Archive for the ‘Health Care’ Category

40 percent of Connecticut Medicaid recipients smoke

(Boston Globe) A new study says nearly 40 percent of Connecticut’s Medicaid recipients smoke. The study by the Connecticut Public Health Policy Institute also estimates that the state pays about $507 million yearly for smoking-related health care for its Medicaid clients. (Read more…) No...

June 21st, 2010 | Health Care, Recent News | Read More

Medicaid: facing a tough road

(The Heritage Foundation) In passing Obamacare, Congress has put the states in quite a pickle. To sharply expand health coverage, Obamacare flung wide the gates of Medicaid eligibility. It envisions a massive expansion of the federal-state health program that, historically, delivers low-quality care...

June 11th, 2010 | Economics, Fiscal Policy, Health Care, Policy | Read More

The Coming Doctor Shortage

(National Center For Policy Analysis) Under the new health care law, most U.S. residents will be required to have health insurance by 2014. About 32 million additional people are expected to enroll in some type of health plan. Evidence suggests that insured people consume twice as much medical care as...

June 1st, 2010 | Health Care | Read More

Alaska Watchdog: State considers cost of medicaid expansion

By Kirsten Adams May 28, 2010 Even though the federal government reimburses more than 65 percent of Alaska’s medicaid expenses annually, officials project the State will spend more than half a billion dollars on the government welfare program in 2011. The 2011 operating budget, approved by the House...

May 28th, 2010 | Health Care | Read More

Ohio Senate moves to improve school-age obesity

(Cincinnati Enquirer) The Ohio Senate approved a bill that mandates a 30 minute exercise period in schools, among other nutritional requirements. Ohio, with one in three children obese, aims to monitor and control each student’s body weight. Read the article <here>

May 20th, 2010 | Education, Health Care, Recent News | Read More

Alaska Watchdog: Rising salaries contribute to growth of PERS/TRS unfunded liability

By Kirsten Adams A recently released evaluation of the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) revealed more than $16 billion in unfunded liabilities, a number that has more than doubled since 2001. The evaluation, conducted by Buck Consultants and presented to the Alaska Retirement Management Board...

May 17th, 2010 | Fiscal Policy, Health Care | Read More

Alaska Watchdog: Economy and rising health care costs raises unfunded liability of state pension

By Kirsten Adams After an independent review of Alaska’s public retirement systems revealed more than $24 billion in liabilities, state officials said the steady annual increases in debt were caused by a combination of unhealthy markets and rising health care costs. Jack Kreinheder, Senior Analyst...

May 17th, 2010 | Health Care, Recent News | Read More

Promised healthcare premium decrease turns to increase

(AP) New healthcare legislation allowing adults to remain under the coverage of their parents’ plan is expected to raise premiums near 1 percent. This coming despite the campaign promise that premiums would be reduced by 2,500 per average family. Read the article <here>

May 11th, 2010 | Health Care, Policy, Recent News | Read More

IRS may need more muscle to enforce insurance mandate

(USA Today) While the Internal Revenue Service can impose liens or levies, seize property or seek jail time against people who don’t pay taxes, it’s barred from taking such actions against taxpayers who ignore the insurance mandate. However, it does have the ability to withhold refunds from...

May 7th, 2010 | Health Care | Read More

Massachusetts Health Care Reform: a glimpse into America’s future

(Wall Street Journal) Massachusetts law makers imposed new laws on insurance companies in 2006, including terms such as the inability to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions. This caused systematic abuse resulting operating losses for three of the four non-profit insurance providers in the...