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Chronic Disease Prevention in TIME Magazine
In the past two weeks, chronic disease prevention and management have been described as key cost reducers in several TIME Magazine articles. Check them out at http://www.fightchronicdisease.org/media/news/index.cfm . “Special Health Report,” TIME Magazine (June 22, 2009) “The 5 Big Health Care...
Jun 19, 2009
Cost Variations - What Are They From?
If one looks closely at the over 300 hospital referral regions pulled together by the Dartmouth researchers, a couple of notable things jump out. Yes, spending varies by over 60 percent between the lowest quintile and highest quintile regions. But what are the characteristics of these high cost...
Jun 17, 2009
MedPAC Released Another Valuable Report
On Monday MedPAC released another valuable report, “Improving  Incentives in the Medicare Program.” It was a thoughtful and (as usual) fact-filled report that reminds us of the large volume of high cost care that apparently produces little quality on the margin.  The inefficiencies are traced to...
Jun 17, 2009
Obama Remarks at Green Bay
Some great remarks by President Obama (see transcript) about prevention, wellness and care coordination/management: And what I'd like to see, as I said, is that every plan includes not only prohibitions against discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions, but also every plan...
Jun 12, 2009
WSJ Misses Point on Prevention
The Wall Street Journal has published an article today that questions the cost savings benefits of prevention. It notes that prevention has broad and bipartisan support in Washington but argues that “the rewards often fail to match the costs.” Obviously, many people would disagree with this...
Jun 12, 2009
Letter to President Obama
On May 12, President Obama met with employers and unions that have implemented innovative workplace wellness programs that showed success in improving the health of workers and reducing the rising rate of health care spending. It is important that we are actively identifying and examining...
Jun 12, 2009
Guest Piece on Huffington Post: Disease Drives Demand
I have a guest post up on Huffington Post in response to the recent Wall Street Journal editorial, "Obama's Health Cost Illusion." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kenneth-thorpe/disease-drives-demand_b_213230.html
Jun 09, 2009
Response to CQ Politics: Should All America Follow Massachusetts On Health Care?
On Sunday, Josh Goodman at CQ Politics wrote about the Massachusetts health reform model, its successes and its current failings. As we move toward the breaking of health care legislation, as well as its markup, I’ve no doubt that the Massachusetts model and other state efforts will continue to...
Jun 03, 2009
Plan Submitted to President By Health Care Group Outlines Savings
Yesterday President Obama received a savings plan from the industry group that several weeks ago announced it would come up with a proposal do their part in achieving the Administration's goal of $2 trillion in health care savings over the next ten years. While the media has focused on the fact...
Jun 03, 2009
CBO Issues Brief on Budgetary Treatment of Health Reform Proposals
The CBO issued a brief Wednesday on the budgetary treatment of health reform proposals. It may sound dry, but the brief reads like a roadmap for Congressional legislators, signaling how CBO will evaluate their proposals depending on what policy options they choose to include and submit. (Read the...
May 29, 2009

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