’s cost control legislation. Looks like … Speaker DiMasi is open to legislation action: It’s time for the cost and … Continue reading →

Posted in MA Health Reform | Leave a comment

Medical Inflation Made Simple

Posted on March 14, 2008 by

In Tuesday’s New York Times, Dr. Sandeep Jauhar, M.D., explains medical inflation from his perspective in real terms: Not long ago, I visited a friend — a cardiologist in his late 30s — at his office on Long Island to … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Care Market | 1 Comment

Step by Step: Progress on Addressing Health Disparities

Posted on March 13, 2008 by

Yesterday, the Joint Committee on Public Health favorably reported HB 2234, An Act to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities in the Commonwealth. The omnibus legislation was filed by Rep. Byron Rushing in January 2007 and heard by the Committee … Continue reading →

Posted in Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities | 2 Comments

Notes from a Hearing on Sen. Murray’s Cost Control Bill

Posted on March 12, 2008 by

Here’s the State House News Service account of today’s hearing in Gardner Auditorium: Senate President Therese Murray’s health care cost control legislation received mostly positive reviews during a public hearing on it Wednesday afternoon, although some said it didn’t go … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Care Market, Health Care Politics, MA Health Reform | 1 Comment

Nominate a “Compassionate Caregiver”

Posted on March 11, 2008 by

HCFA’s Consumer Health Quality Council often highlights problems in health care quality. Most Council members also have stories of fantastic doctors, nurses, chiropractors, and other caregivers who made a positive difference. Each year the Ken Schwartz Center – which works … Continue reading →

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Join the Boston Premiere of “Unnatural Causes”

Posted on March 11, 2008 by

Join Boston Mayor Tom Menino for the Boston premiere of Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? This groundbreaking documentary film explores how social conditions in which we are born, live and work profoundly affect our health. Boston has been … Continue reading →

Posted in Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities | Leave a comment

Think We Have Problems? Welcome to Turkmenistan…

Posted on March 10, 2008 by

From BBC News: Turkmenistan’s president has announced incentives to reward women who give birth to eight or more children, according to state media. Those who qualify for Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov’s reward will receive a one-off payment of $250 (£125). They will … Continue reading →

Posted in International health policy | Leave a comment