Knotty issues ahead for insurance overhaul Oct 9, 2009
The quality of health care Americans receive depends largely on where they live, with wide disparities from state to state, according to a new study by the Commonwealth Fund. . (MSNBC -- Politics)
For best health care,it's location, location ... Oct 9, 2009
WASHINGTON - The quality of health care Americans receive depends largely on where they live, with insurance coverage, access to preventive medicine and disease treatment varying widely from state to state, according to a study released on Thursday by the Commonwealth Fund ... But the Commonwealth Fund said a national plan would give states crucial support. (MSNBC -- Health)
More » Oct 9, 2009
Vermont has beaten out Hawai'i for the best health care scorecard in the nation in a new analysis of health systems by the Commonwealth Fund ... The scorecard is the second done by the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that seeks to improve health care system performance ... "Where you live in the U.S. matters in terms of your health care, and it shouldn't," Cathy Schoen, Commonwealth Fund senior vice president, said in a prepared statement. (Honolulu Advertiser)
The State of Health Care: Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas Lead Race to the Bottom Oct 9, 2009
The Commonwealth Fund Commission's which was released today, rated the states on access, quality, costs and health outcomes in a follow up to their 2007 report. Overall, the states which did best on the scorecard were in New England and the upper Midwest, and the worst states were in the South. (ABC News)
New state health care scorecard finds wide differences in access, quality and cost across states Oct 9, 2009
New York, NY, October 8, 2009The cost and quality of health care, as well as access to care and health outcomes, continue to vary widely among states, according to the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System's second state scorecard report released today ... "Leading states have raised the bar for better access, quality of care, and reducing disparities," said Commonwealth Fund Senior Vice President and study co-author Cathy Schoen ... "The differences we see among the... (EurekAlert!)
'Shockingly wide' health gaps among states Oct 8, 2009
In a health-system performance analysis, the Commonwealth Fund ranked the 50 states and the District of Columbia ... "Where you live matters for how long you live and how healthy you live," said study co-author Cathy Schoen, senior vice president of the Commonwealth Fund ... Overall, ranked No. 1 and Mississippi came in last, the same position it held when the Commonwealth Fund compiled its first scorecard in 2007. (USA Today -- News)
Colo. rated average on health Oct 8, 2009
Founded by philanthropist Anna Harkness in 1918, the Commonwealth Fund works to promote a high-performance health care system. mharden@bizjournals. (Denver Business Journal, CO)
Health Costs: Steeper Still Oct 8, 2009
In August the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund estimated that the total premiums for employer-based health insurance will rise 94% by 2020 if current trends continue, to an average of $23,842 per family. Last month the Business Roundtable warned that, without reform, total health-care costs borne by Corporate America will soar 166% over the next 10 years, to nearly $29,000 per employee. (BusinessWeek)
Study Links Electronic Health Records To Improved Quality In Primary Care Treatment Oct 7, 2009
Support for the study was provided by the Commonwealth Fund. Other authors of the study are Kathryn L. Coltin of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Dana Gelb Safran of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Marguerite Dresser of Massachusetts Health Quality Partners, Alan M. Zaslavsky of Harvard Medical School, and Dr. Eric C. Schneider of RAND, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Harvard School of Public Health. (Science Daily)
U.S. losing ground on preventable deaths Oct 6, 2009
4 trillion a year on medical care vastly more per capita than comparable countries the nation ranks near the bottom on premature deaths caused by illnesses such as diabetes, epilepsy, stroke, influenza, ulcers and pneumonia, according to research by the nonpartisan Commonwealth Fund published in the journal Health Affairs ... "These are conditions where early care and the right care should be able to prevent an early death," said Cathy Schoen, a senior vice president at the nonpartisan... (MSNBC -- Politics)
Life After The Public Option Sep 30, 2009
In surveys of major countries by the Commonwealth Fund (which financed my own travel to the Netherlands), the Dutch were least likely to report forgoing care because they couldnt afford it. But the real secret to success is what happens behind the scenes, in the way government watches and regulates the insurers. (CBS News)
