The ACA and Fluoridation: The Power of Political Symbols March 14, 2012 Perspective In the 1950s, water fluoridation became a public health controversy that morphed into a symbolic issue of larger proportions. For its opponents, fluoridation came to symbolize big government and even for some, a communist threat. The controversy became so odd that it was parodied in Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 film “Dr.…
Can We Learn From ACA Implementation and Improve the Law? May 7, 2013 Perspective Senator Baucus made headlines recently when he predicted a “train wreck” for Obamacare. David Brooks predicted “chaos” in a recent column. In a news conference, the President offered a different perspective. “There’ll still be, you know, glitches and bumps…. That’s pretty much true of every government program that’s ever been…
JAMA Forum: ACA Implementation Starts to Get Real May 8, 2013 Perspective Larry Levitt’s latest post on ACA implementation is now available on the JAMA Forum.
JAMA Forum: Great Expectations and the Affordable Care Act February 20, 2013 Perspective “Great Expectations and the Affordable Care Act,” Larry Levitt’s February 2013 post for The JAMA Forum, is now available online.
Beyond Rebates: How Much Are Consumers Saving from the ACA’s Medical Loss Ratio Provision? June 6, 2013 Perspective The Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) saved consumers an estimated $2.1 billion last year, in the form of lower premiums and rebates, according to a new analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Under health reform, insurers must issue consumer rebates if they fail to spend a certain portion of premium income on health care claims and quality improvement expenses, thereby limiting what they may spend on administrative expenses or keep as profits.
Covering The ACA May Be Almost As Hard As Implementing It June 4, 2013 Perspective This Pulling It Together was adapted from a column I published earlier this week in Politico, with a new introduction added. You can read the original Politico column here. The implementation of the ACA is news and the public will demand information about it. Journalists and news organizations have an obligation…
Projecting Medicare Advantage Enrollment: Expect the Unexpected? June 12, 2013 Perspective This Policy Insight explores possible explanations for the continued rise in Medicare Advantage enrollment between 2010 and 2013 in spite of a projected decrease following payment changes in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
JAMA Forum: Why Obamacare Needs Millennials July 24, 2013 Perspective Larry Levitt’s July 2013 column on why the Affordable Care Act is targeting young people is now available on The JAMA Forum.
How Buying Insurance Will Change Under Obamacare September 24, 2013 Perspective When the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) health insurance marketplaces (also known as “exchanges”) go online this October, millions of people are expected to apply for private insurance coverage. Nobody expects the launch will be perfect, with no hitches and problems. The law not only replaces a fragmented and confusing assortment…
How Obamacare May Be Holding Down Costs September 27, 2013 Perspective In his latest column published in Politico, Kaiser President and CEO Drew Altman examines the recent historic slowdown in health-care costs and discusses whether Obamacare is a contributing factor.