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The health reform law has specific provisions covering mental health and substance use conditions, as well as general provisions to benefit those in need of behavioral health services. While addressing unmet needs, the reform law provisions raise new challenges. Given their budgetary constraints, will states be able to expand capacity…

Beginning in 2011, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires insurance plans to pay out a minimum percentage of premium dollars towards health care expenses and quality improvement activities, limiting the amount spent on administrative and marketing costs and profit. Under the law, large group plans are required to spend at…

Medicare remains in the spotlight as policymakers and presidential candidates look for ways to rein in Medicare spending. One facet of the debate has centered on whether seniors with higher incomes should pay more for their coverage under Medicare. Based on data from the February 2012 Health Tracking Poll, this…

The Alliance for Health Reform, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Association of Health Care Journalists sponsored this live webinar on March 27, 2012, to take a look at what’s happening in the states with implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Many of the key decisions implementing…

This brief provides a side-by-side comparison of recent proposals to transform Medicare into a premium support program and slow the future growth in Medicare spending. These proposals each would convert Medicare from a defined benefit program, in which beneficiaries are guaranteed coverage for a fixed set of benefits, to a…

Headlines regularly call attention to pockets of fraudulent activity in the health care arena – scams that amount to millions and potentially billions of dollars. The stories typically focus on catching the crooks but not so much on efforts to prevent fraud, waste and abuse in health care programs. Both…

As the world marks World AIDS Day (December 1) in this 30th year of the epidemic, Greater Than AIDS announces scaled up partnerships and collaborative efforts with leading media and other corporate allies, community organizations, and state and local health departments to increase knowledge and understanding about HIV/AIDS in America,…

This fact sheet summarizes the Texas health care landscape, including data on demographics, population health, the uninsured and the state Medicaid program. Fact Sheet (.pdf)

A number of states have expressed interest in expanding managed care approaches within their Medicaid programs. While managed care may present an opportunity for better delivery of care, it presents challenges within certain populations and geographic areas. How many states are planning Medicaid managed care expansions? What impact would these…

NEWS RELEASE Thursday, October 27, 2011 New 50-State Survey Finds Cuts In Provider Payments And Changes In Delivery Of Services WASHINGTON, D.C. – Faced with the end of stimulus money and a continuing weak economy, Medicaid officials in virtually every state are enacting a variety of cost cutting measures as states’…