Consumer Reports: Health Reform: Seven Things You Need to Know Now

http://www.consumersunion.org/pub/pdf/healthcare2012.pdf

From Consumer Reports

Health Reform: Seven Things You Need to Know Now

This is a well done summary of the key provisions of the law that effect consumers.  It does not include the more technical aspects of the law that could lead to improvements in the quality and cost-effectiveness of the health care system.  For those details, see some of the other documents referenced in earlier posts on this blog. For instance, see

http://tinyurl.com/yj7pp82

and

http://healthreformaction.blogspot.com/2010/04/revised-list-of-reform-summaries.html

Medicaid managed care and Dual Eligibles

http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=3848

Moving “Dual Eligibles” Into Mandatory Managed Care and Capping Their Federal Funding Would Risk Significant Harm to Poor Seniors and People With Disabilities 

The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, which I highly respect, argues that managed care for dual eligibles is premature.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Commonwealth Study: Health Care in the 2012 Presidential Election: How the Obama and Romney Plans Stack Up

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/Fund-Reports/2012/Oct/Health-Care-in-the-2012-Presidential-Election.aspx

A very thorough comparison of these two plans.

Their analysis shows that by 2022 the uninsured would soar to 72 million under Romney's plan

Americans Rank Medicare Near the Top of Their Priorities in the Presidential Election, and Ahead of the Affordable Care Act; For Seniors Medicare Is Nearly As Important As the Economy, Poll Finds

http://smtp01.kff.org/t/33427/433146/36390/0/

Some important findings in this survey especially re Medicare

Increased Costs of Romney/Ryan Plan to Current Medicare beneficiaries

http://www.americanprogressaction.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RomneyUHealthPlan2.pdf

Increased Costs During Retirement
Under the Romney-Ryan Medicare Plan

These costs will be to current Medicare beneficiaries if Romney/Ryan plan is enacted.  Two important factors are the 1) the prescription drug donut hole is restored to full impact and 2) for those who also receive Medicaid, those costs will increase such as for nursing homes. 

The Contrast Between Obama and Romney/Ryan

The first three articles/posts point out a clear contrast between Obama and Romney/Ryan 

One of the issues that greatly concerns me is that polls show that many seniors are not aware that Obamacare provides many new preventive services (see http://www.medicare.gov/coverage/preventive-and-screening-services.html  ) 
and closes the donut hole.  Further these seniors believe that the cuts to Medicare reduce services when in fact the cuts are reductions in excess payments to the insurance companies and providers and are not a reduction in benefits.  


1) President's remarks to AARP Re Health Reform whihc point out the major differences with Romney on Medicare.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/09/21/remarks-president-aarp-convention-satellite

2) From Huffington Post, excerpt from 60 minutes interview in which Romney says uninsured can always go to ER for care.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/23/mitt-romney-60-minutes-health-care_n_1908129.html?utm_source=DailyBrief&utm_campaign=092412&utm_medium=email&utm_content=FeaturePhoto&utm_term=Daily%20Brief

3) Ryan booed at AARP conference

http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2012/September/21/aarp-speeches.aspx 

4)   Health Care Law’s Impact On Businesses Varies USA TODAY by Kelly Kennedy

 

New Study Highlights Potential Benefits of Accountable Care

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Publications/In-the-Literature/2012/Sep/Spending-Differences-Associated-with-the-Medicare.aspx?omnicid=20

According to this study by the Commonwealth Fund, the Physician Group Practice Demonstration, achieved particularly large savings in the care of "dual eligibles," who are enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid.  This demonstration is one of the models being considered under Obamacare.