News

Michigan’s health care spending lower than U.S. average – Medicaid reimbursements among the lowest in the nation

According to an issue brief on health care costs released today by the Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation (CHRT), Michigan’s health care spending has been growing at a slower pace than the national average for more than a decade. The issue brief also says Michigan spends less per capita on personal health care than the national average ($ 5,058 …

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Is concentrated power a good or bad thing when it comes to health care plans?

During the debate about health care reform, there has been much discussion about the need for a public option. The advocates for that option talk about the need to assure real competition in health care. About the public option, Robert Reich said, “…without a public option, the other parties that comprise America’s non-system of health care — private insurers, doctors, …

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The devil is the detail

Health reform is exciting and both the House and Senate bills have elements that could greatly improve the way care is delivered for millions of people. But, with all those great things, you have to know that there are lots of things in those more than 1,900 pages of the House bill and more than 2,000 in the Senate bill …

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What’s a person to do?

“Breast-screening advice is Upended” (Wall Street Journal, November 17, 2009) For years, we have been told that we should have a mammogram every year after age 40 and in 2002, this advice was repeated by the same folks who now are recommending that most women can wait until 50 for routine mammograms. Does it make anyone think about the margarine …

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Health reform gone too far?

I was having a debate the other day about whether the health reform bill going through Congress was a good or bad thing and whether it went too far or not far enough. This dialog is occurring with my friends and colleagues who are strong European model supporters – let’s put all docs on capitation/salary – and my friends who …

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Help for Michigan’s Health Care Safety Net

For many who struggle with health care costs or lack of insurance, free clinics and other health care “safety net” organizations provide services that are truly life-saving. In partnership with the Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation, a team of University of Michigan (U-M) researchers is looking for ways to help Michigan’s safety net providers meet the challenges of caring …

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