MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'employer'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:03:46 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181735&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F09%2F01%2Fimplementing-health-reform-association-health-plans%2F The Affordable Care Act comprehensively reforms health insurance in the United States.  Its central reform provisions apply to “a group health plan and health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage,” that is, to individual, small group, large group, and even self-insured coverage. In fact, however, the ACA does not cover all forms [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181735 Thu, 01 Sep 2011 20:35:54 +0100 5181735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158920&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F08%2F25%2Frisk-shifting-in-health-care-and-its-implications-part-two%2F Yesterday, in the first installment of a two-part Health Affairs Blog post, Troyen Brennan and Thomas Lee discussed the shifting of risk they see taking place in the health care system, from insurers and employers to provider and patients. In part two below, Brennan and Lee discuss the implications of this shift for various health [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158920 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 18:02:47 +0100 5158920 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130721&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F08%2F13%2Fimplementing-health-reform-premium-tax-credits%2F On August 12, the Departments of Health and Human Services and Treasury (Internal Revenue Service) issued three notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) as part of their continuing effort to implement the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The proposed rules will be formally published in the Federal Register on August 17 for comment. One NPRM issued by [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130721 Sat, 13 Aug 2011 17:57:55 +0100 5130721 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107477&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F08%2F09%2Fjulys-most-read-ha-blog-posts%2F Timothy Jost’s series of posts on proposed new federal rules for state health insurance exchanges leads July’s list of most-read Health Affairs Blog posts. Jon Kingsdale’s article on Massachusetts’ efforts to control health care costs is also featured on the list, as are Jeff Goldsmith’s discussion of the effect of health reform on employer-based health [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107477 Tue, 09 Aug 2011 13:44:43 +0100 5107477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103324&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F08%2F05%2Fa-heat-wave-health-wonk-review%2F Over at Managed Care Matters, Joe Paduda presents the Health Policy Heat Wave edition of the Health Wonk Review: The weather is hot these days, and so is health policy. Joe presents a great collection of health policy blogging, including Jeff Goldsmith’s Health Affairs Blog post on the impact of health reform on employer-based coverage. [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103324 Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:24:36 +0100 5103324 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5057708&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F07%2F22%2Fletting-go-of-employer-based-health-insurance%2F Other than the egg-laying exercise surrounding the ACO regulations, 2011 was a quiet year among Washington health policy experts until June 6 when McKinsey released the results of a survey of employer plans under the Affordable Care Act. The McKinsey study found that roughly 30 percent of employers were considering dropping their employee insurance coverage [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5057708 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 18:16:37 +0100 5057708 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975869&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmore-employers-are-dropping-healthcare-insurance-coverage%2F2011.06.26 McKinsey Quarterly has reported its survey concluding there will be a radical restructuring of employer-sponsored health benefits (ESI) as a result of President Obama’s following the 2010 passage of the Affordable Care Act. Healthcare insurance rates have already skyrocketed as a result of anticipating the conditions of Obama care. President Obama has been powerless to do anything about the increases. Thirty percent (30%) of companies providing ESI to their employees will drop healthcare insurance coverage once Obama care takes effect in 2014. The survey included 1300 employers providing ESI across industries, geographies, and employer sizes. Other surveys have found that as we get closer to 2014, President Obama’s Healthcare Reform Act will provoke a much greater number of employers t... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975869 Sun, 26 Jun 2011 21:00:51 +0100 4975869 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893408&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FuJkSeFTL1A4%2F By Michael D. TannerMassachusetts Governor Mitt Romney announces today that he will be a candidate for president.   His announcement is expected to tout his business experience and to portray him as the candidate best able to deal with the country’s economic problems.  But one thing you are not likely to hear him talk about is his Massachusetts health plan, Romneycare. Of course, Romney has already tried to put this issue away with a speech in Detroit last month, and he would probably be happy to never talk about it again.   But if Romney really believes he can hide from the Romneycare fallout, he is badly mistaken.  Cato scholars have issued several reports detailing the many failings of Romneycare.  Those studies can be found here , here , here and here for instance.   In his... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893408 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 17:07:05 +0100 4893408 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4771024&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-medical-condition-is-the-most-costly-to-employers%2F2011.04.30 Ok…here’s a brain teaser.  What medical condition is the most costly to employers?  I’ll give you a hint.  It is also a medical condition that is likely to go unrecognized and undiagnosed by primary care physicians. If you guessed depression you are correct. If you mentioned obesity you get a gold star since that comes in right behind depression for both criteria…at least in terms of cost and the undiagnosed part. Four out of every ten people at work or sitting in the doctor’s waiting room suffer from moderate to severe depression.  Prevalence rates for depression are highest among women and older patients with chronic conditions.  Yet despite its high prevalence and costly nature, depression is significantly under-diagnosed (<50%) and under-treated by physicians. For em... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4771024 Sat, 30 Apr 2011 19:00:08 +0100 4771024 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684767&cid=t_144295_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fyour-first-aa-meeting%2F Practically nobody looks forward to going to their first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.In most cases this is an occasion of extreme shame, dread and despair. The majority of individuals going to AA for the first time are doing so reluctantly, either because they have promised someone else to go or because they have been directed to attend by a judge, an employer, a therapist or an addictions treatment program.Even first timers who "go on their own" are usually in an intensely ambivalent and negative state. Nobody wishes to need the help that is provided by AA, and as a result virtually everyone attending their first meeting wishes that they were someplace else doing something else.It is an act of great courage to walk into an AA meeting for the first time. Many people with severe ... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684767 Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:25:00 +0100 4684767 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4600509&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F03%2F16%2Fhealth-affairs-receives-award-from-employers-health-group%2F John Iglehart and Susan Dentzer, Health Affairs’ founding and current editors-in-chief, received the Health Policy Innovation Leadership Award from the National Business Group on Health, a non-profit group of more than 300 large employers. The award was presented March 10 at the Business Group’s Health Agenda Conference in Washington, D.C. In presenting the first-ever award [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4600509 Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:10:36 +0100 4600509 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592345&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F03%2F15%2Fwhat-employers-don%25e2%2580%2599t-spend-for-health-will-cost-them%2F Recently it was reported that the federal government has issued more than a thousand waivers concerning various provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Some of the earliest and most high-profile waiver requests involved the McDonald’s restaurant chain, whose capped benefit “mini-med” plans, — provided by McDonald’s to 30,000 hourly employees, about 8 percent of all [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592345 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:04:05 +0100 4592345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570517&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F03%2F10%2Fhealth-policy-brief-employers-and-health-care-reform%2F A new Health Policy Brief from Health Affairs and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation explores a provision of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 that is aimed at expanding access to and strengthening the employment-based health system. Beginning in 2014, employers with at least 50 full-time employees (or equivalent full- and part-time workers) will be [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570517 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:44:35 +0100 4570517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4477703&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FRC1HbaZdWxQ%2F By Michael F. CannonA colleague forwarded me a letter his friend received from their local hospital.  