Washington Health Policy Week in Review

2009 Issues

November 16, 2009
Eyes turn to Senate on health reform; Business Roundtable report says health system overhaul could bring savings; and more.
November 9, 2009
House passes health care overhaul; amendment to forbid federal funding for abortion in new insurance programs passes House; and more.
November 2, 2009
House Dems rally around health care package; Senate Majority Leader Reid to include public option in bill; and more.
October 26, 2009
House Dems consider an array of public plan options; NCQA report finds quality of care not improving; and more.
October 19, 2009
Senate Finance Committee approves health care bill; House to extend coverage to young adults under parents' policies; and more.
October 13, 2009
CBO estimates Finance health bill will cost $829 billion; getting public option through the Senate will require deft maneuvering; and more.
October 5, 2009
Senate Finance Committee plan would ease penalties for lower-income Americans who cannot afford coverage; Committee members reject public plan option; and more.
September 28, 2009
It's "hurry up and wait" at the Finance committe markup; Baucus faces challenges from liberals on proposals; and more.
September 21, 2009
Sen. Baucus unveils health reform plan -- sparking objections from industry, liberals, and unions; House Democrats push for public plan; and more.
September 14, 2009
While percentage of uninsured children declined, overall number of uninsured rose from 45.7 million in 2007 to 46.2 million in 2008; will Democrats unite to move health care bill?; and more.
August 24, 2009
White House says Obama is not shying away from public option despite comments; Senate health overhaul negotiators plan cost-cutting; and more.
August 17, 2009
Democrats are not backing away from health care overhaul; coalition pushing for more provisions to "bend the cost curve"; and more.
August 10, 2009
Obama helps Democrats prepare to rally support for completing a health care overhaul; the Senate turns to Medicaid expansion; and more.
August 3, 2009
Last of three House committees approves health overhaul bill; CBO says that draft Senate bill would cost less than $900 billion over 10 years.
July 27, 2009
Obama stresses urgency of health reform in press conference; no agreement with House 'Blue Dog' Democrats; and more.
July 20, 2009
House Ways and Means panel approves health reform; Conservative House Democrats express reservations; and more.
July 13, 2009
House Democrats consider surtax to pay for health reform; White House announces deal with hospitals to cut payments; and more.
June 29, 2009
Baucus says health reform bill will cost less than $1 trillion; Commonwealth Fund report finds public health insurance plan will generate the most savings; and more.
June 22, 2009
House Democratic plan for overhaul would require individual and employer mandates; MedPAC calls for payment reform; and more.
June 15, 2009
HELP committee releases health overhaul bill; Orzag emphasized deficit neutrality in health reform; and more.
June 8, 2009
White House releases economic case for health reform; underinsurance causing medical debt; and more.
May 26, 2009
Study finds no link between hospital quality and cost; failure to overhaul health system would be costly; and more.
May 18, 2009
White House and health care industry smooth over flap on cost cuts; Medicare trustees project 2017 insolvency of hospital trust fund; and more.
May 11, 2009
HHS budget includes reforms to doctor payment formula to help pay for health overhaul; Senate Finance Committee holds hearing on public plan; and more.
May 4, 2009
Congress adopts budget; Sebelius confirmed; and more.
April 27, 2009
House and Senate strike deal on budget, including health care reform provisions; survey finds most people support shared responsibility for health coverage; and more.
April 20, 2009
House Majority Leader plots health care strategy; CMS announces pilot to reduce hospital readmissions; and more.
April 6, 2009
Senate adopts budget resolution; Gov. Sebelius confirmation delayed; hospital readmissions occurs in one-fifth of Medicare patients; and more.
March 30, 2009
House Dems approve budget outline to overhaul health care; health insurers propose to stop charging more to cover sick; and more.
March 23, 2009
New health IT coordinator says that federal funding, "geek squads," and performance-based payments are key to adoption of health IT; debates over comparative effectiveness research; and more.
March 16, 2009
House Committee members debate creation of a public health insurance plan; Senator promises summer deadline for health care reform legislation; and more.
