Commonwealth Fund News and Research

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AMGA’s IQL conference examines successful accountable care models

The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) is convening more than 600 participants, representing the leaders of the nation's preeminent healthcare provider organizations, at the IQL 2012 Annual Conference, October 3 - 5 at the Gaylord National Harbor Resort & Conference Center in National Harbor, MD.

5 Oct 2012

Parsing health and Medicare plans amid campaign promises

News outlets analyze the presidential candidates' proposals for tackling Medicare and Medicaid costs, as well as how these differing ideas are playing among voters.

4 Oct 2012

Debate primer: 'A mere 15 minutes' set aside to cover lots of differences on health policies

News outlets set the scene for some of the tough health policy questions the two presidential candidates might face during tomorrow night's debate. And new ads about the health law and women's health issues have been unleashed.

3 Oct 2012

Research roundup: Saving money with hospital observation units, total knee replacement rates skyrocketing, Medicare patients and antibiotic overuse

The authors write: Using observation units in hospitals to provide care to certain patients can be more efficient than admitting them to the hospital and can result in shorter lengths-of-stay and lower costs. However, such units are present in only about one-third of US hospitals.

29 Sep 2012

Many public safety-net hospitals are likely to face financial and competitive pressures

Many public safety-net hospitals are likely to face increasing financial and competitive pressures stemming in part from the recent Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Care Act, according to researchers at Penn State and the Harvard School of Public Health.

24 Sep 2012

Research roundup: Patients' experiences at safety-net hospitals

Each week KHN reporter Ankita Rao compiles a selection of recently released health policy studies and briefs.

15 Sep 2012

Report: Risk pools extend insurance coverage now, but are 'unsustainable' as alternative to health law

The health reform law's high-risk insurance pools, one of the first pieces of the law to be enacted, are operating at a loss and prohibitively expensive - but they also provide needed coverage to a small group of people, according to a new report out Thursday.

14 Sep 2012

Researchers analyze cost-savings achieved by Medicare Physician Group Practice Demonstration

In an analysis of the cost-savings achieved by an earlier pilot program, the Medicare Physician Group Practice Demonstration (PGPD), researchers found modest estimates of overall savings associated with the PGPD, but larger savings among the dually eligible patients (Medicare and Medicaid), with savings achieved in large part through reductions in hospitalizations, according to a study in the September 12 issue of JAMA.

12 Sep 2012

Romney's shifting stance on health law makes policy, political waves

The GOP presidential nominee's comments Sunday that he would keep parts of the health law triggered questions about how he would cover those with pre-existing conditions, and reinforced doubts within his own party about his commitment to repealing the overhaul. Campaign aides attempted to clarify the comments.

12 Sep 2012

Research roundup: Readmission risks after surgery; Assessing Medicaid applicants' eligibility; Satisfaction among health plan types

General Surgeons Identify Postoperative Complications Posing Strongest Readmission Risks -- Researchers found that about 11 percent of patients in a study of 1,442 individuals who underwent general surgery were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days.

31 Aug 2012

U.S. behind France, Germany, U.K. in stopping preventable deaths

The study, published in Health Affairs, pointed the finger at the lack of health insurance -- as well as conditions such as hypertension and medical errors -- in the U.S. as part of the problem.

31 Aug 2012

U.S. lags three other industrialized nations in potentially preventable death rates

The United States lags three other industrialized nations-France, Germany, and the United Kingdom-in its potentially preventable death rate, and in the pace of improvement in preventing deaths that could have been avoided with timely and effective health care, according to a Commonwealth Fund-supported study published as a web first online today in Health Affairs.

31 Aug 2012

HealthPartners receives Acclaim Award from American Medical Group Association

The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) today announced that the recipient of the 2012 AMGA Acclaim Award is HealthPartners for "Triple Aim 2.0: Designing Culture to Support Better Health, Better Experience at a Lower Cost," an inventive and patient-centered approach to align the Institute of Medicine's Aims to identify and drive performance improvement, innovation, and culture throughout the organization.

29 Aug 2012

Hospitals tackle variety of health law issues

News outlets report on a variety of issues including the slow acceptance of ACOs and a legal set-back for doctor-owned facilities.

23 Aug 2012

For hospitals, the rush is not on to become an ACO

According to a Commonwealth Fund report, only about 13 percent of hospitals surveyed are participating or planning to participate in an accountable care organizations.

18 Aug 2012

First Edition: August 17, 2012

Now on Kaiser Health News' blog, Jenny Gold reports on a new survey about accountable care organizations: "Few hospitals interested in becoming accountable care organizations are ready to take on financial risk, according to a survey released Friday from The Commonwealth Fund."

17 Aug 2012

Viewpoints: Dubious ad on Romney's role in cancer death; British health plan has problems of its own

He sits at a kitchen table, nursing a cup of coffee, talking about what happened after Bain Capital closed down his steel plant in 2001. He lost his job; his family lost its health insurance. His wife felt lousy but didn't go to the doctor, to spare the family worry and expense. When she finally ended up in the hospital, the diagnosis was cancer. She had 22 days to live.

9 Aug 2012

Blumenthal named to head the Commonwealth Fund

The former Obama administration adviser will take the organization's helm on Jan. 1, 2013, replacing Karen Davis.

28 Jul 2012

First Edition: July 27, 2012

Today's headlines include reports about a new effort launched by the Obama administration and insurers to fight health care fraud.

27 Jul 2012

Research roundup: Gastric bypass costs, paying for psychotherapy

Health Expenditures Among High-Risk Patients After Gastric Bypass and Matched Controls -- A few studies have shown that bariatric surgery can help reduce health care spending by obese patients, particularly those with conditions such as diabetes. This latest study looked at 847 patients who received bariatric surgery through the Veterans Affairs medical system. Inpatient and outpatient spending both before and after surgery were compared to 847 obese patients who did not have the operation.

21 Jul 2012

Commonwealth Fund News and Research

AMGA’s IQL conference examines successful accountable care models

Parsing health and Medicare plans amid campaign promises

Debate primer: 'A mere 15 minutes' set aside to cover lots of differences on health policies

Research roundup: Saving money with hospital observation units, total knee replacement rates skyrocketing, Medicare patients and antibiotic overuse

Many public safety-net hospitals are likely to face financial and competitive pressures

Research roundup: Patients' experiences at safety-net hospitals

Report: Risk pools extend insurance coverage now, but are 'unsustainable' as alternative to health law

Researchers analyze cost-savings achieved by Medicare Physician Group Practice Demonstration

Romney's shifting stance on health law makes policy, political waves

Research roundup: Readmission risks after surgery; Assessing Medicaid applicants' eligibility; Satisfaction among health plan types

U.S. behind France, Germany, U.K. in stopping preventable deaths

U.S. lags three other industrialized nations in potentially preventable death rates

HealthPartners receives Acclaim Award from American Medical Group Association

Hospitals tackle variety of health law issues

For hospitals, the rush is not on to become an ACO

First Edition: August 17, 2012

Viewpoints: Dubious ad on Romney's role in cancer death; British health plan has problems of its own

Blumenthal named to head the Commonwealth Fund

First Edition: July 27, 2012

Research roundup: Gastric bypass costs, paying for psychotherapy

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