Blog

August 14, 2013

It’s no longer fresh news that health cost increases are undergoing a considerable slowdown.  The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has presented statistics showing a historic decline in Medicare … Continued

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

July 18, 2013

A new study published in Health Affairs provides compelling evidence that “carrots” — in this case, not the vegetable, but rather financial incentives — can make a significant difference in … Continued

July 15, 2013

We know that comparative effectiveness research is important.  How important, though, and what impact it will have on healthcare delivery and clinical decisionmaking is still something of an unknown variable. … Continued

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

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

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

May 31, 2013

Washington, D.C. has long had a tendency to avoid decisive action until crises make continued delays untenable.  This being the case, there should be a great sense of joy and … Continued

May 7, 2013

I’m pretty certain that no one has ever successfully made the case that life-changing advances in modern medicine have come as the result of physicians and researchers keeping their heads … Continued

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