Blog


Good for the Exchanges, Good for Medicare

October 9, 2013

Let’s set aside for the moment the glitches taking place with the Affordable Care Act health exchange websites.  It provides grist for late-night comedians, but we can presume the software … Continued


Medicare Part D: Why Satisfaction Matters

September 18, 2013

Yesterday, the Healthcare Leadership Council, through its Medicare Today initiative, released its annual survey of seniors nationwide regarding their perceptions of and experiences with the Medicare Part D prescription drug … Continued


Leadership on the Quality/Cost Front Lines

August 22, 2013

Building on my last post about U.S. healthcare leaders making a difference – one for which they’re often not given full credit – in containing health system costs while still … Continued


Dean v. Orszag on IPAB

July 31, 2013

The opposition to the Affordable Care Act’s Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) gained public support this week from what was, to some, an unlikely voice.  Former Vermont governor and one-time … Continued


Pinocchioizing the Medicare debate

July 1, 2013

Even if we can’t find a way to eliminate ‘Mediscare’ political tactics altogether, shouldn’t we be able to at least limit retiree-scaring strategies to election years? This weekend, Glenn Kessler, … Continued


Care in the Most Appropriate Venue

June 25, 2013

A federal advisory panel is suggesting that payments to hospitals should be reduced in cases in which a patient could receive care less expensively in a physician’s office.   This is … Continued


Impressions from Datapalooza

June 7, 2013

I attend a pretty good number of healthcare and health policy conferences over the course of a year so I can say with confidence that it’s rare to find an … Continued


IPAB Repeal: Why It Continues to Matter

April 25, 2013

Defense of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) has grown weak with time.  It was once hailed as a mechanism that would put real teeth into the effort to reduce … Continued


The Sleeping Danger

January 24, 2013

Some suggest the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) is a beast without teeth.  After all, President Obama has yet to nominate any individuals to serve on the 15-member board, and … Continued


Striking Back Against the IPAB Power Grab

January 3, 2013

One of the key criticisms of the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) is that it encroaches upon congressional powers.  The IPAB provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act … Continued