March 9, 2009
Obama says health overall must be enacted this year; Sebelius nominated to HHS; and more.
March 2, 2009
Obama budget includes plans to expand health coverage; Senate holds hearing on the underinsured; and more.
February 23, 2009
Fiscal responsibility summit to address long-term debt and budget shortfalls; Commonwealth Fund report finds that policies requiring coverage and changing payments would lower costs and increase coverage; and more.
February 17, 2009
Stimulus deal includes big investments in health IT, COBRA, and "comparative effectiveness" research; Wyden bill attracts Republicans.
February 9, 2009
Obama signs the State Children's Health Program expansion; Baucus and Kennedy plan to move on health overall this year; and more.
February 2. 2009
Senators gear up for stimulus debate; House Majority Leader hints that health reform may take place next year; and more.
January 26, 2009
Laid-off workers need assistance to cover COBRA premiums; Senate stimulus plan offers health spending boost; and more.
January 20, 2009
House stimulus bill includes billions for health IT as well as money for Medicaid and COBRA; Senate SCHIP bill goes to the floor; and more.
January 12, 2009
Small increase in health spending leads to slowing of U.S. health spending; Obama and Daschle will not purse expedited procedures to pass health care overall.

2008 Issues

December 22, 2008
Stark seeks government insurance option; retail clinics' benefits still unclear; and more.
December 15, 2008
Daschle appointed HHS Secretary; Obama says economy is straining the health care system; and more.
December 8, 2008
A look at how Daschle might rebuild the health system; governors' Medicaid spending request unknown; and more.
November 24, 2008
Reactions to choice of Sen. Daschle to head HHS; Sen. Baucus insists health care reform must be part of economic recovery package; and more.
November 17, 2008
Sen. Baucus outlines health reform plan; U.S. patients much more likely than those in other countries to go without needed care due to costs; and more.
November 10, 2008
Considering President-elect Obama's early moves on health care reform; Democrats to push for SCHIP expansion; study assesses hospital patients' views on their care; and more.
November 3, 2008
Mass. reform law has not caused employers to cut back on coverage; overpayments to private Medicare plans will continue to be a drag on public spending, study finds; and more.
October 27, 2008
Providing subsidies to individuals would be most efficient way to cover uninsured, according to a new report; economist offers "inconvenient truths" about health care; and more.
October 20, 2008
Medicaid spending to hit $674 billion over next decade; would McCain's health plan raise taxes?; and more.
October 14, 2008
Report: McCain's proposal to allow health plans to be sold across state lines would decrease access to insurance; comparative effectiveness must be part of health reform, experts say; and more.
October 6, 2008
Medicaid enrollment swells as economy worsens; CBO to consider options for controlling health care costs; and more.
July 28, 2008
Proposed bill would lower prices for some drugs under Medicare Part D; experts say Medicare should include long-term care benefits; and more.
July 21, 2008
House and Senate overrode Pres. Bush's veto of Medicare bill; U.S. scores low on measures of quality, access, and efficiency; and more.
July 14, 2008
Interest groups celebrate Medicare bill's passage; business coalition voices concerns over Wyden's health care bill; and more.
September 29, 2008
Talks on comprehensive health care reform continue, despite $700 billion federal bailout; more than 57 million Americans had medical debt in 2007; and more.
September 22, 2008
Studies analyze Obama and McCain's health plans; impact of the economy on interest in health care reform; and more.
September 15, 2008
Lawmakers start tough work of overhauling Medicare physician payment system; panelists discuss challenges, rewards of medical homes; and more.
September 8, 2008
Drop in uninsured unlikely to make case for public program expansions; new survey finds more Americans face medical debts; and more.
February 25, 2008
In analysis of health costs, CBO targets geographic variation; health benefits, not wages, are key to expanding coverage, study says; and more.
February 19, 2008
Bush Administration asks Congress to curb Medicare spending, improve value of care; continued tensions over SCHIP funding; and more.
February 11, 2008
Senate Democrats' take on Bush's budget proposals; CMS plans for Medicare's QIOs; and more.
