Old and Sick in America: There’s No One In Charge

Marijka Lischak — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 10:00:17 +0000

Caroline Poplin, M.D., J.D.

Lawyer, Physician, and Health Policy Analyst

This is the first in a two-part series.

Playful, Active and Healthy Cities: A New Partnership Between Let’s Move and Playful City USA

Marijka Lischak — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:12:51 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

“Creating more and better playspaces is something that is very important to us. Research shows that recreation improves a person’s physical and emotional well-being. Quality playspaces make recreation more fun.

Effective Leadership Improves Care of Older Adults

Marijka Lischak — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 10:00:25 +0000

Amy Berman

Senior Program Officer, The John A. Hartford Foundation

Altarum Institute has released a report that highlights the Practice Change Fellows Program’s successful efforts to develop change leaders who spread innovations that improve the health of older adults.

The Weight of the Nation: Bringing Researchers, Policymakers and the Public Together to Address the Issue

Connie Harich — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:00:52 +0000

Sarah Lifsey

Policy Associate, Altarum Institute

This year, public health stakeholders have launched three key communication pieces to refocus the problem of obesity. Although these pieces are standalone efforts, they show how powerful coordinated efforts between researchers, local public health professionals and the American public can be. Together, these three pieces can give stakeholders at multiple levels concrete actions they can take to combat the problem of obesity.

Can You Trust Your Gut? The Importance of Asking Your Audience in Health Communications

Connie Harich — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 10:00:40 +0000

Heather Pierce

Director of Strategic Communications, Palladian Partners, Inc.

Palladian worked closely with NIDA staff to develop the first-ever, easy-to-read website on drug abuse, designed for adults with low reading literacy (eighth grade or below reading level).

The Aging Population: An Altarum Health Policy Roundtable Gives Voice to the Challenges of Elder Care

Marijka Lischak — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:02:57 +0000

Barbara Bryant

Publications Manager, Altarum Institute

The Supreme Court’s recent ruling in favor of requiring all American citizens to have health insurance coverage has eliminated much uncertainty over who will have access to health care, but it has not prepared us for a crisis over the availability and cost of health care that is just about

ACA Decision: Moving Ahead on Health Care Transformation

Marijka Lischak — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 10:00:45 +0000

Bruce Allen Chernof, M.D.

President & Chief Executive Officer, The SCAN Foundation

It is now time to focus on its robust and effective implementation so that we can all benefit from a care delivery system that puts people, families, and their care needs first.

Medicaid Expansion, States, and the Affordable Care Act: Red, Blue and Somewhere In Between

Marijka Lischak — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 19:40:02 +0000

Holly Korda, Ph.D.

Deputy Director for Strategy and Growth, Altarum Institute

If states turn their backs on Medicaid expansion they leave a lot of federal money on the table. They also leave behind many vulnerable, low income constituents—our friends, families and neighbors—who could receive coverage through Medicaid without purchasing private health insurance (to which they may not have affordable, available options).

Patient Safety: We Expect Safety in Food, Toys and Travel. Why Not Medicine?

Marijka Lischak — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

Given our public interest in safety, one has to wonder how we have become so complacent about preventable illness and injury in medicine. Amazingly, 32 deaths trigger a nationwide recall on melon, but nearly 100,000 annual deaths from hospital infections (more than AIDS, car accidents and breast cancer combined) do not make news.

Local, State and the Federal Government Must Do More to Prevent Injuries

Marijka Lischak — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:44:08 +0000

Laura Segal

Director of Public Affairs, Trust for America's Health

According to a new report, many states and the federal government do not have policies or laws that we know can protect citizens from injury, the leading cause of death for Americans under 44.

Affordable Health Insurance: Employers Should Adopt Account-Based Health Plans to Keep Costs Down

Marijka Lischak — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:00:22 +0000

Roy Ramthun

President, HSA Consulting Services

This is the second in a two-part series. To read the first part, click here.

Health Savings Accounts and Reimbursement Arrangements Encourage Employer Group Health Coverage

Marijka Lischak — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 12:00:56 +0000

Roy Ramthun

President, HSA Consulting Services

This is the first in a two-part series.

New Federal Transportation Spending Bill Could Jeopardize the Vitality of Our Communities

Marijka Lischak — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:50:13 +0000

Sarah Lifsey

Policy Associate, Altarum Institute

Warm summer days and evenings draw many people outside to enjoy the weather and the extended daylight.

Three Purple Messages for Consumers

Wendy Lynch — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 15:49:51 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

At Altarum's Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care, we're working to increase individual involvement in health care decisions.

The Day After: Health Care Reform After NFIB v Sebelius

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 14:27:23 +0000

Robert F. Graboyes, Ph.D.

Senior Fellow for Health and Economics, National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation

The long process of health care reform will begin the day after the U.S. Supreme Court rules in the case of NFIB v Sebelius.

Transformation of SNAP Education Will Contribute to Obesity Prevention

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:34:42 +0000

Valerie Long

Deputy Director, Altarum Center for Food Assistance and Nutrition

Loren Bell

Altarum Institute Fellow

For more than 40 years, the U.S.

Public Health, Mobile and Social Media: a Nexus of Opportunity

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:07:46 +0000

Jason Bonander

Director, Office of Informatics and Information Resource Management, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The challenges facing the public's health today are as serious as they have ever been. Obesity and diabetes are significant health issues for a large proportion of the U.S.

Is Health Spending Growth of “GDP+0” Sustainable?

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 11:02:20 +0000

Charles Roehrig, Ph.D.

Vice President and Director, Altarum Center for Sustainable Health Spending

This is my fourth blog on the topic of sustainable health spending (others are here: 1, 2,

The New Normal In Health Insurance: High Deductibles

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 11:24:57 +0000

Kaiser Health News

By Jay Hancock, Kaiser Health News.

Medical Overuse: More Care is Not Necessarily Better Care

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 31 May 2012 11:39:59 +0000

Holly Korda, Ph.D.

Deputy Director for Strategy and Growth, Altarum Institute

Overuse of health care is moving into the policy spotlight as a critical—and addressable—cost and quality issue.

Prescription Drug Abuse and Recovery—It Takes a Village

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 29 May 2012 15:34:55 +0000

Amarie Campbell

Health Policy Associate, Altarum Institute

In reading Dr. Hua Carroll’s January post here in the Health Policy Forum on the "Cultural Differences in the Treatment of Pain," two statements stood out to me:

Baby Boomers and the Demographic “Cannonball”

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:00:24 +0000

Barbara Bryant

Publications Manager, Altarum Institute

Janice Lynch Schuster

Senior Writer, Altarum Institute

Your 80-year-old mother, who can’t recognize you due to severe Alzheimer’s dementia, has developed pneumonia after being hospitalized with a broken hip.

Where I’d Put the Money: Quality of Life Investments for Frail and Disabled Elders

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:09:24 +0000

Joanne Lynn, M.D., M.A.

Director, Altarum Center for Elder Care and Advanced Illness

Readers of this blog are familiar with—and mostly supportive of—these two claims: (1) that social and environmental factors are stronger than health care services in shaping the population’s health, but (2) those factors are weaker than health care services in securing funding

Unlocking the Promise of Public Health Surveillance Data

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:49:34 +0000

Randy Durbin

Director, Medical Epidemiology and Health Informatics

Erica Griffin

Senior Policy Analyst, Altarum Institute

The promise of public health surveillance based on near real-time health data is based on the notion that there will be uniform participation among providers, the systems will be easy to utilize, the data will be timely and standardized and the information gained for the systems will be useful.

Viral Hepatitis: The Alarm is Sounding on a Silent Epidemic

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:44:23 +0000

Antigone Dempsey

HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health Lead, Altarum Institute

Today, more Americans are dying from viral hepatitis than HIV/AIDS.

Health Care Transformation: Still a Work in Progress

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:47:54 +0000

Taylor Walsh

Principal, Integrative Health & Wellness Strategies

Where does “health care transformation” exist? Google finds us 70,600,000 hits on the subject. Good luck with that. Is it out there in parts? On the horizon: in accountable care organizations; patient-centered medical homes? In gene therapy and epigenetics?

FDA’s Mini-Sentinel: Active Surveillance of Drug Safety

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:26:10 +0000

Miriam Fogelson

Director, Medical Affairs, KAI

Mini-Sentinel is the Food & Drug Administration’s new tool to assist in monitoring the safety of drugs and medical products after FDA approval.

Healthy Food Choices and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:53:47 +0000

John E. Courtney, Ph.D.

Executive Officer, American Society for Nutrition

With the rapidly changing economic trends within the United States, participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has ballooned recently.

More Information Is Not Always Better: Pulling Consumers Into Active Choices About Testing

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 01 May 2012 11:53:53 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

“I’m thinking of getting a full-body CT scan,” Jane said. “What do you think?” Here was a healthy, active 72-year-old with no specific symptoms considering an expensive screening test.

Health Care: Dignity Is the Core of the Decent Care Values Approach

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:43:30 +0000

Jesse Milan, Jr., JD

Vice President and Director, Community Health Systems, Altarum Institute

Antigone Dempsey

HIV/AIDS and Sexual Health Lead, Altarum Institute

Decent Care Values is an innovative, values-based model supporting transformation of health care at three levels: individual, social and systemic.

Dignity-Driven Care as the Driver to Addressing Health Costs

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 11:30:26 +0000

Bruce Allen Chernof, M.D.

