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  • HCFA Letter to Editor Points Out Consumer Role in Health Care

    The New York Times Magazine yesterday published a letter-to-the-editor sent in by HCFA in response to the article on Intermountain Healthcare that was published 3 weeks ago (read our blog overview of the story). The letter points out that while the article focuses on the high quality of care provided [...]
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    Posted: November 30, 2009, 11:58am EST
    by HCFA

  • Health Care Financing Committee to hold December 3 Public Hearing

    Number of comments: 3
    Thursday, the legislature’s Joint Committee on Health Care Financing will hear two key bills affecting young people: S.39 / H.188 – An Act to Assure Continuity of Health Coverage For Children, and S. 609 - An Act Relative to the Qualifying Student Health Insurance Program. The hearing will be at 11:30 am [...]
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    Posted: November 30, 2009, 11:46am EST
    by HCFA

  • Felicitações

    Congratulations to HCFA Outreach Manager Dayanne Leal on receiving the Community Activist of 2009 award. Dayanne was honored this week by Assistencia Total Brasileira at its First Annual Thanksgiving Fundraiser and Award Dinner. Assistenica Total recognized Dayanne for her outstanding work for social justice here and in Brazil. Dayanne is a devoted [...]
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    Posted: November 25, 2009, 9:48am EST
    by HCFA

  • Sen. Kirk: As the Senate prepared to vote…, my memory flashed back to my days as a young staffer working for Sen. Ted Kennedy…

    Senator Paul Kirk has published his reflections on voting on health care reform. He cast his vote Saturday from Senator Kennedy’s desk, and it surely weighed on him: Kennedy’s voice, his energy and his unique legislative skills are deeply missed as the Senate prepares, at long last, to act on this [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2009, 4:59pm EST
    by HCFA

  • Infections Going Down for Many Possible Reasons

    A Boston Globe article looks at the decrease in infection rates at a number of Boston-area hospitals and cites a number of possible reasons for the decline. Among those reasons mentioned are the upcoming public reports on hospital-acquired infections that will be issued through the Department of Public Health early [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2009, 11:46am EST
    by HCFA

  • Children Are Not Little Adults

    On Friday, Dr. James Mandell, CEO of Children’s Hospital Boston, presented “Children are not Little Adults: A Pediatric View on Payment and Insurance Reform” at the Health Law and Policy Forum Brown Bag Lunch Series. Through case studies, Dr. Mandell emphasized that the issues surrounding pediatric care are different than [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2009, 11:39am EST
    by HCFA

  • Massachusetts Employer Coverage Success Cited in Senate Health Reform Bill

    Number of comments: 2
    Is the individual mandate unconstitutional? Experts say no, but the far right keeps claiming the mandate goes beyond the power of Congress to regulate interstate commerce. The Senate health reform bill includes a section to make the case that the mandate is allowed, and cites the experience of Massachusetts to [...]
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    Posted: November 21, 2009, 11:27am EST
    by admin

  • Thank you Nancy Ridley!

    Nancy Ridley being congratulated by DPH Commissioner AuerbachThe Public Health Council met on Wednesday for its monthly meeting. The Council meeting was the last time Nancy Ridley would present to the group, and as Commissioner Auerbach noted, “probably no person has come before the PHC as many times as Nancy.” [...]
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    Posted: November 19, 2009, 5:28pm EST
    by HCFA

  • Medical Errors and Empowered Patients

    CNN.com reports on the story of a pregnant woman named Kerry who was given a CT scan of the abdomen when she went in to the emergency room after experiencing bleeding. It turned out that the hospital made a mistake in giving her a CT scan. The scan was meant [...]
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    Posted: November 18, 2009, 6:55pm EST
    by HCFA

  • Great American Healthup

    Number of comments: 2
    Massachusetts does it again! By thinking outside the box, the state has provided accessible tools for MassHealth adults to quit smoking, and the program has seen unprecedented success. Today, on the eve of the Great American Smokeout, the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program held and event at the State House [...]
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    Posted: November 18, 2009, 5:42pm EST
    by HCFA

