A new Medicare Part E--which Fund experts dub "Medicare Extra"--might alleviate the confusion surrounding the new Part D drug benefit, reduce beneficiary expenses, and lower barriers to essential care. Read more »
A new international survey of people with health problems in the United States and five other industrialized countries reveals disturbing news about access to care and quality of services. Read more »
Comparing her first experience navigating the American health system with a visit to Baskin-Robbins, a British health economist asks, "Can we treat health care like ice cream?" Read more »
Most experts agree that electronic health records can improve care, but what are the costs and benefits of this technology, particularly for the small practices where most U.S. physicians work? Read more »
Advocates of "pay-for-performance" as a means to improve the quality of health care may have received a boost following publication of the first study to assess the use of quality-based financial incentives in a large health plan. Read more »
Although more patients expect physicians to consider their needs and treat them as partners in medical decisions, "patient-centeredness" has yet to become the norm in primary care. Read more »