Category Archives: Health Care Reform

Opportunities to Advance Patient-Centeredness and Equity

With the historic enactment of national health care reform in March 2010, it can be a little overwhelming to understand all the details and implications of this huge structural shift in national health care policy.

As I continue to refine my own knowledge and understanding of the national health care reform law, I will share my analyses and presentations here. I will be highlighting what I call the “patient-centeredness” and “equity” elements of the legislation, two of the components of health care quality identified by the Institute of Medicine.

Oregon Health Authority Transformation Center: Oregon’s Coordinated Care Organizations Advancing Health Equity

Posted on February 6, 2019 by

Since 2012, Oregon’s Coordinated Care Organizations (CCOs) have integrated activities to advance health equity as part of the state’s innovative model of health system and payment transformation. This report reviews CCO Transformation and Quality Strategy Reports and progress reports submitted … Continue reading →

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United States of Care: Bipartisan Leaders Launch New Health Care Reform Organization

Posted on February 6, 2018 by

Over 50 bipartisan health care leaders, including many former elected and appointed federal and state officials, have launched a new non-profit organization called the United States of Care to support continued health care reform, including former Health and Human Services … Continue reading →

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Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Nearly 9 Million Americans Obtained Health Insurance in Shortened Open Enrollment Period

Posted on December 21, 2017 by

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released preliminary data on the recently-concluded shortened open enrollment period for Americans to obtain health insurance through the health insurance marketplaces established by the Affordable Care Act: over 8.8 million Americans will … Continue reading →

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Congressional Budget Office: Repeal of Individual Mandate in Tax Reform Bill Would Result in 13 Million Americans Becoming Uninsured

Posted on November 30, 2017 by

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has issued this updated analysis of the impact of the repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, which was included in H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed by the U.S. House … Continue reading →

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Congressional Budget Office: Bipartisan Health Care Stabilization Act Would Reduce Federal Deficit by $3.8 Billion

Posted on October 26, 2017 by

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has published its analysis of the Bipartisan Health Care Stabilization Act, co-sponsored by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN). Since the CBO had already done analysis of other legislation that either continued or … Continue reading →

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Text of Bipartisan Health Care Stabilization Act

Posted on October 19, 2017 by

Here is the text of the Bipartisan Health Care Stabilization Act, co-sponsored by Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), that would appropriate funding for cost sharing reduction (CSR) reimbursement payments to health insurance plans participating in the health … Continue reading →

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Abruptly Ends Cost-Sharing Reductions for Millions of Americans

Posted on October 13, 2017 by

In a memorandum from Acting Secretary of Health and Human Services Eric Hargan (who was just named Acting Secretary three days ago) to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Seema Verma, the Trump administration has abruptly ended payments for cost-sharing … Continue reading →

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Executive Order on Association Health Plans, Short-Term Health Insurance, and Health Reimbursement Arrangementss

Posted on October 12, 2017 by

As part of his continued opposition to the Affordable Care Act, President Donald Trump signed an executive order today to loosen federal regulations on association health plans, short-term health insurance, and health reimbursement arrangements, all of which will have the … Continue reading →

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National Quality Forum: Roadmap for Promoting Health Equity and Eliminating Disparities

Posted on October 6, 2017 by

The National Quality Forum (NQF) has issued a Roadmap for Promoting Health Equity and Eliminating Disparities. Despite overall improvements in public health and medicine, disparities in health and healthcare persist. Disparities are differences caused by inequities that are linked to … Continue reading →

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Kaiser Family Foundation: 35 States Would Receive Less Federal Funding for Medicaid Under Graham-Cassidy

Posted on September 26, 2017 by

The Kaiser Family Foundation has issued this analysis of the state-by-sate impact of the bill proposed by Senators Lindsey Graham and Bill Cassidy to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), concluding that 35 states and the District of … Continue reading →

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