  • Share the Pain

    As we posted last night, we understand the deep fiscal pain the Commonwealth is undergoing. That’s why we support looking at balanced revenue approaches, such as closing loopholes in our tax expenditure budget, or rethinking the planned drop in corporate tax rates (details, from Mass Budget and Policy Center). But while [...]
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    Posted: November 18, 2009, 2:55pm EST
    by HCFA

  • November Disparities Council Meeting Canceled

    The upcoming Disparities Council meeting originally scheduled for Monday, November 23 has been canceled. For more information about the Council, please visit their website. -Jessica Hamilton [...]
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    Posted: November 18, 2009, 2:29pm EST
    by HCFA

  • Also On Today’s Agenda: Save MSP

    Number of comments: 2
    Also on today’s legislative agenda is the Patrick administration’s request for a $30 million stopgap appropriation for the Medical Security Program (MSP). We urge the legislature to approve the funds. The alternative would be loss of coverage to thousands, and the loss of hundreds of millions in federal funds. MSP provides [...]
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    Posted: November 18, 2009, 7:31am EST
    by HCFA

  • MassHealth Cuts: A Better Way

    Number of comments: 2
    Wednesday is the last day of formal legislative sessions for the year, and the House and Senate are expected to act on the Patrick administration’s request for flexibility to permit a number of reductions in services and increases in copays to MassHealth members. MassHealth is now expected to spend around [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2009, 11:38pm EST
    by admin

  • QCC Meets Tomorrow

    The Quality and Cost Council is meeting tomorrow, 1-3pm, 1 Ashburton Place, 21st floor, Boston. The agenda includes committee reports, an implementation update on the Roadmap to Cost Containment, and a presentation from the MeHI on the plan for EMR implementation. [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2009, 3:02pm EST
    by HCFA

  • MassHealth Smoking Cessation Program Works – DPH Releases Data Tomorrow at State House

    This Thursday, November 19th is the 2009 Great American Smokeout, a project initiated by the American Cancer Society to educate the public about the health risks of smoking and encouraging them to quit, while shining a light on resources available to those who are trying to quit. In Massachusetts, one [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2009, 1:57pm EST
    by HCFA

  • Forum Looks at Successes in MassHealth Pharmacy Program

    Community Catalyst, The Massachusetts Health Policy Forum and the Massachusetts Medicaid Policy Institute welcomed Boston’s medical and health policy community on Friday to discuss the MassHealth Prescription Drug Quality and Cost Management program. The forum began with a presentation on the findings of several researchers on implementation of the MassHealth [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2009, 9:17pm EST
    by admin

  • Public Health Council to Meet Wednesday

    DPH’s Public Health Council will be having their monthly meeting on Wednesday starting at 9:00 AM. Two interesting presentations on the schedule (pdf). First, the release of the Betsy Lehman Center’s report of the expert panel in obstetrics. The Center’s Director, Nancy Ridley, will be presenting. Nancy will be retiring [...]
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    Posted: November 13, 2009, 1:21pm EST
    by HCFA

  • What’s the Picture for Artists Three Years after Health Reform?

    Number of comments: 1
    The Massachusetts Artists Foundation recently released a report assessing the impact of state health reform on professional artists. The report, Stand Up and Be Counted: A Survey of Massachusetts Artists on Their Work Lives, Socioeconomic Status, Access to Healthcare, and Medical and Non-Medical Debt (pdf) compiles extensive survey data from 3,145 [...]
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    Posted: November 13, 2009, 8:58am EST
    by admin

  • Smart Jon Gruber Interview on Coverage Expansion Before Cost Control

    Connector Board member and MIT economist Jon Gruber was interviewed today by Washington Post blogger Ezra Klein. In addition to the mention of Health Care For All, the interview shines lots of lights on how expanding coverage is the first step to getting serious about cost control: Klein: One of the [...]
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    Posted: November 12, 2009, 9:41pm EST
    by admin

  • Connector Board Report – November 12th

    On Jay Gonzalez’s first Connector Board meeting as Secretary of Administration & Finance and the chair of the Connector Board, there was plenty to discuss. Materials from the meeting are posted here. The meeting discussed the plans for next year’s Commonwealth Care program, and examined the small business Commonwealth Choice [...]
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    Posted: November 12, 2009, 8:57pm EST
    by admin

  • The Secret of our Success — Revealed!

