How Obamacare’s Progress Makes Expanding Coverage Harder July 21, 2014 Perspective This was published as a Wall Street Journal Think Tank column on July 21, 2014. The Affordable Care Act’s success meeting its initial enrollment goals and the repair of HealthCare.gov seem to have calmed the political waters for Obamacare. But the job of enrolling the uninsured gets harder, not easier, because the remaining uninsured…
The Stakes Beyond the Halbig Lawsuit July 25, 2014 Perspective In a column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman discusses if the legal court cases about whether the government can provide tax credits to people in the Affordable Care Act’s federal health exchanges will be perceived by the American people as a legitimate legal question or as more inside-Washington politics.
Amid Tensions, Legal Immigrants Fear Signing Up for Obamacare July 30, 2014 Perspective In his latest column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman discusses new Kaiser Family Foundation survey findings about how fear of enforcement of immigration laws may be affecting Latino enrollment in the Affordable Care Act.
For All the ‘Grubergate’ Talk, Few Americans May Have Listened December 9, 2014 Perspective In this column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman examines the disconnect between Washington insiders and the public when it comes to attention paid to news stories like “Grubergate”.
Which Path for Health-Care Politics in 2015? January 6, 2015 Perspective This was published as a Wall Street Journal Think Tank column on January 6, 2015. Yogi Berra said that when you come to a fork in the road, take it. It will be that kind of year for health-care politics. The status quo is not an option. The key to which path…
High Health-Care Prices: More Talk Than Action January 12, 2015 Perspective In this column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman explores how price is the major factor that distinguishes the cost of our health care system from those in other developed nations, yet most efforts in the U.S. to address health-care costs don’t focus on price much at all.
Harvard and Growth in Health Care Cost Sharing January 15, 2015 Perspective In this column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman explains why recent discussion of Harvard University’s introduction of new health insurance cost sharing measures amounted to “making a mountain out of a mole hill”.
Medicare’s Role in Health-Care Payment Reform January 29, 2015 Perspective In this column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman explores whether Secretary Burwell’s announcement this week about Medicare’s payment reform initiative is another sign that the public sector is becoming the engine driving payment and delivery reform.
Medicare Spending Cuts and Hospital Productivity Gains February 25, 2015 Perspective In this column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman and guest co-author Dana Goldman examine hospital productivity gains, and what they may mean for hospitals’ ability to absorb spending reductions.
If Health Insurance Subsidies Are Struck Down, States Will Need Time March 4, 2015 Perspective In this column for The Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank, Drew Altman explores a practical timetable for state action if the Supreme Court rules in favor of the plaintiffs in King V. Burwell and ponders what Republicans in Congress might do.