Expert analysis of health reform issues
Obamacare and the bad-news bearers
September 26, 2013 – In the marketplaces where people who do not have access to employer-sponsored insurance will be purchasing their own coverage, rates will…
ACA benefits far outweigh tax-time burdens
August 23, 2013 – When we move to a system that requires insurers to send tax forms to insureds, it's unlikely to be any more complicated than the tax forms…
Re-envisioned reform: a ‘gigantic blunder’?
August 18, 2013 – Last week, eight prominent health policy analysts released a new health plan at the conservative think tank, American Enterprise Institute.…
A fuss over subsidies for Congressional staff
August 7, 2013 – The decision to let Congressional staffers keep their federal subsidies to help buy coverage through the exchanges makes sense from a human…
30 economists: We need individual mandate
July 18, 2013 – Yesterday, a small group of health policy experts organized by David Cutler, Jon Gruber, and me wrote a simple letter to Congress laying…
‘Is this thing on?’
July 11, 2013 – The media's coverage of the implementation of the health care reform law has been so much like the way most reporters cover political…
Projections evidence ‘rate shock is a crock’
May 28, 2013 – Critics of Obamacare who warned us that health reform would result in "rate shock" haven't had much to say lately thanks to surprisingly…
The ACA and mental health coverage
May 17, 2013 – Perhaps the most under-covered aspect of health reform is its dramatic expansion of coverage for the treatment of psychiatric and substance…
Medicare Advantage – or DISAdvantage?
April 18, 2013 – Wendell Potter says he believes his mother is alive today because she was disenrolled from a Medicare Advantage plan that wouldn't have…
26 million eligible for help paying premiums
April 18, 2013 – We at Families USA estimate that nearly 26 million Americans will be eligible for premium tax credits to help make health coverage…
Title of Congressional hearing said it all:
March 19, 2013 – I was stunned when Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.), accused me of being disingenuous because I told the story of a Florida woman who might be…
Can we spend less AND improve quality?
March 11, 2013 – Harold Pollack continues his series of interviews with health policy experts, talking this month with Michael Chernew, Professor of Health…