http://www.piperreport.com/ en-us Copyright 2010 Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:01:00 -0500 Sun, 21 Feb 2010 12:54:39 -0500 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=4.261 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Office of the Actuary (CMS/OACT) has released its projections of U.S. health care spending for the ten years 2010 through 2019, with premliminary estimates of 2009 health spending. The projections, released each year around this time, offer a fascinating, detailed look at patterns and trends in public and private health spending across programs... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2010/02/national_health_expenditures_for_2009-2019_cms_actuary_projections.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2010/02/national_health_expenditures_for_2009-2019_cms_actuary_projections.html Health Care Policy Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:01:00 -0500 Health Insurance Exchanges - either state-based exchanges favored by moderate Democrats and Republicans (reflected in Senate bill) or a national, federally-run exchange favored by liberal Democrats (version in the House bill) - are an essential component of national health reform. Bottom line, health insurance exchanges would provide a far more efficient, competitive, and seamless marketplace for consumers and small business... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2010/01/health_insurance_exchanges_how_two_proposals_differ_an_unexpected_complicat.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2010/01/health_insurance_exchanges_how_two_proposals_differ_an_unexpected_complicat.html Health Care Policy Fri, 22 Jan 2010 11:12:15 -0500 Payment reform is an integral part of national and state-based health reform efforts. Indeed, payment reform is essential to moving from quantity-based reimbursement to a performance-based health care system. That is, moving from fee-for-service to fee-for-value. Payment innovations, such as global payment, are designed to reward efficiency and higher quality, while supporting providers as they invest in patient-centered models... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/11/health_care_payment_reform_considerations_for_global_payments_in_medicaid.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/11/health_care_payment_reform_considerations_for_global_payments_in_medicaid.html Health Care Policy Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:10:44 -0500 Here are articles from the latest issue of American Health & Drug Benefits. AHDB is a peer-reviewed journal for 30,000 decision makers in health plans, PBMs, Medicare, Medicaid, and the pharma and biotech industries: Predictive and Prognostic Models: Implications for Healthcare Decision-Making in a Modern Recession: F. Randy Vogenberg, RPh, PhD examines the role of predictive modeling in the healthcare... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/11/american_health_and_drug_benefits_september_-_october_issue.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/11/american_health_and_drug_benefits_september_-_october_issue.html Health Care Policy Sun, 08 Nov 2009 14:19:08 -0500 A series of new articles from the journal American Health and Drug Benefits address key issues in stroke prevention and management, with a special focus on transient ischemic attacks. A transient ischemic attack (TIA), a transient stroke that lasts only a few minutes, can be a warning sign that a person is at risk for a more serious, debilitating, and... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/11/stroke_prevention_and_management.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/11/stroke_prevention_and_management.html Access to Care Sat, 07 Nov 2009 09:15:56 -0500 The legislative process for health care reform bills is complex, involving a series of unique steps needed in the House and Senate. My friends at Sellers Dorsey have prepared a concise, helpful outline of the next steps required for passage of a health reform bill. This includes the specific steps required by the House, Senate, House-Senate conference committee, and the... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/11/legislative_process_for_health_care_reform.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/11/legislative_process_for_health_care_reform.html Health Care Policy Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:41:46 -0500 The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has updated its excellent series of reader-friendly primers on Medicare payment methodologies for hospitals, physicians, Medicare Advantage plans, prescription drug plans, and other health care providers. MedPAC is an advisory agency to Congress and is highly influential, particlarly on payment methods, delivery systems, and Medicare reforms. Medicare Part A Reimbursement of Hospitals: Medicare Inpatient... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/11/medicare_reimbursement_primers_on_medicare_payment_methods_for_providers_he.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/11/medicare_reimbursement_primers_on_medicare_payment_methods_for_providers_he.html Health Care Policy Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:48:56 -0500 At the last annual meeting of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, several of us spoke on pharmaceutical research and development in the quickly emerging value-driven healthcare system. Topics focused on the impact of value-based benefit designs, comparative effectiveness research, and government policies on the development of new drugs and biologics: Research and Development in the Current Healthcare System: An... