Paul Fronstin [ Ph.D., Director, HRET, Employee Benefit Research Institute
Health Care Reform and Finance by Professor Uwe Reinhardt - Plenary Session speech at NCSL Annual Meeting, August 19, 2005 in Seattle (80 slides in PDF | Audio Link | Video Link.
Disclosure of Employers of Medicaid Enrollees: 2005-07 bills in states debating the disclosure and reporting of employers of Medicaid beneficiaries.
Additional Reports and Resources (Non-NCSL):
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Recent:
Employer Health Benefits 2008 Annual Survey- This annual survey of employers provides a detailed look at trends in employer-sponsored health coverage, including changes in premiums, employee contributions, cost-sharing policies, and other relevant information. Versions: News Release | Summary of Findings | Chart Pack | Cost of Health Insurance (Sec. 1) | - by Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research and Educational Trust; Published 9/24/2008.
"How Many Are Underinsured? Trends Among U.S. Adults, 2003 and 2007" - The number of underinsured U.S. adults—that is, people who have health coverage that does not adequately protect them from high medical expenses—has risen dramatically, a Commonwealth Fund study finds. As of 2007, there were an estimated 25 million underinsured adults in the United States, up 60 percent from 2003. Health Affairs Web report, 6/10/08. [11 pages  PDF]
> Charts, PowerPoint by Commonwealth Fund, 6/10/08.
Women Buying Health Policies Pay a Penalty - Article by New York Times, October 29, 2008.
"Out-of-Network Fee Schedules Will Soon Need to Change" Analysis of the recent New York state AG settlement. Published by Segal/Sibson, March 2009 Bulletin.
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"How Private Coverage Works: A Primer, 2008 Update" It discusses the fundamental aims of private health coverage and sorts out the complicated web of state and federal regulations that govern it. Published by Kaiser Family Foundation, 4/21/08. [27 pages ]
"State Health Care Reform: Key Questions and Answers" - A free-market rebuttal and analysis by the National Center for Policy Analysis, 4/08. [43 pages ]
"Health Savings Accounts: Participation Increased and Was More Common among Individuals with Higher Incomes" - General Accountability Office (GAO), Released 4/30/08.
"Health Care Costs 101, 2008 Edition" - a user friendly set of graphs and charts based on CMS data and estimates in 2008. It "shows that while health care spending growth has slowed, if left unchecked, it will represent 19.5% of the U.S. GDP by 2017." Released by the California HealthCare Foundation, 4/08. [27 pages ]
"Health Spending Projections Through 2017: The Baby-Boom Generation Is Coming To Medicare" - CMS staff analysis as published in Health Affairs web article, 2/26/08.
State Insurance Departments - web sites and contacts. Compiled by NAIC, 2007.
Health Insurance Coverage Status and Type of Coverage by Selected Characteristics: 2006 & 2007 (US Census Bureau; updated as published 3/08.)
U.S. Supreme Court Allows Employers To Continue Reducing Health Care Benefits for Medicare-Eligible Retirees - On March 24 the Court "gave employers a green light to reduce health benefits for millions of retirees who turn 65 and become eligible for Medicare. The justices turned away a legal challenge from AARP, the nation's leading senior citizens lobby, which had contended these lower benefits for older retirees violated the federal law against age discrimination." Article by Los Angeles Times/Kaiser Network 3/25/08.
Improving the value and cost of US health benefits: Could shifts in the employer role provide the solution? - An overview from Mercer, the commercial benefits advisory company. 1/25/08.
2008 Segal Health Plan Cost Trend Survey. Projected declines reflect 5th year of lower medical trends. "Surprisingly, trends for prescription drug coverage are projected to decelerate most - to levels similar to trends for medical coverage for the second consecutive year. Prescription drug projected trends have declined dramatically, by nearly nine percentage points, since their high of 19.5 percent in 2003." Published 10/07. PDF
The Impact of Guaranteed Issue and Community Rating Reforms on Individual Insurance Markets - by AHIP, 9/07.
Increasing Numbers of Insured Workers Required to Meet a Deductible - The number of workers with plans that require that a deductible be met increased from 48% in 2002 to 64% in 2005. Medscape Business of Medicine, 1/08.
Health Insurance Coverage Status and Type of Coverage by Selected Characteristics: 2005 & 2006. (US Census Bureau; updated as published 3/07)
Employer Health Benefits 2007 Annual Survey- This annual survey of employers provides a detailed look at trends in employer-sponsored health coverage, including changes in premiums, employee contributions, cost-sharing policies, and other relevant information. Versions: News Release | Summary of Findings | Chart Pack | Cost of Health Insurance (Sec. 1) | - by Kaiser Family Foundation, The Center for Studying Health System Change and Health Research and Educational Trust; Published 9/11/2007.
Security: What Americans Want from a Job A new poll shows that health insurance and security are at the top of Americans’ list of desirables in a job, while pay ranked much lower. The national poll, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates for the Center for State and Local Government Excellence, surveyed 1,200 adults age 18 and older. Participants were given a list of 15 benefits and characteristics that may be important in choosing a job. 1/3/08.
Mass. panel approves changes to subsidized residents health plan - Coverage costs rising. - Boston Globe, 12/14/07
California Employer Health Benefits Survey, 2007, online survey results, a joint project of the California HealthCare Foundation and the National Opinion Research Center. 12/17/07.
Employers Tap Incentives to Encourage Wellness Program Participation, Survey Suggests. A survey presented at a national health insurance industry meeting suggests that U.S. employers are using more sophisticated strategies to encourage employee participation in health and wellness programs, Healthcare IT News reports.