Progress still slow on electronic health record adoption Sep 30, 2009
Meanwhile, there appears to be a strong middle ground that most consumers can accept regarding control of their records, suggested Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund. Studies have shown that most people want all their health information in one place, with access available to all their physicians, she said. (FCW.com)
NSW doctors worry about federal reforms Sep 25, 2009
The federal government's National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission's July report has recommended the commonwealth fund and run all primary health care, basic dental care, aged care and indigenous medical services. It also supports the federal government's one-stop health shops, where patients can access general practitioners, chemists, diagnostic services and allied health professionals. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Health care: Five faces of the uninsured Sep 24, 2009
A July survey by the non-partisan Commonwealth Fund found 36% of people who tried to buy insurance on their own, or 12. 6 million people, were denied or charged more because of prior health problems. (USA Today -- Money)
Democrats seek cuts in Medicare Advantage Sep 24, 2009
Stuart Guterman, assistant vice president for the Commonwealth Fund s payment system reform program, said, This policy is saying something that providers ought to be able to do. Some specialists worry seniors could be harmed indirectly. (Boston Globe)
AROUND THE GLOBE: Health care country-by-country Sep 23, 2009
2002 Sources: McKinsey; The Commonwealth Fund; Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; Central Intelligence Agency; The Harris Poll; Spanish Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs. Posted. (USA Today -- Money)
Young, Invincible — and the Key to Health Reform Sep 23, 2009
An August report from the Commonwealth Fund stated that 15% of adults ages 18 to 29 suffer from arthritis, asthma, cancer, diabetes, heart disease or hypertension and more than half are overweight. They also end up getting injured quite often 24% of Americans ages 18 to 29 visited an emergency department in 2008, according to the fund. (Time.com)
Forum: Inaction on reform isn't new phenomenon Sep 20, 2009
2005: A Commonwealth Fund study of 4,350 adults found the percentage of working-age Americans with moderate to middle incomes who lacked health insurance for at least part of the year rose to 41 percent in 2005, up from 28 percent in 2001. The study found that people without insurance were more likely to skip recommended health tests such as mammograms than those with coverage, and were less likely to have a regular doctor than the insured. (Athens Banner-Herald)
Canada Health Care Superior to U.S. in Studies Showing Wait Is Worth It Sep 18, 2009
In 2008, 20 percent of chronically ill Canadians by the Commonwealth Fund reported waiting three months or more to see a specialist ... In both the U.S. and Canada, 26 percent of people interviewed told the Commonwealth Fund survey of chronically ill adults they got a same-day appointment with a doctor when they were sick -- the lowest number in any of the eight countries polled by the foundation ... The U.S. leads industrial countries in the portion of the health-care dollar devoted to... (Bloomberg -- Canada)
The Uninsured: The Best and Worst States Sep 11, 2009
Sara Collins, an analyst with The Commonwealth Fund, added that Massachusetts residents are required to have health insurance, Hawaii employers are mandated to offer coverage, and Minnesota traditionally has been a leader in broadening Medicaid eligibility. "The steady drop in employer-provided coverage and increase in government-provided health coverage is significant," said Collins. (ABC News)
Working Extra Jobs for Health Insurance Sep 11, 2009
According to by The Commonwealth Fund, half the U.S. adults who purchase an individual health insurance plan (as opposed to participating in an employer-subsidized group plan) pay monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs totaling at least 10 percent of their income. Not surprisingly, The Commonwealth Fund found that 73 percent of folks who looked into buying their own health care coverage in the past three years didn't go through with it, mainly due to the pricy premiums. (ABC News -- Business)
Small businesses would see lower costs, more comprehensive coverage from health reform Sep 9, 2009
September 9, 2009, New York, NYSmall business owners and employees are among those who stand to benefit the most from provisions in some of the current health reform proposals under consideration by Congress according to a Commonwealth Fund report released today ... "Small businesses are vital to the strength of our economy, and under our current system they don't have the ability to provide affordable, comprehensive health insurance to their employees," said Commonwealth Fund President Karen... (EurekAlert!)