President & Chief Executive Officer, The SCAN Foundation

The goal of a more effective and efficient system of care is straightforward—better care at lower costs. The path to that goal has proven far more elusive.

Meeting the Health Needs of 21st Century Veterans

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:01:00 +0000

David Anderson

Service Area Manager, Altarum Institute

After a decade of conflict in Iraq, our troops have come home, producing the largest increase in the number of American veterans since the 1970s. After Vietnam, an America tired of war and consumed with political angst neglected its veterans.

Where You Live Shouldn’t Determine How Healthy You Are (But it Can)

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:31:11 +0000

Laura Segal

Director of Public Affairs, Trust for America's Health

Your health shouldn’t be determined by where you live, but two new reports show that where you live, learn, work and play have a major impact on how healthy you are and how long you live.

Reducing Obesity and Achieving Health Equity Through CDC’s New Community Transformation Grants

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:33:21 +0000

Jessica McDuff

Senior Associate, Altarum Institute

It’s been in the news and at the forefront of public health policy debates—childhood obesity has tripled in the past 30 years and now represents one of the leading public health threats for our nation.

Physicians Wade Into Efforts To Curb Unnecessary Treatments

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:33:14 +0000

Kaiser Health News

By Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News

Nine prominent physician groups today released lists of 45 common tests and treatments they say are often unnecessary and may even harm patients.

Sustainable Health Spending Under the Ryan Path for Federal Non-Health Spending

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:24:20 +0000

Charles Roehrig, Ph.D.

Vice President and Director, Altarum Center for Sustainable Health Spending

Background

Health Care Law Blues: They Hear That Train a-Comin’

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 11:37:40 +0000

Robert F. Graboyes, Ph.D.

Senior Fellow for Health and Economics, National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation

For small business, the 2010 health reform law means higher costs, more red-tape and fewer choices. Some provisions are already in effect (e.g., coverage expansions, drug tax, FSA limits).

Getting the Right Medications Before and After Hospital Discharge

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:22:58 +0000

Catherine Call

Director, Health Care Quality Research, Altarum Institute

Joanne Lynn, M.D., M.A.

Director, Altarum Center for Elder Care and Advanced Illness

According to the Institute of Medicine’s Preventing Medication Errors report, the average hospitalized patient encounters at least one medication error per day. One in five errors harms the patient.

Gambling With Your Health—Literally

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 11:06:38 +0000

Diana Williams

Senior Associate & Project Director, Altarum Institute

Keith S. Whyte

Executive Director, National Council on Problem Gambling

Do you love casinos? How about bingo? Do you bet on the NCAA tournament championship? Do you gamble on the Internet? If so, you are not alone: More than 70 percent of adults in the United States report that they’ve gambled at least once during the past year.

The Health Law and the Supreme Court: A Primer for the Upcoming Oral Arguments

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:09:25 +0000

Kaiser Health News

By Stuart Taylor, Jr. for Kaiser Health News

How big is the constitutional challenge to the Obama health care law, which the Supreme Court will hear on March 26-28?

Playing Smart: Getting Started on Joint Use Agreements

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:15:41 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

The City of Niagara Falls was “spending a lot of money to maintain marginal courts where people didn’t want them anyway, and we were getting complaints from neighbors who lived nearby.” “We wanted to use all of that money to create one large-scale park with actual pro

AIDS 2012: The World is Invited, but Who Will Respond and Who Will Come?

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 11:04:11 +0000

Jesse Milan, Jr., JD

Vice President and Director, Community Health Systems, Altarum Institute

The world’s largest—and most important—conference for bringing together service providers, advocates, policymakers and scientific and social science researchers to learn about and share advances in prevention, treatment, care and policy for an epidemic that counts 34 million living with HIV/AIDS worldwide takes place in Washington, D.C., from July 22 - 27. However, not everyone who could benefit from this conference will be able to enter the U.S. to attend, and it's worrisome that many people here in the U.S. who most need to hear its messages might not pay attention.

New WIC Food Package Widely Accepted, But Challenges Remain

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:30:39 +0000

Loren Bell

Altarum Institute Fellow

Stacy Gleason

Senior Policy Associate, Center for Food Assistance and Nutrition

The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides federal grants to states for supplemental foods, health care referrals and nutrition education for low-income, pregnant and postpartum women, infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional-r

Edging into the Center: Health Prevention, Improving the Research Process, and the Placebo Effect

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:38:24 +0000

Taylor Walsh

Principal, Integrative Health & Wellness Strategies

It is often difficult to discern what is happening on the fringe of things and then decide whether any of it matters.

Activating Consumers with Financial Control: Lessons from Health Savings Accounts

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 12:20:13 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

Health Savings Accounts are growing up. No longer an oddity, millions of families have accounts funded by tens of thousands of employers (1). After almost a decade, the cumulative evidence about consumer-directed health plans is quite compelling.

On “the Myth of Runaway Health Spending”: Is the Crisis Really Ending?

Paul Hughes-Cromwick — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 20:23:09 +0000

Charles Roehrig, Ph.D.

Vice President and Director, Altarum Center for Sustainable Health Spending

Center for Sustainable Health Spending colleagues George Miller, Ph.D. and Paul Hughes-Cromwick have the following thoughts.

What Does It Matter to You: Patient Activation and Good Health Outcomes

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:12:53 +0000

Janice Lynch Schuster

Senior Writer, Altarum Institute

A few days into my 68-year old father’s hospitalization for sepsis, his doctors determined the strain of bacteria that plagued him: streptococcus.

One Step Past Prevention: New Tools to Limit the Incidence of Obesity

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:27:03 +0000

John E. Courtney, Ph.D.

Executive Officer, American Society for Nutrition

Obesity is a rapidly growing concern in the United States—no pun intended. In 2010, about one-third (33.8 percent) of adults in the U.S., and approximately 17 percent of children and adolescents were considered obese.

The Knowledge Gap of Practices in Child Care Settings: Progress on the Horizon

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:11:21 +0000

Karah Mantinan, MPH, RD

Deputy Director, Altarum Center for Healthy Child and Youth Development

Sarah Lifsey

Policy Associate, Altarum Institute

With the passage of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, the United States Department of Agriculture will be revising the nutrition guidelines for the Child and Adult Care Food Program for the first time in decades.

Behavioral Health: How Substance Use Disorders Fit into the Picture

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:10:57 +0000

Diana Williams

Senior Associate & Project Director, Altarum Institute

Melissa Connolly

Senior Writer & Editor, Altarum Institute

When I began working in the field of social work 25 years ago, a huge distinction existed between working with individuals who suffered from mental health issues or physical ailments and those who battled substance use disorders.

Cashews on the Hindenburg

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:55:03 +0000

Robert F. Graboyes, Ph.D.

Senior Fellow for Health and Economics, National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) has a thousand pages of moving parts, and the relatively few that have rolled out are shedding sprockets across the landscape.

Where’s the Value in Innovation?

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:27:57 +0000

Holly Korda, Ph.D.

Deputy Director for Strategy and Growth, Altarum Institute

Innovation in health care products, services, delivery models and processes has emerged as a popular solution to spiraling U.S.

Experts Divided Over Recommendation To Screen Children For Cholesterol

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:28:39 +0000

Kaiser Health News

By Michelle Andrews, Kaiser Health News

What Is “Sustainable” Health Spending?

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:00:36 +0000

Charles Roehrig, Ph.D.

Vice President and Director, Altarum Center for Sustainable Health Spending

As we embark upon a presidential campaign season, we can anticipate many lively debates on the topics of taxation and spending in this nation.

Is Technology in Health Care a Double Edged Sword?

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:00 +0000

Brock Husby

Senior Lean Health Care Coach, Altarum Institute

With all of the discussions of rising health care costs, technology is often cited as being a major potential factor for reversing this crippling trend. Electronic medical records are predicted to save billions of dollars per year through increased efficiency and availability of information.

Coalition Building for Care Transitions: Communities Work to Help Frail Elders

Jonathan Orr — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:25:07 +0000

Joanne Lynn, M.D., M.A.

Director, Altarum Center for Elder Care and Advanced Illness

Janice Lynch Schuster

Senior Writer, Altarum Institute

“Care transitions” is the new buzzword in efforts to improve health, improve care and reduce costs.

Thoughts on Robert Samuelson's "Cutting Health-Care Spending the Old-Fashioned Way"

Paul Hughes-Cromwick — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:41:54 +0000

Charles Roehrig, Ph.D.

Vice President and Director, Altarum Center for Sustainable Health Spending

Kudos to Robert Samuelson (Op-Ed, January 16, 2012, The Washington Post) for bringing attention to health care spending in the U.S., and to the m

Are Consumers Ready to Transform Health Care? If Not Now, When?

Jonathan Orr — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:40 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

There is a massive untapped resource in health care: consumers. Like a sleeping giant, unaware of its size and power, consumers have yet to realize what effect they could have on the system simply by asking questions or making choices.

Encouraging Risk in a Risk Adverse World

Jonathan Orr — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:46:26 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

“It's the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance. It's the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance.

Cultural Differences in the Treatment of Pain

Marijka Lischak — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Hua Carroll, M.D.

Director, Pharmacovigilance, KAI Research, Inc., An Altarum Company

Due to the rapid increase in prescription drug abuse, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has declared prescription drug abuse an epidemic. The latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health indicates that over 70 percent of people who abused prescription pain medications obtained them from friends or relatives, while approximately 5 percent got them from a drug dealer or over the Internet.

