Hits & Misses – 2008/12/19
Grassley Goes After Nonprofits. “The legislation would require nonprofit hospitals to spend a minimum amount on free care for the poor…and set curbs on executive compensation and conflicts of interest….”
Whose Life Is It Anyway? “Some companies are tying payments to medical test results. This year, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota is offering $200 insurance rebates to its own employees who can maintain ‘healthy levels’ of blood pressure, cholesterol and other risk factors – or show they’re making an effort to improve them.”
Walk-in Clinics Expand Access. For once, a Commonwealth Fund study we like.
Cost Shifting from Medicare, Medicaid Dwarfs Cost Shifting from the Uninsured. “Underpayment by Medicare and Medicaid costs private insurers $89 billion a year, raising the cost of coverage for a family of four by $1,788.” Hat tip to Greg Scandlen.
Glad to see Commonwealth recognizes that walk-in clinics expand accesss. Of course this goes completely against their basic view of how the health care system ought to be organized.
In the past they have never been in favor of free market medicine. Instead, they favor no monetary prices. Health care is supposed to be rationed by waiting.
I think Grassley has a point. Why should “nonprofit” hospitals get to avoid paying taxes that other hospitals pay? If they do not provide any more charity care than any other hospital, they should have to compete on a level playing.
Vicki, Greg Scandlen has a more important point.
How many times have you seen politicians and policy wonks complaining about how the uninsured are costing everyone else money?
Now. How often do these same people complain about all the money the rest of us have to spend because of people in Medicaid? Almost never.