Two bits worth: Health care, hot air Sep 6, 2009
A report by the Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based organization devoted to finding ways to improve the nation's dysfunctional health care system, found that family premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance could increase another 94 percent by 2020. If costs continues on the current path, this would bring the average premium to $23,842 per family. (Casper Star-Tribune, WY)
Health care letters 8/28 Aug 28, 2009
But the Commonwealth Fund surveyed doctors and patients in six nations including the U.S. and ranked British health care the best. And WHO calculates British life expectancy at 79. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
A world of health care myths Aug 27, 2009
But studies by the Commonwealth Fund and others report that many nations -- Germany, Britain, Austria -- outperform the United States on measures such as waiting times for appointments and for elective surgeries. 3. (Albany Times Union)
Vineyarders pressed by health costs Aug 25, 2009
A report released last week by the Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based think tank, shows that Massachusetts residents shoulder the most expensive health insurance premiums in the country, with the average annual family premium costing $13,788 in 2008. And that does not include the tab for prescriptions and copayments. (Boston Globe)
online_editor Aug 24, 2009
Byron W. wrote on Aug 18, 2009 6:49 PM:" hmarie775, you do realize the Commonwealth Fund is left wing? " ... "It is now clear that medical debt is the principal cause of bankruptcy in the United States. - The mixed public-private health care system in the United States is the most expensive in the world, with health care costing more per person than in any other nation." and "In spite of the amount spent on health care in the US, a 2008 report by the Commonwealth Fund ranked the United... (Jefferson City News Tribune, MO)
Got a headache over health care debate? Take two aspirin and check out these sources Aug 24, 2009
The Commonwealth Fund, of New York City ... If you're up for the Commonwealth Fund, you can handle the Congressional Budget Office, which generates much-publicized studies on the dollar impacts of pending legislation, including health care proposals. (Longview Daily News, WA)
Insurance premiums continue to rise Aug 22, 2009
Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis said findings show health reform is needed and said a public plan, recently removed by President Barack Obama as an option with health reform, would be an effective option for controlling medical costs and insurance administrative overhead costs. The Commonwealth Fund is a New York City-based private foundation that aims to promote a high performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality and greater efficiency. (Milwaukee Business Journal, WI)
Some see patient-run co-ops as the answer to health care's ills Aug 21, 2009
Sources: Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, Commonwealth Fund, Consumer Reports, Group Health Cooperative. By John Fritze, USA TODAY SEATTLE After 30 years of punishing caseloads and never-ending stacks of paperwork, Harry Shriver was getting ready to hang up his doctor's coat and retire when he tried something new. (USA Today -- Money)
Another view: Insurance co-ops a political cop-out Aug 20, 2009
The Commonwealth Fund, a leading researcher on health-care issues, published a 2002 report on co-ops that had been created to help individuals and small businesses purchase insurance. Researchers found numerous failed ventures, and concluded the model did not result in lower premiums or significantly reduce the number of the uninsured. (Montana Standard, MT)
Click to read:Will Insurance Alone Cure What Ails Us? Aug 19, 2009
Studies by the Commonwealth Fund found that 57% of Canadians reported waiting 4 weeks or more to see a specialist; 24% of Canadians waited 4 hours or more in the emergency room ... And Studies by the Commonwealth Fund found that 57% of Canadians reported waiting 4 weeks or more to see a specialist. (CBS News)
Poll: Confidence in Health Care Dwindling Aug 19, 2009
" I guess they would be making Obama's point. by Mortarman29 August 18, 2009 10:29 AM EDT Hungry is stuck on FOX news. Why is that? by Joe_NY_15 August 18, 2009 10:40 AM EDT by Mortarman29 August 18, 2009 10:29 AM EDT Hungry is stuck on FOX news. Why is that? ________________ Because for Liberalism and Marxism to be implemented in this country, requires THE PEOPLE to be ill-informed and propagandized by the liberal biased media....Fox news dares to inform the public about what's going on in... (CBS News)
