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Chronic Disease Spotlighted in Recent Policy Proposals
Dating back to the 2008 presidential campaigns, chronic disease has featured in health reform discussion—a big change from the last attempt at health care reform in ‘93-94. But the proof of commitment to addressing our nation’s chronic disease crisis is in the policy, and not simply the rhetoric...
May 26, 2009
Guest Comment on National Journal Blog
Ken Thorpe responds to a post on the National Journal blog about fraud and abuse in Medicare: http://healthcare.nationaljournal.com/2009/05/policing-medicare-fraud-worth.php#1328994
May 21, 2009
Thorpe on CNN - May 5, 2009
PFCD Executive Director Ken Thorpe was featured on CNN on Tuesday, May 5 to share his thoughts as part of a "90-second Rx" on health care. Watch PFCD Executive Director Ken Thorpe share his thoughts on CNN's "90-second Rx"
May 06, 2009
Thoughts on Senate Finance Paper: Part 3
So we face a key choice in the debate about redesigning our health care delivery and prevention system—and Medicare must take the lead.  Several states have already created community health teams, including Vermont, North Carolina, and Rhode Island. In Vermont’s care system they use the teams to...
May 04, 2009
Thoughts on Senate Finance Paper: Part 2
The biggest policy challenge we face is providing prevention and care coordination nationally in the traditional Medicare program.  Several randomized trials have demonstrated the essential features of how to design these programs—including formal transitional care programs and an integration of...
May 04, 2009
Thoughts on Senate Finance Paper: Part 1
Last Wednesday the Senate Finance Committee unveiled their initial thoughts and proposals for reforming how we pay for and deliver health care to chronically ill patients.  The initial focus on prevention and delivery system reform is important since it signals the breadth of the health care reform...
May 04, 2009
First 100 Days: American Health and U.S. Health Spending
Tomorrow, President Obama will hit the 100-day milestone in his presidency. There’s no doubt that the President inherited some sizable problems when he arrived into office, especially in the realm of health care. Here are some examples of what’s happened in his first 100 days to Americans’...
Apr 28, 2009
Spring Also Bringing New Growth in Health Reform?
My many trips to DC of late have left me feeling that spring is a bit behind this year; like the late DC-spring, a few things of note in health reform that suggest that new growth is just around the corner… Despite some small fireworks, Governor Sebelius made it over another hurdle yesterday to...
Apr 23, 2009
Reflections on April 8 White House Discussion
Last Wednesday (April 8), I was fortunate enough to attend the most recent White House meeting on health reform with about 30 or so key stakeholders. I had two key reactions to the meeting as it progressed. First, the sense of urgency to address issues around high health care costs, quality gaps...
Apr 16, 2009
Patients End Up Back in Hospital Without Support for Chronic Care Management
This week the New England Journal of Medicine published a study on Medicare, which found that one in five Medicare patients end up back in the hospital within a month of discharge, costing billions of dollars a year. Many of these elderly patients have chronic illnesses that require continual care...
Apr 03, 2009

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