“Why It’s Not Time for Health Care Rationing” – Hastings Center Report
The U.S. healthcare system has an unsung hero – community health centers, which provide basic medical care for under-served communities. Even dental care! Right now 1 in 6 Medicaid enrollees receives care at one of these centers, a proportion that has been growing for decades: In some states, 1 in 3 enrollees use community health…
Often great science depends on keen observation. Darwin built his theory of evolution on detailed observations of everything from birds to beetles. Jane Goodall revolutionized our understanding of primate behavior by staring at chimpanzees for hours and days. But not just staring at them, noticing them. She saw things most observers would not have picked…
“How many calories are in my burrito? Improving consumers’ understanding of energy (calorie) range information” – Public Health Nutrition
Some people worried that the ACA would kill employer-sponsored health insurance, by giving employers an “out” – by letting them shift insurance to the exchanges. The ACA set up financial incentives, to reduce such shifting. And so far, it looks like it’s working: Still quite early, of course. I’ll keep my eyes open for further…
This study came out a while ago, from ICYMI. The research team called up primary care practices and tried to make appointments for Medicaid patients. When states raised reimbursement rates, it became easier: Health insurance doesn’t do much good when patients can’t find doctors willing to accept crappy reimbursement.
I am currently on sabbatical (and enjoying some hiking in the Appalachian Mountains). Blog posts will resume in September!