The friend needs surgery.  His health insurance has a very high deductible, so he figured he would do some comparison shopping.  He asked the local hospital to quote him a price. Here's how the hospital responded: [This] hospital typically charges between $2,360.45 and $22,290.74 for this procedure or service.  This is an estimate only... Our goal is to provide you with the most informed and accurate estimate of the cost of your treatment.  If circumstances result in a final bill that exceeds this estimate by more than 20%, we will work together with you to resolve the balance. For surgical services, the price quote does not include any physicians' charges.  The surgeon and/or anesth... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4477703 Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:51:07 +0100 4477703 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399511&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FRHFAqiVb69Y%2F By Michael F. CannonThe following chart shows that ObamaCare‘s unfavorables reached 50 percent in the latest Kaiser Family Foundation poll.  That’s higher than at any point since KFF started tracking ObamaCare’s unfavorables in January 2010.  The KFF poll also found that opposition is much more intense than support; 19 percent view the law very favorably, while 34 percent view the law very unfavorably.  Despite the availability of the these nuggets, KFF’S press release chose to deemphasize the surge: “Americans Remain Divided Over Health Reform With An Uptick In Public Opposition As GOP Ramped Up Repeal Campaign.” Even more entertaining was this chart, which purports to show that Americans oppose defunding ObamaCare by nearly 2-to-1. Dig a little d... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399511 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 17:07:52 +0100 4399511 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4382734&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F01%2F21%2Femployers-as-doctors%2F If you don’t keep up with the latest twists and turns in healthy policy, you probably don’t know what value-based health insurance benefits are. A Health Affairs article takes a focused look at it. Here is my layman’s summary: If you are like most people, you are not a very good consumer of health care. [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4382734 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 13:12:00 +0100 4382734 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4360942&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2011%2F01%2F18%2Fhealth-policy-brief-small-business-tax-credits%2F A new Health Policy Brief from Health Affairs and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation describes new incentives under the Affordable Care Act for small business owners to provide health insurance coverage for their employees. Employees of small businesses are least likely among all employed workers to have health coverage. Millions have also lost coverage in recent years [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4360942 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 14:15:58 +0100 4360942 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4300531&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F12%2F30%2Fimplementing-health-reform-little-noticed-but-important-guidances%2F Editor’s Note: This is the latest in a series of posts by Timothy Jost on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.  Earlier posts analyze provisions governing premium review, medical loss ratios, insurance exchanges, coverage for pre-existing conditions, appeals of coverage denials, coverage for preventive services, a patient bill of rights, grandfathered plans, tax-exempt hospitals, the small employer tax [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4300531 Thu, 30 Dec 2010 16:19:24 +0100 4300531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272293&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F11-healthcare-predictions-for-2011%2F2010.12.18 Here are 11 things that are absolutely going to happen* in 2011 (they’re in no particular order….or are they?): 1.  There will be no big compromise between President Obama and the Republicans on healthcare reform. Why? Because the law is such a massive collection of, well, stuff, that it is pretty much impossible to find pieces of it that you could cut a deal on, even if you wanted to. And no, the federal district court decision on the individual mandate doesn’t change my mind…and in fact may breathe new life into other parts of the law). State governments, insurance companies, and private businesses have made all kinds of important and hard to reverse choices based on the law as is. There’s not much of an appetite outside of people trying to score political points for m... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272293 Sat, 18 Dec 2010 20:00:44 +0100 4272293 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253135&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Femployee-health-the-first-benefits-package-blog-carnival%2F2010.12.13 Welcome to The Benefits Package — the very first employee benefits blog carnival. After healthcare reform, employee benefits move to center stage as one of the most important issues facing Americans. So what are employers, insurers, and the government really doing to rein in healthcare costs, get their employees to live healthier lives, and improve healthcare quality? The Benefits Package is the first-ever blog carnival dedicated to these issues. With benefits executives starting to make the leap into the blogosphere, The Benefits Package will highlight the best insights and opinions on this important subject. You will discover new blogs, learn new things, and hopefully think about issues a little differently. I’ll host the first couple of Benefits Packages, and then others will ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253135 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 17:00:58 +0100 4253135 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4237862&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F12%2F07%2Fmcallen-el-paso-spending-differences-are-substantially-smaller-under-private-insurance%2F Whether Medicare or private insurance pays for health care appears to make a significant difference in health spending variation, according to a study by Luisa Franzini of the University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHealth) and coauthors, published today in the December issue of Health Affairs. The study, a follow-up to a highly publicized 2009 New Yorker article by Atul [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4237862 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:17:36 +0100 4237862 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233146&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F12%2F06%2Fhow-did-the-recession-impact-health-insurance-coverage%2F Between 2007 and 2009, with increasing unemployment and declining incomes, the number of uninsured nonelderly Americans increased from forty-five million to fifty million. This finding is contained in a Health Affairs Web First article released today and authored by John Holahan, the director of the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center. The Urban Institute study was prepared in partnership with the Kaiser [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233146 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:56:09 +0100 4233146 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214061&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F11%2F29%2Fhealth-policy-brief-early-retiree-coverage%2F The latest Health Policy Brief from Health Affairs and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation describes a new program to shore up health insurance coverage for early retirees—individuals 55 and older who have left employment and are not yet eligible for Medicare. The number of employers offering medical coverage for this group has declined during the [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214061 Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:17:07 +0100 4214061 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190148&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fworkers-compensation-a-model-for-the-future-of-american-healthcare%2F2010.11.22 There’s a country with an unusual healthcare system. In it, you often spend about as much time with your lawyer as you do your doctor. There are special courts set up to decide what kinds of treatment you are allowed to have. And doctors have to be careful that they don’t say or do the wrong thing, or else they risk being blackballed by insurance companies. The country:  The United States of America. You may not realize it, but if you hurt your back at work you end up in a different healthcare system than if you hurt your back at home. Sure, you may end up with similar doctors or hospitals, but your experience of healthcare will be completely different. Here’s why. If you get hurt at work, you’re covered by the “workers compensation” system. That system has its roots over ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190148 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 02:00:49 +0100 4190148 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190122&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F11%2F22%2Fmann-ornstein-to-speak-at-national-health-policy-conference%2F The recent elections completely changed the nation’s political landscape in Congress and elsewhere. As two of the nation’s most respected and insightful political analysts, Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution and Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute are well-suited to make sense of the new terrain; they are also two of the confirmed speakers for the 2011 National Health Policy [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190122 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 17:35:06 +0100 4190122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4183297&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Femployers-up-the-ante-for-workers-health%2F2010.11.19 More than half of employers are likely to keep offering insurance rather than use state health insurance exchanges when they become available under health care reform in 2014, reported a survey by an insurance broker. Willis Human Capital Practice released results of its Health Care Reform Survey 2010, which showed 55 percent of employers would keep their health plans in 2014 even if the new state exchanges offer competitive prices. The survey sampled 1,400 employers of varying sizes, industry sectors and geographies whose plans cover more than 9 million employees and dependents (including retirees). Key findings from the survey include: • 88 percent believe that group health plan costs will increase as a result of health care reform; • 76 percent expect administrative compliance co... