“Reflex” is our mid-morning reaction to some of the day’s news. Today, some stories were brought to our attention by Igor Volsky and Ezra Klein.
CMS is expanding competitive bidding for Medicare durable medical equipment, reports Sam Baker of The Hill. It’s expected to save $28B over 10 years. Austin’s comment: Here’s a quiz: presuming competitive bidding makes sense for DME and Part D, among other areas of government procurement, why does it not exist in Medicare Advantage?
High-deductible CDHPs likely to gain popularity, writes Joanne Wojcik in Business Insurance. The excise (Cadillac) tax will encourage employers to reduce generosity of health plans, shifting more cost sharing and higher deductibles to employees. Austin’s comment: Correct. Next, higher cost sharing will encourage more to seek coverage from Medicaid and the exchanges, if eligible.
Social Security disability faces a shortfall in 2017, says the Associated Press. Don’s comment: The solvency of the Social Security disability program can be extended until 2037 via a simple legislative fix that allows the disability (DI) portion of Social Security to be cross subsidized by the retirement portion of the program (OASI). The CBO has assumed this will occur in their recent Social Security projections.
U.S. scrambling to ease shortage of vital medicine. The NYT reports on ways that many stakeholders are trying to fix the shortage of critical drugs for various illnesses, including cancer. Aaron’s comment: I’m always baffled at how people seem surprised when things like a free market and supply and demand can wind up screwing up things like life-saving drugs. When your life is on the line, sellers know. Kevin’s post on this issue here.
Influenza vaccination coverage among health-care personnel — United States, 2010–11 influenza season. The CDC reports that 37% of health care workers don’t get the flu shot. Aaron’s comment: This is just really, really bad. Remember how we were all so scared of the swine flu just a short while ago? There’s a shot that prevents you from getting it. If you’re supposed to, you should have one every year. There’s a chapter specifically on this in my book.
The Obama Administration is marketing the ACA, with adds targeted to black and Hispanic audiences, reports Fox News. Austin’s comment: Based on research relating to early enrollment in Medicare Part D, I expect that the degree to which people are receptive to such marketing will play a role in the variation in response and participation. Hispanics are among the groups with the highest rate of uninsurance in Massachusetts.
Trade commission challenges a hospital merger in Toledo, reports Robert Pear. Austin’s comment: Work by Cory Capps shows that hospital mergers are, in part, responsible for higher health care costs and have no positive effect on quality.
