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Starting in 2014, employers will be allowed to charge their workers up to 30 percent more for health insurance premiums if they don’t meet certain health goals, under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). An Alliance for Health Reform briefing, “Worker Wellness Programs: Do They Work?” explained the provisions in the law, and examined […]

Over nine million Americans receive benefits from both Medicare and Medicaid costing over $315 billion in health care services in the two programs combined.  The dual eligibles account for 15 percent of the Medicaid population and almost 40 percent of all Medicaid expenditures for medical services; and 20 percent of the enrollees in Medicare, but […]

The federal government has launched demonstration projects to test whether patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) can tackle some of the biggest problems facing the nation’s health care system. Advocates are holding out hope that medical homes will help to slow the growth of health care spending while improving the quality of care. The medical home is […]

An April 26 briefing, ACA 101: What You Need to Know, was intended to be especially helpful to congressional staff members and others with limited knowledge of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), but also to be a useful review for anyone dealing with the complex issues leading up to major changes scheduled […]

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) calls for increased consumer involvement in health care decision-making. Transparency in price and quality as a tool for consumer engagement is a critical component of that process. One does not buy food, clothing or housing without comparison shopping. Yet in health care, equally important and typically a […]

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has the potential to greatly increase the number of insured people and change how health care services are delivered. What the additional coverage will mean regarding access to providers, who those providers will be and what services they will deliver are issues that affect all segments of […]

Proposals to fix the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) abound and there is agreement that policy makers must take action, but the question of how to reach a permanent solution remains. The SGR originated as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 to control federal Medicare spending. Congress began overriding the SGR in 2002 and has continued […]

A March 1 briefing, Medicaid 101: What You Need to Know, was especially helpful to congressional staff members and others new to the issue, but it was also a useful review for anyone dealing with Medicaid issues, particularly as many states prepare to expand their programs. Medicaid is administered by states within broad federal rules […]

A February 11 briefing, Medicare 101: What You Need to Know, was especially helpful to congressional staff members and others new to the issue, but it also was a useful review for anyone dealing with Medicare issues, particularly as pressure intensifies to slow the growth of program spending. Medicare provides health care coverage to 50 […]

Health spending in the U.S. climbed to $2.7 trillion and constituted 17.9 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011. A recent report released by actuaries at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) found that health spending as a share of GDP remained steady at 17.9 percent from 2009 through 2011. […]

With Americans living longer, some policymakers are proposing to gradually raise Medicare’s eligibility age from age 65 to 67 as part of a broader package to reduce the federal debt. The later starting point is projected to reduce federal spending by $113 billion over the next decade, according to the Congressional Budget Office, which estimates […]