Our Health Policy Matters

Here is a question I’d love to see candidates answer before the election. Source: NY Times Does the continuing activity around the implementation of the Affordable Care Act signal the collapse of American capitalism – at least as it pertains to health and health care? The myth of American capitalism is so powerful that I imagine they won’t touch this one with a ten foot pole – or even a ten-foot long poll!  In the politics of our $2.6 trillion healthcare economy, however, capitalism takes a back seat. The recent activities of the Connecticut health exchange board explain why capitalism in health care is about as relevant as a Democratic voter in Utah.  Connecticut is one of the dozen or so states embracing ACA, and is making an impressive effort to implement its health insurance exchange on time in 2014.  By contrast, more than half the states have yet to even declare their intentions, even though the deadline for doing so is mid-November. Accord...

Here is a question I’d love to see candidates answer before the election. Source: NY Times Does the continuing activity around the implementation of the Affordable Care Act signal the collapse of American capitalism – at least as it pertains to health and health care? The myth of American capitalism is so powerful that I imagine they won’t touch this one with a ten foot pole – or even a ten-foot long poll!  In the politics of our $2.6 trillion healthcare economy, however, capitalism takes a back seat. The recent activities of the Connecticut health exchange board explain why capitalism in health care is about as relevant as a Democratic voter in Utah.  Connecticut is one of the dozen or so states embracing ACA, and is making an impressive effort to implement its health insurance exchange on time in 2014.  By contrast, more than half the states have yet to even declare their intentions, even though the deadline for doing so is mid-November. Accord...

States’ Medicaid elephants are being dragged into the courts this year.  States had better be careful, or they just might get trampled under the weight of people they’ve failed to enroll. Last week, CT News Junkie reported the story of a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of almost 7,000 potential Medicaid recipients in Connecticut as of November 2011 whose applications were not processed within the 45 days mandated by federal law.   And Health News Florida, among others, reported that Florida’s Attorney General Pam Bondi filed a brief with the Supreme Court on behalf of twenty-six states (Connecticut is not one of them) alleging that Congress exceeds its authority when it “coerces states into accepting onerous conditions” of participation in the Medicaid program –even when it pays 90-100% of the costs of those provisions.  The two battles raise similar questions about how states avoid Medicaid costs today. The Supreme Court brief is supposed ...

States’ Medicaid elephants are being dragged into the courts this year.  States had better be careful, or they just might get trampled under the weight of people they’ve failed to enroll. Last week, CT News Junkie reported the story of a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of almost 7,000 potential Medicaid recipients in Connecticut as of November 2011 whose applications were not processed within the 45 days mandated by federal law.   And Health News Florida, among others, reported that Florida’s Attorney General Pam Bondi filed a brief with the Supreme Court on behalf of twenty-six states (Connecticut is not one of them) alleging that Congress exceeds its authority when it “coerces states into accepting onerous conditions” of participation in the Medicaid program –even when it pays 90-100% of the costs of those provisions.  The two battles raise similar questions about how states avoid Medicaid costs today. The Supreme Court brief is supposed ...

The next time Florida’s Governor tells you that the only way to create private sector jobs is to cut public sector health spending, don’t believe him.   According to news reports , the Governor’s Office is already warning state health agencies to expect more budget cuts in 2012.   He wants the dollars to implement his 7-7-7 plan to create 700,000 jobs in 7 years. source: US DOL data, 2011 How’s the plan working out for Florida so far? Dismally, by two different measures.   The first is the 2011 state unemployment claims data.   The second is the story of why Florida just lost another 7,500 jobs in health research. The 2011 unemployment data show that Florida’s Governor has been more effective at killing jobs than creating them.   The week before Governor Scott took office, 14,139 Floridians lost their jobs and filed new unemployment claims.   In 36 of the 37 weeks since then, the number has been higher than that.   Another 15,713 Florid...

The next time Florida’s Governor tells you that the only way to create private sector jobs is to cut public sector health spending, don’t believe him.   According to news reports , the Governor’s Office is already warning state health agencies to expect more budget cuts in 2012.   He wants the dollars to implement his 7-7-7 plan to create 700,000 jobs in 7 years. source: US DOL data, 2011 How’s the plan working out for Florida so far? Dismally, by two different measures.   The first is the 2011 state unemployment claims data.   The second is the story of why Florida just lost another 7,500 jobs in health research. The 2011 unemployment data show that Florida’s Governor has been more effective at killing jobs than creating them.   The week before Governor Scott took office, 14,139 Floridians lost their jobs and filed new unemployment claims.   In 36 of the 37 weeks since then, the number has been higher than that.   Another 15,713 Florid...