Commonwealth Fund News and Research

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Eliminating drug co-pays improves medication adherence in heart attack patients

The use of specific medications following a heart attack has been shown to reduce cardiovascular events and mortality, however; while highly effective, the rate of adherence to these medications is poor. Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) evaluated whether eliminating co-payments for these medications would increase adherence and improve outcomes in patients who have had a heart attack.

15 Nov 2011

Survey of health opinion leaders finds 'unflagging' health overhaul support

In this survey, conducted by the Commonwealth Fund and Modern Healthcare, 89 percent of respondents supported moving forward with the measure's implementation. In related news, the National Committee for Quality Assurance plans this month to begin accrediting accountable care organizations. Meanwhile, in local coverage, North Carolina's health exchange grant remains unspent and a rural California county has its own health reform calculus.

15 Nov 2011

A range of studies highlight health care shortcomings

The New York Times reports that a $20 million government-supported study regarding an operation to prevent strokes was cut short when it found the surgery was not helping patients. Also, a Commonwealth Fund study concluded that the U.S. ranks near the bottom when compared to other countries on how it cares for the sickest patients. Lastly, the Health and Human Services inspector general finds a quarter of hospitalized Medicare patients received improper treatment.

10 Nov 2011

Seriously ill adults skip needed care due to costs and medical debt

Chronically and seriously ill adults who received care from a medical home-an accessible primary care practice that helps coordinate care-were less likely to report medical errors, test duplication, and other care coordination failures, according to a new Commonwealth Fund international survey of patients' experiences in the U.S. and 10 other high-income countries.

9 Nov 2011

Research roundup: Disparities in heart failure improvements; vets face barriers to mental health care

Hospitalization And Mortality Rates For Medicare Beneficiaries, 1998-2008 -- This report examines treatment of more than 55 million Medicare fee-for-service heart failure patients, from 1998 to 2008. The researchers found that heart failure hospitalization declined susbstantially over that time but "occurred unevenly across race-sex categories, especially for black men, who had the lowest rate of decline."

22 Oct 2011

Commonwealth Fund: U.S. weak on health care quality, access, affordability

The report concluded that these weaknesses in the American health system are having a "profound effect" on the overall health of the nation's population.

20 Oct 2011

First Edition: October 19, 2011

Now on Kaiser Health News' blog, Capsules, Marilyn Werber Serafini reports: "Medicare might fare better than other health care programs if the congressional super committee fails to agree on a deficit-reduction package and automatic cuts kick in, but even 2 percent is a big problem when it comes on top of other recent hits, warn Rick Pollack, executive vice president of the American Hospital Association, and Karen Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans."

19 Oct 2011

New set of strategies could improve U.S. health care system for vulnerable populations

A new set of strategies released today by the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System could dramatically improve how the U.S. health care system serves vulnerable populations-those in the U.S. who are uninsured, low-income, or members of racial and ethnic minority groups.

7 Oct 2011

Research roundup: Widows and medical spending; disparities in heart care, hospital deaths

The authors write: "We find that out-of-pocket medical spending is approximately 29 percent higher when an individual becomes widowed, a large portion of which is spending on nursing homes. Our results suggest a substantial role of living arrangements in out-of-pocket medical spending; however, our estimates combined with differences in rates of widowhood across gender suggest that marital status can explain only one third of the gender difference in total out-of-pocket medical spending, leaving a large portion unexplained.

27 Sep 2011

University of Chicago to create Bucksbaum Institute for Clinical Excellence

The Matthew and Carolyn Bucksbaum Family Foundation is giving $42 million to the University of Chicago to create the Bucksbaum Institute for Clinical Excellence, a unique initiative that will focus on how to improve doctor-patient interaction.

23 Sep 2011

AMGA presents 2011 Acclaim Award to Geisinger Health System

The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) today presented the 2011 AMGA Acclaim Award to Geisinger Health System for "Transforming Care Delivery: Patient-centric, Value-driven Innovation," a patient-centered system redesign focusing on quality and safety, cost, innovative care delivery, and interdisciplinary care coordination across the large healthcare organization.

