Health Care Reform Articles - September 21, 2011

Some States Seeking Health Care Compact

TOPICS: MEDICARE, MEDICAID, POLITICS, HEALTH REFORM, STATES

By GUY GUGLIOTTA

SEP 18, 2011

This story was produced in collaboration with 

State governors and legislators opposed to the federal health-care law are eyeing a novel approach to escape its provisions: joining an "interstate compact" that would replace federal programs — including Medicare and Medicaid — with block grants to the states.http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Stories/2011/September/18/health-care-compact.aspx?p=1

Obama's health care cuts spread the pain

WASHINGTON (AP) — Health care savings in President Barack Obama's deficit-reduction plan would squeeze future Medicare recipients, cut payments to drug companies and hospitals, and shift costs to states.
Still, some advocates say the president's approach is less painful than other major ideas being debated this year, from privatizing Medicare to letting the states run Medicaid without a federal guarantee that the poor would get needed care.
http://news.yahoo.com/obamas-health-care-cuts-spread-pain-070403606.html

September 19, 2011

Obama Proposes $320 Billion in Medicare and Medicaid Cuts Over 10 Years

By ROBERT PEAR

WASHINGTON — President Obama’s budget director said Monday that the president’s new deficit-reduction plan would impose “a lot of pain,” and that is clearly true of White House proposals to cut $320 billion from projected spending on Medicare and Medicaid in the coming decade.

Mr. Obama proposed higher premiums and deductibles for many Medicare beneficiaries and lower Medicare payments to teaching hospitals and rural hospitals. He would start charging co-payments to frail homebound older people who receive home health services. And he would reduce the growth of federal payments to states for treating low-income people under Medicaid.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/20/us/politics/medicare-and-medicaid-face-320-billion-in-cuts-over-10-years.html?_r=1&hpw=&pagewanted=print

September 20, 2011

In Cuts to Health Programs, Experts See Difficult Task in Protecting Patients

By ROBERT PEAR

WASHINGTON — President Obama and some members of Congress assert that, in cutting Medicare and Medicaid, they can whack health care providers while protecting beneficiaries. But experts say it is not so simple.

Experience, they say, shows that some cuts in payments to providers hurt beneficiaries, as more doctors refuse to take Medicaid patients or limit the number of new Medicare patients they will accept. Hospitals curtail services. Beneficiaries may have more difficulty getting therapy services after a stroke, traumatic brain injury or hip fracture.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/21/us/politics/wielding-the-ax-on-medicaid-and-medicare-without-wounding-the-patient.html?_r=1&hpw=&pagewanted=print

Posted: September 21
Updated: Today at 12:09 AM

Letters to the editor, Sept. 21, 2011
Health care is why Canadians can spend

The Press Herald's Sept. 5 piece describing an increase in Canadian spending in Maine was good and timely economic news.
http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=Letters+to+the+editor%2C+Sept.+21%2C+2011%3Cbr%3EHealth+care+is+why+Canadians+can+spend&urlID=460860097&action=cpt&partnerID=590577&cid=130234613&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pressherald.com%2Fopinion%2Fletters%2Fhealth-care-is-why-canadians-can-spend_2011-09-21.html