Does Health Insurance Matter?

In this case, the answer is yes: “[Dr. David] Dupree said she sought medical help on June 4, just days after her 65th birthday, when she would qualify for Medicare, the U.S. healthcare program for seniors. ‘The reason she didn’t go earlier was because she had no insurance,’ he said. By now, she weighed more…

Friday Links

The relationship between drug quality and market price. Do hospital mergers increase bypass surgery rates? Do college degrees matter? NEJM: 20% uninsured by 2020? Buy a restaurant for $100? Number of FDA warning letters issued in 2011.

Mid-Week Links

Is comparative effectiveness really coming to Medicare?  When is OK not to follow the guidelines? Happy smokers vs. unhappy smokers in France. Are GPs living the good life in France? Will Groupon collapse? Cigarette Rx?

Health Reform in the UK

Health Reform in the U.S. means more government involvement in health care.  More public insurance (expanding Medicaid), more government intervention in the insurance market (health exchanges), and government being a driving force for innovation (the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation). In the UK on the other hand, “Health Reform” means more privatization, not less.  As…

Barack Obama signs healthcare bill into law

Here’s the full transcript of the signing ceremony.  NPR describes some of the reactions across the U.S.  Below, I have put together some links describing the international coverage of the signing. BBC: “Landmark” health care bill. El País: “La victoria de Obama” Times of London: Republicans begin fight for repeal. Le Monde: “une victoire historique”…