February 4, 2008
Panel emphasizes value rather than cost of health care; Congress unlikely to support Bush Medicare cuts; and more.
June 30, 2008
Medicare physician payment bill fails to pass in Senate; further evidence that insured population faces barriers to care; and more.
June 23, 2008
House to vote on Medicare bill this week; Fed chairman calls for improvements in health system performance; and more.
June 16, 2008
Senate Republicans block debate on Medicare bill; rising numbers of underinsured Americans; and more.
June 9, 2008
Senate to take up Medicare bill; quality of children's health care varies by state; Mass. health law reduces uninsured by half; and more.
May 27, 2008
Bush administration blocked from cutting payments to safety net providers, for now; new provider payment model to be pilot tested; and more.
May 19, 2008
CMS will test will test "bundled payment"; Commonwealth Fund's new universal coverage plan; and more.
May 12, 2008
Senate Republicans pushing to drop Medicare and Medicaid provisions from war spending bill; health care costs threaten U.S. businesses, study finds; and more.
May 5, 2008
Sen. McCain would rely on tax credits to expand coverage; survey shows many Americans struggling to pay for health care; and more.
August 18, 2008
CMS will not enforce SCHIP directive "at this time"; team care improves quality, lowers costs; and more.
August 11, 2008
Many with chronic conditions are forgoing care because they are uninsured, report finds; surveys find that Americans want government to lead overhaul of health care system; and more.
August 4, 2008
Bill proposes comparative effectiveness institute; Medicare payment regs aim to reduce medical errors; and more.
April 28, 2008
Presidential candidates' advisers debate health care reform; experts call for fundamental reorganization of the health care delivery system; and more.
April 21, 2008
House passes bill to block cost-cutting Medicaid regulations, while President Bush threatens veto; debate over health savings accounts; and more.
April 14, 2008
MedPAC recommends new tactics to spur efficient care; Senator Baucus aims to boost payments for primary care; and more.
April 7, 2008
Physicians and insurers agree on M.D. performance standards; legislators debate new Medicaid rules; and more.
March 24, 2008
Mayo Clinic says there is no U.S. health care "system"; report calls on Congress to increase funding for community health centers; and more.
March 17, 2008
Amendments to budget bill point to congressional health program priorities; California health system overhaul holds lessons for nation; and more.
March 10. 2008
MedPAC eyes "bundled payments" for episodes of care; health care quality gains not keeping pace with cost increases; and more.
March 3, 2008
MedPAC's advice to lawmakers; health spending to double in a decade, driven by price growth; and more.
January 28, 2008
Senators discuss raising Medicaid funding to boost economy; IOM report urges creation of program to identify best clinical treatments; and more.
January 22, 2008
Democratic presidential candidates more in step than Republican counterparts on what Americans want in a health care system, survey finds; Medicaid funds to be added to stimulus package; and more.
January 14, 2008
U.S. ranks last in preventing deaths from treatable conditions; 26,000 Americans died because they lacked health insurance; and more.
January 7, 2008
New report suggests ways to save $1.5 trillion in health care costs; CMS confirms plan to restrict Medicaid expansions; and more.

2007 Issues

June 25, 2007
Rep. Stark proposes changes to Medicare Part D; the need to consider costs in health care decision-making; and more.
June 18, 2007
MedPAC report proposes efficiency measures; seven private Medicare plans to suspend marketing after consumer complaints; and more.
June 11, 2007
Legislators promote their goals for SCHIP reauthorization; study tracks slowdown in Medicaid spending; and more.
November 19, 2007
CBO points to rising per-capita health care expenses; Fund commission says presidential candidates must target health care quality and efficiency--not just coverage; and more.
November 12, 2007
MedPAC debates the value of Medicare Advantage; health care is top issue among Democratic and Republican voters; and more.
November 5, 2007
Congress holds out for compromise on SCHIP bill; not everyone wants health coverage, Sen. McCain says; and more.
