health care reform

Blog entry

Ben Franklin's Health Care Reform Program

In the early 18th century, before he served on a committee of five who drafted the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Ben Franklin already had the solution to health care reform in America when he proclaimed, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

If only the legislators who came after him had listened to his wisdom, perhaps this country would not be in the health care mess we find ourselves in today. Common sense would dictate that preventing an illness is far better and less expensive than treating it. Yet, our antiquated and greedy health insurance system seems to prefer following the oftentimes disastrous and measurably more expensive practice of treating an illness instead of preventing it.More »

health care reform

H1N1 Influenza and Public Health Preparedness: Are You Willing To Help?

A current article in the New England Journal of Medicine, titled H1N1 Influenza, Public Health Preparedness, and Health Care Reform, provides an interesting look at how we really need to take on health care reform from the standpoint of how vulnerable people are to health-related issues. The author noted that the people hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina were those with the highest burden of chronic disease, many of whom could not be evacuated because they had physical disabilities or required ongoing care. The author also noted that experts have hypothesized that one reason the mortality associated with the current epidemic of swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) virus was so high in Mexico is that many people delayed seeking care, in part because of its cost.More »

crisis preparedness, H1N1, health care reform

Social Health

Am I alone in thinking that everyone should be charged a fee...some fee...even a few cents. This would limit the abuse of low income health care and make patients think twice about rushing to the ER for a runny nose just because it's "free".
There are no free lunches.More »

health care reform

Compliance vs. Reducing Polypharmacy

I hear our leaders (especially Bruce Roberts from NCPA)touting that pharmacists' potential role/contributions in Health Care Reform is in improving compliance. Is that really how we can make an impact? I'm not so sure. I think it is just an easy thing to say.More »

adverse drug reactions, anti-depressants, biphosphonates, compliance, health care reform, nutrition, polypharmacy, PPIs, proton pump inhibitors, statins

No More Excuses

An incredible thing is taking place in this country: A politician is taking the nation's pulse on health care by actually touching base with regular citizens and asking them their opinions. But this no ordinary politician; it is the president of the United States. Imagine that, a president who actually wants to listen to what Americans have to say.

President Obama has pledged that senior officials in his administration will have "open conversations with everyday Americans, local, state, and federal elected officials, both Democrat and Republican." These regional forums, which are taking place in California, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, and Vermont, will also include health care professionals and providers. The results will help shape the framework of any kind of future health care reform.More »

health care reform, noncompliance, President Obama

News Story

Deals to Restrain Generic Drugs Face a Ban

01/13/2010

A group of House lawmakers and the head of the Federal Trade Commission want Congress to include a provision in the health care legislation that they say could save American consumers several billion dollars a year on prescription drugs.

The group plans to ask Congress on Wednesday to block business deals in which they say makers of name-brand drugs directly or indirectly pay generic makers to delay competition from cheaper generic alternatives.

The House bill already includes such a ban. The Congressional Budget Office, considering only federal drug spending, has estimated that the House provision could save the government $1.8 billion in health costs over the next 10 years.

The Senate version does not include such a prohibition. But a group of nine Democrats, led by Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, signed a letter late last month to the majority leader, Harry Reid, urging that a ban be included in the final legislation.More »

health care reform

New Report Highlights How Health Insurance Reform Will Reduce Costs for Small Businesses

10/29/2009

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today released a new report, Lower Premiums, Stronger Businesses: How Health Insurance Reform Will Bring Down Costs for Small Businesses. The report outlines the many ways health insurance reform will lower health care costs for small businesses.

“Small businesses drive our economy and create jobs, but they are struggling as health care costs continue to rise,” Secretary Sebelius said. “The high cost of care is making it difficult or impossible for these businesses to offer care or grow their business. Health insurance reform will bring costs down and give small businesses the relief they need.”More »

health care reform, HHS Secretary, kathleen sebelius

New Study Details Complex Health Care Needs of Medicaid's Highest-Need, Highest-Cost Populations

10/21/2009

Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities frequently have multiple chronic conditions, and very high rates of psychiatric illness and cardiovascular disease, according to a study released today by the Center for Health Care Strategies. As national policymakers debate health reform, The Faces of Medicaid III: Refining the Portrait of People with Multiple Chronic Conditions provides insights for targeting efforts to improve care and control spending for Medicaid's highest-need, highest-cost beneficiaries. These insights are relevant and applicable to other populations and patients with multiple complex comorbidities. The study was funded through a grant from Kaiser Permanente.More »

health care reform, Medicaid

IMS Forecasts Global Pharmaceutical Market Growth of 4 - 6% in 2010; Predicts 4 - 7% Expansion Through 2013

10/14/2009

IMS Health reported that the value of the global pharmaceutical market in 2010 is expected to grow 4 - 6 percent on a constant-dollar basis, exceeding $825 billion, driven by stronger near-term growth in the U.S. market. The forecast, the leading annual industry indicator of market dynamics, predicts global pharmaceutical market sales to grow at a 4 - 7 percent compound annual growth rate through 2013, and takes into account the impact of the global macroeconomy, the changing mix of innovative and mature products, and the rising influence of healthcare access and funding on market demand. Global pharmaceutical market value is expected to expand to $975+ billion by 2013.

In its latest forecast, the company raised its expectations for five-year pharmaceutical market growth by one percentage point, partly due to the stronger demand being experienced in 2009. The conclusions are drawn from the latest release of IMS Market Prognosis™, the company’s series of strategic market forecasting publications.More »

health care reform, IMS

Americans Skeptical That Healthcare Reform Will Improve Quality or Affordability

09/30/2009

Americans lack confidence that healthcare reform will deliver more affordable or better quality medical care, according to a survey released today by Thomson Reuters.

Forty-one percent of survey respondents said they believed reform will make healthcare more affordable. When sorted by political affiliation, however, the results of the survey show sharp divisions along party lines: 72 percent of Democrats said they believe reform will lower healthcare costs versus 12 percent of Republicans.More »

health care reform, Thomson Reuters

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