Medicare | The Pump Handle

Affordable Care Act Study: ACA-backed efforts to reduce hospital readmissions also reduced mortality

July 22, 2017 Kim Krisberg

With the future of the Affordable Care Act still up in the air, most of the news coverage has gone to insurance coverage, premiums and Medicaid. And rightly so. But also included in the massive health reform law were a number of innovative measures to improve the quality and value of the medical care we actually get in the doctor’s office. With repeal still on the table, those measures are at risk too.

Affordable Care Act Health care & the election: What do voter beliefs say about future health policy?

October 28, 2016 Kim Krisberg

While health policy hasn’t been at the forefront of this year’s presidential election, the next person to sit in the White House could have a transformative effect on health care access, affordability and inequity. Of course, with so many variables in play, it’s hard to predict what either candidate could realistically accomplish on the health care front. However, a new report might provide some insightful clues.

Government Report: Rich people live longer and reap greater entitlement benefits

September 24, 2015 Kim Krisberg 1Comment

In the U.S., the gap in life expectancy by income is getting wider. To be even clearer: Life expectancy for people with higher incomes has gone up over time, while life expectancy for people earning lower incomes has actually declined.

Affordable Care Act Medicare and Medicaid turn 50

July 30, 2015 Liz Borkowski, MPH 2Comment

On July 30th, 1965, President Lyndon Johnson signed into law the Social Security Amendment Act that created Medicare and Medicaid. Today, the two programs cover nearly one in three people in the US.

US Healthcare System Fixing Medicare physician payments

April 20, 2015 Liz Borkowski, MPH

Last week, President Obama signed long-awaited legislation that will put an end to periodic panic at the prospect of massive, sudden cuts to Medicare physician payments.

Public Health Practice Worth reading: Veterans’ health, Medicare data, and public-health challenges in West Virginia

April 14, 2014 Liz Borkowski, MPH

The Washington Post provides in-depth coverage on issues facing veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan; an unprecedented release of Medicare data gives reporters a lot to work with; and journalists consider how West Virginia’s reliance on a few industries has influenced the state’s response to contaminated water and drug addiction.

Affordable Care Act Research on immigrant health care spending makes case for widening insurance options

July 26, 2013 Kim Krisberg 2Comment

With immigration at the forefront of national debate, Jim Stimpson decided it was time to do a little more digging.

Government President Obama on “the commitments we make to each other”

January 21, 2013 Liz Borkowski, MPH 1Comment

My favorite part of President Obama’s 2013 inaugural address.

Affordable Care Act Resources and readmissions: a challenging policy for hospitals

October 4, 2012 Liz Borkowski, MPH 1Comment

An Affordable Care Act provision taking effect this week will reduce Medicare reimbursements to hospitals with high readmission rates. But to what extent are readmissions under a hospital’s control?

US Healthcare System What Paul Ryan’s budget says about his priorities

August 13, 2012 Liz Borkowski, MPH 8Comment

Unlike Mitt Romney, who has often declined to provide specifics about policies he’d pursue as president, Paul Ryan has been very clear about what he thinks the government should do.