September 24, 2007
House and Senate reach agreement on SCHIP expansion; Sen. Clinton unveils her health care plan; where you live affects how much you spend on medical care, study finds; and more.
September 17, 2007
Democrats close to a deal on SCHIP legislation; health insurance premiums rose 6.1% in 2007, study finds; and more.
September 10, 2007
The Bush administration rejects New York's request to expand subsidized children's health insurance to middle-income families; Democrats push for action on SCHIP legislation; and more.
December 17, 2007
Senate Medicare package will likely not include Medicare Advantage cuts; 90s health reform veterans recommend making overhaul legislation the first order of business for the new administration; and more.
December 10, 2007
MedPAC debates physician pay changes; panel reviews the state of nursing home care; and more.
December 3, 2007
CMS proposes ways to pay hospitals for performance; survey says few Mass. employers dropping coverage because of state subsidy; and more.
October 29, 2007
House passes revised SCHIP bill, but falls short of votes to override veto; new report urges Congress to promote health IT; and more.
October 22, 2007
House fails to override veto of SCHIP legislation; together, public and private insurance can achieve universal coverage, says Fund Commission.
October 15, 2007
Medicare Part B premiums may hit $100; drop in Medicaid rolls tied to citizenship documentation requirements, study finds; and more.
Washington Health Policy Week in Review- October 9, 2007
Bush vetoes SCHIP bill; CMS private plan violations made public; and more.
October 1, 2007
Pres. Bush to veto SCHIP expansion bill; NCQA report finds slower rate of improvement among U.S. health plans; and more.
August 20, 2007
States take the initiative to expand coverage; 6.6 million children in SCHIP last year, study finds; and more.
August 13, 2007
Paying for SCHIP expansion; community health centers deliver care cheaply, study finds; and more.
August 6, 2007
Tough negotiations ahead on SCHIP expansion, Medicare cuts; less than half of Americans are happy with their health care; and more.
July 30, 2007
Bill to expand SCHIP heads to the House floor; reports find that Medicaid citizenship requirements disrupt coverage and raise costs; and more.
July 23, 2007
Senate panel approves SCHIP expansion; House committees to mark up the legislation; health experts discuss paths to universal coverage; and more.
Julyn16, 2007
Senate nears deals on SCHIP expansion, while Pres. Bush threatens veto; physician groups debate payments to Medicare Advantage plans; and more.
July 2, 2007
Democrats vow to expand SCHIP, avoid Medicare physician payment cuts; study points to challenges in "paying for performance"; and more.
May 29, 2007
Congress delays Medicaid cuts; Stark says private fee-for-service plans high on the list for Medicare cuts; and more.
May 21, 2007
Seeking $50 billion for kids' coverage; Stark to propose Medicare cuts; international study finds U.S. health system lags behind; and more.
May 14, 2007
CBO report finds SCHIP moved children from private to public coverage; critics say Medicare Advantage plans don't deliver; and more.
May 7, 2007
April 30, 2007
Gloomy report on long-term health of Medicare Trust Fund; lawmakers put forth universal coverage legislation; and more.
April 23, 2007
Republicans block bill on Medicare drug price negotiation, while new report finds prices for top Medicare drugs on rise; and more.
April 16, 2007
MedPAC backs research on effectiveness of health care treatments; finding common ground on path to univeral coverage; and more.
April 2007
House passes budget resolution; debate on children's health insurance continues; and more.
March 26, 2007
Fund study finds Hill health plans would improve coverage, lower cost; cutting Medicare Advantage payments may be tough; and more.
March 19, 2007
Clinton and Dingell collaborate to expand SCHIP coverage; hearing highlights Katrina's damage to New Orleans health care system; and more.
March 12, 2007
Sen. Baucus to seek $50 billion more for SCHIP; lawmakers express frustration over Medicare physician payment puzzle; and more.
March 5, 2007
SCHIP expansion may not happen in 2007, Sen. Kennedy says; CBO budget report suggests ways to trim Medicare; and more.
January 29, 2007
Criticism of Bush's health care proposals; primary care is key to health system reform, says the American College of Physicians; and more.
