New Data from AMA Journal Rekindles Calls for Healthcare Reform

The Journal of the AMA (JAMA) on March 21 released the most comprehensive study to date on U.S. healthcare spending. It confirms that Americans are spending too much, and getting too little. But it also gives us some new insights on what’s driving up costs. The study has been widely reported in mainstream media – … Continue reading New Data from AMA Journal Rekindles Calls for Healthcare Reform →

W. Va. Settles Teacher Strike But Not the Problem of Healthcare Cost

West Virginia teachers settled their strike March 6 when they reached agreement with the Governor and Legislature giving them a 5 percent pay raise. But according to State Senate president Mitch Carmichael and Craig Blair, Senate Finance Committee chair, at least some of the $110 million yearly cost of the contract would come from … Continue reading W. Va. Settles Teacher Strike But Not the Problem of Healthcare Cost →

Elevator Pitch for Oregon-style Healthcare Reform

Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, was famous for cornering his managers to justify their projects with an “elevator pitch” that could be delivered to him during a short ride from one floor to the next. Here’s mine pushing for healthcare reform and an Oregon-style cost-benefit analysis approach: You know, of course, how … Continue reading Elevator Pitch for Oregon-style Healthcare Reform →

FAQ: How Would Cost-Benefit Analysis Be Used to Restrain Healthcare Costs? – The Case of an Expensive New Cholesterol Drug

Executive Summary Some experts say that cost-benefit analysis is the way to restrain soaring healthcare costs and reform the system. How exactly would cost-benefit analysis work? This blog argues: Forget the caviar. But keep costworthy care on the menu. To explain what this means, let’s look at the case of Repatha (evolocumab), the new cholesterol-lowering drug, … Continue reading FAQ: How Would Cost-Benefit Analysis Be Used to Restrain Healthcare Costs? – The Case of an Expensive New Cholesterol Drug →

FAQ: Could a Healthcare Reform Plan Designed for a Single State Work at a National Level?

Could an approach used 23 years ago by a single state, targeted only at its Medicaid program, be applied on a national scale for reforming the vast U.S. healthcare system? The answer is Yes. Oregon in 1994 decided to cut services instead of cutting patients in response to a Medicaid budget squeeze. The governor used … Continue reading FAQ: Could a Healthcare Reform Plan Designed for a Single State Work at a National Level? →