The Politics of Publicly-Funded Health Care

What really happens in the budgeting process Over at Health Care Policy and Marketplace Review, the always-insightful Bob Laszewski walks us through the mechanics of the just-passed federal budget and its health care financing implications for SCHIP, physicians, hospitals, Medicare Advantage plans. This clear, common sense analysis is a must-read for anyone interested in how […]

The Blind Men and the Elephant

Everyone’s talking about reform, but who is capturing the true scope of our problems? A most endearing Indian parable, written into poetic form by John Godfrey Saxe, describes how six blind men, each touching a different part of the elephant’s anatomy, vehemently argued about who was right. The moral as penned by Saxe concludes: “So […]

Google Closing in on Lifespan Health Planning

Mobile phones for planning and adherence By Mike Magee, MD You may have noticed a front-page headline recently in The New York Times: “Google is Pursuing Plans to Put a PC in Every Pocket.” According to the Times, “what Apple began with its iPhone, Google is hoping to accelerate with an ambitious plan to transform […]

Business As Usual

California’s Reform Proposal In the world of health reform wonks, all eyes are on California at the moment. His Republicanism notwithstanding, Governor Schwartzenegger has developed a generous $14 billion bill that would extend universal coverage to all Californians by 2010. Now that the plan is set, the special interests are lining up. Most of the […]

Patient Advocacy — a Complete 360

A Health Care Professional on the Outside Looking In Dodging your responsibility as a patient advocate for you or your family member could have devastating results. As a health care professional on the front lines of the health care system, I understand exactly how important it is for patients and their families to take charge […]

Health Care’s Cold Truth

An Iowa perspective I am writing this blog from Cedar Rapids, Iowa grateful that the temperature has warmed from brutally cold to pleasantly sub-freezing. Fortunately, the warm feelings left by the extraordinary victory of Sen. Barack Obama, the candidate for whom I was knocking on doors and making phone calls these last few days, has […]

Policy vs. Market-based Reform

RHIOs as a Case Study In Health Affairs, a Harvard team has published an important review of the current state of RHIOs (Regional Health Information Organizations), many of which are failing. Of 145 efforts identified in 2006, nearly one in 4 had closed by early 2007, only 20 were actually exchanging clinical information and most […]

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