Bee News and Research

RSS

Viewpoints: Health law rollout needs a better salesman; the overhaul is shifting the economy to part-timers

We need a serious and sustained presidential conversation with the country about the new health care reform laws-;or progressives risk losing ownership of this once-in-generation liberal reform. If you listen to people in focus group discussions right now, they are clueless about the most basic policies in the reforms, even though parts of the law are already in place, the exchanges are to be launched in October, and the law's requirements and benefits will become fully operative in January. ... And in the most recent national surveys, more people think their health insurance situation will be made worse by the impending changes (Stanley B. Greenberg, 7/30).

2 Aug 2013

Viewpoints: Doctors' sway over Medicare pay; hospital rankings not all they seem; legal immigrants' health needs overlooked

Reporters Peter Whoriskey and Dan Keating have opened Post readers' eyes to the fact that Medicare pays for physician services -; a $69.6 billion item in 2012 -; according to an arcane and little-known price list, over which doctors themselves exercise considerable and less-than-totally-transparent influence (7/24).

26 Jul 2013

Some states plan aggressive marketing of health exchanges

News outlets report on state implementation activities, including efforts by California and Oregon to promote new health insurance marketplaces, presentations made to New Hampshire's special commission weighing whether to expand Medicaid and a closed door meeting by Idaho exchange officials.

25 Jul 2013

Viewpoints: Disability insurance 'time bomb;' Leavitt on the lessons of Medicare Part D's rollout; Boys and eating disorders

Social Security for retirement and Medicare are the best known of the major entitlement programs with looming financial disasters. While some argue about when they will run out of money, their projected 75-year unfunded liabilities grow larger every year and now total $40 trillion, much worse thereafter. But the ticking time bomb of entitlement reform is Social Security's Disability Insurance Fund (Michael J. Boskin, 7/14).

16 Jul 2013

Viewpoints: USA Today says 'GOP poisons' Obamacare, McConnell counters, calls for repeal

Making Obamacare work was always going to be hard, which is exactly what you'd expect for a complex new program that affects one-sixth of the U.S. economy. ... That explains -; but hardly excuses -; Republicans' latest assault on Obamacare. Having lost in Congress and in court, they're now using the most cynical of tactics: trying to make the law fail. Never mind the public inconvenience and human misery that will result. Their assault is under way on several fronts (7/9).

11 Jul 2013

State highlights: Disabled at risk at Calif. facilities, audit finds; Advocates push for single policy for kids' medical, dental coverage in exchange plans; Ga. maternal mortality

Californians with developmental disabilities who are cared for at state facilities are being put at risk by outdated policies and inadequate investigations of abuse, the state auditor's office said Tuesday. Allegations that residents have been raped, shot with stun guns and otherwise abused have not been acted on satisfactorily, auditors found. The California Department of Developmental Services cares for 1,480 severely disabled people in five facilities throughout the state (McGreevy, 7/9).

11 Jul 2013

Viewpoints: Employer mandate: Suspension of the law or bump in the road?

Columnists and editorial boards examine the implications of the postponed employer mandate deadline. In a nutshell, the administration could not figure out how to make sure that businesses with more than 50 full-time employees are providing a minimum level of health insurance.

10 Jul 2013

State highlights: Ore. nonprofit hospitals see increased revenue, but lower charity care; Calif. shift means lost autism treatment

A new state report shows the average Oregon hospital more than doubled its margin, or profit, between 2009 and 2011, even as its provision of charity care went down. The findings trace the hospital sector rebound from recessionary lows in 2008, and how expanded Medicaid enrollment in Oregon has helped boost hospitals' bottom line even as many continue to expand to some assessors' dismay (Budnick, 7/5).

9 Jul 2013

State exchanges largely unaffected by delay in employer mandate

Officials in California and Minnesota say that neither the timing, nor the content of insurance coverage offered in their new online insurance marketplaces will be affected by the administration's decision to suspend enforcement of penalties on large employers until 2015.

4 Jul 2013

Calif. fines Kaiser health plan $4M after mental health care delivery delays

Regulators said the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan delayed treatment -- sometimes for more than 14 days -- for patients who needed mental health care, which is a violation of the law.

27 Jun 2013

Excessive intake of cola and honey can cause fainting and arrhythmia symptoms, shows study

Drinking excessive amounts of cola and eating honey made from the pollen of Rhododendrons can cause unusual syncope (fainting) and symptoms of arrhythmia, report two case studies presented as abstracts at the EHRA EUROPACE 2013 meeting, in Athens 23 to 26 June.

25 Jun 2013

Viewpoints: Mich. gov. says Medicaid expansion would save money, lives; CMS on making medical devices affordable

The people of Michigan elected the members of the state Senate to be leaders, not vacationers. Unfortunately, the Senate forgot that Thursday and adjourned for its summer vacation. It left Lansing without voting on a bill that would provide health care coverage to nearly half a million working Michiganders. Ensuring access to affordable, quality health care is one of the most significant challenges facing Michigan. The Healthy Michigan plan developed over the past several months is a plan that addresses many of the state's needs and reflects the state's values (Gov. Rick Snyder, 6/23).

