Health Care Experts

Will We Have a Serious Discussion About Premium Support?

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 14:54:45 GMT

Mitt Romney's selection of Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., as his running mate has brought his Medicare reform proposal to the front of the presidential campaign. Polling in February suggested that while Americans strongly prefer the Medicare status quo, they also know little about the details of what premium support means or how it would work. Does the Ryan selection mean either of those things will change by election day?

AIDS: Where Are We Now?

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 18:21:59 GMT

The International Aids Conference is back in the United States for the first time in more than 20 years, with a star-studded cast that includes top U.S. health officials, former presidents, philanthropists, and public health officials from around the world. Recent years have seen major strides in the prevention and treatment of AIDS around the world, but challenges remain, including declining financial support, according to a recent UNAIDS report.

What do you see as the key successes of the global fight against AIDS? What future challenges most concern you?

The Court Has Spoken. What Now?

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 19:56:19 GMT

So the Court has spoken. We can now end all the speculating and vague worrying about what the Supreme Court might or might not do to the health reform law. A majority of the Court said that the controversial individual mandate can stand but that the law's expansion of Medicaid must now be optional for the states. So now that the legal fight is through, what do you see as the biggest challenges and opportunities for health reform forward? Will there be successful efforts to repeal or reform the Affordable Care Act? Will the Health and Human Services department release all the necessary regulations in time? What will happen if states opt out of the Medicaid expansion? Will the president turn the corner on selling the law to the public?

What Changes Will Survive the Supreme Court?

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 15:06:57 GMT

The countdown to the Supreme Court's decision in the health care case is on. Chief Justice John Roberts said Monday that the justices would be issuing rulings in the remaining cases on Thursday, which means, barring some extraordinary circumstance, that we will know then whether the Affordable Care Act will stand, fall, or move forward in some partial form.

The health care law would usher in a large reorganization of how many Americans get health insurance and of how Medicare pays providers for the care they offer seniors. In many important ways, the future of health care in this country will depend on what the Court decides. But in the two years since the law passed, insurers, providers and state governments have already begun making big changes. Which of those changes do you think will live on, regardless of the future of the health care law?

Meghan McCarthy responded to What Changes Will Survive the Supreme Court? on June 29, 2012 12:07 PM

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 11:10:58 GMT

Americans Have Good Oppoortunity The following post comes from Donna E. Shalala, former HHS Secretary and University of Miami President: The Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the individual mandate as a tax will open up the opportunity for good health insurance for millions of Americans and will protect those of us with good health insurance from continuing to pay for their emergency care. Now the real work begins. Under the supreme court ruling those states that want to expand their Medicaid plans will be able to do so. All the states, whether required or not, will be under enormous...

Are insurance reforms here to stay?

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:14:10 GMT

On Monday, the health insurer UnitedHealthCare announced that it will be preserving several consumer protections now required by the Affordable Care Act, regardless of what the Supreme Court opts to do about the health reform law. Even if the law is overturned, United will keep covering young adults on their parents' plans, offer preventive benefits with no copayment, and write all policies without lifetime limits, among other provisions. The company did not embrace every consumer protection imposed in the law, but did include many popular reforms that have already been enacted.

Do you think other insurers will follow United's lead? Do you think that these changes are here to stay, regardless of what the Courts or Congress do?

Ethan Rome responded to Are insurance reforms here to stay? on June 12, 2012 12:57 PM

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 16:58:46 GMT

Don’t Be Fooled By Big Insurance Health insurance giants UnitedHealth Group, Aetna and Humana have announced that regardless of how the Supreme Court rules in the Affordable Care Act case this month, they will voluntarily continue some important consumer protections created by the law. These include preventive health care services without co-payments, coverage of children up to age 26 and elimination of lifetime policy limits. The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association is also encouraging its member companies to consider following UnitedHealth’s lead. This would seem to be a good thing, and some are praising these companies. But no one should...