Health Reform
Kaiser compares Congressional health reform bills
The Kaiser Family Foundation has posted a comprehensive comparison of the US House and Senate health reform plans.
Read MoreHouse passes historic health reform bill
Late Saturday evening, the US House of Representatives passed HR-3962, the Affordable Health Care for Americans Act, by a margin of 220 to 215. If passed into law, the bill would provide affordable, comprehensive health coverage for nearly all CT residents. The measure requires both consumers and employers to purchase coverage, includes subsidies for low…
Read MoreCapitol Hill visit
It was an exciting time to be in DC yesterday. Our health policy class was able to attend the House press conference on the West Steps of the Capitol releasing their health reform bill that is expected to go to the floor next week. We heard from a panel of very tired health policy staffers…
Read MoreNASHP pre-conference on payment reform
Today’s pre-conference meeting to the National Academy of State Health Policy’s annual conference took on the elephant in the health policy room – how to align incentives among payers, providers and consumers to reward quality and efficiency. Health care is a very fragmented, very large business and it doesn’t turn on a dime. But a…
Read MoreFamilies report on how national health reform will benefit CT consumers
A new report by Families USA outlines how national health reform proposals will improve health care for CT consumers from current law. Issues include coverage for pre-existing conditions, premiums based on gender and health status, expanding options for coverage, affordable premiums and out of pocket costs for families and small businesses, annual and lifetime caps…
Read MoreIndividual mandate may be unconstitutional
In a Wall Street Journal Op-Ed, two former Justice Dept. attorneys argue that the individual mandate included in national health reforms could be overturned by federal courts as “profoundly unconstitutional.” The attorneys make different points than the CT Health Policy Project’s paper last year, arguing that the mandate is an unfair cross-generational subsidy, infringes on…
Read MoreIndividual mandate’s drawbacks getting national attention, finally
All the current health reform bills being considered in Washington include an individual mandate, requiring every resident to have health coverage – either through a public program like HUSKY or, if not eligible, people will have to buy it. The only open question is whether they will have a publicly run option to purchase insurance…
Read MoreThe Day Editorial – He snores, so why can’t we buy health insurance?
Susan Epstein has so many good points, it is hard to know where to start. “Don’t think it can’t happen to you. We’re ordinary people. My husband snores and I take too much medicine and therefore, we’re ineligible for health insurance.” Ellen Andrews
Read MoreCT papers feature health reform
The Day has a well-considered editorial today on health reform, centering on the Cleveland Clinic. The President has publicly cited the Cleveland Clinic as an example of exceptional care at lower cost. The editorial points out that what we need is a revolution — we need to reform our health care system, not just insurance…
Read MoreCongressional health care reform town hall
Congressman John Larson will be holding a Health Care Reform Town Hall Forum tomorrow, Sept. 2nd at 5:30 at West Hartford Town Hall, 50 South Main Street. There is very little street parking near the town hall; click here for options. Paid parking is available. Similar events are planned in other Congressional districts – we…
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