January 22, 2007
Bipartisan bill would fund states' efforts to cover uninsured; preventive care gets low marks on quality report card; and more.
January 16, 2007
House passes bill requiring Medicare drug price negotiation; experts testify before Senate on need to control health costs and cover uninsured; and more.
January 8, 2007
House Dems draft bill giving HHS power to negotiate Medicare drug prices, while Senate examines issue; trouble ahead for federal long-term care insurance program; and more.
February 26, 2007
Health care spending to pass $4 trillion by 2016; experts say that Medicaid spending is sustainable; Premier P4P demo extended; and more.
February 20, 2007
Bipartisan children's health plan announced; calls for Congress to create a center for effectiveness research; and more.
February 12, 2007
Democrats criticize HHS budget proposal; lines of debate emerge over the future of the State Children's Health Insurance Program; and more.
February 5, 2007
Medicare targeted for budget cuts; study urges lower cost-sharing for services that provide most value; and more.

2006 Issues

March 27, 2006
This week: Medicare drug rolls grow, CMS to launch quality incentive program for nursing homes, and more.
March 20, 2006
This week: Congress mulls transparency in health care; study says Americans get half of recommended care; and more.
March 13, 2006
This week: potential changes to Medicare drug benefit; Bush backs association health plans; and more.
March 6, 2006
This week: Senate committee focuses on association health plans; debates over proposed Medicare cuts; and more.
December 18, 2006
This week: Congress funds children's coverage; winners and losers in Medicare payment package; Democrats lay out health care agenda; and more.
December 11, 2006
This week: MedPAC mulls physician payment hike; Americans not drawn to high-deductible health plans, study finds; experts urge measurement of patient satisfaction; and more.
December 4, 2006
Managed care plans costs Medicare more, study finds; will wealthier Medicare beneficiaries protest higher premiums?; and more.
February 27, 2006
This week: governors look to wellness initiatives; new projections on health costs; 1.5 million more in Medicare drug plans; and more.
February 21, 2006
This week: legislation may be needed to ensure price transparency for health services, Bush hints; study finds Medicare drug plans require higher cost-sharing than other plans; and more.
February 13, 2006
This week: reactions to Bush's proposed Medicare, Medicaid cuts; congressional staff preview 2006 health policy making; and more.
February 6, 2006
This week: White House pushes HSAs; critics say they threaten traditional insurance; McClellan defends drug benefit; and more.
November 27, 2006
This week: New data support mandatory reporting of hospital infection rates; House oversight hearings on the Medicare drug benefit could start in February; and more.
November 20, 2006
This week: will Congress make up shortfalls in SCHIP funding?; Sen. Kennedy to focus on drug benefit's "doughnut hole" and stem cell research; and more.
November 13, 2006
This week: health care will be core issue for new Congress; Medicare commissioners consider plan for rewarding efficiency; and more.
November 6, 2006
U.S. physicians less likely to offer after-hours care or use health IT than doctors abroad; funding not always the key to advanced health IT; and more.
April 24, 2006
This week: MedPAC urges swift action on hospital payment reform; 30 million now receiving Medicare drug coverage; and more.
April 17, 2006
This week: Bush urges Congress to approve HSA tax breaks; critics fault Massachusetts' new coverage law; and more.
April 10, 2006
This week: reactions to Massachusetts' coverage plan; U.S. health system lags behind other nations, surveys find; and more.
April 3, 2006
Democrats urge extension of transitional Medicare drug coverage; House budget would cut domestic spending; and more.
January 30, 2006
This week: HHS will help states recoup drug costs for low-income seniors; two governors defend planned Medicaid reforms; and more.
January 23, 2006
This week: HHS scrambles to address problems with Medicare drug benefit; pharmacists and patients report problems and Democrats call for reforms.
January 17, 2006
This week: health care spending growth slows; new report shows widening health disparities between Hispanics and whites; and more.
October 2006
Health insurance costs cutting into family savings, survey finds; evidence mixed on consumer-directed health plans; and more.
