Costs in MA Continue to Outpace the Nation

Providers continue to drive costs in our country's health care laboratory:

http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2011/06/state-health-spending-outpaces-nation/

Messing w/Medicare and Medicaid

As this article points out, more than just the recipients of the two programs are involved:

http://www.kff.org/pullingittogether/medicaid_medicare_multiplier.cfm

Oregon Ready to Establish HI Exchange

I looks like OR is moving forward. The more a state stalls, the more under the gun it will be.

Oregon's legislature this week passed bipartisan exchange legislation and the governor is expected to sign it. "I look forward to signing this key piece of our health care improvement agenda," Gov. John Kitzhaber, a Democrat, said in a statement. The Oregonian newspaper reported that the bill gained a large majority in the state's House despite opposition from the left and the right. Conservatives in the tea party movement viewed any action on the health care law implementation as an endorsement of the overhaul, while unions protested that the setup of the exchange gives too much clout to the insurance industry. The exchange won't have the power to extract lower rates from insurance plans.

Care Management: We Have a Long Way to Go

PCPs just are not yet set up to handle this new role:

http://blog.healthintegrated.com/index.php/2011/06/09/care-management-a-patients-view/?utm_content=0000-00-00%2000%3A00%3A00&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=&utm_campaign=Care%20Management%20%E2%80%93%20A%20Patient%E2%80%99s%20Viewcontent

ACO Regs Not Attracting Many Takers

Why? The financial incentives are just not there:

http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Columns/2011/June/060311cannon.aspx?utm_source=khn&utm_medium=internal&utm_campaign=viewed

BS of CA Agrees to Cap Profits

This is a major advantage of being a non-profit vs. a publicly traded company:
http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2011/June/09/blue-shield-california-profit-cap.aspx

Broler Commissions Issue Find Friends in Congress

Proposed federal legislation removes commissions from admin costs. So where would they go?

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/Newsletters/Washington-Health-Policy-in-Review/2011/Jun/June-6-2011/Brokers-Push-for-Review-of-Broker-Rule.aspx