Resolving to Talk with Your Loved Ones About Aging with Dignity and Independence

Marijka Lischak — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Bruce Allen Chernof, M.D.

President & Chief Executive Officer, The SCAN Foundation

Although not an easy discussion, it is vital that we know the preferences and choices of loved ones (and they know ours) regarding the kind of support you and those you love expect long before a crisis occurs.

The Walmart Opportunity: Can Retailers Revamp Primary Care?

Marijka Lischak — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:57:40 +0000

Kaiser Health News

Just as Walmart and other retailers shook up the prescription drug business by offering $4 generic drugs, the industry now aims to apply its negotiating and marketing clout to tackle problems that vex consumers and the health sector: unpredictable costs, a lack of primary care doctors and inefficient management of chronic illnesses, whose costs drive the majority of health care spending.

Tell Me About It: Clinicians Must Work with Patients To Develop Good Care Plans

Janice Schuster — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:43:29 +0000

Joanne Lynn, M.D., M.A.

Director, Altarum Center for Elder Care and Advanced Illness

Our health care system ably treats sudden threats to life, prevents many illnesses and cures much of what ails us. But it cannot reliably and efficiently support us when we face serious chronic illness and disability—a predictable part of the end of life.

Are We Ready or Not for the Next Public Health Emergency?

Marijka Lischak — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +0000

Laura Segal

Director of Public Affairs, Trust for America's Health

It seems that a number of programs that help detect and respond to bioterrorism and other health emergencies are at risk for major cuts or elimination.

Most Consumers Don't Ask About the Price of Health Care Services

Wendy Lynch — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:54:54 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

How interested are consumers in the price of health care services? Results from our Consumer Opinion survey indicate that most consumers have never asked about the price of a health care service before getting care. Fewer than 30 percent asked about price in the past year. F

Grading Docs With Electronic Medical Records

Marijka Lischak — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:06:24 +0000

Kaiser Health News

Once most doctors saw how grading could help them improve, they were won over. Electronic medical records are good for the patient, the doctor and the bottom line. But they're not the silver bullet that will slay all the nation's health care problems.

We Need to Focus on Hospital Prices - It’s Where the Money Is

Marijka Lischak — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:24:04 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

The U.S. hospital sector is one of the largest industries in the United States. It’s a $700 billion dollar industry, and there is twice as much money spent on hospital care than is spent on the purchase of new cars.

Small Business and Exchanges: SHOP Till You Drop

Marijka Lischak — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Robert F. Graboyes, Ph.D.

Senior Fellow for Health and Economics, National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation

Assuming the 2010 health care law survives through 2014, one of the big questions is the future of small-group insurance plans – those in which the employer chooses and administers a plan or plans for employees. The health insurance exchanges built into the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) create mechanisms for small-group survival, but also powerful incentives for their dissolution.

Paying Patients to Take Drugs or Helping Them Make Informed Choices?

Marijka Lischak — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 11:11:17 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

While there is certainly evidence that cost influences a person’s likelihood of refilling medications, price is only one of many factors. It’s not a single conscious choice between taking a pill or not; it is ongoing management of a complex array of daily and weekly activities.

The Key to Longevity? A Healthy Lifestyle

Marijka Lischak — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:03:09 +0000

Rochelle Sharpe

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

The secrets of longevity are not so secret any more. Scientists know a lot about how diet, exercise, and social connections can extend the human lifespan. Study after study has shown that genes don’t affect life expectancy nearly as much as the environment. Enter Dan Buettner, best-selling author of The Blue Zones, who wrote a fascinating account of four places in the world where people live the longest – outliving Americans by more than a decade.

Hiding in Plain Sight: Seeing the Person Beyond the Patient

Connie Harich — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:44:13 +0000

Bruce Allen Chernof, M.D.

President & Chief Executive Officer, The SCAN Foundation

High-quality, cost-effective health care delivery is all about targeting: the right care, by the right provider, at the right time, in the right place, and for the right cost. It sounds straightforward, almost easy. The challenge to getting it right is understanding the range of variables in a person’s life that drive health care use and costs.

Finding The Sweet Spot Where Geriatrics, Palliative Care, and System Integration Intersect

Connie Harich — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:13:50 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Dealing with the hard stuff – the very sick, the complex, the dying – is the essence of quality health care in an aging society.

What is “Sustainable” Health Spending? (Part I)

Connie Harich — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:12:01 +0000

Charles Roehrig, Ph.D.

Vice President and Director, Altarum Center for Sustainable Health Spending

There is surprisingly little consensus – and not even much being written – about what growth rate would be “sustainable”? Defining sustainable growth and establishing a credible target is one of our top research priorities.

Healthier Americans for a Healthier Economy

Connie Harich — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Laura Segal

Director of Public Affairs, Trust for America's Health

Preventing disease is one of the most common sense ways to improve health in America. But it is also a major factor for improving the economy.

After CLASS: A Long-Term Care Insurance System

Connie Harich — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Gloria Eldridge, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Strategic Innovations for Health Care Reform

Joanne Lynn, M.D., M.A.

Director, Altarum Center for Elder Care and Advanced Illness

Let’s not capitalize on or mourn the loss of CLASS for too long. We have work to do – and we do not have the luxury of time before forging ahead.

Boosting Creative Play Through Loose Parts

Connie Harich — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

The use of open-ended play materials is as old as play itself... having seen the rich experiences that develop as children engage in play with open-ended materials it is hard not to advocate for their increased use.

The Politics of Prevention

Connie Harich — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:27:27 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

If there’s one thing everyone in Washington can agree on it’s that prevention is good. And that’s about as far as the agreement goes. As for the rest of it – who is responsible for prevention, how to define prevention, what is the government’s role in prevention, how much to spend on prevention and when to spend it – is not so clear, and wrapped up in the bitter politics (and difficult economics) of the day.

The Biggest Health Disparity of All: Control (Part 2)

Tim Green — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

In many cases the health care system has determined that certain people are incapable of understanding their health issues and making their own decisions.

The Biggest Health Disparity of All: Control (Part 1)

Connie Harich — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

In many cases the health care system has determined that certain people are incapable of understanding their health issues and making their own decisions.

Population Health: Can Partnerships be Mobilized and Sustained to Improve Community Health?

Connie Harich — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Beth Costello, M.B.A.

Senior Analyst, Altarum Institute

In your community, do block groups, farmer’s markets, city planners, community clinics, emergency services, and departments of health work elbow-to-elbow, or do they act in organizational silos? Improving population health was an important aspect of the Affordable Care Act, which led to the emergence of new community-based strategies that were launched in part from the public health campaign.

CLASS Act Gone, But Costs of Aging Remain

Tim Green — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:45:42 +0000

Gloria Eldridge, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Strategic Innovations for Health Care Reform

The Obama Administration abandoned the Community Living Services and Supports (CLASS) Act last month. This public long-term care insurance program was slated to be the country’s first attempt at dealing with an aging Boomer population that is in denial about what it costs to grow old in America.

Evidence-Based Interventions: Replicate or Adapt?

Connie Harich — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Joanne Lynn, M.D., M.A.

Director, Altarum Center for Elder Care and Advanced Illness

Carefully done research on small numbers in a few settings will not be enough to guide practical implementation of process redesign.

Our (Limited) Policy Toolbox for Slowing Health Care Spending Growth

Connie Harich — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

Nearly every developed country is under substantial pressure to slow the growth in health care spending. However, as we have seen, while virtually every country has pledged to spend less, few have been successful.

Running, Chasing, Fleeing: Why We Need Rough and Tumble Play

Connie Harich — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

If we can look past our fears that rough and tumble play breeds aggression, we can focus on its merits.

Are Health Apps the Cure for Anything That Ails You?

Connie Harich — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Rochelle Sharpe

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

The store offers a mindboggling array of creative apps, including ones that calculate calories burned during exercise, create soundtracks to help people fall asleep, and display pictures that can elicit memories from Alzheimer’s patients. If the store doesn’t offer something for what ails you now, it probably will soon.

Note to Consumers: The Rules in Health Care Are a Little Different

Connie Harich — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

Because consumers don’t realize that the price of health care products and services is set very differently than prices in other markets, it leads to perceptions and behaviors that can be expensive and even dangerous.

Health Care Law Subsidies: A Tale of Two Cities

Connie Harich — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Robert F. Graboyes, Ph.D.

Senior Fellow for Health and Economics, National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation

The 2010 health care law will conjure up a strange brew of inequities as it comes to a boil in 2014. The mechanistic, one-size-fits-all health insurance subsidies, for example, will generate serious questions about the law’s fairness.

Are We There Yet? A Look at the National Long-Term Services and Supports Scorecard

Connie Harich — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Bruce Allen Chernof, M.D.

President & Chief Executive Officer, The SCAN Foundation

So many fundamental activities crucial to our daily lives can be measured with certainty and confidence, but not so in health care—and certainly not when it comes to aging and long-term services and supports.

Innovations in Caregiver Support During Hospice

Connie Harich — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

A look at at three research projects aimed at developing something that may work—something that may improve end of life care for both the patient and the family.

Ten Years After September 11th and Anthrax

Connie Harich — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Laura Segal

Director of Public Affairs, Trust for America's Health

September 11, 2001 shook the country to our core. On the heels of experiencing the unimaginable, the field of public health was thrust onto the front lines with the anthrax attacks – and was changed forever.