October 23, 2006
Declining job-based coverage causing rising numbers of uninsured, studies find; Congressman Stark's plans for Medicare under a Democratic House; and more.
October 16, 2006
This week: only 9 percent of doctors use full electronic health records, survey finds; McClellan's legacy at CMS; and more.
October 10, 2006
This week: states expanding health coverage; health spending growing faster than economy, wages; and more.
October 2, 2006
This week: more drug plans available in Medicare in 2007; House leader determined to fix Medicare physician payments; and more.
September 25, 2006
This week: Fund Commission releases scorecard on U.S. health system performance; IOM releases report supporting P4P; and more.
September 18, 2006
This week: GAO report shows that HSAs will not lower health costs, Baucus says; last chance to find agreement on Medicare physician payment; and more.
September 11, 2006
This week: GAO finds HSAs attract wealthier Americans; committee mulling ways to control Medicare spending growth; health IT legislation likely to pass; and more.
August 21, 2006
This week: evidence emerges of bipartisan agreement on health care spending; study finds QIOs improve care in Medicare; and more.
August 14, 2006
This week: CMS to tighten regulation of specialty hospitals; Consumer Reports names best and worst nursing homes; and more.
August 7, 2006
This week: new Medicare hospital payments to take effect this fall; HHS issues regulations for donating health IT; and more.
June 26, 2006
This week: national PRP demo shows incentives can improve quality and lower costs; Wall Street warns of trouble ahead in Medicare drug program; and more.
June 19, 2006
This week: Medicare aims to get better value for spending; easing enrollment would expand SCHIP coverage, analysts testify; and more.
June 12, 2006
This week: citizens' group calls for universal coverage; more Americans choosing HSAs; payments to MA plans scrutinized; and more.
July 31, 2006
This week: lawmakers tackle Medicare physician payments; CMS pushes physician quality measurement; and more.
July 24, 2006
This week: new IOM report finds 1.5 harmed each year from medical errors; CMS defends planned changes to hospital payments; and more.
July 17, 2006
This week: Medicaid spending slows, but not so Medicare's; better quality would save money, Berwick tells Medicaid Commission; and more.
July 5, 2006
This week: The HSA debate rages on; employers plan to cut back retiree coverage; Democrats introduce Medicare drug bill; and more.
May 30, 2006
This week: study finds higher drug plan premiums in traditional Medicare; number of uninsured young adults grows; and more.
May 2006
This week: Proposal to waive Medicare late enrollment fee; preventive care next CMS focus; and more.
May 15, 2006
This week: health care agenda stalls in Senate; study finds U.S. lags on adopting health IT; and more.
May 8, 2006
This week: Medicare to post price data; insurers advocate health databases; and more.
May 1, 2006
This week: small business group backs AHP bill; more moderate-income Americans lack coverage; and more.

2005 Issues

December 27, 2005
This week: health groups hope to stop budget cuts; 20 million enrolled in Medicare drug plans; and more.
December 19, 2005
This week: Congressional budget package includes health care cuts ; CEOs cite health care as biggest cost pressure for third consecutive year; and more.
December 12, 2005
This week: Congress may exclude Medicare Advantage plans from P4P; study finds problems with consumer- directed plans; and more.
December 5, 2005
This week: CMS announces plan to ensure Rx coverage for dual eligibles; IOM report urges national P4P program; and more.
January 31, 2005
This week: Medicaid's budget picture; Medicare tries pay-for-performance; and more.
May 31, 2005
This week: House committee scrutinizes non-profit hospital financing; report argues that covering the uninsured could save billions; and more.
May 23, 2005
This week: questions about pay-for-performance; HHS Secretary Leavitt outlines plans for Medicaid commission; and more.
May 16, 2005
This week: survey finds widespread support for P4P; insurance and patient groups caution about association health plans; and more.
May 9, 2005
This week: new Medicare quality chartbook; governors offer Medicaid overhaul; 1 million HSAs sold; and more.
