It is not an exaggeration to say that choosing the right hospital is a “matter of life and death”. Learn about hospital safety and YOUR hospital’s safety score.

Read More »

It is regrettable that there is so much waste in the healthcare system. It doesn’t have to be that way. But you must choose your partners wisely and avoid those that may be feeding at the trough (the “exploiters”).

Read More »

We need health reform in the United States, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the law of the land. But is it designed for success? We think it needs some further refinement, and make suggestions how.

Read More »

Primary care services in the US are undervalued, at the expense of specialty medicine and hospital care. There new a better models to pay for primary care services which are expected to improve overall patient care and lower specialty and hospital costs.

Read More »

I have been meeting with various groups to review and discuss the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In this presentation, I review the key elements and timelines associated with health reform. Specifically, I discuss the individual mandate, the employer mandate, and the various new regulations, subsidies, penalties and taxes associated with the ACA.

Read More »

There is a basic lack of understanding and confusion how a ‘Premium Support’ program under Medicare would work. This posting helps to clear up the matter.

Read More »

There is so much ‘noise’ in the debate over how to fix Medicare. This article defines the problem, and attempts to clarify the differences between the Republican approach and the Democratic approaches to solve the problem.

Read More »

Have you received a health insurance rebate check? Good news, right? No, because we have entered a vicious cycle of the 3 Rs of health reform: regulation, rebates, and rationing. It’s Christmas in July, and not a pretty picture.

Read More »

The Supreme Court has spoken, issuing its ruling yesterday (6/28/12) on the constitutionality of Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare), in a case called NFIB vs. Sebelius. The verdict is in—Obamacare is constitutional. What happens next? Proceed with caution.

Read More »

Consumerism is changing the face of American health care. Sounds good, but so what? What can consumerism do to help me? If you are an employer, it may be the difference between your company’s profit and loss. By definition, consumerism measures the effectiveness of Consumer Driven Health Plans (CDHPs), comprised of Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA). Is one better than the other?

Read More »

Given the possibility, or perhaps the likelihood, that Obamacare will be declared unconstitutional in total or in part, what happens next? Returning to the status quo prior to Obamacare is unacceptable, so I want to suggest an approach and request your reactions. Health exchanges, when operated well to promote competition, are a good thing. Instead of starting from scratch, why not consider using an existing exchange, the FEHBP?

Read More »

This blog captures some of the essential differences in healthcare spending and results in Israel compared to the United States, and what if possible through effective state by state reform of their healthcare systems.

Read More »

It’s 2012 and a Presidential election year, and health care in the United States remains a mess. Do I like Obamacare? No. Should it be repealed? Yes. But, let’s be clear and let’s be honest. Even if Obamacare never existed, EVERY STATE IN THESE UNITED STATES NEEDS A WELL-DESIGNED HEALTH EXCHANGE. And, if Obamacare is declared unconstitutional this summer, or it is repealed in total or in part in the future, the same is true — your state should have a Health Exchange. Why?

Read More »

Most people do not understand the role of the Individual Mandate in the reform of our healthcare system–the pros, cons, and legality of the mandate. We hope to put this issue to rest (though it may have to wait until the Supreme Court makes a final ruling).

Read More »

This posting is about the role of the Individual Mandate within a health exchange. What exactly does it accomplish and is it essential to the proper functioning of a health exchange? If it is not essential, then is it desirable from an economic and/or public policy perspective? Your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Read More »