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4183297 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 15:00:00 +0100 4183297 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4139208&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F11%2F04%2Fconservatives-urge-aggressive-approach-to-overturning-health-reform%2F A conservative group of healthcare analysts today welcomed the intention of the new House Republican majority to immediately pass a bill repealing President Obama’s health reform law. After that’s done, though, the analysts suggested the Republican leaders get to work on a more realistic strategy to destroy the president’s signature piece of legislature. The panel, [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4139208 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 22:00:19 +0100 4139208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4133647&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F11%2F02%2Fnew-health-affairs-issue-value-based-insurance-design%2F Having insurance coverage that requires consumers to pay less out of pocket for certain medications— for example, those they must take regularly to combat chronic illness— makes it more likely that they will adhere to their medication regimens.  But the jury is still out on whether this strategy will dramatically reduce the rate of growth [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4133647 Tue, 02 Nov 2010 11:34:09 +0100 4133647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4124978&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F11%2F01%2Fhealth-policy-brief-grandfathered-health-plans%2F A new Health Policy Brief from Health Affairs and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) examines the topic of health insurance plans that are “grandfathered” under the recently enacted health reform law—and the resulting issues for consumers, employers, and insurers. Under the law, Americans covered by an insurance plan on the legislation’s enactment date are [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4124978 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:02:31 +0100 4124978 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013137&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGw1wIjQHXrQ%2F By Michael F. CannonIn a previous post, I promised to address the negative spin that the Kaiser Family Foundation put on its annual Employer Health Benefits Survey, released this month.  I do so in an op-ed that ran today at the Daily Caller.  An excerpt: The Kaiser Family Foundation recently issued its annual survey of employer-sponsored health benefits, declaring: “Family Health Premiums Rise 3 Percent to $13,770 in 2010, But Workers’ Share Jumps 14 Percent as Firms Shift Cost Burden.” That’s half-right — but the other half perpetuates a myth about employee health benefits that stands in the way of real health care reform…. [Y]ou pay the full cost of your health benefits: partly through an explicit $4,000 premium and partly because your wages are $9,770 lower than ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013137 Wed, 29 Sep 2010 21:07:03 +0100 4013137 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3976479&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F09%2F16%2Fthe-number-of-americans-with-health-coverage-declined-in-2009%2F The number of people with health insurance decreased to 253.6 million in 2009 from 255.1 million in 2008, the Census Bureau reported today. This is the first time that the number of people with health insurance has decreased since 1987, the first year that comparable health insurance data were collected. The ranks of those with [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3976479 Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:00:58 +0100 3976479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3933077&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F30wBufdzMh0%2F By Michael F. CannonAs I blogged earlier, yesterday the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust released their survey of employer-sponsored health benefits in 2010. For most of this survey’s history, it included a very useful graph of the average growth rate of employer-sponsored insurance premiums.  Here’s the graph from their 2007 survey: (The grey and light-green lines represent year-to-year growth in overall inflation and wages, respectively.) Unfortunately, 2007 was the last year that KFF/HRET included that graph in their annual survey.  Had they included that graph this year, it would have shown an even more heartening moderation of premium growth: A lot of things can drive premium growth.  I discussed a couple of them in my last post... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3933077 Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:20:13 +0100 3933077 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3933080&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FynRut6Tk9w8%2F By Michael F. CannonEvery year, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust produce the leading survey of employee health benefits.  Yesterday, KFF and HRET issued their survey of health benefits in 2010 with a news release that begins: Family Health Premiums Rise 3 Percent to $13,770 in 2010… Premiums rose by just 3 percent?  Great news!  Last year, KFF/HRET guesstimated that the average cost of family coverage could hit $14,539 in 2010.  Working families saved hundreds of dollars! Not so fast, says KFF/HRET.  The main reason premiums rose less than expected is that “businesses have been shifting more of the costs of health insurance to workers through … deductibles and other cost-sharing,” said KFF president and CEO Drew Altma... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3933080 Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:35:21 +0100 3933080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3929197&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F09%2F02%2Ffirms-shifting-burden-to-workers-for-family-coverage%2F Workers on average are paying nearly $4,000 this year toward the cost of family health coverage — an increase of 14 percent, or $482, above what they paid last year, according to the benchmark 2010 Employer Health Benefits Survey released today by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Health Research & Educational Trust (HRET). Selected [...] (Source: Health Affairs Blog) Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3929197 Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:34:03 +0100 3929197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767063&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FKX0daQBjiM8%2F By Michael F. CannonThe individual mandate has been a tricky issue for Barack Obama, leading him to make some impressive self-reversals. When campaigning against Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination, Obama came out hard against an individual mandate to purchase health insurance, alleging that Clinton would garnish workers’ wages and that Massachusetts’ individual mandate has left many residents “worse off”: He even dismissed an individual mandate by saying, “If a mandate was the solution, we could try that to solve homelessness by mandating everybody buy a house”: Once president, of course, Obama endorsed and signed into law both an individual mandate and an employer mandate. During the debate over ObamaCare, Obama likewise mocked... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767063 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:48:48 +0100 3767063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3721735&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F07%2F02%2Fobesity-prevention-a-responsive-communitarian-approach-part-2%2F Conclusion Obesity is a serious health problem, but a rather intractable one. It requires costly interventions that will generate little gain as long as the focus is on reducing caloric intake through encouraging individuals to change their eating habits. Much more focus should be given to (a) caloric expenditure (exercise); (b) on parenting and children, as opposed to adult lifestyle changes; and (c) on societal rather than on personal factors. In addition, much more attention should be paid to the adverse side effects of dieting. Finally, the merit of making obesity reduction a high-ranking public health drive should be weighed against the value of other campaigns. Copyright © 2010 Health Affairs Blog. This Feed is for personal non-commercial use only. All material published on Heal... Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3721735 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:57:06 +0100 3721735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718360&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F07%2F01%2Fobesity-prevention-a-responsive-communitarian-approach-part-1%2F Editor’s Note: This is the first installment of a two-part post by Amitai Etzioni examining the nation’s anti-obesity policies through the lens of a responsive communitarian philosophy. Today, Etzioni lays out a responsive communitarian framework and uses it to diagnose the problems with our current methods of fighting obesity. Tomorrow, Etzioni describes how these current policies should be refocused. Julia Milton contributed research assistance to this post. For more on obesity, see the March issue of Health Affairs, a thematic volume on child obesity. The problem and suggested treatments. Obesity is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a condition in which a person has a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher (having a BMI between 25 and 30 is classifie... Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718360 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:13:09 +0100 3718360 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714165&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FsgMQt2rrrkY%2F By Michael F. CannonIn a recent Wall Street Journal oped, Carnegie-Mellon economist Allan Meltzer explains how ObamaCare is delaying economic recovery: Two overarching reasons explain the failure of Obamanomics. First, administration economists and their outside supporters neglected the longer-term costs and consequences of their actions. Second, the administration and Congress have through their deeds and words heightened uncertainty about the economic future. High uncertainty is the enemy of investment and growth… Mr. Obama has denied the cost burden on business from his health-care program, but business is aware that it is likely to be large. How large? That’s part of the uncertainty that employers face if they hire additional labor… Then there is Medicaid, the medical... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714165 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 15:02:38 +0100 3714165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3695527&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F06%2F24%2Fsame-sex-couples-face-inequities-in-access-to-health-coverage%2F Partnered gay men in California are only 42 percent as likely as married heterosexual men to get employer-sponsored dependent health insurance. Partnered lesbians in the state have an even smaller chance (28 percent) of getting that same coverage, compared to married heterosexual women. Those findings are contained in a Web First article released online today by Health Affairs; the study will also appear in the journal’s August issue. The work by researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund in Los Angeles is the first to quantify 1) the gap between dependent coverage received by heterosexual employees and coverage received by lesbian and gay employees, and 2) the greater extent to which the dependent partners of l... Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3695527 Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:39:21 +0100 3695527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3665934&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F06%2F15%2Fimplementing-health-reform-grandfathered-plans%2F Editor’s Note: Earlier posts by Timothy Jost provide analyses of regulations implementing provisions of the new health reform legislation governing tax exempt hospitals, the small employer tax credit, the Web portal, reinsurance for early retirees, and young adult coverage.  From the beginning of his push for health care reform, President Obama promised “If you like your insurance plan, your doctor, or both, you will be able to keep them.” He never meant to say by this, however, “if you don’t like the plan you have, you will be stuck with it forever,” or, for that matter, “if your insurance plan changes dramatically to your disadvantage, you will not be able to escape it.”  Balancing the desire to let individuals and employers maintain relatively inexpensive pre-r... Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3665934 Tue, 15 Jun 2010 21:01:45 +0100 3665934 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3577365&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F05%2F18%2Fimplementing-health-reform-the-small-employer-tax-credit%2F Editor’s Note: Earlier posts by Timothy Jost provide analyses of regulations implementing provisions of the new health reform legislation governing the Web portal, reinsurance for early retirees, and young adult coverage.  Implementation of health care reform continues at a rapid pace.  On Monday, May 17, the Internal Revenue Service issued Notice 2010-44, providing further guidance for the implementation of the small employer tax credit created by section 45R of the Internal Revenue Code, added by section 1421 of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).  Section 45R offers a tax credit to small employers that provide health insurance to their employees.  The IRS estimates that 4 million businesses may be eligible and for these businesses the tax credit represents a ... Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3577365 Tue, 18 May 2010 20:54:45 +0100 3577365 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560531&cid=t_144295_180_f&fid=38610&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.productivity501.com%2Fyou-are-self-employed%2F7718%2F Did you know that a single two-second distraction can cost you 15 minutes of your day? When your concentration is interrupted, it takes up to 15 minutes to get your focus back. Our ambient sounds help reduce the amount of noise distractions in your workplace. Take advantage of the current SALE.Advertise HereI was recently talking with a friend who said he’d be scared to try to start his own business because it seemed so insecure. I asked, “How is that any different than what you do working for someone else?” After a moment’s pause, he admitted that it really wasn’t. When it comes down to it, you work for yourself, regardless of who is the owner of the company that cuts your check. It is your responsibility to market yourself, develop your skills, identify tren... Productivity501 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560531 Wed, 12 May 2010 17:00:56 +0100 3560531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3556076&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FFPICtrnihH4%2F By Michael F. CannonThe New York Times‘ Kevin Sack reports on the legal challenge to ObamaCare’s individual mandate launched by 20 state attorneys general: Some legal scholars, including some who normally lean to the left, believe the states have identified the law’s weak spot and devised a credible theory for eviscerating it… Jonathan Turley, who teaches at George Washington University Law School, said that if forced to bet, he would predict that the courts would uphold the health care law. But Mr. Turley said that the federal government’s case was far from open-and-shut, and that he found the arguments against the mandate compelling. “There are few cases in the history of the court system that have a more significant assertion of authority by the government,” s... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3556076 Tue, 11 May 2010 20:55:17 +0100 3556076 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3552201&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F05%2F10%2Fdo-we-need-an-individual-mandate%2F Should everyone be required to have health insurance? The short answer is no. There is nothing that can be achieved with a mandate to buy health insurance that cannot be better achieved by a carefully designed system of tax subsidies. Beyond that, a requirement that everyone obtain insurance (as the new health reform law dictates) creates problems greater than the problem it is designed to solve. The most common argument for an individual mandate is based on the free rider problem. Jonathan Cohn made this argument in the New Republic the other day. Similar thinking can also be found on the political right. So what is the free rider problem? Imagine a community in which everyone dutifully pays health insurance premiums every month, except Joe — who spends his money instead on other consum... Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3552201 Mon, 10 May 2010 19:21:38 +0100 3552201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3529789&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthblawg.typepad.com%2Ffiles%2Fgeorge-pantos-hpm-institute-healthblawg-interview-with-david-harlow-042110.mp3 Healthcare costs are a perennial issue for employers and employees. There are a variety of approaches out there designed to improve health status and health outcomes and reduce costs at the same time. Proponents of a variety of approaches have been featured here on HealthBlawg in the past.  I recently had the opportunity to speak with George Pantos, of the Healthcare Performance Management Institute, a brand-new organization on the scene, founded by a group of folks who have developed tools for managing these costs. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at HealthBlawg :: David Harlow's Health Care Law Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3529789 Mon, 03 May 2010 17:00:33 +0100 3529789 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3476081&cid=t_144295_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FUS9QAvJBpCU%2F And so another work week will soon draw to a close. What do your weekend plans call for? A walk in the park? A long, cozy nap? Tending to chores? Schlepping your own short people from place to place? Whatever you do, we hope you have a nice time. Meanwhile, there is today to wrap up. So here are a few items of note. See you soon… Genzyme Patients Feel Betrayed By Shortages (The New York Times) Pfizer Is Voted Best Employer In Czech Republic (Prague Daily Monitor) J&J Axes Execs In India (Economic Times) Cell Therapeutics Cuts 36 Employees (Xconomy) Rexahn Stumbles Over MDD Drug (Montgomery Gazette) photo thx to tipiro on Flickr creative commons (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3476081 Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:38:17 +0100 3476081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3398871&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F03%2F23%2Fhealth-reform-is-here-what-happens-now%2F Now that the President has signed health reform legislation, what happens next? Health Affairs editor-in-chief Susan Dentzer addressed that question in an appearance last night on the PBS NewsHour. In an interview with Jeffrey Brown, Dentzer discussed reform’s impact on the private insurance market, touching on how the new law will affect both insurers and consumers. In a second appearance tonight, Dentzer will discuss the new law’s impact on the uninsured, those on Medicare, and others. For example, by 2014 insurers will no longer be able to restrict coverage for pre-existing conditions. For children, the ban on these restrictions will go into effect almost immediately, within six months of enactment, Dentzer said.  