    Number of comments: 1
    Why has Massachusetts been so successful in increasing heath care coverage to uninsured residents? A new study provides the answer! The study, by Urban Institute researched Stan Dorn and colleagues, was funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. As the report notes, by the summer of 2008—less than two years [...]
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    Posted: November 11, 2009, 11:58pm EST
    by admin

  • Evidence-Based Medicine and Quality of Care

    Number of comments: 1
    Sunday’s NY Times Magazine cover story focused on Intermountain Healthcare, a network of hospitals and clinics in Utah and Idaho that is mentioned by many as an example of how care should be provided across the country. Medical providers and leaders of health care institutions from around the world go [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 10:21am EST
    by HCFA

  • Children’s Mental Health on the Road – Somerville

    Last Thursday evening, the Children’s Mental Health Campaign held its 15th regional forum in Somerville. The event, cosponsored by the City of Somerville, drew over 40 individuals from Somerville and the surrounding communities. As always, the most powerful and heart-wrenching stories were those from parents. Three mothers spoke of their [...]
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    Posted: November 09, 2009, 5:11pm EST
    by HCFA

  • Report on Quality and Cost of Hospital Care Released

    The Division of Health Care Finance and Policy, using data posted on the Quality and Cost Council’s website (www.mass.gov/myhealthcareoptions), issued a report allowing for a side-by-side comparison of hospitals’ quality ratings and costs for care for a defined set of treatments and conditions. The report also includes summary pages for [...]
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    Posted: November 09, 2009, 5:04pm EST
    by HCFA

  • AARP Supports Two HCFA Quality Bills

    Number of comments: 1
    The September 1 Massachusetts AARP Bulletin featured a story about legislation in Massachusetts seeking to prevent hospital infections and seeking to reduce the overuse of CT scans. Health Care For All worked with Massachusetts legislators to introduce both of these bills. H. 2139, filed by Representative Denise Provost, requires hospital [...]
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    Posted: November 08, 2009, 5:25pm EST
    by admin

  • Who’s Getting Over on Students?

    Many of us who have ever been enrolled in a student health plan (SHP) and all of us in the health policy arena knew that student plans are lousy. Last week, the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy released its Student Health Program Baseline Report (ppt), the first of [...]
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    Posted: November 08, 2009, 3:53pm EST
    by admin

  • Thanksgiving is Now — House Health Reform Vote

    All 10 members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation voted for the House health bill last night (see national voting chart). Now they need to hear our gratitude and appreciation. It’s time for thanks-giving. We are proud that health reform is based on the Massachusetts template and our success has given Washington [...]
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    Posted: November 08, 2009, 11:18am EST
    by admin

  • Who Care for the Caregivers?

    The Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute (PHI), in collaboration with Amy Lischko of the Department of Public health and Community Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine, released findings from a survey of eldercare and disability services employers. The study, Coverage for Caregivers: Lessons from Massachusetts Health Reform, examines the impact of [...]
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    Posted: November 06, 2009, 6:20pm EST
    by HCFA

  • Commonwealth Care Bridge Roll-Out: One Last Chance To Get It Right

    Today’s Globe article, “Immigrants face hurdles with new care coverage, points out that many of the legal immigrants who were automatically enrolled in Commonwealth Care Bridge program on Oct. 1st and Nov. 1st experienced delays in receiving enrollment materials. This is an issue HCFA’s HelpLine and outreach workers at a [...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2009, 8:40pm EST
    by HCFA

