HealthCareForAmericaNow

NEWS

Healthcare group spent $250K lobbying in 3Q - Associated Press

Healthcare Leadership Council spent $250,000 lobbying federal government in third quarter

Measuring the Value of Public Health Systems: The Disconnect Between Health Economists and Public Health Practitioners - American Journal of Public Health

The value of governmental public health systems may seem obvious in light of progress in public health over the past century. The reality of chronic underfunding of these systems suggests that the general public is unaware of public health's value. It is thus essential that governmental public health systems demonstrate measurable contributions to improving the population's health. On a conceptual and practical level, however, measuring the payback from public health spending is a challenge. As public health officials battle for resources in constrained fiscal environments, the manner in which they measure and communicate the value of programs-both internally in budget discussions and externally to the public-is critical. We examined how researchers and public health practitioners have defined and measured the value of services provided by governmental public health systems. First, we discuss the health economics literature on value measurement in public health. Next, we present the results of qualitative interviews we conducted with leading public health officials and practitioners. Finally, we examine ways to bridge the gap between economists and practitioners and discuss opportunities for the future.

Is 2009 the Year We All Get Health Care? - Esquire

Nearly fifteen years after the Clintons tackled America's health care crisis, a new group called Health Care for America Now may just tip the tide, scaring the bejeezus out of Conservatives.

New fault line forms in health care fight - Politico

A new fault line is forming in the health care reform debate that could prove to be just as bruising as the conservative-vs.-progressive battles: the schism between single-payer and public-private advocates.

OPINION

What the Baucus Health-Care Reform Entails - Max Baucus

Regarding your Nov. 20 editorial "The Obama Health Plan Emerges": The Health Insurance Exchange envisioned in my reform will not involve oppressive regulation, but will simply preclude insurers from discriminating against those who are sick.

Medicare’s Too Costly Private Plans - New York Times

Private health insurance plans were supposed to bring better care and lower costs to elderly patients covered by Medicare. Instead they have increased the cost and complexity of the program without improving care, according to new analyses published by the respected journal Health Affairs. Congress clearly has more work to do to remove unjustified subsidies that prop up many of the most inefficient private plans.

Presidential Rx for Health - The Health Care Blog

Past U.S. presidents have provided innovative leadership that shaped the landscape for our national health and science institutions.

Dive Right into Health Care Reform - Huffington Post

The pundits have been speculating on how and when President-elect Obama will tackle health care reform. Will his approach be evolutionary, going slowly seeking incremental change, or revolutionary, going full bore with bold policy strokes? Whichever approach he takes, it seems like things are beginning to move quickly– with the imminent nomination of former Sen. Daschle as HHS secretary, who wrote on Huffington Post last March, "The time is now for us to take this [health care] challenge head-on;" with the introduction of a health care bill this month by Sen. Max Baucus; and with Sen. Ted Kennedy's expected roll out of his own proposal.

American Health Care: The Staggering Costs of the Status Quo - Think Progress

Right now, the American health care system spends too much on the wrong things for too few people. This status quo is getting very, very expensive.