Why Advocate for Consumer Choice in Health Care?

Connie Harich — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

Providers deliver care of ever-increasing complexity within brief, often-rushed encounters, leaving limited time for dialog. So, why invest resources and attention on an individual’s preferences about treatment?

What's Killing Our Creativity?

Connie Harich — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

Creativity is not something that should be thought of as a privilege of youth. It is something that we each can tap into each day, regardless of age.

A Brief History of Health Spending Since 1965

Tim Green — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Charles Roehrig, Ph.D.

Vice President and Director, Altarum Center for Sustainable Health Spending

Since last March when we began tracking national health expenditures (NHE) on a monthly basis, we have been wondering when the health spending share of GDP would hit the 18 percent threshold. The recent downward revision of historical GDP estimates has provided the answer – it already happened — back in the summer of 2009, around the time when the recession was declared officially over.

VA Experience Shows Patient 'Rebound' Hard to Counter

Connie Harich — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Kaiser Health News

The Veterans Health Administration, the largest integrated health care system in the country, has long employed many of the approaches Medicare is pushing on all hospitals to cut unnecessary readmissions. But new data show VA hospital patients are just as likely to end up back in a hospital bed as are patients at private hospitals.

Health Reform – Many Americans Don’t Know What It Means

Connie Harich — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

He finally said it. “Obama cares,” President Barack Obama told a town hall over the summer, turning the Republican “Obamacare” phrase on its head. I was wondering what took him so long

Social Media’s Evolving Role in Health Care

Connie Harich — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

On August 23, 2011, some people in New York knew an earthquake was coming before it happened. They weren’t psychic (as far as I know), but digital tweets from their friends in Washington, DC arrived 30 seconds before any seismic rumbles began

Where To For Hospice?

Connie Harich — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Joanne Lynn, M.D., M.A.

Director, Altarum Center for Elder Care and Advanced Illness

While hospice provides a good model of care for the cancer patients it was originally designed to serve, it does not deliver efficiently or comprehensively what the majority of us will need.

What Community Health Centers Mean to Economic and Health Security

Connie Harich — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Peter Shin, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Associate Professor of Health Policy, George Washington University

Kristen Perosino, M.P.H.

Manager of Advocacy Partnerships, Altarum Institute

In our current economic climate, community health centers continue to absorb rising numbers of uninsured patients, providing high-quality and affordable care while generating billions in savings to the health care system.

Slowing Health Care Spending Is Crucial To Our Fiscal Future

Connie Harich — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

The U.S. debt ceiling debate was a master class in political dysfunction. However, in the midst of the political infighting and false debates about the merits of raising revenue versus slashing spending, one firm fiscal fact remained: unless the U.S. can slow the rate of growth in health care spending, we’re going to keep having these paralyzing debt debates time and time again.

Public Health Strategies: Enlisting a New Generation

Connie Harich — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

Service learning presents an amazing opportunity to include children and youth in efforts to deal with the public health crises that are obesity and the play deficit.

e-Patient Networks on the Rise

Connie Harich — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Rochelle Sharpe

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

In this era of government gridlock and the 15-minute doctor’s appointment, a growing number of consumers are no longer waiting for the political establishment to solve the nation’s health care crisis. Instead, they are banding together to fix problems themselves.

Hospitals and “Post-Hospital” Care

Connie Harich — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Joanne Lynn, M.D., M.A.

Director, Altarum Center for Elder Care and Advanced Illness

While hospice provides a good model of care for the cancer patients it was originally designed to serve, it does not deliver efficiently or comprehensively what the majority of us will need.

PPACA and the Jobless Recovery

Connie Harich — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Robert F. Graboyes, Ph.D.

Senior Fellow for Health and Economics, National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation

Small-business owners are deeply concerned that the 2010 health care law (PPACA) will prolong what has been described as America’s “jobless recovery.”

Dignity as the Cornerstone to Better Care

Connie Harich — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Bruce Allen Chernof, M.D.

President & Chief Executive Officer, The SCAN Foundation

The cornerstone of a more effective and efficient system of care is to engage people in making decisions about their life and health in a way that upholds their dignity, independence, and right to self determination. Unfortunately, when it comes to serving older Americans who face advanced illness, this concept is contrary to the way most health care is actually delivered.

HeartLink Program Reduces Hospital Readmissions

Connie Harich — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Hospital readmissions in the HeartLink group versus regular care are lower. And when they do get readmitted … they aren’t as sick, and don’t stay in the hospital as long.

The Tipping Point in America's Obesity Epidemic

Connie Harich — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Laura Segal

Director of Public Affairs, Trust for America's Health

Obesity is hurting more than just our health, it’s hitting us in the pocketbook. Obesity-related health care costs total around $147 billion annually, roughly 10 percent of health care spending. And it’s hurting our productivity. Obesity-related job absenteeism costs about $4.3 annually, lower productivity accounts for approximately $506 per obese worker per year, and as a person’s BMI increases, so do his or her sick days, medical claims, and health care costs.

Health Law Bolsters Funding for In-School Clinics

Connie Harich — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Kaiser Health News

Treating skinned knees and stomachaches is part of the drill at any school nurse’s office or school-based health center. But for many kids, health-care providers at these sites do much more than treat everyday aches and pains: They give checkups and vaccinations, make sure kids take their insulin shots and antidepressants on time, and teach them how to manage chronic conditions such as asthma.

Child’s Play: It’s a Social Justice Issue

Connie Harich — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

From my window I can hear the sounds of children at play. Their giggles and chants echo what childhood should be—a carefree time to explore, play, and challenge oneself. Only, despite the appearance this boisterous group provides, this is not the case for many children. In fact for many children play has become an issue of social justice.

Must We Bend the Health Care Employment Curve?

Tim Green — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Charles Roehrig, Ph.D.

Vice President and Director, Altarum Center for Sustainable Health Spending

Monthly employment figures for June (released on July 8) were much lower than anticipated and have caused new doubts about the robustness of the economic recovery. The increase in payroll jobs was only 18,000, a fraction of what had been expected by most forecasters.

The Rhinestone Cowboy Shows Us the Way

Connie Harich — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Janice Lynch Schuster

Senior Writer, Altarum Institute

Glen Campbell’s decision to put a face on Alzheimer's by continuing to tour is a mark of real courage and heart. Not many celebrities let us come so close.

Medicare Spending Tug of War Continues

Connie Harich — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

“Granny” is in the health policy crosshairs yet again. This time, it’s IPAB – the Independent Payment Advisory Board, the topic of two separate House hearings this week – that will theoretically unplug her, ration her, or sink her with the Titanic.

Informed Choices: A Critical Responsibility for Health Care Consumers

Connie Harich — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

Did you know that doctors make different treatment choices for themselves than they recommend to their patients? A recent study found that doctors are more likely to take on the risk of death to avoid serious complications than they recommend to patients.

Consumers Add Their 2 Cents to Health Laws Plan Labels

Connie Harich — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Kaiser Health News

Starting next March, all insurers and employers will have to make it easier for consumers faced with the ordeal of picking a health plan. Under the 2010 health law, they’ll have to provide health policy information that the average enrollee can understand and use to compare with other plans.

Learning From a Policy Mishap in the English NHS

Connie Harich — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

Do you want more evidence that health care reform can be a hugely difficult process? If so, then take a look at the political and policy tumult over the British government’s health care reforms to the English National Health Service.

KaBOOM!: 2,000 Playgrounds and Counting

Connie Harich — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

Like many nonprofits, KaBOOM! exists to solve a problem—the play deficit. Our children are playing less than any previous generation, and this lack of play is causing them profound physical, intellectual, social, and emotional harm.

AIDS in America: No Thirty Year Reunion

Tim Green — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Jesse Milan, Jr., JD

Vice President and Director, Community Health Systems, Altarum Institute

Thirty years ago this month, the CDC released a report documenting the first cases of what we now know as the acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS. Unfortunately, the news was not heard or understood by the millions AIDS would touch. In this the 30th year of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, much has changed.

Value-Based Health Care: The Issues

Connie Harich — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Gloria Eldridge, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Strategic Innovations for Health Care Reform

Holly Korda, Ph.D.

Deputy Director for Strategy and Growth, Altarum Institute

Addressing three dilemmas: Who defines value and how? How can value be measured? Can a value-based system also respect choice?

HIT Hit: (PPACA’s Health Insurance Tax)

Connie Harich — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Robert F. Graboyes, Ph.D.

Senior Fellow for Health and Economics, National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation

The 2010 health care law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), hits small business with a barrage of inequities. Among the most egregious is the health insurance tax (HIT) launched by the law’s Section 9010.

Community First Choice: Allowing Older Adults to Age with Dignity and Independence

Connie Harich — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Lisa Shugarman, Ph.D.

Director of Policy, The SCAN Foundation

For most seniors, the “right place” is what they consider to be their homes and communities. Before passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), the limited set of federal and state options for community-based care hampered the extent to which this vision could be realized.

Transitional Care Model: A Better Approach for High Risk or Chronically Ill

Connie Harich — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

What if a high-risk, chronically ill elderly patient that was admitted to the hospital had an advanced practice nurse (APN) caring for him (or her) from the get-go? And that nurse enhanced health care team communication and prevented functional decline?

Prevention Works: How Health Statistics Contribute to Sound Policy Decisions

Connie Harich — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 16:00:00 +0000

John E. Courtney, Ph.D.