  • Prescription Advantage Cut Again

    Note: this post is from Deborah Banda, State Director, AARP Massachusetts; we join AARP in questioning both the wisdom and the compassion in cutting Prescription Advantage again. Last Thursday, Governor Patrick closed part of the $600 million mid-year state budget gap by cutting $277 million from state agency budgets. The administration [...]
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    Posted: November 04, 2009, 3:09pm EST
    by HCFA

  • CommCare Bridge Clarification

    Our last post on Commonwealth Care Bridge has been updated to include more accurate information on transportation, prescription co-pays, and network development. Please check out the revised information and feel free to contact Suzanne Curry at scurry@hcfama.org with questions. [...]
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    Posted: November 04, 2009, 10:52am EST
    by admin

  • This Makes Me Laugh

    Number of comments: 1
    Now that I’m a Facebook regular (HCFA’s page has 1,955 fans — just 45 to go to meet our 2K goal! C’mon people!), I now find Slate’s Obama’s Facebook feed amusing: - Brian Rosman [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2009, 6:19pm EST
    by admin

  • Myths and Facts on Comparative Effectiveness Research

    The National Partnership for Women & Families has produced a very informative fact sheet about Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER). It defines CER and then lays out some of the myths, with corresponding responses. The federal government put money toward CER in the stimulus bill and national health reform will most [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2009, 1:20pm EST
    by admin

  • Heavy and Light on Pharma and Device Marketing

    Two recent pieces of news on the pharmaceutical and medical device industry: First, the heavy: Yesterday, Courthouse News reported that Dr. David Gossman from Leahy Clinic was alleging he was fired for speaking up about ethical concerns. According to Dr. Gossman, a few doctors at the hospital had worked out an ‘arrangement’ with [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2009, 12:15pm EST
    by admin

  • Health Reform Lowers Costs for Individuals - in MA Now, and Soon Nationally

    Number of comments: 7
    We hear it over and over - “Massachusetts has the highest insurance premiums in the country. Health reform did a great job at expanding access, but it did nothing for costs.” Yes, but . . . As the DOI begins its look at the high cost of health insurance here, focusing [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 11:29pm EST
    by admin

  • Children’s Mental Health Forum to be held in Somerville this week

    On Thursday, November 5, parents, youth, clinicians, child advocates and community members will convene in Somerville to share their experiences in accessing the children’s mental health care system in Massachusetts. This forum, which begins at 5:30pm is co-sponsored by the City of Somerville, the Somerville Committee on Suicide Prevention and [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 3:57pm EST
    by admin

  • WSJ Looks at Checklists in Hospitals

    The on-line Wall Street Journal posted an interview with Dr. Peter Pronovost, a leading expert on patient safety and quality improvement. He created a 5-step checklist that hospitals can use to prevent bloodstream infections in the ICU. Michigan hospitals used the checklist and saw their infection rates decrease by 66%. [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 1:40pm EST
    by admin

  • Connector unveils new Choice site

    The Commonwealth Connector unveils a new website for CommChoice this month (Check it out here by selecting a plan that starts on January 1st). The new website has the feel of an online shopping experience for a major department store. The revamped website is in response to requests by Board [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 10:10am EST
    by admin

  • Wall Street Journal Highlights Efforts to Prevent Infections

    The Wall Street Journal earlier this week featured an article about hospital-acquired infections and steps that are being taken to prevent them. Among the interventions listed is public reporting of infections, which became law in Massachusetts in 2008 under Chapter 305. The first listing of infections by hospital will be [...]
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    Posted: November 01, 2009, 1:00pm EST
    by admin

  • Consumer Union’s Safe Patient Project Hosting Webcast

    Consumers Union’s Safe Patient Project (formerly Stop Hospital Infections) is holding a forum, “To Err Is Human, To Delay Is Deadly,” at the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington, DC on November 17th. The forum marks the 10th anniversary of the Institute of Medicine study on medical errors and raises concerns [...]
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    Posted: November 01, 2009, 12:59pm EST
    by admin
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