Legislation and regulation

So How Much Would Medicare for All Really Cost? Good Question.

Richard Mark Kirkner

The estimates range from $13.5 trillion to $47.6 trillion. The variables include the generosity of the benefit and forecasts for reining in health care expenditures.

Residencies for Sale

Richard Mark Kirkner

The closing of Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia leads to a legal battle over whether these positions can be bought and sold.

Legislation & Regulation

Parity Could Use Some Fixing, But at Least It Won’t Be Dismantled

Richard Mark Kirkner

Nonquantitative treatment limitations may be why care for mental health and substance abuse disorders isn’t keeping up with coverage gains.

Legislation & Regulation

CSR Cuts Bring Unintended Consequences, Prompt State Responses

Richard Mark Kirkner

Eliminating the cost-sharing payments (CSRs) to insurers to hold down out-of-pocket costs for low-income people who purchase individual health plans may wind up actually increasing overall federal spending by driving up premium subsidies to cover higher price plans.

Legislation & Regulation

If Congress Won’t Salvage Reinsurance, State Waivers May Offer a Workaround

Richard Mark Kirkner

JoAnn Volk,
Georgetown University

Shards of a bipartisan effort to stabilize the individual health insurance markets emerged. They focused mostly on resurrecting the ACA cost-reduction payments and giving states flexibility to come up with their own ideas, like reinsurance, for shoring up the troubled individual market.

Legislation & Regulation

Medical Malpractice Reform: A Fix for a Problem Long out of Fashion

Richard Mark Kirkner

State tort reforms have all but relegated the malpractice crisis to the history books. But there’s good news for those of you into all things retro: The House of Representatives just voted to fix the malpractice crisis by a 222–197 margin.

Legislation & Regulation

To Dent Soaring Drug Costs, States Turn to ‘Price-Gouging’ Laws

States are facing unsustainable health care costs, and prescription drugs for Medicaid beneficiaries and state employees are the reason. From 2009 to 2013, the consumer price index (CPI) for prescription drugs increased about 11% vs. 8% for the overall CPI.

Legislation & Regulation

10 Notables From Behind the Scenes of the Health Care Reform Debate

Richard Mark Kirkner

This is not meant to be “the 10 most important” people in health care policy. It’s a sample from a larger group, and a different group of 10 might have been selected and would have been just as worthy—kind of like admission to a selective college.