health care reform

Value-Based Purchasing May Hurt Patients

By Sarah McIntosh, The Heartland Institute
Value-Based Purchasing May Hurt Patients

GUEST EDITORIAL By Sarah McIntosh, Esq., The Heartland Institute As the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services releases details about its new reimbursement plan under President Obama’s health care law, fresh concerns are arising regarding the concept of value-based purchasing of health-care services, which may affect patients across the country. Under the CMS proposal, value-based purchasing will be used to provide bonuses to hospitals that exceed average scores on several measures. To implement this system,…

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Low-Wage Employers Need Obamacare Waivers

By Kenneth Artz, The Heartland Institute
Low-Wage Employers Need Obamacare Waivers

GUEST EDITORIAL By Kenneth Artz, The Heartland Institute Beginning in 2014, ObamaCare will require employers with fifty or more full-time employees to offer affordable coverage to all of their employees or risk a hefty per-employee fine. As industries weigh the benefits of cost of coverage versus paying the fines, officials for trade groups representing nursing homes and other low-wage employers are considering asking the Department of Health and Human Services for a waiver excusing them…

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Utah Passes Bipartisan Medicaid Reform Bill

By Consumer Insurance Guide Staff
Utah Passes Bipartisan Medicaid Reform Bill

GUEST EDITORIAL By Marc Kilmer, The Heartland Institute With most states struggling to make even small changes to their Medicaid systems, Utah recently enacted bipartisan legislation that would completely overhaul its Medicaid program. Such a move might have provoked controversy in other states, but in Utah not a single member of the House or Senate voted against the legislation. Sen. Dan Liljenquist (R-Bountiful), the sponsor of the plan, said the need for Medicaid reform is…

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New health insurance services offered to women

By Karen Caffarini
New health insurance services offered to women

New federal guidelines that will ensure women receive preventive health services, including birth control, with no out-of-pocket costs are being applauded by women’s groups as an important step toward improved health of women and children and criticized by an insurance trade group, which warns the guidelines could result in significantly higher costs for coverage. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that beginning Aug. 1, 2012, new health insurance plans would be required to…

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