May 2, 2005
This week: $10 billion in Medicaid cuts on the block; CDC joins "100,000 lives" campaign; and more.
April 25 2005
This week: MedPAC votes to cut spending on private Medicare plans; support for evidence-based drug prescribing; and more.
April 18, 2005
This week: possible compromise on mandatory spending cuts; HSAs report shows mixed results; goals set for quality improvement in Medicare; and more.
April 11, 2005
This week: experts see "fundamental change" in drive to improve quality; state-by-state quality data released; Medicare PPOs spread; and more.
April 2005
This week: an update on pay for performance in Medicare; Part B premiums are rising; the budget battle gears up; and more.
March 2005
This week: CBO says Bush's Medicaid plan would save less than the administration projects; states worry about higher costs; and more.
February 28, 2005
This week: CMS predicts higher public health spending; debate over Bush's Medicaid plans sharpens; AHRQ releases quality reports; ane more.
February 17, 2005
This week: Bush on drug costs; HHS details Medicaid cuts; and more.
November 28, 2005
This week: White House weighs in on pending health legislation; study finds slowdown in health benefit costs; and more.
November 21, 2005
This week: House passes spending cuts package; Senate passes health IT bill; CMS calls P4P demo a success; and more.
November 14, 2005
This week: AMA opposes physician voluntary reporting program; survey finds confusion over new Medicare drug benefit; and more.
November 7, 2005
This week: international survey finds health care abroad is cheaper; growth in uninusured shown to outpace spending; and more.
October 31, 2005
This week: Medicaid commission sets to work; CMS announces program allowing physicians to submit performance data; and more.
October 24, 2005
This week: Senate would cut $10 billion from Medicare, Medicaid; Florida demo gives states new powers to alter Medicaid; and more.
October 17, 2005
This week: House, Senate wrangling over cuts to Medicare, Medicaid; first evaulation of P4P finds improved clinical quality.
October 11, 2005
This week: higher quality, but fewer patients, at HMOs; calls for IT and public-private efforts to achieve health system reform; and more.
October 3, 2005
This week: Medicare beneficiaries can choose drug plans that fill the "doughnut hole"; CMS announces voluntary quality reporting system; and more.
September 26, 2005
This week: Medicare prescription drug plans chosen; CMS releases test version of EHR for doctors' offices; and more.
September 19, 2005
This week: evidence that health premiums are rising faster than wages; sharp rise in Medicare Part B premiums for 2006; and more.
Washington Health Policy Week in Review - September 12, 2005
This week: state Medicaid officials want answers about payments for services for Katrina victims; PPOs may cost Medicare $60 billion over a decade; and more.
Washington Health Policy Week in Review
This week: uninsured rolls up in 2004; many Medicare drug plans will charge lower monthly premiums than expected; and more.
Washington Health Policy Week in Review
This week: one of three Hispanics lacks health coverage; Medicare officials predict savings under new drug benefit; and more.
August 8, 2005
This week: reported drop in number of uninsured kids; $156 billion health IT price tag; outpatient performance measures; and more.
August 1, 2005
This week: House debates IT legislation while Senate examines P4P; CMS head says—after 40 years—Medicare should aim higher.
July 25, 2005
This week: Senate panel okays health IT bill; P4P might not prevent payment cuts for doctors; and more.
Washington Health Policy Week in Review -18 July 2005
This week: new proposal to pay Medicare MDs for quality and efficiency; Wall Street's take on current health policies; and more.
July 11, 2005
This week: Medicaid commission members announced; survey finds many women forgo care because of costs; and more.
July 5 2005
This week: Senate bills on health IT and P4P; hearings on Medicaid fraud and spending; and more.
June 27, 2005
This week: lawmakers push for performance payments in Medicare; new study finds health spending still outpaces economic growth; and more.
June 20 2005
This week: HHS push to explain Medicare drug benefit; Sens. Frist and Clinton introduce bill to create electronic medical records; and more.
June 13, 2005
This week: governors set out their Medicaid reform vision; legislation proposed to end Medicare's waiting period for the disabled; and more.