25 Jun 2013

Viewpoints: 'Reasonable' debate about health law's 'rate shock; 'absurdity' of Sebelius' account of fund raising; Obama killed the grand bargain

Many of us have been wondering whether it's possible to have an honest, reasonable debate about Obamacare. To my pleasant surprise, one may finally be starting.

7 Jun 2013

Viewpoints: Kasich on what would Reagan do about Medicaid; The need for more doctors

Leaders in the states that have decided against expanding (Medicaid) have often invoked Reagan conservatism as the reason to oppose extending Medicaid health care coverage to more people. After all, doesn't (Ronald) Reagan embody modern conservatism? He cut taxes, cut government red tape and fought the growth of entitlements. Yes, he did all those things. However, he also expanded Medicaid, not just once but several times (Ohio Gov. John Kasich, 6/2).

6 Jun 2013

The big question for health marketplaces: How much will insurance cost?

Stateline examines the factors that affect pricing on the online marketplaces. News outlets also report on recent developments in California and Washington, D.C.

6 Jun 2013

Docs, hospitals, unions unite to protest Calif. planned Medicaid cut

Health care professionals -- doctors, hospitals and unionized health care workers -- protested planned cuts to California's Medicaid system -- Medi-Cal-- at the state capitol on Tuesday. They say the governor's proposed budget could shutter a medical center and force doctors to stop taking patients on the program.

6 Jun 2013

Viewpoints: Calif., Oregon exchanges curb premiums with limited networks; Why the U.S. pays so much for health care

A closer examination of these health plans (to be offered on the California and Oregon exchanges) reveals a less rosy picture. Although the premiums are lower than some anticipated, this has been achieved by designing the plans around much more limited provider networks and including greater cost-sharing than the typical commercial health-insurance plan. The premiums for the policies that will be offered on the states' exchanges are much higher than analogous plans being sold today (Daniel P. Kessler, 6/3).

5 Jun 2013

Viewpoints: Current insurance was made cheaper by turning away the sick; Even in Obama's Illinois, implementing changes is tough

Some people will find the new rules make insurance more expensive. That's in part because their health insurance was made cheap by turning away sick people. The new rules also won't allow for as much discrimination based on age or gender. The flip side of that, of course, is that many will suddenly find their health insurance is much cheaper, or they will find that, for the first time, they're not turned away when they try to buy health insurance (Ezra Klein, 6/1).

4 Jun 2013

State highlights: Calif. bill would fine big employers with employees on Medi-Cal; Abortion fight set in N.Y. Senate

For years, politicians and labor unions have pilloried Wal-Mart and other large employers for paying workers so little that many qualify for government health insurance at taxpayers' expense. Now critics fear the public will get stuck with an even bigger tab as California and other states expand Medicaid as part of the federal health care law.

4 Jun 2013

Viewpoints: Scalia's 'boost' to Obamacare; California small biz and insurance exchange; Health law's hidden tax

[L]ast week, a divided court decided Arlington v. FCC, an important victory for Barack Obama's administration that will long define the relationship between federal agencies and federal courts. ... In a powerful and convincing opinion by Justice Antonin Scalia, the court's majority ruled that even when the agency is deciding on the scope of its own authority, it has the power to interpret ambiguities in the law.

1 Jun 2013

Bee News and Research

Viewpoints: Health law rollout needs a better salesman; the overhaul is shifting the economy to part-timers

Viewpoints: Doctors' sway over Medicare pay; hospital rankings not all they seem; legal immigrants' health needs overlooked

Some states plan aggressive marketing of health exchanges

Viewpoints: Disability insurance 'time bomb;' Leavitt on the lessons of Medicare Part D's rollout; Boys and eating disorders

Viewpoints: USA Today says 'GOP poisons' Obamacare, McConnell counters, calls for repeal

State highlights: Disabled at risk at Calif. facilities, audit finds; Advocates push for single policy for kids' medical, dental coverage in exchange plans; Ga. maternal mortality

Viewpoints: Employer mandate: Suspension of the law or bump in the road?

State highlights: Ore. nonprofit hospitals see increased revenue, but lower charity care; Calif. shift means lost autism treatment

State exchanges largely unaffected by delay in employer mandate

Calif. fines Kaiser health plan $4M after mental health care delivery delays

Excessive intake of cola and honey can cause fainting and arrhythmia symptoms, shows study

Viewpoints: Mich. gov. says Medicaid expansion would save money, lives; CMS on making medical devices affordable

Viewpoints: 'Reasonable' debate about health law's 'rate shock; 'absurdity' of Sebelius' account of fund raising; Obama killed the grand bargain

Viewpoints: Kasich on what would Reagan do about Medicaid; The need for more doctors

The big question for health marketplaces: How much will insurance cost?

Docs, hospitals, unions unite to protest Calif. planned Medicaid cut

Viewpoints: Calif., Oregon exchanges curb premiums with limited networks; Why the U.S. pays so much for health care

Viewpoints: Current insurance was made cheaper by turning away the sick; Even in Obama's Illinois, implementing changes is tough

State highlights: Calif. bill would fine big employers with employees on Medi-Cal; Abortion fight set in N.Y. Senate

Viewpoints: Scalia's 'boost' to Obamacare; California small biz and insurance exchange; Health law's hidden tax

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Latest News