10 Reasons Why Repealing Health Reform Would Harm Children
By: Bruce Lesley and Lisa Shapiro
Huffington Post (Blog)
January 8, 2011
In response to the current effort to repeal health reform, Bruce Lesley (President at First Focus) and Lisa Shapiro (Vice President of Health Policy at First Focus) co-authored this opinion piece on how repealing the legislation would be harmful to low-income children and children with special health care needs on a nationwide scale.
Note: This article was written prior to the postponement of the scheduled vote to repeal health reform but the points made continue to be relevant.
...Click here to read the article on the Huffington Post
Congressional Budget Office: Health Repeal Would Deepen Deficit
By: Amy Goldstein
The Washington Post
January 7, 2011
As the GOP gears up to make their first attempt at repealing the Affordable Care Act, the Congressional Budget Office reports success would not only result in 32 million more Americans without health insurance but also add approximately $230 billion to the federal deficit by 2021.
...Click here to read the article on The Washington Post
In addition, Harvard Health Economist David Cutler has published a report on how repealing health reform would be damaging to both jobs creation and reducing health insurance costs.
Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and Pediatricians: Evaluation & Engagement
American Academy of Pediatrics ACO Workgroup
AAP News Vol. 32 No 1
January 2011
The ACA includes several provisions that establish Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) within Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP. Payment incentives aimed at lowering health care costs, slowing their rate of growth and improving the quality of care are at the heart of the ACO model. Beginning in 2012, medical providers under participating state Medicaid programs can form pediatric-specific ACOs under the Pediatric Demonstration Project. This report details guidance from the AAP and includes discussions on "Critical Success Factors for Pediatric ACOs", "Key Considerations in Ensuring Pediatric Representation in an ACO", and more.
...Click here to read the article on the AAP News website
State Strategies to Improve Quality and Efficiency: Making the Most of Opportunities in National Health Reform
By: J. Rosenthal, A. Gauthier and A. Arons
Commonwealth Fund/National Academy for State Health Policy
December 23, 2010
This recent report details specific provisions in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), in the context of ten states' specific policies and plans regarding implementation of the legislation. The authors make suggestions on what challenges and benefits the ACA may bring to these states and recommendations for implementation strategies that may improve state health system performance and utilize the ACA's requirements to advance the states' individual efforts.
...Click here to read the article on the Commonwealth Fund website
Preventive Services without Cost Sharing
By: Amanda Cassidy
Health Affairs
December 28, 2010
Among the key provisions of the ACA are requirements that preventative services be covered without cost sharing. This report describes what is in the ACA with regard to preventative services provided without cost sharing and the challenges and benefits associated with them.
...Click here to read the article on Health Affairs
...For a variety of news items, opinion and analysis on the legal challenges to ACA, click here to go to "The Health Law and Legal Challenges: What the Future Holds" from Kaiser Health News