Executive Officer, American Society for Nutrition

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 created the Prevention and Public Health Fund to prevent illness and promote the health of all Americans. The Prevention and Public Health Fund (the Fund) will provide $15 billion over the first 10 years and $2 billion each year after to national, state, and community efforts to promote health and wellness. These efforts will help prevent disease, manage conditions before they become epidemics, and decrease burgeoning health care costs.

Fighting a Silent Epidemic: A New Strategic Approach to Viral Hepatitis

Connie Harich — Thu, 26 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Laura Segal

Director of Public Affairs, Trust for America's Health

Millions of baby boomers and other Americans have hepatitis B or C and do not know it. In fact, nearly two percent of the U.S. population may have some form of the disease – and approximately five million individuals will develop a chronic form of the diseases. Yet, startlingly, many of them will not even realize they have a hepatitis infection for decades.

Bundled Payment, Transparency, and Market Competition: What's Under Wraps?

Connie Harich — Tue, 24 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Holly Korda, Ph.D.

Deputy Director for Strategy and Growth, Altarum Institute

Bundling provides incentives for providers to differentiate product and price and enables purchasers and payers to compare and contrast offerings.

Recess: Moving People to Action

Connie Harich — Thu, 19 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

I often start off my play-related trainings with a visioning exercise. I ask the audience to close their eyes and remember their own play memories–the sights and sounds they experienced, how they interacted with their peers, and where they were when they played. At the close of the activity the group participates in a sharing of memories.

New Labels Will Help Consumers Choose Health Plans

Connie Harich — Tue, 17 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Kaiser Health News

For the first time, consumers shopping for a health policy will be able to get a good idea of how much of the costs different plans will cover for three medical conditions: maternity care, treatment for diabetes and breast cancer.

What You Need to Know to Engage Patients...and Why

Connie Harich — Thu, 12 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Howard Rosen

CEO/Founder, Life:WIRE® Corp

According to the Pew Internet and American Life Project, 88 percent of American adults who have Internet access research information about their health online. This trend provides a unique opportunity to improve the patient experience and quite possibly their health outcomes.

The Case for Tracking Health Spending as a Share of "Potential" GDP

Tim Green — Wed, 11 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Charles Roehrig, Ph.D.

Vice President and Director, Altarum Center for Sustainable Health Spending

In my last Altarum Health Policy blog, I discussed how to recognize a bent health care cost curve. This curve was defined in terms of health spending as a share of gross domestic product (GDP), a measure that is closely watched by health economists and policymakers who are concerned with the share of national income needed to fund health care.

Is the Political Terrain Shifting on Health Reform?

Connie Harich — Tue, 10 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

As of this writing, since taking control of the House in January, Republicans have tried to repeal the ACA, strike out large portions of the law, defund it, and weaken some of the regulations of health reform. Some were willing to shut down the government over health reform.

Being a Consumer Isn’t Just About Money, It’s About Choice

Connie Harich — Thu, 05 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

In a system that generates income by providing more and more services, the only party currently paying attention to the necessary care question is the government and employers.

Essential Health Benefits: The Secretary’s Joystick

Connie Harich — Tue, 03 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Robert F. Graboyes, Ph.D.

Senior Fellow for Health and Economics, National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation

Beginning in 2014, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) hands the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services a joystick – the Essential Health Benefits package – with the potential to rocket small-business health insurance premiums skyward.

Where’s the Patient in the Patient-Centered Medical Home?

Connie Harich — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Holly Korda, Ph.D.

Deputy Director for Strategy and Growth, Altarum Institute

PCMH models are new, diverse, dynamic, and evolving. We need to understand them, work with them, and design them from blueprints that meet patients’ needs.

Medicare Payments: Will Hospital Cost-Shifting Blunt the Impact of Reform?

Connie Harich — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

If cost shifting in hospitals was a frequent phenomenon in the U.S., it would have profound policy implications. In the absence of cost shifting, reductions in the Medicare reimbursement rate would lower overall health care spending, and hospitals would absorb the loss in revenue. On aggregate, this would mean a reduction in overall health care spending.

New Ways to Increase Physical Activity and Play: Using What’s Already in Our Backyards

Connie Harich — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

For individuals fortunate enough to have access to a car, what is it that makes us pack up our things, load the kids or perhaps the family dog and head out across town instead of heading to a local playground we could reach on foot?

Progress Needed on End-of-Life Care

Connie Harich — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Janice Lynch Schuster

Senior Writer, Altarum Institute

Palliative care is the thorough assessment and treatment of symptoms, attention to the whole person and support for the entire journey we each will face at the end of life. We know palliative care helps. Let's make it standard care.

Preventive Screenings Could be Harmful to Your Health

Connie Harich — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Rochelle Sharpe

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Consumer Reports, which has been rating everything from cars to coffeemakers for the past 75 years, evaluated a different kind of item earlier this year: heart screening tests. The unprecedented move came after the magazine discovered that more than 40 percent of its subscribers had undergone unnecessary heart testing

Paving the Way for Successful CLASS Implementation

Connie Harich — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Lisa Shugarman, Ph.D.

Director of Policy, The SCAN Foundation

A major challenge of the current system of care for adults with functional limitations is the inability of middle-income individuals to protect themselves against the financial risk of needing and accessing available supports and services to help them remain in their homes and communities. Over 10 million Americans need supports and services today due to disabling conditions, and this figure will likely grow due to population aging. In 2008, the cost of this care totaled $264 billion, comprising public, private, and in-kind expenditures.

Text4baby: Health Care Providers Are Connecting With Mothers-To-Be Via Cellphones

Connie Harich — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Text4baby? No, babies in utero are not that tech-savvy, not even in 2011, not yet at least. But a program that sends free health and wellness cellphone text messages to women during pregnancy and the first year of the baby’s life has been getting attention.

Obesity: Weighing Down Our Economy

Connie Harich — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Laura Segal

Director of Public Affairs, Trust for America's Health

Obesity is one of the most challenging health crises the country has ever faced; obesity-related medical costs and a less productive workforce are hampering America’s ability to compete in the global economy.

How to Recognize a Bent Health Care Cost Curve

Tim Green — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Charles Roehrig, Ph.D.

Vice President and Director, Altarum Center for Sustainable Health Spending

As noted in our most recent Health Sector Economic Indicators release, health spending has grown at historically low rates for the past 28 consecutive months (September 2008 through January 2011). In addition, the health spending share of gross domestic product has remained stable since the start of the recovery in June 2009.

Promising Practices: Making the Prevention and Public Health Fund Work for Your Community

Connie Harich — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

Almost all agree that the rising rate of obesity in the U.S. has spiraled to an alarming rate and that we must take steps to re-introduce healthier lifestyles. What is up for debate is how we get there amidst contrasting schools of thought. At days’ end, the truth is that no one simple answer exists.

From California to the New York Island, a New Understanding of Higher Medicare Spending

Connie Harich — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Kaiser Health News

Some regions of the country that have been lambasted for high levels of Medicare spending actually are below the national average once the severity of patient sickness and special local expenses are taken into account, according to data from a new government analysis.

The National Prevention Strategy: Catching up with the Nation

Connie Harich — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Taylor Walsh

Principal, Integrative Health & Wellness Strategies

With the nation about to renew its emphasis on wellness and prevention with the delivery of the National Prevention Strategy, it is fair to wonder if the long-established approaches to prevention and health promotion can truly upend their own paradigm and achieve the strategy’s goal of “… Moving the nation from a focus on illness and disease to one based on wellness and prevention.”

Public Support for Health Prevention is High, But Confidence in Government Efforts Remains Mixed

Connie Harich — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Prevention is one of those things that everyone can agree on, the health policy world’s equivalent of apple pie (minus the fat and sodium). Except that nowadays, health care is so politicized that no one can agree on anything.

ACOs: Missing Accountability from a Very Critical Stakeholder

Connie Harich — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

Imagine that you decided to run an Accountable Car-Care Organization. The government announces that you would no longer be paid on repairs alone, but for keeping cars on the road and out of the garage.

Insurance Trade-Off: Reducing Premiums By Eliminating Expensive Doctors, Hospitals

Connie Harich — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Kaiser Health News

When consumers and employers pick health plans, some increasingly are being offered a trade-off these days: They can get a hefty break on their premiums if they agree to pay more out-of-pocket when they use certain high-cost providers in their network or if they cut those providers out of their network altogether.

Quality, Cost and ACOs: What Have We Learned from HMOs?

Connie Harich — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Holly Korda, Ph.D.

Deputy Director for Strategy and Growth, Altarum Institute

National health reform legislation gave birth to accountable care organizations, which were touted as a model to promote quality and reduce costs of health care delivery, but are they “HMOs on steroids”?

The (Over)Use of Statin Drugs May be Preventive Medicine Gone Awry

Connie Harich — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Rochelle Sharpe

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Some health experts are now worrying that our infatuation with statins may be spiraling out of control. Not only do many doctors question whether statins should ever be used to prevent heart disease, but some are dubious that these medications have ever been the miracle drugs they are advertised to be.

Community Development: Creating Healthy Change, One Community at a Time

Connie Harich — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

At some point, each of us has been an eyewitness to an injustice or infraction. While it is common to hear grumbles over the country’s current state of affairs, many grievances about the economy, health care, or education reform fail to make it beyond the dinner table or water cooler.

