Comprehensive Health Care Reform and Massachusetts--Are We On Our Way To a Very Different Debate?

The Massachusetts health care reform law appears on its way to:Covering two-thirds of those who did not have health insurance on the day it was enacted--about 400,000 people by the end of 2009.Covering most of those who were uninsured in households with incomes below 300% of the federal poverty level--below which the plan pays all or most health insurance premiums.Offering health insurance plans

First Year Results in Massachusetts' Health Care Reform Undercut Barack Obama's Health Care Reform Strategy

The Massachusetts health care reform plan is coming up on its first anniversary.Its costs are now officially out of control.Those of you who regularly read this blog know that I have been particularly critical lately of what I see as a lack of sophistication in McCain's market-based health insurance proposals.But with this news, Obama will have some big health care policy questions of his own to

"Blendon, Laszewski, And Rovner On Health Care Reform In The Election"

Earlier this week I was part of conference call organized by the new Health Affairs editor-in-chief, Susan Dentzer, on the topic of health reform in the presidential election.The call, and subsequent posting of the transcript by Chris Fleming on the Health Affairs blog, was in connection with the thematic issue of health reform in the May/June Health Affairs.First, congratulations to Susan on

Health Care Reform Will Be a Long Shot in 2009

Many people, me included, have compared the recent resurgence in calls for health care reform with the big debate we had in 1993 and 1994 and the expectation back then that we would see major health care reform. Of course, all of that focus on the issue ended with the failed Clinton Health Care Plan derailing health reform for at least 15 years--and counting.Each of the remaining candidates for

An Analysis of Senator Hillary Clinton's Health Plan Proposal

A Detailed Point by Point Analysis of Senator Clinton's Health Reform PlanThis is a repost of my October analysis of Senator Clinton's health care reform plan.This is nothing like the Clinton Health Plan from 1993.Senator Clinton has so far been running a smart campaign for President and her health care reform strategy is no exception.She waited until after all of the leading Democratic, and most

Hillary Clinton Criticizes Barack Obama's Health Care Plan Saying It Would Not Cover Everyone--Is She Right?

This is a repost of an original that addresses Hillary Clinton's claim, repeated in this week's Texas debate, that only her health plan accomplishes universal coverage because it has a individual mandate and Barak Obama's does not. Senator Clinton goes so far as to say she would garnish wages to enforce her mandate that everyone buy health insurance.Hillary Clinton has gone on the attack in

Haley Barbour or Hillary Clinton?

Here's a test.Who just proposed the following, Hillary Clinton or Haley Barbour:A government authorized health insurance purchasing exchange program for the purpose of marketing health insuranceRun as a not-for-profit clearing house from which consumers could purchase health insuranceTarget the uninsuredAvailable to workers in small businessesDesigned to reduce the overhead costs of small group

When it Comes To Health Care Policy It Really Doesn't Matter Which Democrat Or Which Republican Wins Their Nomination

With "Super Tuesday" upon us, I am once again bringing back a post that argues there is little difference among the candidates in each of their respective parties.My suggestion is that you not cast your caucus or primary vote for a candidate based upon their health care reform plan.From “thirty thousand feet” the leading Republicans are offering much the same health care policy ideas—a more