Our Health Policy Matters

Let’s open 2014 with four health policy predictions.  Here are the first three: Obamacare enrollments will top 5 million. Uninsured rates will come down. Health inflation will tick up. Here’s why you can count on these.   First, 1.1 million people have already enrolled in Obamacare.  The Administration hopes for 7 million by March.  That may be optimistic, but there will be another burst of enrollments in a couple of months.  And there will be another open enrollment period toward the end of the year.  So at least 5 million enrollments seems reasonable.  And here is a bonus prediction.  If that many sign up, the politics of Obamacare in the half of the states that have embraced it will probably shift during the 2014 election cycle.  Their people will, too. Second, the number of people who are uninsured will go down.  A 1 or 2 percent decline will be attributable to Obamacare.  The improving economy will...

Let’s open 2014 with four health policy predictions.  Here are the first three: Obamacare enrollments will top 5 million. Uninsured rates will come down. Health inflation will tick up. Here’s why you can count on these.   First, 1.1 million people have already enrolled in Obamacare.  The Administration hopes for 7 million by March.  That may be optimistic, but there will be another burst of enrollments in a couple of months.  And there will be another open enrollment period toward the end of the year.  So at least 5 million enrollments seems reasonable.  And here is a bonus prediction.  If that many sign up, the politics of Obamacare in the half of the states that have embraced it will probably shift during the 2014 election cycle.  Their people will, too. Second, the number of people who are uninsured will go down.  A 1 or 2 percent decline will be attributable to Obamacare.  The improving economy will...

After a year in second place, Massachusetts is once again the best state for your health in the 2013 Our Health Policy Matters rankings . In first place in 2011, Massachusetts dropped to second last year behind Connecticut.  It edged out Connecticut this year based on the rankings of all fifty states in a combination of seven national source rankings and/or spending categories. Here are the top ten states, with the change from last year’s ranking in parentheses. 1. Massachusetts (+1).   Among the seven components of the rankings, Massachusetts was only 4 th in the Healthy State rankings, and 11 th in the Kids Count health rankings.   But it earns its top rank overall because of consistently high placements in five other health care rankings. 2. Connecticut (-1).   Last year’s winner, Connecticut ranks 2 nd overall in the Kids Count health rankings and in the percentage of residents with employer-based private insurance.   But it is only in ...

After a year in second place, Massachusetts is once again the best state for your health in the 2013 Our Health Policy Matters rankings . In first place in 2011, Massachusetts dropped to second last year behind Connecticut.  It edged out Connecticut this year based on the rankings of all fifty states in a combination of seven national source rankings and/or spending categories. Here are the top ten states, with the change from last year’s ranking in parentheses. 1. Massachusetts (+1).   Among the seven components of the rankings, Massachusetts was only 4 th in the Healthy State rankings, and 11 th in the Kids Count health rankings.   But it earns its top rank overall because of consistently high placements in five other health care rankings. 2. Connecticut (-1).   Last year’s winner, Connecticut ranks 2 nd overall in the Kids Count health rankings and in the percentage of residents with employer-based private insurance.   But it is only in ...

Some states do a much worse job than others of keeping their residents healthy and providing for high-quality, affordable health care when their residents need it.  People usually live shorter, less healthy lives in these states than they might if they lived elsewhere. In my last column, I described a new States for Your Health ranking, and examined the states that finished near the top. This week, I want to look first at why Florida, ranked first in one of the seven indicators – per capita Medicare spending on non-institution-based services – only finished 30 th overall. Florida’s doesn’t invest enough in public health and prevention.  It is 36 th among the states in the 2011 Kids Count rankings, and 37 th in the 2011 Healthy State rankings.  Children in poor environments for their health are more likely to develop both physical and mental illnesses as they age.  Obesity, cancers, heart diseases, and mental illnesses are all expensive, and can cu...

Some states do a much worse job than others of keeping their residents healthy and providing for high-quality, affordable health care when their residents need it.  People usually live shorter, less healthy lives in these states than they might if they lived elsewhere. In my last column, I described a new States for Your Health ranking, and examined the states that finished near the top. This week, I want to look first at why Florida, ranked first in one of the seven indicators – per capita Medicare spending on non-institution-based services – only finished 30 th overall. Florida’s doesn’t invest enough in public health and prevention.  It is 36 th among the states in the 2011 Kids Count rankings, and 37 th in the 2011 Healthy State rankings.  Children in poor environments for their health are more likely to develop both physical and mental illnesses as they age.  Obesity, cancers, heart diseases, and mental illnesses are all expensive, and can cu...

When the Supreme Court reviews the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act next year, it will do so against the backdrop of both a national sentiment for government to do more in the area of health and significant inequalities in access to health and health care based solely on the states in which people live.   A new poll released last week by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health found that 52% of Americans want government to put more resources into health.   Only 41% gave high grades to our health care system, and only 33% gave our public health system high grades. We would all like a more effective health and health care system.  But a better national delivery system would make a much bigger difference in some states than in others. This week, Our Health Policy Matters unveils a new ranking of the states that reflects which states invest most effectively in our health and health care.  It was cr...

When the Supreme Court reviews the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act next year, it will do so against the backdrop of both a national sentiment for government to do more in the area of health and significant inequalities in access to health and health care based solely on the states in which people live.   A new poll released last week by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health found that 52% of Americans want government to put more resources into health.   Only 41% gave high grades to our health care system, and only 33% gave our public health system high grades. We would all like a more effective health and health care system.  But a better national delivery system would make a much bigger difference in some states than in others. This week, Our Health Policy Matters unveils a new ranking of the states that reflects which states invest most effectively in our health and health care.  It was cr...