Top Democrats Stand Firm on Public Option Aug 19, 2009
Studies by the Commonwealth Fund found that 57% of Canadians reported waiting 4 weeks or more to see a specialist; 24% of Canadians waited 4 hours or more in the emergency room. An article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal stated, Saskatchewan is under fire for having the longest waiting time in the country for a diagnostic MRIa whopping 22 months. (CBS News -- Politics)
Nonprofit co-ops pushed as health alternative Aug 19, 2009
Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund, a foundation focused on health care and social policy research, said co-ops may not enroll enough people to negotiate favorable rates with health-care providers. Dennis G. Smith, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative policy research group, said he cannot yet tell whether co-ops would amount to government-run health plans by another name. (MSNBC -- Politics)
Americans Remain Divided On Government Involvement In Health Insurance, Survey Shows Aug 14, 2009
23, 2009) As unemployment rates reach the highest levels in 16 years, a new analysis from the Commonwealth Fund finds that few laid-off workers -- only 9 percent -- took up coverage under the Consolidated. (Oct. (Science Daily)
For many, a nurse practitioner is the doctor Aug 9, 2009
In 2007, only 30 percent of Americans said they were able to get same-day appointments with their doctors when they were sick, a survey by the New-York based Commonwealth Fund indicated. Arizona ranks 43rd in the nation in number of physicians per capita, with 208 for every 100,000 residents, according to 2006 statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. (FOX 11, AZ)
Patients First bus arrives today to lead rally against health care proposals Aug 9, 2009
I have some facts wrote on Aug 8, 2009 4:16 PM:" Source The commonwealth Fund: Seventy-three percent who tried to buy insurance on their own in the last three years did not purchase a policy, primarily because premiums were too high. Among adults with individual coverage or who tried to buy coverage in the past three years, 57 percent said it was difficult or impossible to find coverage they could afford, 47 percent said it was very difficult or impossible to find a plan with the coverage they... (Montrose Daily Press, CO)
About profit, not health Aug 7, 2009
A new Commonwealth Fund report found a public health insurance plan would "control premium costs, eliminate wasteful administrative spending and provide insurance stability to consumers regardless of their income, emp 00003F4B loyment status, or pre-existing health conditions and enable the delivery of safe, accessible, patient-centered care.". Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Republican elected officials, supported by the American Medical Association, resist moving the U.S. toward... (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
We can do better than current health system Aug 7, 2009
A Commonwealth Fund survey finds that 60 percent of Dutch patients receive same-day care compared to just 26 percent in the U.S.. In every system, services are denied for questionable reasons. (The Pantagraph newspaper)
Canadian health model delivers despite flaws Aug 6, 2009
However, according to the New York-based Commonwealth Fund, both the American and the Canadian systems fare badly in these areas. In fact, an April U.S. Government Accountability Office report noted that U.S. emergency room wait times have increased, and patients who should be seen immediately are now waiting an average of 28 minutes. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
Health reform proposals could help 13 million uninsured young adults gain coverage Aug 6, 2009
New York, NY, August 6, 2009 Comprehensive health reform proposals now before Congress could help the more than 13 million uninsured young adults ages 19-29 gain coverage, and such reforms would also help ensure that those who now have coverage would not lose it, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report ... "Because young adults face so many transitionsgraduation, job changes, and in this economy, unemploymentthey are especially vulnerable to the risks of being uninsured," said... (EurekAlert!)
