Pulling it Together from Drew Altman: Multiple Agendas for Controlling Health Care Costs January 26, 2009 Perspective In what would be a domestic policy trifecta, we may be headed for interconnected big debates about economic recovery, entitlement programs and health reform. A core issue in the entitlement and health reform debates is the problem of rising health care costs. President Obama, now apparently fully briefed on the…
Kaiser Health Tracking Poll — February 2009 February 1, 2009 Poll Finding The first Kaiser Health Tracking Poll of 2009 finds the public is increasingly worried about the affordability and availability of care, with many postponing or skipping treatments due to cost in the past year and a notable minority forced into serious financial straits due to medical bills. Slightly more than…
Health Affairs Article: Beyond Incrementalism? SCHIP and the Politics of Health Reform February 28, 2009 Report This article examines the political and legislative history of the Children’s Health Insurance Program and analyzes the lessons for policymakers who are contemplating broader health care reform. It was published online in the journal Health Affairs and was authored by Jonathan Oberlander, an associate professor, social medicine and health policy…
Making Health Care Work for American Families: Medicaid and Access to Care March 1, 2009 Event Diane Rowland, executive vice president of the Kaiser Family Foundation and executive director of the Foundation’s Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, testified March 24, 2009, before the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health as part of a hearing entitled “Making Health Care Work for American Families: Access to…
In Depth Analysis of Health Reform Issues May 15, 2009 Report These reports provide in-depth analysis related to the health reform debate. Additional reports will be added as they become available. Medicaid Expansion in Health Reform: National and State Estimates of Coverage and Costs This analysis and public briefing examine the potential national and state-by-state impacts on Medicaid enrollment and spending…
Data Note: Footing the Bill June 29, 2009 Poll Finding This brief data note looks at the raft of polls recently released on the public’s willingness to pay for an expansion of coverage to their fellow citizens. It compares and contrasts findings on Americans’ general inclinations on the topic, and also revisits recent findings on specific revenue raising proposals. Data…
Explaining Health Care Reform: How Might a Reform Plan Be Financed? July 1, 2009 Issue Brief One of the key challenges in enacting a health care reform plan is how to finance it among government, employers, and individuals. Of particular concern to policymakers is what effect a health reform plan would have on government spending and the federal budget. President Obama and Congressional leaders have said…
Health Reform Opportunities: Improving Policy for Dual Eligibles July 30, 2009 Issue Brief As the nation considers national health reform, this brief provides an overview of opportunities to realign federal and state policy for the dual eligibles to promote a more rational, cost-efficient system for 9 million of the poorest, sickest and highest-cost people covered by both Medicaid and Medicare. Navigating two programs…
Kaiser Health Tracking Poll — August 2009 August 1, 2009 Poll Finding The August Kaiser Health Tracking Poll finds a slim majority of Americans continues to favor moving forward on health care reform now despite an intensifying ad war and a political climate of contentious town hall meetings that coincide with rising concerns about the reform effort. Fifty-three percent of the public…
Key Findings: Kaiser Health Tracking Poll — August 2009 August 1, 2009 Poll Finding This document contains the key findings from the August Health Tracking Poll. The survey was designed and analyzed by public opinion researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation and was conducted August 4 through August 11, 2009, among a nationally representative random sample of 1,203 adults ages 18 and older. Telephone…