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Proposals to fix the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) abound and there is agreement that policy makers must take action, but the question of how to reach a permanent solution remains. The SGR originated as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to control federal Medicare spending. Congress began overriding the SGR in 2002 and has continued […]

A March 1 briefing, Medicaid 101: What You Need to Know, was especially helpful to congressional staff members and others new to the issue, but it was also a useful review for anyone dealing with Medicaid issues, particularly as many states prepare to expand their programs. Medicaid is administered by states within broad federal rules […]

A February 11 briefing, Medicare 101: What You Need to Know, was especially helpful to congressional staff members and others new to the issue, but it also was a useful review for anyone dealing with Medicare issues, particularly as pressure intensifies to slow the growth of program spending. Medicare provides health care coverage to 50 […]

Health spending in the U.S. climbed to $2.7 trillion and constituted 17.9 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011. A recent report released by actuaries at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) found that health spending as a share of GDP remained steady at 17.9 percent from 2009 through 2011. […]

With Americans living longer, some policymakers are proposing to gradually raise Medicare’s eligibility age from age 65 to 67 as part of a broader package to reduce the federal debt. The later starting point is projected to reduce federal spending by $113 billion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office, which estimates […]

Cristal Thomas: As far as the exchanges go, we announced that we will be entering into a federal partnership exchange for the first year. We’re leaving a question open about what we’ll be doing in years after that. We submitted our blueprint application to Federal Health and Human Services last month, in November, for the […]

Following the Supreme Court’s decision this summer on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the nation’s governors and state leaders face the choice to participate or opt out of the Medicaid expansion. Currently, twelve states have decided to participate in the expansion, seven states have decided to opt out, and the remaining states have […]

As Washington attempts to steer clear of the “fiscal cliff,” it is important that policymakers, stakeholders and the public have a clear understanding of the components of this key policy crossroads and the likely consequences of inaction – on everything from expiring tax cuts to debt ceiling increases to scheduled budget reductions. The goal of […]

Electronic devices are pervasive throughout our culture. Still, they are a relatively new phenomenon in the physician’s office, even though electronic health records (EHRs) can help consumers stay connected with their care managers, monitor their health, and get reminders that it’s time to take their medicine. They can also help to better coordinate care, avoid […]

The Census Bureau announced today that the number of people without health insurance dropped from 50 million to 48.6 million in 2011, marking the first decrease since 2007. That information came from the Current Population Survey, but it isn’t the only data that Census is releasing on the uninsured. Census is preparing a second report […]

There is widespread agreement that the current health care delivery system is fragmented. Your primary care physician may be the last to know what your cardiologist is doing, or your radiologist or pharmacist, for that matter. Though the providers may be well trained and supplying good care, they are part of a system that is […]