She also discussed several other topics, such as the n... Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3398871 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:51:53 +0100 3398871 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3262583&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F02%2F11%2Fworkplace-wellness-programs-a-response-to-alan-balch%2F Editor’s Note: The post below, by Jaan Sidorov, is the third in a debate concerning provisions of Senate-passed health reform legislation governing workplace wellness programs. Sidorov’s post responds to an earlier post by Alan Balch, which in turn responded to an initial post by Sidorov. While the Obama Administration’s campaign to reform the health care system certainly has had its ups and downs, one remarkable aspect of the debate has been the steadfast commitment by the majority of the employer community to providing health insurance for their employees and dependents.  And it hasn’t stopped at basic sickness insurance, but also encompasses interest in providing access to wellness and prevention programs.  Just how these programs are configured in terms of workforce d... Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3262583 Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:49:30 +0100 3262583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3220502&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F01%2F28%2Fworkplace-wellness-programs-the-real-issues%2F Editor’s Note: The post below responds to an earlier post by Jaan Sidorov, “Why Wellness Incentives Belong In The Workplace.” No one should doubt the importance of wellness and prevention in addressing the growing burden of chronic disease, especially in the workplace setting.  That is why the American Cancer Society, the American Diabetes Association, and the American Heart Association work with a multitude of employers across the country to adopt and implement effective worksite wellness programs.  In fact, we each have wellness programs for our own employees and we sometimes offer incentives to promote participation. The issue at hand is NOT whether evidence-based workplace wellness programs can help improve employee health, or if certain incentives should be used to... Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3220502 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:07:56 +0100 3220502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3189115&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F01%2F19%2Fwhy-wellness-incentives-belong-in-the-workplace%2F The health care reform debate has stirred up strong sentiments on both sides of an important issue that, on its face, doesn’t seem all that complicated: Should employers that offer wellness and prevention programs offer employees monetary rewards for their participation? Should the rewards be linked to attainment of wellness goals? The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality tells us leading employers, state Medicaid agencies and health plans recognize the potential power of financial incentives in attaining quality goals. Others are not so sure. Writing in a recent issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, Harald Schmidt and colleagues distinguish between incentives that reward “participation” versus those for “attainment.” They argue the latter might be fundamentally unf... Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3189115 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 04:54:18 +0100 3189115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3178751&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F01%2F16%2Frequiring-employers-to-contribute-to-health-coverage-for-workers%2F Almost three out of five Americans under age 65 have employment-based health insurance – but with costs rising, this coverage is under serious pressure. Congress is now finalizing plans to require more employers to contribute to coverage for their workers. The latest Health Policy Brief from Health Affairs and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) examines this issue, known as the employer mandate, and explains how proposed legislation would expand job-based health insurance. Some of the issues the brief discusses: Why major employers as diverse as Walmart and the AFL-CIO have endorsed a proposed employer mandate – and why an equally diverse range of organizations have opposed it. The history of employer mandates and “pay or play” proposals. The differences bet... Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3178751 Sat, 16 Jan 2010 05:58:22 +0100 3178751 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3115206&cid=t_144295_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fholiday-blog-contest-winner-my-ms-health-care-team%2F The first of our Holiday guest bloggers is Kenneth from White Plains, New York, USA.  Kenneth takes on the subject of “My MS Health Care Team.” We had loads of wonderful submissions, and I thank you all so much for them!  Kenneth’s blog speaks to the tender balance between trust in one’s medical providers and a healthy amount of questioning and doubt. By the way, if you’re wondering…Caryn has fallen for Ireland hard and fast, just like me! My MS Health Care Team by Kenneth Bandler My longstanding principled approach toward the medical profession has been simple. The patient is the customer. If not satisfied with your doctor, then find another. Certainly, you don’t want to ponder in the middle of the night doubts about the veracity of what the doctor had said so definiti... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3115206 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:40:40 +0100 3115206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3096837&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FsKnypt1sG80%2F By Michael F. CannonHere’s my answer to today’s “Big Question” on The Hill’s Congress Blog: Now that the “public option” is dead, both the Left and the Right should be able to agree: the Senate bill is nothing but a $450 billion bailout of the private insurance companies. In fact, the bailout may be several multiples of that figure. That $450 billion just represents checks that the Treasury would write to private insurance companies. The Reid bill would also force nearly every U.S. citizen to fork over cash to the private insurance companies — no matter how lousy a deal they offer. A recent CBO memo reveals that Reid has been meticulously working behind closed doors to conceal the full cost of his private-insurer bailout. The Left and the Right should in... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3096837 Wed, 16 Dec 2009 20:26:10 +0100 3096837 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3092661&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2009%2F12%2F15%2Fpublic-opinion-and-health-reform-looking-at-hot-button-house-senate-differences%2F Editor’s Note: In addition to S. Ward Casscells, M.D. and Hiliary Critchley (photos and bios above), contributors to this post include Larry Kaiser, M.D of the University of Texas, John Zogby of Zogby International, Inc.; Grace Ren of Zogby International; and Stephanie Greer of the University of Texas. On November 7, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) by a vote of 220-215.  On November 21, 2009, the U.S. Senate voted to invoke cloture and proceed with consideration of the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) by a vote of 60-39. The Senate is currently considering that legislation. The two bills are similar in many ways. But they also differ on several hot-button issues. To gauge public preferences on t... Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3092661 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:57:59 +0100 3092661 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3082394&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fr8AbxoYesdI%2F By Michael F. CannonAlong the lines of my oped with Bob Levy in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer explaining why an individual mandate is unconstitutional, here’s a poor, unsuccessful letter I submitted to the editor of the Washington Post: To the Editor: In one column, Ruth Marcus [“Health scare tactics,” Nov. 11] says it is “not true” that the House-passed health care overhaul “raises taxes for just about everyone.”  The same column, however, explains that anyone who doesn’t comply with the bill’s mandate that everyone purchase health insurance, or the associated fines, “could, in theory, be prosecuted — just like others who cheat on their taxes” (emphasis added). A subsequent column [“An ‘Illegal’ Mandate? No,” Nov. 26] notes, “The individual ma... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3082394 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:10:31 +0100 3082394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3082395&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fkyl4ASKzwvw%2F By Michael F. CannonCato chairman Bob Levy and I have an oped in today’s Philadelphia Inquirer explaining why the individual mandate in Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) health care bill is unconstitutional.  (Our colleague Ilya Shapiro blogs about a similar piece by our colleague Randy Barnett.) In sum, supporters of an individual mandate claim that two powers granted to Congress by the states in the Constitution — the Commerce Clause and the taxing power — give Congress the legal authority to force Americans to purchase health insurance.  We reject both theories. First, the behavior that Congress seeks to regulate — the non-purchase of health insurance — is neither interstate, nor is it commerce.  Unfortunately, under the Supreme Court’s tortured interp... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3082395 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:05:43 +0100 3082395 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2973906&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FbHBenHALa9c%2F The fat lady hasn’t even started to warm up yet. The narrow 220-215 victory in the House on Saturday night was a step forward on the road to a government takeover of the health care system.  But as close and dramatic as that vote was, that was the easy part.  The Senate must still pass its version of reform—which will not be the bill that just passed the House.  Nancy Pelosi was, after all, able to lose the votes of 39 moderate Democrats.  Harry Reid cannot afford to lose even one.  A conference committee must reconcile the two vastly different versions.  And then, Pelosi must hold together her 3 vote margin of victory (if it gets that far).  Yet several House Democrats who voted for the bill on Saturday said they did so only to “advance the process.” Their vote is far from... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2973906 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:18:15 +0100 2973906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2855534&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=35747&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthaffairs.org%2Fblog%2F2009%2F10%2F01%2Fmassachusetts-health-reform-employer-coverage-from-employees-perspective%2F As Congress and the Administration debate health care reform, it is instructive to look at the Massachusetts model, now in its third year. Health Affairs today released a study of workers in the Bay State who were interviewed in fall 2008 about their employer-sponsored health care coverage, following up on similar surveys in 2006 and 2007. Despite predictions that employers could reduce coverage or benefits under health reform, the results suggest the opposite, although premiums and out-of-pocket costs have increased for some employees in smaller companies. These findings are the latest in a series of updates on implementation of the Massachusetts reforms funded by the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, The Commonwealth Fund, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The res... Health Affairs Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2855534 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:33:25 +0100 2855534 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2859058&cid=t_144295_136_f&fid=39025&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Feverythingchangesbook%2F%7E3%2FbaIVz7KyXw8%2Fillness-employer Do you have an angelic boss who has made accommodations for your illness?  Or, have you been wedged out of your workplace, or cornered into a position where your job is so miserable you want to quit? ABC News interviewed me today about asking for sick leave and keeping your job. I offered them lots of tips and advice, but they don’t work unless you follow them.  (Duh.) Lots of us are pals with our co-workers, bosses, and employers.  Some workplaces can feel like home, family, and the center of our social lives.  Sometime patients assume they don’t need to follow the rules because our bosses are supportive people who care about us.  It’s easy vent to them about our medical woes, lean on co-workers for emotional support, and assume our boss will do everything in their power to... Everything Changes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2859058 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 18:44:35 +0100 2859058 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2820204&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fu4DpfiwkIDU%2F As my colleague Jeffrey Miron noted earlier today, when grilled by George Stephanopolous on whether the so-called “individual mandate” is a tax increase, Obama replied, “Nobody considers that a tax increase….You can’t just make up that language and decide that that’s called a tax increase…My critics say everything is a tax increase.” Where do Obama’s critics get these wacky ideas?  From a bunch of nobodies, that’s who! Princeton economist Uwe Reinhardt, quoted by Larry Summers (1987): [Just because] the fiscal flows triggered by mandate would not flow directly through the public budgets does not detract from the measure’s status of a bona fide tax. Economist Larry Summers, Obama’s National Economic Council chair (1... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2820204 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:05:14 +0100 2820204 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2782010&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fr1sh67TTEv4%2F Hell of a speech last night, eh?  Here are a few of my favorite gems. Under this plan, it will be against the law for insurance companies to deny you coverage because of a pre-existing condition. Translation: I, Barack Obama, ignoring thousands of years of failed price-control schemes, will impose price controls on health insurance. I will force insurers to sell a $50k policies for $10k. What could go wrong? We were losing an average of 700,000 jobs per month. True. And your employer mandate would kill hundreds of thousands of low-wage jobs that would never come back. They will no longer be able to place some arbitrary cap on the amount of coverage you can receive in a given year or a lifetime.   We will place a limit on how much you can be charged for out-of-pocket expenses…. And i... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2782010 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:24:49 +0100 2782010 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2630049&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FF_65iTumUiQ%2F The Cato Institute will launch an ad campaign Thursday highlighting under-reported poll data showing Americans’ concerns that current health care reform plans will raise costs, limit choice and reduce the quality of their health care. The campaign will feature full-page ads in major national newspapers, in addition to radio spots focusing on why government-run health care cannot address the problems of growing costs and lack of coverage for many individuals and families. The campaign will expand in the weeks ahead. “Our goal is to help the American public navigate terms like ‘a public plan’ and ‘individual or employer mandates’ to understand what is really happening here,” said Ed Crane, founder and president of the Cato Institute. “The bottom li... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2630049 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:55:29 +0100 2630049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2630050&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FncC9gk5xDgw%2F President Obama will hold a press conference tonight to answer questions about his health care reform proposal. This is what I would ask him: Mr. President, during your campaign, you said, “I can make a firm pledge…Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase.”  You also said that “no one will pay higher tax rates than they paid in the 1990s.” Your National Economic Council chairman, Larry Summers, has written that employer mandates “are like public programs financed by benefit taxes.”  Under the House health reform bill, an uninsured worker earning $50,000 per year, with no offer of coverage from her employer, would face a 15.3-percent federal payroll tax, a 25-percent federal marginal income tax rate, an 8-percent reduction i... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2630050 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:41:12 +0100 2630050 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2594485&cid=t_144295_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2Fmdb1YVbNgmM%2F I’ve heard of wellness in the workplace before, where employers encourage employees to get healthy. But I’ve never heard of an employer allowing one of their own to work out while doing work at the same time, but that’s just what’s happening with Independent Health. The company has implemented Walk Stations, where employees can still have access to the phones and computer while walking on the treadmill. Answer phones and burn calories? Apparently it works! I can’t imagine this. My first question was, don’t the employees get winded and tired? But I think even if employees do a mile here and there, it will greatly build up their resistance. What a great idea! I wonder if other companies will do the same? Image: sxc.hu. Share and Enjoy: ... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2594485 Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:05:00 +0100 2594485 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2576542&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FX_hFORlAwJY%2F Here’s a roundup of bloggers who are writing about Cato research, commentary and analysis. If you’re blogging about Cato, let us know. Blogger Melissa Clouthier helps spread the word about Cato’s analysis of Obama’s health plan by posting a video of Cato experts dissecting the ABC special last week. David Kirkpatrick examines Obama’s record on civil liberties by quoting Cato scholar Doug Bandow. Education blogger Brandon Dutcher links to Neal McCluskey’s analysis of American public schools. At the Real Clear World Compass blog, Kevin Sullivan quotes Juan Carlos Hidalgo on the political crisis in Honduras. Blogging for Townhall.com, Kevin Glass quotes Michael F. Cannon on Wal-Mart’s  support of an employer mandate to provide health care. ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2576542 Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:49:55 +0100 2576542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2572979&cid=t_144295_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2Fs16Tfl54Uo8%2F Wellness is definitely the buzz word for the next few years, especially as more and more companies are encouraging their employees to get healthy. To capitalize on that trend, Walgreens plans to open several thousand work-site clinics. Walgreens already has several in-store health clinics, and they are taking that concept to the workplace. Currently the chain has “373 employer-sponsored workplace clinics” and will even slow down their retail expansions in order to focus on building more employer clinics. Image: sxc.hu. Share and Enjoy: Post from: Blisstree Walgreens To Open Work-Site Health Clinics (Source: A Hearty Life) A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2572979 Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:57:07 +0100 2572979 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2570657&cid=t_144295_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FTyTC1T6INLM%2F Wal-Mart Stores says it supports healthcare reform that will require employers to provide health insurance to employees. Most larger firms are against this, so Wal-Mart is setting itself apart from the trend. Under the new healthcare legislation that is being considered, “lawmakers have proposed mandating that all but small employers provide insurance for workers or help pay for” the 46 million uninsured people in the U.S. I have to wonder if other firms will follow this lead, and vocally support employer mandated healthcare like Wal-Mart? Image: sxc.hu. Share and Enjoy: Post from: Blisstree Wal-Mart Backs Employer Health Ins. (Source: A Hearty Life) A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2570657 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:17:48 +0100 2570657 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2561207&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FSab2soDUhDQ%2F A couple of years ago, I shared a cab to the airport with a Wal-Mart lobbyist, who told me that Wal-Mart supports an “employer mandate.”  An employer mandate is a legal requirement that employers provide a government-defined package of health benefits to their workers.  Only Hawaii and Massachusetts have enacted such a law. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.  Wal-Mart is a capitalist success story.  At the time of our conversation, this lobbyist was helping Wal-Mart fight off employer-mandate legislation in dozens of states.  Those measures were specifically designed to hurt Wal-Mart, and were underwritten by the unions and union shops that were losing jobs and business to Wal-Mart. But it all became clear when the lobbyist explained the reason for Wal-Mart&#8217... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2561207 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:51:24 +0100 2561207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2527877&cid=t_144295_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FPgxdbP6XRZA%2F Research proves that a healthy employee costs the company less money. How to encourage employers to create a healthy work environment? By rewarding and recognizing them. That’s what Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle does each year with his Worksite Wellness Awards. Employers can send in applications that consider health education and screening, tobacco use, and other programs the company may have in place. This year’s gold winners were: • Saint Joseph’s Hospital (Marshfield) • Creation Technologies Wisconsin Inc. (Oak Creek) • Gundersen Lutheran Health System (La Crosse) • Memorial Health Center (Medford) • Polaris Industries, Inc. (Osceola) • QuadGraphics (Sussex) Image: sxc.hu. Share and Enjoy: Post from: Blisstree Worksite Wellness in... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2527877 Fri, 26 Jun 2009 22:08:26 +0100 2527877 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2464094&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F3Syu3NVOyAI%2F A draft of Sen. Ted Kennedy’s health care reform bill is finally available, and it is difficult to overstate how far he would move us to a government-run health care system. An initial read-through reveals among the key provisions: An individual mandate, requiring that every American purchase a “qualified” insurance plan. (Sec. 161(a)) The mandate will be enforced through the tax code with Americans required to pay a penalty if they fail to comply.  In an extraordinary delegation of congressional authority, the Kennedy bill would give the Secretaries of Treasury and Health and Human Services the power to determine what this penalty should be. Individuals would be required to submit information on their insurance status over the previous year to the Secretary of HHS, along with “a... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2464094 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 18:40:52 +0100 2464094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452384&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F0Id0gvZR0s0%2F There’s an old Yiddish saying that, “If my bubba had wheels she’d be a trolley.” So goes the logic of the Obama administration in their paper released yesterday, “The Economic Case for Health Care Reform.” Their claim is that reducing health care costs would help the economy. Yes, if health care costs were reduced it would likely help the economy, though we should remember that the health care industry is part of the economy. There is nothing in Obamacare, however, that will reduce costs. In fact, expanding coverage may cause costs to rise. One study by MIT’s Amy Finkelstein suggests that the prevalence of insurance itself has roughly doubled the cost of health care. So, if Obama succeeds in expanding insurance coverage, it’s very likely to increase the cost... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452384 Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:31:59 +0100 2452384 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441164&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fbz5bpMFLQqA%2F Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) has begun circulating drafts of his proposed health care reform legislation. Initial reports, including an op-ed in the Boston Globe by Kennedy himself, suggest that the bill will contain every one of the bad ideas that I outlined in my recent Policy Analysis on what to expect from Obamacare. Among other things, the Kennedy bill will call for: An employer mandate; An individual mandate; A so-called “Public Option,” a Medicare-like plan that will compete with private insurance; The use of comparative-effectiveness/cost-effectiveness research to restrain costs; Subsidies for families earning as much as 500% of the poverty level ($110,250 for a family of four). Insurance regulation, including guaranteed issue and community rating. (He would also establish a... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441164 Fri, 29 May 2009 18:39:29 +0100 2441164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2424037&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FcFpwPOHV67s%2F Democrats in Congress are reportedly considering taxing employer-provided health insurance benefits as a way to pay for their health care reform plan.  And, even though he brutally attacked John McCain for something similar (see below) during the campaign, President Obama may now go along with the idea. Much of the media coverage around the idea has equated this tax hike with the McCain plan and other proposals by advocates of market-based health reform over the years that would shift the tax break from employer-provided insurance to individual insurance.  However, there is an important distinction.  The market-based proposals would have taxed employer-provided health benefits (treating them as taxable compensation), but would have provided workers with a deduction or credit for purchas... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2424037 Tue, 19 May 2009 14:35:51 +0100 2424037 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2348871&cid=t_144295_114_f&fid=35410&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fletstalkhealthcare%2F%7E3%2FVnvu9ekgtao%2F About a year ago, I wrote a post about the premiums paid by small and large businesses in Massachusetts.  I stated that - ON AVERAGE - small businesses who bought health insurance from Harvard Pilgrim paid 10 percent less than large businesses.  I did the analysis - and the blog -because I knew that many of my friends and colleagues in the small business community seemed to be having a much tougher time paying for health insurance than the folks I knew at larger businesses.  I was concerned that small businesses were over-paying for services, and subsidizing larger businesses.  That did not appear to be the case - at least for our customers. As I listen to the discussion taking place around small business health insurance costs in MA for 2009, I’ve heard similar concerns ... HPHC blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2348871 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:56:23 +0100 2348871 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2255993&cid=t_144295_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FGGBkWpjziRk%2F CNN health care correspondent Sanjay Gupta, who was briefly considered for surgeon general in the Obama administration, reports that the administration is looking to Massachusetts as a model for its forthcoming health care reform proposal. That model would involve an individual mandate, an employer mandate, a “connector” with increased insurance regulation, and massive subsidies for the middle class. Given that the Massachusetts plan is expected to run $2-4 billion over budget over the next 10 years, has failed to come close to universal coverage, has done nothing to reduce health care costs (indeed, may have driven up insurance costs), and has actually led to increased wait time for primary care physicians, that may not be the best model out there. In fact, perhaps the Obama administr... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2255993 Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:33:15 +0100 2255993 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2060926&cid=t_144295_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F12%2F22%2Fseven-rules-to-surviving-an-abusive-boss%2F At the interview for my first professional job, my future boss asked me, “I notice you’re married. Are you planning to get pregnant?” After I picked my jaw off the floor I stammered, “Uh, no?” It was a totally illegal question and the shocker was it came from a woman. What I should have done was run screaming for the nearest exit. But the job was offered, I took it and three years later I quit with a raging case of Post-Traumatic Boss Disorder. Rule #1: How you are treated from ‘go’ is a good indicator of how you will be treated on the job. The first phone call, your interview, how an offer is made and how negotiations are handled… My boss made me think I was her confidant. She gave me the plum jobs and ‘confided’ to me that everyone else was inf... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2060926 Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:17:04 +0100 2060926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1870863&cid=t_144295_114_f&fid=35410&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fletstalkhealthcare%2F%7E3%2F416889304%2F I do call-in radio shows every once in a while just to hear what people want to chew the fat about.  I did one about a month ago and got asked by three different people on three different calls why Harvard Pilgrim didn’t offer a certain kind of plan.  One called about a “two person plan” instead of a family plan for herself and her son.  Another person called about chiro coverage as a part of the plan design.  And a third caller asked me why we didn’t offer high deductible plans attached to a Health Reimbursement Account.  I found this all kind of interesting, because we sell all three of these plan designs - in both the individual and group markets - and as the calls went on, I realized the callers just assumed that Harvard Pilgrim had chosen the plan d... HPHC blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1870863 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:33:22 +0100 1870863 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1455492&cid=t_144295_118_f&fid=36984&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FHealthManagementRx%2F%7E3%2F275441952%2Fsafeway-effect-saviors-of-american.html This entry is crossposted at the World Healthcare Congress blog.Day 2 kicks off bright and early (8am start) with the Healthways Band Strat 5 belting out “Here I Am Baby.” The good morning America musical interlude is followed by Safeway CEO Steve Burd taking the stage. Steve bounds up out of his chair to take the podium. He’s a great metaphor for his company - these guys just can’t sit still. The grocery chain is doing some of the most innovative things in today’s healthcare economy. This isn’t my first time following Safeway - when the company introduced the FoodFlex program for consumers, Health Management Rx broke that story here. When the organization discovered a 10-fold difference in the costs of care for a procedure within a 30 mile radius of corporate HQ, they decided ... Health Management Rx blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1455492 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:30:00 +0100 1455492 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1389178&cid=t_144295_113_f&fid=35744&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fe-CareManagement%2F%7E3%2F274764758%2F My colleague Dr. Dave Rearick asked me to review his recent book, Good Health is Good Business.  I’m pleased to recommend it enthusiastically. While the book is targeted at small to medium size employers, the lessons go far beyond this audience. By the end of the 3rd chapter, Dr. Rearick had convinced me of two conclusions that I’d describe as indisputable, but uncomfortable: The only way employers are going to control their health care costs is to influence the health of their workforce. You (the employer) need to take charge What’s uncomfortable here?  (more…) Share This Related posts (and # of comments) Yet Another Dark Cloud in the Stormy Skies of Medicare DM (0) Whew! Revolution Health Has Figured Out That I’m Not Pregnant. (2) What Will Micro... e-CareManagement blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1389178 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:17:32 +0100 1389178 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1347414&cid=t_144295_114_f&fid=35410&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.letstalkhealthcare.org%2Femployer%2Fsmall-large-business-health-insurance-costs%2F It’s not news that small employers have a harder time getting and holding onto health insurance coverage than larger employers. But in many cases, the rationale for this problem is predicated on the idea that small employers — because of their size — pay far more for health insurance than larger groups do. I wondered about this, and asked our finance people to separate average claims expenses for smaller employers (those with less than 50 employees) from the claims expenses for those employers with more than 50 employees. I also asked them to do the same thing with health insurance premiums. I expected to discover that small business, on average, had higher medical costs on a per member basis, and therefore, paid higher premiums. I figured small businesses would have less “... HPHC blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1347414 Mon, 24 Mar 2008 21:33:15 +0100 1347414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1273689&cid=t_144295_151_f&fid=36896&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsuboxonetalkzone.com%2F2008%2F02%2F16%2Fi-have-been-waiting-for-this-question%2F A reader writes: I have been taking Suboxone for 2 months now and it has changed my life! I finally feel a freedom I haven’t felt in over 30 years! I am a nurse and am able to work around and administer narcotics with absolutely no thoughts, urges, or cravings…a miracle for me. BUT, the hospital I work for has just informed me I cannot be taking suboxone while employed there. I am just in shock. Is there any recourse for me? Are there any laws protecting my disease/disability medical management? I feel it’s like being told I can’t take my insulin if I were diabetic. Any suggestions?! Ouch! I have been watching to see what position the various Licensing Boards take on suboxone. I did not expect to hear of such a silly demand by an employer– particularly an employer that suppos... Suboxone Talk Zone blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1273689 Sat, 16 Feb 2008 14:18:46 +0100 1273689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1001024&cid=t_144295_114_f&fid=35410&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fletstalkhealthcare%2F%7E3%2F178814331%2F Dr. Ron Leopold, a VP at MetLife and my fellow panelist at the New England Human Resource Association’s recent convention, also tee’d up a Wall Street Journal poll that had people buzzing. Apparently, the Journal had surveyed several thousand employees in 2003 and asked them if it would be fair to require people who live unhealthy lives to pay more for their health insurance than people who lived healthy lives. By a 46-37% margin, people said, “no” — that it would be unfair to ask people who lived unhealthy lives to pay more for health insurance. The WSJ went back and conducted the same poll in 2006, and this time, by a 53-32% margin, people said “yes” — it would be fair to charge more to people who lived unhealthy lives. Shared risk is the bedrock o... HPHC blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1001024 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 16:36:31 +0100 1001024 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=991858&cid=t_144295_114_f&fid=35410&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fletstalkhealthcare%2F%7E3%2F177354299%2F About a week ago, I spoke on a panel at the annual convention of the New England Human Resource Association with a fellow by the name of Ron Leopold. Ron’s an MD who currently serves as a Vice President at MetLife. He gave a very interesting presentation, and included some fascinating national employer and employee survey data. I thought two of his findings were worth mentioning here — and I may be back with more over time. First, most employees (60%) believe they’re paying for a greater share of their health insurance costs. No surprise there. My guess on that is they probably are. The more interesting finding was the employee’s view about how much the employer was paying to fund employer-supported health insurance premiums. 55% of employees surveyed believe their empl... HPHC blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=991858 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:17:26 +0100 991858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=944585&cid=t_144295_114_f&fid=35410&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fletstalkhealthcare%2F%7E3%2F168598413%2F Many people have asked me if the recent agreement between General Motors and the UAW to establish a union-run, independent health benefits trust is a prelude to a major change in health insurance operations and finance in this country. I say no. The auto manufacturers and the auto unions have a particular set of problems that are profoundly more difficult than the problems faced by most of private industry. First, the auto makers pay for the health care costs of more retirees than they have active employees. This is kind of unusual. Second, the benefit plans offered to both the active employees and the retirees are much richer (and therefore more expensive) than the plans you’d find in most other industries. Third, there’s a tremendous difference in plan design and funding obli... HPHC blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=944585 Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:53:43 +0100 944585 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=832579&cid=t_144295_114_f&fid=35410&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fletstalkhealthcare%2F%7E3%2F150203688%2F For the past few years, there’s been an ongoing discussion about whether or not small businesses get the short end of the stick when it comes to how much they pay for health insurance.  The line goes something like this - “Big businesses bargain hard - because they’re big - and get great deals, while small businesses - because they’re small, get a crummy deal - and pay way more for health insurance than big businesses.” Like all good stories, there’s an element of truth to it, but as is often the case, the whole truth rests someplace else.  I do not believe that small businesses - at least in Massachusetts - are penalized by the market.  I’ll offer up five points to make my case. Point #1 - Most large businesses self-insure.  That means they o... HPHC blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=832579 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 18:40:24 +0100 832579