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/08/pharmaceutical_research_development_in_a_value-based_healthcare_system.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/08/pharmaceutical_research_development_in_a_value-based_healthcare_system.html Health Care Policy Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:27:34 -0500 The HHS Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has announced plans for spending its $300 million share of the $1.1 billion Congress appropriated for comparative effectiveness research (CER) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA or Recovery Act for short). AHRQ plans to solicit grant applications this fall and award grants and contracts by spring 2010.... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/08/comparative_effectiveness_research_ahrq_plan_for_300_million_in_new_researc.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/08/comparative_effectiveness_research_ahrq_plan_for_300_million_in_new_researc.html Health Care Policy Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:03:15 -0500 Here are articles from the latest issue of American Health & Drug Benefits. AHDB is a peer-reviewed journal for 30,000 decision makers in health plans, PBMs, Medicare, Medicaid, and the pharma and biotech industries: June - July 2009 Issue: Applying Evidence for Medical Technologies: Closing the Gap between R&D and Decision Maker Need Interview with Sean R. Tunis, MD, MSc... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/07/american_health_drug_benefits_june-july_2009_issue.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/07/american_health_drug_benefits_june-july_2009_issue.html Providers Thu, 30 Jul 2009 12:30:13 -0500 The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) created the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) to advise Congress on a wide range of Medicaid and CHIP issues. MACPAC will start operating in early 2010. MACPAC Membership and Staff: Modeled closely after the long standing and highly influential Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), MACPAC will be... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/07/medicaid_and_chip_payment_and_access_commission_macpac_primer_on_new_congre.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/07/medicaid_and_chip_payment_and_access_commission_macpac_primer_on_new_congre.html Health Care Policy Tue, 28 Jul 2009 12:53:57 -0500 Federal agencies are busy implementing the new program for comparative effectiveness research. The Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) has released, for public comment, a draft definition of CER and draft prioritization criteria for making research selections. The definition and criteria are intended to help guide, albeit at a high level, federal use of the $1.1 billion appropriated... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/05/comparative_effectiveness_research_definition_prioritization_criteria_and_i.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/05/comparative_effectiveness_research_definition_prioritization_criteria_and_i.html Comparative Effectiveness Wed, 27 May 2009 07:45:45 -0500 Here are articles from the latest issue of American Health & Drug Benefits. AHDB is the peer-reviewed journal for 30,000 decision makers in health plans, PBMs, Medicare, Medicaid, and the pharma and biotech industries: May 2009 Issue: The Paradox of Public Policy Reform: Change or Continuum? By Robert E. Henry Are You Kidding Me? Clinical Comparative Effectiveness or Evidence-Based Medicine... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/05/american_health_drug_benefits_may_2009_issue.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/05/american_health_drug_benefits_may_2009_issue.html American Health & Drug Benefits Mon, 18 May 2009 15:47:54 -0500 As part of the FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act, Congress created the State Health Access Grant Program. On a competitive basis, states may receive grants of $2 million to $10 million each year for five years to improve access to health insurance coverage. Grant funds will help cover the cost of staff, actuarial work, etc. to design and implement major... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/04/state_health_access_grant_program_new_federal_grants_for_state_health_refor.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/04/state_health_access_grant_program_new_federal_grants_for_state_health_refor.html Health Care Policy Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:53:19 -0500 As the new Obama Administration and the 111th Congress focus on health care issues, here is a quick list of some of the Medicare policy changes Democrats will likely seek in 2009-2010: Likely Changes in Medicare Advantage: 1. Phase-out of difference between Medicare Advantage plan rates and Medicare fee-for-service: Some Medicare Advantage (MA) plans will see lower annual increase. Others... http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/02/medicare_and_health_reform_likely_agenda_for_obama_administration_and_democ.html http://www.piperreport.com/archives/2009/02/medicare_and_health_reform_likely_agenda_for_obama_administration_and_democ.html Health Care Policy Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:36:12 -0500