Blog


Fighting for Position in a Losing Game

December 6, 2011

Vermont is number one.  Mississippi is number 50.  But, truth be told, every single state has reason for concern. The United Health Foundation has issued its annual “America’s Health Rankings” … Continued


Missed Opportunities

November 22, 2011

If hand-wringing and finger-pointing actually generated dollars, Washington, DC would probably be able to solve the federal deficit problem today.  With ‘super committee’ negotiations collapsing and members of the Joint … Continued


The Rivlin-Domenici Advice, and Why the Supercommittee Should Be Listening

November 2, 2011

Former Clinton Administration Budget Director Alice Rivlin and retired U.S. Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM) testified yesterday before the congressional “supercommittee” charged with identifying $1.5 trillion in federal budget savings. The … Continued


The Medicaid X Factor

October 28, 2011

As a study published in Health Affairs this week points out, anyone who believes they have a handle on what will happen when Medicaid undergoes an unprecedented expansion this decade … Continued


An Idea Whose Time Has Never Come

October 21, 2011

It used to be that congressional debates over prescription drug importation drew a great deal of national attention and featured very close outcomes.  That’s no longer the case.  This week, … Continued


No Kidding Around on Wellness

October 18, 2011

This past Sunday, Ezra Klein had a fascinating piece on the Washington Post website regarding the Cleveland Clinic (a Healthcare Leadership Council member) and its efforts to achieve a higher … Continued


USA Today and Medicare: The Hits, the Misses and the Absences

October 4, 2011

Yesterday, USA Today devoted its front page to a topic many of us have been discussing intensely for some time – how to address Medicare’s escalating costs.  The newspaper listed … Continued


Part D Open Season is Just Around the Corner

September 23, 2011

The open season for the Medicare Part D prescription drug program is coming early this year.  It will start on October 15 and continue through December 7.  This is a … Continued


Health Industry Leaders Recommend Over $410 Billion in Healthcare Savings to Congressional “Super Committee”

September 15, 2011

CEOs From All Health Sectors Call for Creation of New “Medicare Exchange” to Reduce Costs Through Competition, Raising of Medicare Eligibility Age, Changes in Medicare Cost-Sharing, Enactment of Medical Liability … Continued


A New Look at Healthcare Access

August 22, 2011

When we talk about people who don’t have access to healthcare, there’s a natural assumption that it’s because they can’t afford it.  A new study shows that’s not necessarily the … Continued