Opinion
-
New Statistics on the Individual Insurance Market
Opinion -On August 2, the Kaiser Family Foundation held a briefing with eHealthInsurance on the individual market. An important new report, Update on Individual Health Insurance, was issued in conjunction with the briefing. -
Maine Health Insurance: Out of the Frying Pan, into the Fire
Opinion -In June 2003, Maine Governor John Baldacci (D) signed the Dirigo Health Reform Act, creating a government-run, taxpayer-funded health insurance and medical care program for the state. -
Konig Named Health Care News Managing Editor
Opinion -Journalist Susan Konig was named managing editor of Health Care News in September. The December 2004 issue will be the first under her management, as November is a scheduled "skip month" for the newspaper. -
Illinois Governor Defies FDA Rule on Drug Importation
Opinion -Illinois plans to become the first state to directly help residents buy prescription drugs from Europe. The state plans to launch a Web site for residents to buy name-brand drugs from Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Gov. -
The Kerry and Bush Health Plans–A Comparison
Opinion -Both President George W. Bush and Democrat presidential candidate Sen. -
More to Dirigo than Insurance
Opinion -The insurance component of the Dirigo Health Reform Act is only part of its overall design. -
A Time to Do and a Time to Be Done
Opinion -It has been almost four years since I accepted the challenge of editing a fledgling newspaper dedicated to the principles of free markets and consumer choice in health care financing and the delivery of medical services. -
New Surveys Raise Questions About Uninsured Children
Opinion -A recent report on the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), issued by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, has people wondering whether a reported enrollment decline in late 2003 is a harbinger or statistical blip. -
RWJF Report Reaches Wrong Conclusion on Insurance Market Reform
Opinion -In June 2004, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) issued "Expanding the Individual Health Insurance Market: Lessons from the State Reforms of the 1990s," written by Beth C. Fuchs of the consulting firm Health Policy Alternatives, Inc. -
Specialty Surgical Hospitals Deliver Quality Care and Comfort
Opinion -The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 included an 18-month moratorium on the development of new physician- and investor-owned surgical facilities. -
Specialty Surgical Hospitals: Part of the Solution
Opinion -A distinguishing feature of the U.S. health care system is that it welcomes innovation. -
How Eight States Destroyed Their Individual Insurance Markets
Opinion -Since February of this year, Health Care News has featured a series of monthly case studies documenting how community rating and guaranteed issue mandates have destroyed the individual health insurance markets in eight states. -
Census Overstates Uninsured by 15 Million
Opinion -New Census data released on August 26 reveal 243.3 million Americans were covered by health insurance in 2003, up 1 million from the previous year’s figures. The number of people with health insurance has increased steadily for the past 15 years: The U.S. -
AIDS Drugs: Is Patent the Obstacle?
Opinion -The 15th International AIDS Conference was held July 11-16 in Bangkok, Thailand. -
Pending Legislation Would Mark Major Changes in Association Health Plan Oversight
Opinion -One of the most confusing areas of health insurance reform has to do with legal treatment of association group insurance (AGI) and association health plans (AHPs). These are two types of insurance offered by private associations. -
Canada’s Medical Nightmare
Opinion -For decades, Canadians have cast pitying glances at us poor American neighbors who actually have to pay for our medical care while they get theirs for "free. -
HSAs Spread Quickly, Surprise Critics
Opinion -Last year, as Congress debated what would become the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, the media and most policymakers focused on the elephant in the room: major changes being made to the Medicare program, affecting more -
Obesity Considered ‘Disease’ for Medicare Purposes
Opinion -U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tommy Thompson announced on July 15 that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) would remove from its Medicare coverage manual language saying obesity is not an illness. -
Corruption Allegations Shake Illinois Government, Health Care Market
Opinion -Illinois hospital construction projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars have been awarded or blocked on the basis of kickbacks and shakedowns, according to a federal whistleblower lawsuit filed before the Illinois State Supreme Court on May 24, -
Congress in Dog Fight over Veterans’ Health Care Funding
Opinion -A congressional measure guaranteeing increased annual federal payments to veterans' health care programs failed on June 23 to muster the 60 votes needed in the Senate required for passage. -
Illinois Legislature Fails Again at Tort Reform
Opinion -Even though medical malpractice reform took center stage during a budget battle that saw the Illinois General Assembly extend its 2004 session a record 54 days, legislators adjourned on July 24 with a record $46 billion spending plan and no reform. -
Kerry-Edwards Health Plan to Surpass Costs of Clinton Care
Opinion -The Kerry-Edwards health care reform plan, details of which have emerged during the presidential campaign, is similar in scope to former President Bill Clinton's failed Health Security Act. -
U.S.-Australia Agreement Is Step Toward Free Trade in Prescription Drugs
Opinion -In July, the U.S. House and Senate passed and sent to the president the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement. -
New Hampshire: Valiantly Seeking Market Reform
Opinion -On January 1, 2004, key provisions of a reform measure aimed at deregulating New Hampshire's small group health insurance market went into effect.
