New on the Web 51 (December 2008)
From the Center for Studying Health System Change: “Living on the Edge: Health Care Expenses Strain Family Budgets”
From the Commonwealth Fund: “Checking Up on Retail-Based Health Clinics: Is the Boom Ending?”
From the Government Accountability Office: “Medicare Advantage: Characteristics, Financial Risks, and Disenrollment Rates of Beneficiaries in Private Fee-for-Service Plans”
From Health Affairs: "Medicare’s Private Plans: A Report Card on Medicare Advantage,” “Payment Policy and the Growth of Medicare Advantage”
From the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured: “The Fraying Link between Work and Health Insurance: Trends in Employer-Sponsored Insurance for Employees, 2000-2007”
From the Kaiser Family Foundation: “Care and Coverage of the Nation’s Children: A Resource Page,” “Health Insurance Coverage of Women Ages 18 to 64, by State, 2006-2007,” “Women’s Health Insurance Coverage Fact Sheet,” “Today's Topics in Health Disparities - Are Health Disparities Back on the National Agenda? Examining the Impact of a New Administration and Congress”
From the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Public Opinion Strategies, and Lake Research Partners: “Key Findings from Qualitative and Quantitative Research among America's Small Business Owners”
From Watson Wyatt: “Closing the Gap: 2008/2009 Employee Perspectives on Health Care”
From the Center for Studying Health System Change:
Living on the Edge: Health Care Expenses Strain Family Budgets reports that the financial pressures faced by families due to medical bills increase sharply when out-of-pocket spending for medical care exceeds 2.5 percent of family income. Low-income families and people in poor health experience financial pressures at even lower levels of spending, largely because they have already accumulated large medical debts that they are unable to pay off. Almost all families that had problems paying medical bills reported putting off or going without medical care to avoid additional expenses. (December 2008)
From the Commonwealth Fund:
Checking Up on Retail-Based Health Clinics: Is the Boom Ending? examines the use of clinics based in retail stores, which provide basic preventive services and diagnose and treat simple health ailments. It found that younger families, families that delayed seeking medical care during the previous 12 months, and people who have difficulty accessing health care services were 2.5 times as likely to have used a retail clinic as families without such access problems. (December 2008)
From the Government Accountability Office:
Medicare Advantage: Characteristics, Financial Risks, and Disenrollment Rates of Beneficiaries in Private Fee-for-Service Plans reports that the administrative practices used by private fee-for-service (PFFS) plans can lead to higher costs for Medicare beneficiaries than in traditional fee-for-service plans. In addition, between January and April 2007, beneficiaries in PFFS plans disenrolled at an average rate of 21 percent, compared to 9 percent for other MA plans. The study also found that CMS has not complied with statutory requirements to mail Medicare beneficiaries disenrollment rates for MA plans in their areas. (December 2008)
From Health Affairs:
Medicare’s Private Plans: A Report Card on Medicare Advantage reports that private Medicare Advantage plans are increasing costs for Medicare but not necessarily improving care. Though the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA) has expanded beneficiaries’ choice of plans, it has added to Medicare’s complexity and created potential inequities. A stronger system of performance monitoring and accountability is needed to meet Medicare’s fiduciary requirements and oversight responsibilities. SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED. (November 2008)
Payment Policy and the Growth of Medicare Advantage reviews recent trends in Medicare Advantage, examining program costs, access to plans, enrollment, plan bids, and benchmarks. These plans are paid, on average, 113 percent of what expenditures would have been under traditional Medicare. Although some of these plan payments are used to finance extra benefits for enrollees, paying plans at higher than fee-for-service levels could affect the sustainability of the Medicare program and result in increased costs for taxpayers and beneficiaries. SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED. (November 2008)
From the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured:
The Fraying Link between Work and Health Insurance: Trends in Employer-Sponsored Insurance for Employees, 2000-2007 finds that employer-based coverage has continued to decline, and the uninsured rate has increased among employees and among low-income children with family access to employer-based coverage. Employer coverage is expected to continue to decline as increasing premiums and a worsening economy lead more employers to drop coverage. (December 2008)
From the Kaiser Family Foundation:
Care and Coverage of the Nation’s Children: A Resource Page includes state-level data on children’s health coverage. It provides an overview of the roles of Medicaid and CHIP, which jointly provide coverage for more than one in four children. The resources include children’s health fact sheets, an online chartbook based on 2007 Census Bureau information, and a report on dental coverage and care for low-income children. (December 2008)
Health Insurance Coverage of Women Ages 18 to 64, by State, 2006-2007 is an updated fact sheet with the latest state-by-state data on health coverage of non-elderly women. It builds on Women’s Health Insurance Coverage Fact Sheet, a related report that provides statistics on health coverage and describes the major sources of health insurance for women ages 18-64, including employer-based coverage, Medicaid, individually purchased insurance, and Medicare. (December 2008)
Today's Topics in Health Disparities - Are Health Disparities Back on the National Agenda? Examining the Impact of a New Administration and Congress is an interactive webcast that examines the implications of the incoming administration and Congress. An expert panel takes a closer look at what types of policies and initiatives could emerge over the next few years and considers how the new Administration might prioritize efforts to eliminate health disparities. (December 2008)
From the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Public Opinion Strategies, and Lake Research Partners:
Key Findings from Qualitative and Quantitative Research among America's Small Business Owners is a national survey that presents the top concerns of small business owners regarding health coverage. It examines how likely small businesses are to continue providing insurance for employees and their views on various health reform measures. Results are broken down by business size and party identification, showing the top five policies for health reform favored by small businesses and what kinds of messages would be most effective in gaining support for health reform. (December 2008)
From Watson Wyatt:
Closing the Gap: 2008/2009 Employee Perspectives on Health Care finds that employees are significantly less willing to select health plans with higher premiums and lower-out-of-pocket costs than last year. Higher health costs are forcing many workers to decrease their retirement savings plan contributions as they increasingly experience difficulty paying for basic needs, depleted personal savings, or the need to borrow money. (December 2008)
Return to New on the Web Contents
