The importance of price transparency continued to dominate the health policy discussion this week. The centerpiece, at least from our perspective, was a packed briefing on Capitol Hill that we hosted on Tuesday with the Center for Health Transformation. Our goal was to educate congressional staffers about the importance of consumers being able to see up front the prices for medical services, which … [Read more...] about Hitting the Mark
Price Transparency
The need for price transparency is the hottest conversation right now in the world of consumer directed health care. Insurance companies are starting to respond by listing some of their negotiated prices. Humana recently announced, for example, that it will make information available to subscribers in Milwaukee so they can compare prices for 30 inpatient and six outpatient operations and … [Read more...] about Price Transparency
Price Transparency
The need for price transparency is the hottest conversation right now in the world of consumer directed health care. Insurance companies are starting to respond by listing some of their negotiated prices. Humana recently announced, for example, that it will make information available to subscribers in Milwaukee so they can compare prices for 30 inpatient and six outpatient operations and … [Read more...] about Price Transparency
Drug Plan Worth Try
In their guest column, Teresa Heinz Kerry and Jeffrey Lewis complain that the new Medicare drug plan has turned out to be even more confusing and more inefficient than its critics predicted ("Drug plan proves a bitter pill for seniors," Feb. 24). But seniors should not give up. One reason they are confused is because they have more and better choices than anyone anticipated when … [Read more...] about Drug Plan Worth Try
Drug Plan Worth Try
In their guest column, Teresa Heinz Kerry and Jeffrey Lewis complain that the new Medicare drug plan has turned out to be even more confusing and more inefficient than its critics predicted ("Drug plan proves a bitter pill for seniors," Feb. 24). But seniors should not give up. One reason they are confused is because they have more and better choices than anyone anticipated when … [Read more...] about Drug Plan Worth Try
Price Transparency
The need for price transparency is the hottest conversation right now in the world of consumer directed health care. I hear pleas for more information in my radio interviews, from people writing us through our website, and in talks around the country, most recently yesterday in Milwaukee. Coincidentally, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel carries an article today about Humana getting into the pricing … [Read more...] about Price Transparency
Response to Sebastian Mallaby colum in The Washington Post
Re: "New Name, Same Policy" by Sebastian Mallaby, Feb. 13, '06 To the editors: Health Savings Accounts provide new incentives for people who have been shut out of the system to get health insurance. Consumers can purchase a more affordable, high-deductible health insurance policy that protects them against major medical expenses, and they then can use the savings from … [Read more...] about Response to Sebastian Mallaby colum in The Washington Post
Targeting Health Care
Despite the media's obsession this week with Vice President Cheney's quail hunting accident in Texas, President Bush devoted his week to an intense focus on his new health care proposals. Mr. Bush traveled on Wednesday to Wendy's International in Dublin, Ohio, to praise the chain for being among the first major companies to offer HSAs to its workers. This was the president's first major speech … [Read more...] about Targeting Health Care