20 Sep 2011

ACP offers menu of options to reduce health care spending and promote high-value care

Recommendations to reduce federal health care spending in a socially and fiscally responsible manner today were made in a letter to the Congressional Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction from the American College of Physicians.

14 Sep 2011

State-by-state scorecard shows which states are best at long-term care support

The report, developed by AARP and the SCAN Foundation, found that Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado and Maine are performing best in a variety of ways, but still have room to improve.

9 Sep 2011

Studies find health care costs rose while providers profited

Research published in the journal Health Affairs details the impact of increasing health care costs and what factors are driving them. Also in the news, the Government Accountability Office released a report on states' oversight of health insurers' premium costs.

9 Sep 2011

State roundup: Calif. hospitals fined for errors; Va. dental health concerns

Grady Memorial Hospital and Fresenius Medical Care have reached a basic agreement on providing dialysis services for 22 immigrants whose regular treatment ended last week. The Grady spokesman, Matt Gove, said that under the new deal, Grady will help cover the cost of dialysis for the patients, who up until two years ago were regularly treated at the hospital's outpatient facility.

9 Sep 2011

First Edition: September 8, 2011

In today's headlines, reports from last night's GOP presidential debate, as well as explorations of what the future might hold for the 'Super Committee' and news developments related to physician payment issues.

8 Sep 2011

Number of underinsured adults increases from 16 million to 29 million between 2003 - 2010

The number of underinsured adults-those with health insurance all year, but also with very high medical expenses relative to their incomes-rose by 80 percent between 2003-2010, from 16 million to 29 million, according to a new Commonwealth Fund study published in the September issue of Health Affairs.

8 Sep 2011

Research roundup: The costs of obesity; Patients' post-hospital medicine; Women and heart failure

Association of ICU or Hospital Admission With Unintentional Discontinuation of Medications for Chronic Diseases -- Researchers examined records of older people admitted to a hospital in Ontario, Canada from 1997-2009 who were already taking medicines for chronic health problems. They measured "failure to renew the prescription within 90 days after hospital discharge," and found that patients "prescribed medications for chronic diseases were at risk for potentially unintentional discontinuation after hospital admission.

26 Aug 2011

Commonwealth study: Unemployed skipping important medical services, highlighting importance of COBRA coverage

The Commonwealth Fund is out Wednesday with a report that shows the unemployed are skipping out on important medical services and recommends Congress extend COBRA subsidies through 2014. The study found that 72 percent of people who have lost their employer health insurance didn't fill prescriptions, get recommended tests or see a doctor because of the high cost barrier.

25 Aug 2011

Loss of job and health insurance threatens family's health and financial stability

Nearly three-quarters (72%) of people who lost their health insurance when they lost their jobs over the last two years said that they skipped needed health care or did not fill prescriptions because of cost, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report. The same proportion is also struggling with medical bills or medical debt, compared to about half (49%) who lost jobs but not their health insurance.

24 Aug 2011

Commonwealth Fund News and Research

Eliminating drug co-pays improves medication adherence in heart attack patients

Survey of health opinion leaders finds 'unflagging' health overhaul support

A range of studies highlight health care shortcomings

Seriously ill adults skip needed care due to costs and medical debt

Research roundup: Disparities in heart failure improvements; vets face barriers to mental health care

Commonwealth Fund: U.S. weak on health care quality, access, affordability

First Edition: October 19, 2011

New set of strategies could improve U.S. health care system for vulnerable populations

Research roundup: Widows and medical spending; disparities in heart care, hospital deaths

University of Chicago to create Bucksbaum Institute for Clinical Excellence

AMGA presents 2011 Acclaim Award to Geisinger Health System

ACP offers menu of options to reduce health care spending and promote high-value care

State-by-state scorecard shows which states are best at long-term care support

Studies find health care costs rose while providers profited

State roundup: Calif. hospitals fined for errors; Va. dental health concerns

First Edition: September 8, 2011

Number of underinsured adults increases from 16 million to 29 million between 2003 - 2010

Research roundup: The costs of obesity; Patients' post-hospital medicine; Women and heart failure

Commonwealth study: Unemployed skipping important medical services, highlighting importance of COBRA coverage

Loss of job and health insurance threatens family's health and financial stability

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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