Insight, analysis & opinion from Joe Paduda
Pundits (myself included) are detecting a sea change on the Hill – the health plans’ power meter is just barely registering while physicians are pegging the needle. If you’re wondering why physicians were so adamantly opposed to the Medicare reimbursement … Continue reading Docs are fighting mad, ready for war, and they’ve got big guns
Read More...Several sources indicate Pres Bush is going to veto the Medicare bill (that rescinded physician reimbursement cuts and phased out Medicare Advantage subsidies). The veto may happen today. Oops, he just did. The Senate and House are likely to vote … Continue reading Bush vetos Medicare bill
Read More...Last week the National Coalition on Benefits went public with their position on health reform – they don’t want any reduction in the role of employers. The NCB’s position was laid out in a letter to Sens. Ron Wyden (D … Continue reading Big employers and health reform – they’re kind of right, but for the wrong reasons
Read More...There are few issues that do more to crystalize the balance between personal freedom and personal responsibility than motorcycle helmet laws. Twenty states require motorcyclists to wear helmets, which means thirty do not. Opponents of helmet laws see it is … Continue reading A simple solution
Read More...GOP Senators better wear their cheap suits while marching in Independence Day parades this weekend, as it is tough to get tomato stains out of nice wool. As Bob Laszewski pointed out, Republicans were boxed into a very tight corner … Continue reading Health plans and GOP Senators
Read More...Opponents of universal care often cite awful stories of Canadians and Brits hurt, killed, or dead of neglect or bad care. And there’s no doubt that people in Canada and Britain are the victims of poor medical care. There is … Continue reading the horrors of universal coverage
Read More...Last Thursday’s post showed that workers comp is a huge money maker for hospitals, generating about 16% of their profits on less than 2% of revenue. The attempts to date to control hospital costs have been to set WC reimbursement … Continue reading DRGs, Medicare, hospitals, and workers comp
Read More...Bob Laszewski has a great post today debunking the myth of Medicare Advantage and Medicare private fee for service. Both were supposed to help reduce Medicare’s costs via a short-term subsidy enabling private insurers to get into the market, figure … Continue reading Health plans feeding at the Medicare trough
Read More...It is looking increasingly likely that the Democratic party will win big in November – with GOP strategists expecting a loss of 20 House and 6 Senate seats, along with the White House. Optimistic Dems are hoping for even more; … Continue reading The Dems win the election. Now what?
Read More...The notice for the teleconference popped up in my email inbox a mere hour and a half before the telecon was scheduled to begin. That was the first indicator of potential trouble. The second was the opening line from Coventry’s … Continue reading Coventry’s stumbled – badly
Read More...