New on the Web 65 (February 2010)
From the Alliance for Health Reform and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: “Rural Health and Health Reform”
From the Center for Studying Health System Change: “Modest and Uneven: Physician Efforts to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Disparities,” “The Economic Recession: Early Impacts on Health Care Safety Net Providers”
From the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: “Health Reform Essential for Reducing Deficit and Slowing Health Care Costs”
From the Department of Health and Human Services: “Insurance Companies Prosper, Families Suffer: Our Broken Health Insurance System”
From the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services: “The Economic Stimulus: Gauging the Early Effects of ARRA Funding on Health Centers and Medically Underserved Populations and Communities”
From the Health Affairs: “Funding Growth Drives Community Health Center Services”
From Health Care for America Now: “Health Insurers Break Profit Records as 2.7 Million Americans Lose Coverage”
From the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured: “Medicaid and Managed Care: Key Data, Trends, and Issues,” “Medicaid Enrollment: June 2009 Data Snapshot,” “Medicaid’s Continuing Crunch in a Recession: A Mid-Year Update for State FY 2010 and Preview for FY 2011”
From the Kaiser Family Foundation: “Medicare Advantage 2010 Data Spotlight: Benefits and Cost-Sharing”
From Mathematica: “Accountable Care Organizations: Will They Deliver?”
From the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: “State of the States: The State We’re In”
From the Alliance for Health Reform and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:
Rural Health and Health Reform looks at how health reform could help rural communities deal with problems such as provider shortages and high rates of chronic disease, poverty, unemployment, and uninsurance. Several provisions in the federal health reform bills, such as those that would expand the health workforce, could help people living in rural communities overcome some of these challenges. (January 2010)
From the Center for Studying Health System Change:
Modest and Uneven: Physician Efforts to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Disparities notes that while nearly half of physicians identify language or cultural barriers as obstacles to providing high-quality care to minority patients, the adoption of practices such as training in minority health issues or providing interpreter services is rather low. It argues that, as the U.S. continues to become more diverse, these practices should become standard procedure throughout the country. (February 2010)
The Economic Recession: Early Impacts on Health Care Safety Net Providers explains that while the recession has increased the demands on safety net providers, the impact has been less severe than initially expected. The expansion of federal grants for community health centers over the past decade, and additional funding provided in the stimulus act, have helped hospitals and health centers offset reductions in state and local funding. (January 2010)
From the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:
Health Reform Essential for Reducing Deficit and Slowing Health Care Costs explains that health care costs represent the single largest cause of the federal government’s long-term budget problems. Given that federal health reform proposals would significantly reduce the federal deficit and slow the growth of Medicare spending (the largest component of federal health spending), passing health reform should be a budget priority. (February 2010)
From the Department of Health and Human Services:
Insurance Companies Prosper, Families Suffer: Our Broken Health Insurance System discusses the disturbing trend of insurance companies raising their premiums even while they’re making record profits. States that are seeing the highest premium increases include California (39 percent), Maine (23 percent), and Michigan (56 percent). According to the report, premiums will continue to rise by 20 or even 30 percent. (February 2010)
From the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services:
The Economic Stimulus: Gauging the Early Effects of ARRA Funding on Health Centers and Medically Underserved Populations and Communities finds that ARRA investments help community health centers serve populations with limited access to health care and helps generate new economic activity in communities hit hardest by the recession. The $1.85 billion invested to date translates into $3.2 billion in new economic activity in these communities. (February 2010)
From the Health Affairs:
Funding Growth Drives Community Health Center Services shows that federally qualified health centers will remain an important part of the health care safety net, regardless of what happens with federal health reform. Investments made in community health centers from 1996-2006 translated into increases in services available to patients. In fact, every $500,000 in federal grants translates into 540 more uninsured patients receiving treatment. (February 2010) Subscription Required
From Health Care for America Now:
Health Insurers Break Profit Records as 2.7 Million Americans Lose Coverage compares the recent rise in profits for the largest insurance companies with the concurrent rise in uninsurance. While the five largest insurers saw a 56 percent increase in profits from 2008 to 2009, they provided coverage to 2.7 million fewer people. These companies also raised rates and cost-sharing and decreased the share of premiums they spent on medical care. (February 2010)
From the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured:
Medicaid and Managed Care: Key Data, Trends, and Issues discusses a variety of issues, including enrollment, access, and quality of care. Medicaid managed care is supposed to support an approach to practice that emphasizes early identification of health issues and coordinated care. This brief examines current data to see how well Medicaid managed care programs have done in achieving these goals. (February 2010)
Medicaid Enrollment: June 2009 Data Snapshot looks at the changes in Medicaid enrollment over the past 10 years (2000-2009). The brief provides both national and state-level data on monthly and yearly enrollment, as well as changes in enrollment over the decade. Both the national and state-level data show that Medicaid enrollment has consistently increased throughout the recession. (February 2010)
Medicaid’s Continuing Crunch in a Recession: A Mid-Year Update for State FY 2010 and Preview for FY 2011 reports on interviews with Medicaid directors from all 50 states and the District of Columbia about several issues, including the effects of the recession. Their primary concern is the upcoming end of the enhanced federal Medicaid match (as provided in the stimulus act) and what that will mean for state budgets. (February 2010)
From the Kaiser Family Foundation:
Medicare Advantage 2010 Data Spotlight: Benefits and Cost-Sharing examines out-of-pocket spending limits and cost-sharing for a variety of different benefits, including primary care, preventive care, drug coverage, and benefits that are not covered under Medicare, compared to traditional Medicare. While many Medicare Advantage plans offer lower premiums, cost-sharing is often higher than in traditional Medicare. (February 2010)
From Mathematica:
Accountable Care Organizations: Will They Deliver? explains what accountable care organizations are, why they are included in federal health reform bills, and what we can learn from past experiences with such organizations. While these organizations are not a “silver bullet” for payment reform, they can be an important part of a comprehensive strategy to encourage more coordination of care among providers. (January 2010)
From the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:
State of the States: The State We’re In looks at states’ initiatives to reform health care in light of the economic recession. Specifically, it examines how states responded to declining job-based coverage and rising health care costs, as well as Medicaid eligibility and CHIP enrollment. In 2009, many states went forward with meaningful health care reforms despite the fiscal challenges they faced. (January 2010)
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