We’ve Moved! Please Visit Us at Our New Site January 13, 2010
Posted by Gillian Hubble in Healthcare.comments closed
The Healthcare Rant has moved to new professional digs on the Actively Fused LLC corporate website. Our new address is:
http://activelyfused.com/index.php/blog
Please update your bookmarks and come and see our new look!
Heart Surgery Meets Its Avatar January 10, 2010
Posted by Gillian Hubble in Healthcare.Tags: artificial artery, avatar, comparative effectiveness, Healthcare, NHS
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In the movie Avatar, the wheelchair-bound hero transforms into an avatar of himself that’s fully functional, taller, smarter, and a calming blue. It’s him, only better. What if arteries had avatars?
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Avoiding a Health Insurance Mandate: Maine’s Experience January 9, 2010
Posted by Gillian Hubble in Cost Control, Healthcare, Politics, Private Plan, Public Plan, reform.Tags: Healthcare, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Reform, insurance mandate, Maine, Public Plan, universal healthcare
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Last time I made my case that having a health insurance mandate up front in the reform process actually gives you the upper hand in future debate. It can also accelerate real change by exposing market dysfunction as the real driver behind exorbitant costs. As in, “Hey, we’re all in the insurance pool now but costs keep rising. Do something about it, Congress.” But you don’t need to take my word for it. Maine has already been down that path. Follow along as we trace the state’s experience in avoiding a health insurance mandate.
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Seeing Healthcare from the Outside In January 7, 2010
Posted by Gillian Hubble in Healthcare, reform.Tags: Healthcare, Healthcare Reform, patient experience
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Anthony Cirillo wrote an excellent article for healthcare insiders on how once you’ve experienced healthcare from the outside (as a patient) you can never see it the same way again. As a fellow healthcare professional with wrenching patient experiences, I couldn’t agree more.
He says we have a higher calling as “outsider” insiders; I only hope we reach it. He also says current “reform” will make the US situation worse, not better. Again, I unfortunately agree. Read it here.
Why We Need a Healthcare Insurance Mandate January 7, 2010
Posted by Gillian Hubble in Cost Control, Healthcare, Politics, Public Plan, reform.Tags: Healthcare, Healthcare Costs, healthcare mandate, Healthcare Reform, Politics, Public Option
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If you’re feeling torn about the health insurance mandate in the face of – in all likelihood – no public health insurance option to go with it, I’m with you. But I’m also out to change your mind. Lest this play out like a Pace picante sauce commercial (gulp), do NOT get a rope. Otherwise you might not understand how a mandate gives you the upper hand in future debate. Ready? Read on and find out why we need a mandate to stay one step ahead of private health insurers.
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The Surefire Way to Reduce Healthcare Costs January 6, 2010
Posted by Gillian Hubble in Cost Control, Healthcare, Politics, reform.Tags: Commonwealth Fund, Healthcare, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Reform
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A new federal report now shows us the easiest way to reduce US healthcare spending, a feat not accomplished in 50 years. But it’s not news to our Congressional representatives. They have been counting on it all along to make the healthcare reform price tag fall within Obama’s pre-set limit. What is this magical solution to rein in US healthcare expenditures? It’s the country club solution: just exclude and price people out of the market so they don’t have access. Fortunately the Commonwealth Fund shows us just how shallow that thinking is.
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Why You Need to Know Your Health Plan’s Actuarial Value January 5, 2010
Posted by Gillian Hubble in Cost Control, Healthcare, reform.Tags: Actuarial Value, Healthcare, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Reform, Insurance, Medical Loss Ratio
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If you’re following the healthcare reform debate at all, you know there’s a bit of noise over two austere-sounding health plan concepts: medical loss ratio and actuarial value. They sound bone-dry and bring to mind visuals of bean-counters lost in complex calculations. Yes, these are bean-counting subjects in the extreme. But don’t dismiss them – they could make or break your financial, much less your physical health. Here is a step-by-step guide to understanding medical loss ratios and translating actuarial value into meaningful building blocks for your healthcare coverage.
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States Start the Decade with Public Health Crackdowns January 4, 2010
Posted by Gillian Hubble in Healthcare.Tags: Healthcare, Public Health, state bans
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While Congress continues to drag out healthcare reform, states are moving full speed ahead with some meaningful public health initiatives. Specifically, they are cracking down on dangerous habits and ingredients. What they can’t do, though, is save us from dangerous people.
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Remembering Vic Chesnutt by Hammering Health Insurers January 2, 2010
Posted by Gillian Hubble in Healthcare, reform.Tags: Healthcare, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Reform, Pre-existing Condition, Vic Chesnutt
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As we start 2010, let’s take a moment to remember the latest victim of the US profits-before-healthcare mantra. This time we lost someone fairly high profile, who died on Christmas day while $70,000 in debt to an Athens, Georgia hospital that had placed a lien on his house. He was supposed to be insured. Then we’ll add a bit of needed levity courtesy of a former self-described insurance industry ‘spokesjerk’ – you can actually tell him where to go.
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Top Medical Breakthroughs to Start 2010 January 1, 2010
Posted by Gillian Hubble in Healthcare.Tags: Cancer, comparative effectiveness, evidence-based medicine, Healthcare, hiv
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Well at least some areas of US healthcare made meaningful progress last year. While Washington, D.C., was doing what it does best – going around in lucrative circles, claiming progress – researchers were busy making breakthroughs that could potentially improve people’s health. It’s a concept. Here are 6 potential game-changers that can improve the prevention and treatment of disease in 2010 and beyond. Happy New Year, everyone.
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