Are There Alternatives to a Mandate? Yes, But They Create More Problems Than They Solve

Connie Harich — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

These days, the most hotly contested element of the health care reform law is the mandate that requires every American to purchase insurance coverage come 2014. The mandate is a lightning rod for criticism and many have expressed hope that the Supreme Court will deem it unconstitutional

Some Seniors Are In For Sticker Shock on Drug Premiums

Connie Harich — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Kaiser Health News

The Obama administration often touts the health-law provision that over the next decade will close the unpopular “doughnut hole”—a gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage. But officials rarely cite another provision, one that might cause sticker shock among some seniors.

Full Capacity Protocol: Simple Changes Can Transform a Hospital

Connie Harich — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

“Full Capacity Protocol”—the fancy name for when an emergency department (ED) sends patients “upstairs” whether a bed is available or not—sounds like the clinical version of chutzpah. But it turns out that there is more thought and less bravado (albeit still a dash of chutzpah) in the approach than one might first think.

Small Business Health Care Wish List: Repeal and Replace

Connie Harich — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Robert F. Graboyes, Ph.D.

Senior Fellow for Health and Economics, National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation

To start a real dialogue that leads to real reform, here’s the small business position: The past was awful, the present lies somewhere between no-better and much-worse, and the future can be bright if sensible replace follows blessed repeal.

Public Doesn't Support Cuts To Health Care Programs

Connie Harich — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Kaiser Health News

As Washington lawmakers face renewed pressure to remedy the country’s trillion-dollar budget deficit, fractured public opinion on where to make critical cuts—in health care and other major entitlement programs—could complicate political strategies in the run up to the 2012 presidential election

New Year’s Resolution: A Healthier America?

Connie Harich — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Laura Segal

Director of Public Affairs, Trust for America's Health

January 1st each year millions of us resolve to improve our health—to eat less, exercise more, quit smoking, and so on. Seems simple enough. Sounds like basic willpower. But if staying healthy was that easy—we’d all keep our resolutions.

We Can’t Bend the Cost Curve Without Talking About Costs

Connie Harich — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Charles Roehrig, Ph.D.

Vice President and Director, Altarum Center for Sustainable Health Spending

Data from the National Health Statistics Group at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services shows that health spending accounted for 17.6 percent of the gross domestic product in 2009—up a full percentage point from 2008. There was a time when a 10 percent share was viewed as apocalyptic.

Restoring Children's Play: The Case for Unstructured Play and Its Connection to Better Health

Connie Harich — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

Play has been receiving some long-overdue attention in recent months. Major media are abuzz discussing the benefits of play, the consequences of its removal, and how parents and communities can work to actively restore play for their children.

Will "Repeal and Replace" Really Result in "Repeal and Confuse"?

Connie Harich — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

The Republicans pledged to “repeal and replace” health reform, but some political observers are now concerned that the result could be little more than “repeal and confuse.”

Electronic Health Records for All: Will We Fulfill the Promise or Defer the Dream?

Connie Harich — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Ruth Perot

Executive Director and CEO, Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Inc.

A key component of Public Law 111-5, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, is seen by many observers as having the potential to energize the creation of a national high-quality, patient-focused, equitable, and cost-effective health care system.

Bad Policy Can Kill: A Case Study on Competition from the English National Health Service

Connie Harich — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

Over the last six months, a new government in the U.K. has proposed a series of sweeping reforms for the English NHS, many of which I support, including expanding patient choice, increasing quality transparency, and increasing competition. However, the type of competition the new government wants to introduce—simultaneous price and quality competition—has me worried.

Is a Good Education the Best Medicine of All?

Connie Harich — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

"Junior, do your homework so you can grow up to be big and strong". There is an undeniable link between education and health, even as we age.

Competition in Health Care Markets Requires More Regulation, Not Less

Connie Harich — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

Ultimately, the central lesson emerging from Europe at the moment is that within hospital and insurance markets, it often takes more regulation and a more active state in order to create meaningful competition and productive incentives.

Pill Popping - Or Pill Stopping? Polypharmacy's Impact on Older Patients

Connie Harich — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Some research has established that medications can be cut in nursing home patients with good outcomes. But in the community, where there is often no single doctor keeping track of all the patients’ medicines, it can be challenging.

Do Electronic Health Records Deliver on Their Promise?

Connie Harich — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Jennifer Ecklund-Johnson

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Health care providers all over the United States are converting from paper-based health record systems to electronic health records (EHRs). But the transition from paper to electronic records does not come without challenges.

Public Health’s Untold Crisis: The Play Deficit

Connie Harich — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Danielle Marshall

Director of Community Engagement, KaBOOM!

The health of a society should be measured by the health of its play. The play of a healthy society should be rich and varied: imaginative, dramatic, physical, cooperative, solitary.

Good Managers Are Necessary for Good Hospitals

Connie Harich — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

A recent joint project between the London School of Economics and McKinsey & Company had a powerful central finding: good hospital management leads to good patient outcomes.

More Doctors or Busier Nurses? Anticipated Shortages in Primary Care Providers May Demand Both

Connie Harich — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Jennifer Ecklund-Johnson

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Prior to the passage of health reform legislation, the U.S. health care system was already anticipating a shortage of primary care physicians as older physicians retired and fewer medical students appeared ready to take their place. Now, with the potential influx of millions of newly insured patients in 2014 when the full effects of health reform take effect, this potential shortage has become more urgent than ever.

Going For the Gold (Star) in Health Care

Connie Harich — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Better Health, which began in February 2007, involves more than 20 stakeholders including health systems, hospitals, payors, and state and local government. More than 45 participating physician practices—most of which have electronic health records that allow tracking and measurement—take part in learning collaboratives

It’s Our Down Economy That’s Driving Up Health Insurance Premiums

Connie Harich — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

In 2011, health insurance premiums in the United States are going to rise. In all likelihood, the price increase that consumers are going to see isn’t going to be trivial.

Health Reform and Safety Net Clinics: Preparing for Change

Connie Harich — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Jennifer Ecklund-Johnson

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

In the midst of health reform, there continues to be uncertainty amongst legislators, the general public, and the health care community about how health reform legislation will affect the actual delivery of health care. One category of health care providers that is expected to face some of the biggest challenges related to health reform is the safety net health clinics.

Sending Innovations Abroad. Only a Change in Incentives Will Bring Them Back.

Connie Harich — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Wendy Lynch, Ph.D.

Director, Altarum Center for Consumer Choice in Health Care

Innovation requires several things. Certainly, it needs new discovery, but in business it also implies market adoption. In most U.S. industries, this happens through pressure from one (or both) of the following dimensions: 1) improved quality or utility of a product and 2) the price of the product.

The Senate Needs to Act Now to Fix the Cracks in Our Nation’s Food Safety System

Connie Harich — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Serena Vinter

Senior Research Associate, Trust for America's Health

Year after year Americans are exposed to contaminated foods that enter the nation’s food supply due to an antiquated set of food safety laws that don’t provide the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with the tools and authorities it needs to protect public health. It doesn’t have to be this way.

Health Care Reform and Long-Term Care - The Beginning of System Redesign

Connie Harich — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Lisa Shugarman, Ph.D.

Director of Policy, The SCAN Foundation

Medicaid currently pays for half of all long-term care in the United States at a cost of more than $100 billion a year to taxpayers. As a result, state and federal budgets are collapsing under the weight of these skyrocketing expenditures

Palliative Care - Difficult Conversations, Significant Results

Connie Harich — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

Terminal illness is one of the most difficult issues in medicine and health policy. Terminal illness forces us to address end of life care, death, quality of life, and the limits of modern medicine. Terminal illness is also hugely expensive.

Shared Decision-Making: Ensuring the PPACA Really Makes Health Care Affordable and Sustainable

Connie Harich — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Michael D. Parkinson, M.D.

Altarum Institute Distinguished Scholar

When administration officials tout the cost savings potential of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in a lead New England Journal of Medicine article (NEJM.org Aug. 12, 2010), one has to wonder if the statute adequately addresses the core drivers of poor health and excessive health care costs in a way which is understandable and actionable by patients and their doctors.

Can Cost Outcome Research Really Deliver Savings?

Connie Harich — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Jennifer Ecklund-Johnson

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Given that the United States has the highest health care costs in the world relative to the size of our economy, it would be hard to argue against the utility of examining where and how our health care dollars are being spent. Finding ways to decrease the cost and burden of health care benefits both patients and the economy.

Building Medical Homes for Medicaid

Connie Harich — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Care Oregon, the state’s main Medicaid managed care plan, had two choices a few years ago, after many commercial partners in the Oregon Health Plan decided to get out of the money-draining business. It could go broke. Or it could change its world.

Learning from Health Care Reform Abroad - More Lessons from the British National Health Service

Connie Harich — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

Unlike in the U.S., where it’s exceedingly difficult to pass health care legislation, sweeping health care reforms are commonplace in Britain. Because of their parliamentary, winner-takes-all political system, when each new government arrives in power, they almost always introduce broad changes to the National Health Service.

The Uncertain Impact of Health Reform on Hospitals

Connie Harich — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Jennifer Ecklund-Johnson

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Even before President Barack Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 5390) into law in March, there was much consternation among health care professionals who believed the results from health reform would negatively affect their bottom line.