The ‘quicker and sicker’ exit strategy Jul 30, 2009
In a recent study, the New York-based Commonwealth Fund reported that about one-third of US patients hospitalized with heart failure in 2006 didn t even receive written discharge instructions ... Eighteen percent of chronically ill people hospitalized in the United States were readmitted or went to an emergency room as a result of complications after a discharge, according to the Commonwealth Fund. (Boston Globe)
Does a retired senator have to pay taxes? Jul 29, 2009
A: A study found that 35 percent of Americans (2,500 were surveyed) are very confident they receive quality and safe care, 33 percent are very confident they receive the most effective drugs and 38 percent are very confident they receive the best medical technology, according to a report by The Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based private foundation that publishes research on health care issues. That s compared to 26 percent of Canadians (3,000 were surveyed) very confident they will get quality... (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- World)
Turnbull belittles PM's hospital forums Jul 28, 2009
The commission suggests the commonwealth fund and run all primary health care, basic dental care, aged care and indigenous health services. Mr Turnbull said Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's plan to hold 25 health forums at major hospitals in response to the report was just a chance for publicity. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
In Most Markets, a Few Health Insurers Dominate Jul 24, 2009
"There is obviously a need for more competition," says Karen Davis, president of the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund, which researches health care. AHIP, the industry group, notes that the Justice Dept. investigated and concluded the insurance industry is competitive. (BusinessWeek)
Hard Times For Young Adults: No Jobs, Insurance Jul 23, 2009
2 million, were uninsured in 2007, according to the Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based research center. Many young adults work entry-level jobs without insurance and, despite new laws in some states, they're eventually too old to stay on their parents' policies. (Click2Houston, TX)
Health insurers face little competition Jul 23, 2009
"There is obviously a need for more competition in this market," says Karen Davis, president of the nonprofit Commonwealth Fund, which does research on health care issues. More stories from BusinessWeek. (MSNBC -- Business)
Our view: Why we need reform Jul 22, 2009
A Commonwealth Fund report produced in May 2007 compares the U.S. system to that of other countries. Here's the overall conclusion. (Anchorage Daily News)
LETTER: Family's struggle shows health reform is needed Jul 22, 2009
Roughly three of every four people who tried to buy a policy from the individual health insurance market in the past three years didn't get one, said the study by the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that supports independent research on health policy reform. The study cited premium cost as the main reason. (Mattoon Journal-Gazette, IL)
Millions in U.S. can't afford health insurance Jul 22, 2009
Roughly three of every four people who tried to buy a policy from the individual health insurance market in the past three years didn't get one, said the study by the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that supports independent research on health policy reform ... "In our current system, millions of people without access to employer coverage have no affordable option for health insurance," said Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund. (Xinhuanet, China)
New report: Individual health insurance market failing consumers Jul 21, 2009
New York, NY, July 21, 2009The individual health insurance market is not a viable option for the majority of uninsured adults, a new report from The Commonwealth Fund finds ... "In our current system millions of people without access to employer coverage have no affordable option for health insurance," said Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis ... "People buying their own health insurance are paying significantly more in premiums than those with employer-based coverage, but are getting less... (EurekAlert!)
Our view: Bad tactics Jul 16, 2009
But exactly the opposite is true, according to a 2007 study by the Commonwealth Fund. As far as deaths that could be prevented with timely medical care, U.S. residents come out losers, with 115 deaths per 100,000 people before age 75, vs. 92 in Canada. (Anchorage Daily News)
Culver urges work on health care Jul 16, 2009
The Commonwealth Fund, he said, rated Iowa No. 1 in its first national scorecard on children's health. Earlier, Culver toured Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines and touted state efforts to bring 42,000 children under the health-insurance umbrella in the past 30 months. (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
Private and public insurance choices could help pay for national health care reform Jul 16, 2009
New York, NY, July 16, 2009As lawmakers debate how to pay for an overhaul of the nation's health care system, a new report from The Commonwealth Fund projects that including both private and public insurance choices in a new insurance exchange would save the United States as much as $265 billion in administrative costs from 2010 to 2020 ... "Health reform can help pay for itself, but both private and public insurance choices are critically important," said Commonwealth Fund President Karen... (EurekAlert!)
