After Receiving Federal Subsidy, Some Medicare HMOs
Plan To Lower Rates
February 3, 2004
Medicare HMOs are expected to make "substantial
rate cuts and benefit increases" this year
as a result of $500 million in federal subsidies
included
in the new Medicare law (HR 1), the AP/Hartford
Courant reports.
Inquiry Sought in House Vote on Drug Plan for Medicare
February 2, 2004
A leading House Democrat has called on Speaker J.
Dennis Hastert to initiate an ethics investigation
into accusations of bribery during last November's
vote on the new Medicare drug plan, warning that
Democrats will conduct their own inquiry if the House
leader does not act.
San Francisco Chronicle Opinion Pieces Examine Options
for Universal Health Coverage
January 30, 2004
The San Francisco Chronicle featured two opinion
pieces that look at options to achieve universal
health care. Read the summaries.
Consumer 'Rage' Over Health Care Costs Likely To
'Explode,' Columnist Writes
January 30, 2004
Although many analysts and policy makers talk about "explosions" in
health costs and in medical advances, the "biggest
explosion, yet to go off" is "[p]atient
rage," Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel
Henninger writes in a column.
Democratic Presidential Candidates Discuss Each
Others' Health Care Records During Debate
January 30, 2004
The seven Democratic presidential candidates on
Thursday participated in a televised, "policy-oriented" debate
in South Carolina that included attacks on the
health care record of Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.),
the Washington
Post reports (Broder/Harris, Washington Post, 1/30).
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Discusses Issue of the Uninsured
January 29, 2004
Witnesses "from across the ideological spectrum" at
a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
hearing on Wednesday "showed a surprising level
of agreement" on the need to control health
care costs to expand health coverage to the uninsured,
CongressDaily reports.
Bill planned to aid uninsured
January 29, 2004
State of Florida news from the Miami Herald: Proposed
legislation would give 30 percent discounts to uninsured
patients in Florida, but a consumer group criticizes
the plan.
Gov. Jeb Bush proposes $32 million funding boost
for KidCare
January 28, 2004
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Examines Health Care Services
for People Who Are Illiterate
January 27, 2004
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Monday examined
efforts by health care providers to improve people's
health literacy, defined by the Partnership for
Clear Health Communications as "the ability
to read, understand and act on health information."
Why We Pay So Much For Drugs
January 25, 2004
Time magazine investigates “how the clamor
for cheap Canadian imports is heating up the 2004
campaign and giving Washington a headache.”
Dallas Morning News Examines Hispanic Health Care
Services
January 21, 2004
The Dallas Morning News on Saturday looked at Hispanics'
access to and use of health insurance and how insurers
are responding to their needs. According to the
Morning News, the growth of the Hispanic population
in the
United States has caused a "demographic swell" of
uninsured and underinsured Hispanics.
Many States Experimenting With Fewer Benefits To
Cover More People in Public Programs
January 20, 2004
The New York Times on Tuesday examined how officials
in several states are experimenting with "stripped-down
packages" that offer basic health care benefits
in an effort to expand health coverage to more
people, including uninsured workers and young,
middle-class
residents.
Bush to raise Medicare outlays 10.6% to insurers
January 19, 2004
Article from the New York Times on President Bush’s
increased Medicare payments to health maintenance
organizations and other private health plans.
CQ's Carey Discusses Medicare Reform Talks, Mental
Health Parity Legislation
November 10, 2003
Congressional Quarterly senior health reporter
Mary Agnes Carey addresses Medicare conference
committee
negotiations and mental health parity legislation
in this week's "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org
and CQ."
