Unbiased Analysis of Today's Healthcare Issues
All patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) are eligible for Medicare regardless of their age. In 1972, the Social Security Act extended all Medicare Part A and Part B benefits to individuals with ESRD (of any age) who are entitled to receive Social Security benefits. ESRD beneficiaries now account for 1% of Medicare enrollment.…
John Holahan has a nice RWJ issue brief summarizing how health reform will affect the federal budget. This spreadsheet I made has a summary of the CBO projections. The CBO claims that over the next 10 years, expansions to Medicaid and CHIP and the subsidies for the health insurance exchange will increase the deficit by…
The U.S. medical system does a good job of vaccinating children. The CDC has a list of recommended vaccinations which most children receive during routine physician visits. As children grow into adolescents, however, they are less likely to visit their primary care provider regularly. As a handful of new vaccines are targeted at teens (e.g.,…
Today I’ll be talking about healthcare in Australia. Australia a rich country with 21.2 million residents, has the sixth highest life expectancy of any country in the world. The review of the Australian healthcare system is based on the Australia’s Health 2008 report. Unless otherwise noted, all dollar figures reference are in Australian dollars ($1…
Recently, the N.Y. Times, ran a story on medication therapy management programs (MTMPs). These programs typically involve either face-to-face or over-the-phone sessions between pharmacists and patients in retail stores or clinics. For example, insurance plans pay pharmacists to track patients, monitor cholesterol or blood glucose levels, and prod customers to change their diets or exercise. …
$26 billion for States (especially Medicaid). Getting rid of tenure. Bending the curve. Better discharge planning and follow-up care don’t reduce readmissions. Why the health insurance industry supported ObamaCare.
Medicare Part D increases beneficiary utilization of drugs, but does not decrease utilization of other medical services or improve health. That is the conclusion Kaestner and Khan (2010) reach using data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. Many other studies have found that prescription drug insurance plans increase drug use. After Medicare Part D drug…
Here is my earlier review of the Japanese healthcare system. Additional information on medical care in Japan is below. Funding The system is largely funded through payroll taxes. Employees pay a larger share of the payroll tax than employers. Insurance is bought from public sector sources. There is no private sector insurance companies. Co-pays…
Here is my earlier review of Italy’s healthcare system. Below is more information. Physicians: Physicians can treat patients in both the public and private sector. Citizens must enroll with a GP, but can choose their own doctor. Initial training requires 6 years with a dissertation required for completion. After that students can practice as GPs…
Health Reform’s effect on marginal tax rates. Health care sector creates one-third of new private sector jobs. Competition, quality and the NHS. Economists on selling organs. Medicare cost/enrollee: +4.4%/year. VA cost/enrollee: +0.3%/year. “The Greatest Ad I’ve Ever Seen“