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New health reform law to make insurance more affordable for women by 2014

The new health reform law will expand health insurance coverage to nearly all uninsured women and will make health care more affordable for millions of women through premium subsidies beginning in 2014 and new rules, some already in place, that will protect women from high costs, according to a Commonwealth Fund report released today.

11 May 2011

Research roundup: Racial disparities in cancer screening and VA treatment

Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Colorectal Cancer Screening Persisted Despite Expansion Of Medicare's Screening Reimbursement. This study looked at the effect in minority groups of expanded reimbursements by Medicare for colorectal cancer screenings.

7 May 2011

Research roundup: Saving lives through health literacy

Health Literacy And Outcomes Among Patients With Heart Failure -- This study examines the correlation between health literacy, or the ability to understand basic health information, and the mortality rate among patients with heart failure, which is a condition that "requires self-management and frequent interactions with the health care system."

30 Apr 2011

Report: Health law will make insurance more affordable to most

Meanwhile, CQ HealthBeat reports that the Department of Health and Human Services is bracing for a significant number of public comments regarding the health law's essential benefits provision.

28 Apr 2011

Report: 90% of American families can gain premium access under Affordable Care Act

Ninety percent of American families living above the federal poverty level will be able to afford health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report by Jonathan Gruber and Ian Perry of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

27 Apr 2011

Research roundup: Oral health; details of Medicare's IPAB

Trends And Variation In End-Of-Life Care For Medicare Beneficiaries With Severe Chronic Illness - This report explores the shifts in the use of medical resources to treat Medicare beneficiaries at the end of life between 2003 and 2007.

16 Apr 2011

Report: 10 recommendations on how to achieve ACO success

Accountable care organizations have the potential to improve health outcomes and lower costs, but success requires leadership, clear goals and a strong connection between performance and payments, according to a new report by the Commonwealth Fund.

15 Apr 2011

Research Roundup: The cost of medical errors; 'Unreasonable rate increases'

Health Affairs: The $17.1 Billion Problem: The Annual Cost Of Measurable Medical Errors - "The estimated total cost of measurable medical errors in the United States was $17.1 billion in 2008, which was 0.72 percent of the $2.391 trillion spent on health care," write the authors of this study that used an "an actuarial approach to measure the frequency and costs of measurable U.S. medical errors, identified through medical claims data."

8 Apr 2011

House Panel approves Ryan 2012 budget blueprint on party-line vote

The GOP budget proposal's Medicare provisions continue to draw scrutiny and debate about what the program's future should look like, how the plan would change senior citizens' health care costs and what its political implications might be.

8 Apr 2011

Large majority of U.S. adults concerned about health care access

Seven of 10 adults think the U.S. health care system needs to be fundamentally changed or completely rebuilt, according to a Commonwealth Fund survey released today. The concerns reflect widespread experiences with access barriers, poorly coordinated care and growing costs.

6 Apr 2011

Research roundup: Patient's income and electronic health records; high deductible plans; raising Medicare age

Healthcare Spending And Preventive Care In High-Deductible And Consumer-Directed Health Plans - Authors analyzed data from more than 800,000 families insured during 2004 and 2005 through one of 53 large employers in U.S., about half offering the high-deductible or consumer-directed plans.

1 Apr 2011

Individuals face roadblocks in buying health insurance

According to the Commonwealth Fund, difficulty getting health coverage — combined with rising treatment costs and high unemployment levels — triggered a jump in the number of Americans who struggle to pay their medical expenses.

17 Mar 2011

First Edition: March 16, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about how some states are putting "their own spin" on health law implementation as well as other developments related to Medicaid cuts, health law waiver tallies and more.

16 Mar 2011

New study examines mortality rates among patients treated for AMI in hospitals

A new Yale University study looks at why there is such a big difference in the mortality rates among patients treated for heart attacks in hospitals across the country. The study appears in the March issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

16 Mar 2011

Research roundup: Hospital infections and costs; Prescription confusion; Medicaid and access to care

"Sepsis affects approximately 750,000 patients each year in the United States and is in many ways a model condition for examining the relationship between hospital spending and patient outcomes and for identifying potential opportunities to improve the value of hospital care," write the authors.

5 Mar 2011

Research roundup: Access to care in Mass.; Mental health spending; Gender and medical debt: How much do Americans know about health law?

Health Affairs: Lack Of Access Due To Costs Remains A Problem For Some In Massachusetts Despite The State's Health Reforms - Based on an analysis of state data, the authors found that the percentage of people without insurance fell "to twelve-year lows in Massachusetts, from 11.5 percent (SE 0.91) in 1996 to 3.5 percent (SE 0.33) in 2008.

11 Feb 2011

BCBSIL, IHA partner to reduce Illinois hospital readmissions through PREP initiative

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and the Illinois Hospital Association are joining forces to reduce Illinois hospital readmissions through a new quality initiative—Preventing Readmissions through Effective Partnerships.

5 Feb 2011

Research roundup: Comparing profit and nonprofit hospice care; Hospital mortality and spending; High-deductible insurance plans

Association Of Hospice Agency Profit Status With Patient Diagnosis, Location of Care, and Length of Stay - "The current Medicare Hospice Benefit reimburses hospices at a fixed per diem rate that does not consider the patient's diagnosis, location of care, or hospice LOS [length-of-stay]," and as such, "profit can be maximized by caring for patients with certain diagnoses that require fewer skilled services, patients residing in nursing homes, or patients with longer hospice stays."

4 Feb 2011

Roundup: N.Y., Texas, Calif. Medicaid plans spark protests; Conn. nursing homes; Fla. Medical Board

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's effort to strip lawmakers of power over the state's Medicaid program is facing a barrage of criticism in both houses and parties. Lawmakers on Wednesday described the governor's Medicaid proposal as an intrusion on their powers and said they would block it from becoming law.