Just when world health officials and those here in the United States thought they’d seen the last of measles, the disease is back with a vengeance. Domestic measles was eliminated with the dawn of the new millennium, but thanks to international travelers, the disease wasn’t “long gone.” Outbreaks occurred here in the early 2000s, in…
It is extraordinarily rare when the U.S. Department of Justice makes an argument for undoing a law, particularly one that’s been on the books for less than a decade. But that is exactly what happened this month as part of a curious legal case that has the potential to unravel the Affordable Care Act. In…
Drug pricing; It’s complicated The White House Rose Garden was in full bloom when President Trump took the podium to announce that his administration was “launching the most sweeping action in history to lower the price of prescription drugs for the American people.” He said: “It’s been a complicated process, but not too complicated.” Thing…
It sounds great, finally, a plan to stem the tide of out-of-control drug prices. On Friday, May 11, President Donald Trump unveiled a 44-page document, his “American Patients First” plan. It immediately caused drug company and pharmacy benefit stocks to surge. Consumers were enthusiastically wide-eyed with his new “blueprint,” no surprise since 80 percent of…
Healthcare continues to be a conundrum for the United States. In mid-January, three of America’s undeniably great minds—in business, anyway—announced they would take on the very difficult business of healthcare, admitting that their idea is still in its infancy. The illustrious CEO trio of Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett and Jamie Dimon of Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway,…
Rural Healthcare: A team of researchers from the Centers for Disease Control gave a report recently which found that the rates of traffic fatalities, suicide, and drug overdose deaths were higher in rural or non-metropolitan areas of the country.[1] The findings of the presentation, which coincided with the sixth annual National Rural Health Day planned…
Now that the Affordable Care Act has survived a highly unpopular attempt to repeal and replace it in Congress, it is possible the U.S. is leaning toward insuring more of its citizens rather than millions fewer. But the country has its work cut out for it: 28.2 million Americans lack health coverage, according to recent…
Trumpcare The American Health Care Act was sidelined nearly as quickly as it was written when it became clear it lacked votes in the House of Representatives. But the GOP’s promise to repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with something approaching the American Health Care Act – which the Congressional Budget Office…
Bundled Payment Environment The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) bundled payment initiative for joint replacement surgery likely means it is just a matter of time before such forms of finance are normalized in healthcare delivery. Bundled payments can reap significant savings when well executed. Euclid Hospital, a member of the Cleveland…
Why The American Health Care Act Is Political Poison with Release of CBO Report The much-awaited American Health Care Act was released for public review on March 6, 2017, as the Republican Party’s best effort thus far at replacing the Affordable Care Act with something more sustainable and affordable. On March 13, 2017, the Congressional…