Combating PTSD and mTBI: Surfing the Second Wave of Telemental Health

Connie Harich — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Brad Smith, Ph.D

Research Director for Innovative Care Delivery, Altarum Institute

While there is debate about the precise rate of prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in the population of service members returning from deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan, few would disagree that the sheer number of first and repeat deployments has placed a high demand on the Department of Veteran Affairs and military mental health treatment systems. Compounding the challenge is the key role played by reservists and National Guardsmen in these wars.

AIDS in America: New AIDS Strategy a Decade-Long Journey

Connie Harich — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Jesse Milan, Jr., JD

Vice President and Director, Community Health Systems, Altarum Institute

While plans are only truly useful once successfully implemented, it is a significant accomplishment and newsworthy that the United States now has a plan in place to guide its efforts in combating HIV/AIDS.

Living Large: Are Our Communities Making Us Fat?

Connie Harich — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Serena Vinter

Senior Research Associate, Trust for America's Health

With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, state, tribal, and local governmental agencies and community-based organizations now have the opportunity to transform their communities into places that offer healthy choices to all residents.

Going Dutch in U.S. Health Care

Connie Harich — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

In the four years since a significant package of health care reforms was enacted in the Netherlands, the Dutch have emerged with a health system that’s innovative, dynamic, and widely viewed by many health policy experts as a blueprint for a high functioning 21st century health care system.

Reduce Prices, Bend the Cost Curve

Connie Harich — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Dennis Shea, Ph.D.

Professor of Health Policy and Administration, Pennsylvania State University

You don’t hear much about that idea in discussions of health reform and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, but a significant part of those deficit-reducing savings will come from reductions in payments to Medicare providers...

AGE-ing GRACE-fully

Connie Harich — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Transitions are one of the weak points in the U.S. health care system. Poor coordination and inadequate communication around transitions is particularly pronounced in the care of frail elderly people with multiple chronic diseases—or maybe an acute illness or injury on top of a whole big bunch of chronic diseases.

Health Reform and the Role of Community Partnerships in Promoting Quality and Value

Connie Harich — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Dennis P. Scanlon, Ph.D.

Professor of Health Policy and Administration, The Pennsylvania State University

Now that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has been signed into law, the key question is whether it will lead to improved quality and better value in health care.

Health Care Reform: Why Was the Health Reform Endgame So Difficult? Ask Ken Arrow.

Connie Harich — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Timothy D. McBride, Ph.D.

Professor and Associate Dean of Public Health, Washington University

Certainly now that health reform has been signed into law, most of us are looking toward the future, focusing on the daunting task of implementing this major piece of legislation—perhaps the most significant and wide-reaching piece of social legislation to pass in the last several decades.

Does Mandated Insurance Mean More Paternalistic Public Health Policy? Hopefully Not.

Connie Harich — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

In Britain, because the NHS is funded by taxation, everyone in the country is required to pay for the cost of medical care. However, the amount each person in Britain pays into the NHS is not proportional to what they take out in the form of services, medications, and care.

Was Health Reform A Game Changer for the Long-Term Care Industry?

Connie Harich — Tue, 25 May 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Rachel Lee

Senior Associate with the Senior Living Practice, Dixon Hughes PLLC

A little-known provision of the health reform law has the potential to transform long-term care services and delivery. The Community Living Assistance Services and Supports Act establishes the nation’s first voluntary insurance program to purchase long-term care services and supports from the community.

WIC: A Key Player in the Fight Against Childhood Obesity

Connie Harich — Mon, 17 May 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Patti Hauser

WIC Program Director, Wisconsin Division of Public Health

WIC participation saves taxpayer dollars in the babies’ early years and contributes to the prevention of several chronic diseases in both the mom and the child later in life. WIC is also taking on a very important role in fighting an epidemic that poses one of the greatest new threats to childhood health: obesity.

Health Reform Offers New Resources and New Opportunities for Public Health

Connie Harich — Tue, 11 May 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Serena Vinter

Senior Research Associate, Trust for America's Health

Lost amid the yearlong debate over health reform and the heated talk of death panels and socialism were some major changes to the way in which the United States funds public health, prevention, and wellness programs as a result of the passage of health reform legislation.

The Choice is Simple: Slow Health Care Spending or Raise Taxes

Connie Harich — Tue, 04 May 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

Right now in both countries, there’s a push among most politicians to exhort the necessity of reining in our respective national deficits. Politicians in the U.S. and U.K. have hit the stump and said to anyone who will listen that unless deficits are reduced, the consequences for the economy will be dramatic.

Health Reform - New Burdens for Small Business

Connie Harich — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Robert F. Graboyes, Ph.D.

Senior Fellow for Health and Economics, National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation

Health care reform is now the law of the land, and the rollout has begun. If the law stands without major revision, only time will tell how it ultimately affects health care costs, coverage, and quality. Like everyone else, I have my own thoughts, but opinion and forecast must give way to reality.

Centering - Better Health Care Without Higher Costs

Connie Harich — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Eight months pregnant, Elvira, 28, was poised, articulate and confident through a two-hour prenatal class. Then she formed a circle with 10 other mothers-to-be, caught a skein of bright pink yarn a nurse tossed to her, and burst into tears of gratitude.

The Medical Community's View on Health Reform

Connie Harich — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 04:00:00 +0000

J. James Rohack, M.D.

Cardiologist, Scott & White Clinic

Our country recently took an historic and long overdue step toward health system reform. While the new law is not perfect and more still needs to be done, this sweeping reform package will greatly benefit America’s patients and their physicians.

Health Care Reform: We’ve Really Only Just Begun

Connie Harich — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

On March 23, President Obama signed the Affordable Health Care for America Act. This legislation will go down as one of the most significant pieces of social policy legislation that Congress has ever passed. Sure, the legislation isn’t perfect—no law ever is—but it expands coverage to 32 million Americans

What We Really Do – and Don’t – Know About Health in This Nation

Connie Harich — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0000

David Kindig, M.D., Ph.D.

Altarum Institute Distinguished Scholar

What do we know about the levels of population health and the state of medical care and the many other determinants of health across the United States? Despite years of data collection, it has been difficult to gain a comprehensive view of population health.

Can the First Lady Solve the Childhood Obesity Epidemic?

Connie Harich — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Serena Vinter

Senior Research Associate, Trust for America's Health

There’s no doubt Mrs. Obama’s Let’s Move campaign has re-energized public health officials, community health workers, and advocates who have been fighting the childhood obesity epidemic for years. But the latest numbers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show just what a challenge solving the problem will be

Seeking Solutions From IT Instead of From People

Connie Harich — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000

David C. Kibbe, M.D., M.B.A.

Principal, The Kibbe Group LLC

When I first came to “Health 2.0” and joined ranks with folks who were leading this charge, it was because I was so thoroughly discouraged by the realm of health information technology for physicians and hospitals and disappointed with both the vendors of electronic health record technology and most of their customers.

Complexity in Health Care Can’t Be a Vice

Connie Harich — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

Health care reform is testing the United State’s capacity to address big issues and has highlighted glaring flaws in the legislative process. What’s clear by now is that it’s tough to boil health care policy down into concise talking points and it’s nearly impossible to sell sensible reforms politically.

The Spread of Obesity in Developing and Transitional Countries

Connie Harich — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Lisa Pawloski, Ph.D.

Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Global and Community Health, George Mason University

Obesity is increasingly becoming an epidemic in industrialized nations, particularly in the U.S. where one out of every three adults is obese.

Will Nutrition Labels on Menus Make America Healthy, Wealthy, and Svelte?

Connie Harich — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

One perverse side effect of the stalled national health reform legislation is that popular, commonsense provisions tucked in the bills get stuck too. That includes the restaurant menu labeling requirement, which has support from Democrats; Republicans; the public health community; and, more recently, even the fast-food industry.

Achieving Person-Centered Care Through Accountable Care Organizations

Connie Harich — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Lisa Shugarman, Ph.D.

Director of Policy, The SCAN Foundation

As the nation ages, health care must evolve to focus around three critical factors: adopting person- and family-centered engagement with older adults who have complex care needs, improving the health of the older population as a whole, and improving cost efficiency.

The Challenge of Monopolies in U.S. Health Care - England May Help Illustrate the Solution

Connie Harich — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

In the U.S., private-sector insurers hold a powerful monopoly in insurance markets, and this hinders progress. Conversely, in the U.K., it has historically been the government-run hospitals’ monopoly power that was hampering improvements.

A Crucial Tool in Fighting Childhood Obesity: Monitoring Body Mass Index

Connie Harich — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Cong. Ron Kind

US House of Representatives, 3rd District of Wisconsin

It’s no secret that childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of obese children has tripled since 1980.

Give High School Students Healthy Transportation Choices, Too

Connie Harich — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Cong. Earl Blumenauer

US House of Representatives, 3rd District of Oregon

We all recognize the signs of a livable community: people biking and kids walking safely around their neighborhoods. These are important forms of commuting that also contribute to a community’s vitality. This is especially true for children, who should be able to securely walk and bike to their most important destinations: schools, parks, and their friends’ homes.

World AIDS Day: A Time to Take Stock of Our Health

Connie Harich — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Jesse Milan, Jr., JD

Vice President and Director, Community Health Systems, Altarum Institute

So many of us work hard to look healthy on the outside; let’s also spend time protecting our health on the inside. Too many gay men hope they are HIV-negative but don’t know for sure. Too many who are positive don’t know that they are, and may be infecting others. Too many of us worry alone.