Will Blue Dogs contain health care tab? Jul 15, 2009
Will Blue Dogs contain health care tab. Thinking Right with Jim Wooten. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
Culver says more health care reform needed Jul 15, 2009
The bottom line is we need to have health-care reform in America," Culver said."There are a lot of different ways that we can reform health care," he said. "I think time will tell in terms of what kinds of agreements and what type of compromises can be made. "They may not favor Iowa, a high-quality, low-cost health care state, said Charlie Krogmeier, Culver's director of the Department of Human Services."The concern is that in addressing states that are high-cost, low-quality, some of the good... (Sioux City Journal)
Gov't plan would offer cut-rate medical premiums Jul 6, 2009
"A public plan is able to basically not worry about profit or overhead," said economist Karen Davis, president of the New York-based Commonwealth Fund. "They don't advertise or pay commissions to brokers. The are able to pay providers rates that are adequate for the effective provision of care.". (Yahoo News -- Politics)
Healthy examples: Plenty of countries get healthcare right Jul 5, 2009
In a 2008 survey of adults with chronic disease conducted by the Commonwealth Fund - a foundation which financed my own research abroad - 60 percent of Dutch patients and 42 percent of French patients could get same-day appointments ... (In a 2007 Commonwealth Fund survey, just 9 percent of Dutch patients reported waiting more than two hours for care in an ER, compared to 31 percent of Americans ... Dutch and French patients do wait longer than Americans for specialty care; around a quarter of... (Boston Globe)
Nate Silver on the Greg MankiwPaul Krugman health care feud Jul 2, 2009
The recent Commonwealth Fund study show that people with private insurance have 2. 5 times as many problems as people with Medicare. (Harper's Magazine)
Even those with health insurance are going broke Jun 29, 2009
"It's not just the uninsured. It's people who have insurance that doesn't protect them" who are fueling the hunger for reform, said Sara Collins, an economist and a vice president at The Commonwealth Fund, a private health-care foundation in New York. Until about a year ago, Moody and Krull lived comfortably on her earnings as an associate broker for Windermere Real Estate. (Longview Daily News, WA)
In search of a health plan Jun 28, 2009
The state is among the highest when it comes to medical quality, ranking 13th in the nation, according to a 2007 Commonwealth Fund report. Youth smoking, a leading cause of heart and lung disease, also has decreased by nearly 20 percent since 1999, and seat belt use was at an all-time high of 82 percent in 2007. (Bismarck Tribune, ND)
Why the 'Public Plan' for Health Jun 26, 2009
The public plan would serve as a conduit for spreading payment and system reforms, enable the establishment of a coherent set of incentives, accelerate health-system savings and increase value in health-care spending, Rachel Nuzum of the Commonwealth Fund, a liberal-leaning health-policy foundation, said in a Policy Points memo in March. It would also provide a safety net for people who arent working or whose employers dont provide health insurance, as well as those who simply... (Fox News)
Public Health Plan Could Save Money Faster: Policy Group Jun 26, 2009
Federal spending on health-related costs would still rise from 2010 to 2020, but they would be less with a plan that pays doctors and hospital rates similar to the Medicare program for the elderly and disabled, according to a report by the Commonwealth Fund ... An exchange that instead offered a plan with rates slightly higher than Medicare but below current private plan rates would save nearly $800 billion over one with only private options, according to the Commonwealth Fund's analysis ... The... (MEDLINEplus)
Can Health Coops Do the Job of a Public Plan? Jun 22, 2009
"The principle of eliminating some of the profit motive and placing it with the motive to get value out of care is a good principle," says Karen Davis, president of the Commonwealth Fund, a nonpartisan health policy think tank. "But there are a lot of ifs and it's not a strategy for a nation in an economic crisis when we need a solution soon.". (Time.com)