Of Carrot Cake and Oreos

Connie Harich — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Joanne Kenen

Health Policy Forum Contributing Writer

Dr. David Kessler, as you’ve probably heard, is out with a terrific best-seller called The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite. The cover grabs your attention: very pure white glossy background with a carrot cake and carrots.

How Health Reform Can Improve End-of-Life Care

Connie Harich — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Sydney Dy, M.D.

Associate Professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Health care reform offers significant opportunities not only to improve the quality of end-of-life care, but to apply the principles of good end-of-life care to improving our health care system.

Immigrants and Health Care – The Real Numbers and Policy Implications

Connie Harich — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Marc R. Rosenblum

Senior Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Institute

As the House and Senate move toward the final outlines of health care reform legislation, they confront important questions about how proposals might apply to immigrants

The Challenge of Modern Health Information Privacy Laws

Connie Harich — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0000

James Hodge

Lincoln Professor of Health, Law and Ethics, ASU Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law

Access to identifiable health data among multiple groups continues to grow exponentially as digital personal health records (PHRs) become pervasive. Ongoing national health care reform efforts may only increase demands for greater public and private sector access to health data...

Health Information Technology: A Tool for Health Equity and System Transformation

Connie Harich — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Ruth Perot

Executive Director and CEO, Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Inc.

Russell Davis, D.P.A., M.A.P.T.

President, Summit Health Institute for Research and Education, Inc.

Since 1985, the issue of racial and ethnic health disparities has crept to the center stage of public policy, with a large volume of evidence amassed to demonstrate the presence and impact of these disparities. Today, an overwhelming consensus with respect to research on racial and ethnic health disparities — the existence of disparities and the need to eliminate them — has led some stakeholders to conclude that it is time for a paradigm shift.

Message to the Senate Finance Committee: More Dynamism, Less Politicking

Connie Harich — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

Sen. Max Baucus’s America’s Healthy Future Act of 2009 has received a tepid reception from Democrats and Republicans alike. That’s precisely because Sen. Baucus’s bill embodies compromise, mutual conciliation, and moderation. While pragmatism and expediency are laudable goals, they are apt to produce uninspiring results, and that’s what we’ve gotten in the Healthy Future Act.

How Much Should We Really Spend on Preventive Care?

Connie Harich — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 04:00:00 +0000

George Miller, Ph.D.

Altarum Institute Fellow

Because “prevention accounts for only two to three percent of health care expenditures,” we could achieve significant savings in future health care costs by devoting more money to preventive measures. Unfortunately, this argument is flawed.

Cheap Political Victories and End of Life Care: A Better End for Anyone?

Connie Harich — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Janice Lynch Schuster

Senior Writer, Altarum Institute

As if just talking about dying weren’t hard enough for most of us, now comes the disinformation campaign about end-of-life care discussions waged by opponents of health care reform.

Incentives, Incentives, Incentives (and Adverse Selection)

Connie Harich — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

Some believe that too much competition has been the catalyst for rising health care costs and inefficiency in the American health care market. I disagree. I believe that the U.S. insurance market actually suffers from too little competition.

Looking Back at Hurricane Katrina: Is Our Public Health System More Prepared?

Connie Harich — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Serena Vinter

Senior Research Associate, Trust for America's Health

Four years ago this week – August 28, 2005 to be precise – Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast region, killing more than 1,800 people and causing more than $81 billion in damages. The devastating storm left the region’s public health and health care systems in shambles from which they are still trying to recover years later.

Health Care Costs, Health Savings Accounts, and a Transformed Health System

Connie Harich — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Paul Hughes-Cromwick

Health Economist and Senior Analyst, Altarum Institute

Health care should be consumer driven for reasons of both efficiency and ethics. When in possession of adequate information and faced with appropriate incentives, consumers make better choices for their own health than does any third party, regardless of whether that third party is motivated by the most worthy of intentions.

An Economist’s Perspective on Health Care Reform

Connie Harich — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Mark Zandi, Ph.D.

Chief Economist and Cofounder, Moody's Economy.com

To be successful, healthcare reform must pay for extending coverage to the uninsured while credibly controlling future costs. Current proposals include a mandate for employers, a public insurance option, and tax increases on high-income households.

Incentives, Incentives, Incentives (and Risk Selection)

Connie Harich — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

If any major health care legislation is passed in the United States in 2009, it will almost certainly involve some form of an insurance exchange. This post focuses on why policymakers are eager to create an exchange and the detrimental impact of risk selection on true competition in an insurance exchange.

Electronic Medical Information is Critical for Returning Service Members

Connie Harich — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Cong. Steve Buyer

US House of Representatives, 4th District of Indiana

Two years have passed since a Washington Post article revealed some instances of inadequate treatment of soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The resulting public outcry and concern for our nation’s veterans led to a number of investigations and inquiries on what should be done to support wounded service members.

AIDS in America: Creating a National AIDS Strategy With Impact

Connie Harich — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Chris Collins

Vice President and Director of Public Policy, amfAR

The campaign to create a National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NAS) for the United States has been a remarkable success so far. Over the last two years, the concept has won support from hundreds of organizations and more than 1,000 individuals. They all endorsed a Call to Action demanding a more coordinated, accountable, and results-oriented response to AIDS in our country.

Barriers, Roadblocks, and Opportunities: A Pathway to Health Care Reform in the United States

Connie Harich — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Zack Cooper

Health Economist, London School of Economics

Broad reform of the U.S. health care system could save $3 trillion by 2020, expand coverage to 99 percent of Americans, and save 100,000 lives annually...If that is the prize on offer, why is health care reform so difficult and what is standing in the way of President Obama and Congress succeeding?

Health Is Not Just About Health Care

Connie Harich — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0000

David R. Williams, Ph.D.

Altarum Institute Distinguished Scholar

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America, of which I have served as staff director, recently released its report with 10 recommendations that we believe will allow Americans – particularly those who face the greatest barriers to good health – to lead healthy lives.

Celebrating the Health Benefits of Biking

Connie Harich — Wed, 27 May 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Cong. Earl Blumenauer

US House of Representatives, 3rd District of Oregon

Last May, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution naming May “National Bicycle Month,” giving federal recognition to our most efficient form of transportation. Several months later, the Bicycle Commuter Act was signed into law, enabling bicycle commuters to receive tax-free benefits for their unique contributions reducing traffic congestion and air pollution while improving their own health.

Children Should Be a Focus of Health Reform

Connie Harich — Thu, 21 May 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Charles Homer, M.D.

President and CEO, National Initiative for Children’s Healthcare Quality

While there is certainly no magic bullet, constructing a system that keeps in mind the needs of families and children will prove crucial to the integrity of the system as a whole. Improvement will certainly require simultaneous efforts on a number of fronts, but building a system around the needs of our children will create health care that embodies our values, delivers effectively, and eventually lowers cost.

Childhood Obesity Prevention - A Promising New Method for Tackling the Epidemic

Connie Harich — Wed, 06 May 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Matt Longjohn, M.D., M.P.H.

Co-Project Director, Altarum Institute Childhood Obesity Prevention Mission Project

Amy Sheon, Ph.D.

Former Co-Director, Altarum Institute Childhood Obesity Prevention Mission Project

As we begin again to consider health care reform in this nation, the issue of childhood obesity should not be ignored.

Why Health Care Reform Can't Wait

Connie Harich — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0000

Cong. John D. Dingell

US House of Representatives, 15th District of Michigan

I believe today we face one of the most important decisions in our Nation’s history—how to address the insolvency of our health care system that threatens to decimate our country’s budget, stability, and overall wellbeing.

An Rx For Health Care Reform

Connie Harich — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0000

J. James Rohack, M.D.

Cardiologist, Scott & White Clinic

As unemployment rises to its highest level in 24 years, one expected consequence is an increase in the number of Americans who may forgo needed health care because they lost their health insurance along with their job.

Health Care Reform: Decent Care as a Key Value

Connie Harich — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Jesse Milan, Jr., JD

Vice President and Director, Community Health Systems, Altarum Institute

Janice Lynch Schuster

Senior Writer, Altarum Institute

“Decent care” offers a new approach to health care that seeks to acknowledge and apply universal human values of decency. Just as the concept of “decent work” sought to name and redefine the conditions of work in the industrial age, decent care seeks no less than to redefine and describe values that are essential to primary health worldwide.

Meeting the Need: The Launch of the Mission Projects Initiative

Connie Harich — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Lincoln Smith

President and Chief Executive Officer, Altarum Institute

With the Mission Projects Initiative, we are attempting to solve pressing health issues facing our nation, problems that now affect the quality of life of millions of Americans.

Evaluating the Obama Health Plan: We Need Both Short-Term Affordability and Long-Term Sustainability

Connie Harich — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 05:01:00 +0000

Charles Roehrig, Ph.D.

Vice President and Director, Altarum Center for Sustainable Health Spending

George Miller, Ph.D.

Altarum Institute Fellow

Although there is considerable attention paid to addressing cost growth and investing in public health and prevention, the most noteworthy aspect of Presidential candidate Barack Obama’s health care plan is its focus on attempting to make insurance affordable for all Americans

HIV and the Workplace: Making the Business Case for HIV Workplace Partnerships

Connie Harich — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 05:00:00 +0000

Jesse Milan, Jr., JD

Vice President and Director, Community Health Systems, Altarum Institute

HIV is everyone’s business; whether we want it to be or not. Yet after 27 years of the pandemic, AIDS is still not everyone’s concern. Too many people who should know their HIV status still don’t. Too many people who should be in treatment and care still are not.