News Archive
CBO’s Analysis Of Major Health Care Legislation Enacted In March 2010 [March 31, 2011]
Worst Case Housing Needs Of Persons With Disabilities [March 30, 2011]
Health Literacy Interventions And Outcomes [March 29, 2011]
Putting Patients Into “Meaningful Use” [March 28, 2011]
Finding What Works In Health Care [March 25, 2011]
Comparing Online Programs [March 24, 2011]
The Innovative University: Changing The DNA Of Higher Education [March 23, 2011]
National Strategy For Quality Improvement In Health Care [March 22, 2011]
Leading Health Indicators For Healthy People 2020 [March 22, 2011]
Enhancing Use Of Clinical Preventive Services Among Older Adults [March 21, 2011]
Projections of Education Statistics to 2019 [March 14, 2011]
Innovations In Health Literacy—IOM Workshop Summary [March 10, 2011]
State Higher Education Finance FY 2010 [March 9, 2011]
Peer-To-Peer Health Care [March 8, 2011]
Reducing Potential Duplication In Government Programs [March 7, 2011]
College Presidents On Navigating The Economic Downturn [March 4, 2011]
Federal Role In Removing Jurisdictional Impediments To College Education [March 3, 2011]
Proposed Payment Reforms In Health Care [March 2, 2011]
Views On Health Reform Law [March 1, 2011]
Impact Of Health Reform On State Budgets [February 28, 2011]
Health, United States, 2010 [February 25, 2011]
Health And Health Care 2020 [February 24, 2011]
Cost Estimate for H.R. 2—Repealing The Job-Killing Health Care Law Act [February 23, 2011]
Factors Associated With The Cost Of Treating High-Cost Medicare Beneficiaries [February 22, 2011]
From Evidence To Practice: A National Strategy For CER Dissemination [February 18, 2011]
Improving Health Care Efficiency [February 17, 2011]
Allied Health Professionals Survey [February 16, 2011]
New Primer Examines Medicare Spending And Financing [February 15, 2011]
Physical Therapy At Home Improves Stroke Patients’ Ability To Walk [February 14, 2011]
California Hospitals To Face Shortage Of Allied Health Personnel [February 11, 2011]
Significant Demographic Changes Among Youth In The U.S. [February 10, 2011]
How Disruptive Innovation Can Deliver Quality And Affordability to Postsecondary Education [February 9, 2011]
Moving The Medical Home Forward: Innovations In Primary Care Training And Delivery [February 8, 2011]
Upcoming Rules Pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act [February 7, 2011]
Gathering Health Information Online [February 4, 2011]
Generations 2010 [February 3, 2011]
Enrollment In Postsecondary Institutions, Graduation Rates, And Financial Statistics [February 2, 2011]
Top Health Industry Issues Of 2011 [February 1, 2011]
CBO’s Analysis Of Major Health Care Legislation Enacted In March 2010
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) have provided the Congress with extensive analyses of the health reform legislation both before and after its enactment in March 2010. A statement by CBO Director Douglas Elmendorf yesterday before the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health in the U.S. House of Representatives summarizes the major results of those analyses—in particular, the projected effects of those laws on the federal budget (over the first 10 years and the subsequent decade), health insurance coverage, Medicare, premiums for health insurance, and labor markets.
The statement can be accessed by clicking http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/121xx/doc12119/03-30-HealthCareLegislation.pdf.
Worst Case Housing Needs Of Persons With Disabilities
A study presents national estimates of the number of households that include persons with disabilities who have worst case housing needs and presents their characteristics. It provides a supplement to the Worst Case Housing Needs 2009: Report to Congress, released in February 2011.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.huduser.org/Publications/pdf/WorstCaseDisabilities03_2011.pdf.
Health Literacy Interventions And Outcomes
Low health literacy in older Americans is linked to poorer health status and a higher risk of death, according to a new evidence report by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). More than 75 million English-speaking adults in the United States have limited health literacy, making it difficult for them to understand and use basic health information. The 941-page report that was released yesterday is an update of a 2004 literature review featuring findings from more than 100 new studies, also found an association between low health literacy in all adults, regardless of age, and more frequent use of hospital emergency rooms and inpatient care, compared with other adults.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.ahrq.gov/downloads/pub/evidence/pdf/literacy/literacyup.pdf.
Putting Patients Into “Meaningful Use”
In January 2011, the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services issued the draft set of criteria for Stage 2 (it begins in October 2012), which sets higher standards for communicating health information to patients. The hope is that it will enable providers to exchange information, better coordinate care, improve treatment outcomes, and move into emerging delivery models like the patient-centered medical home, health information exchanges (HIEs), and accountable care organizations (ACOs). A report from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shares key findings, addresses how health systems can develop more inclusive care-teams to realize greater ROI from personal health records (PHRs), and includes case studies.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://pwchealth.com/cgi-local/hregister.cgi?link=reg/putting-patients-into-meaningful-use.pdf.
Finding What Works In Health Care
Health care decision makers--including clinicians and other health care providers--increasingly turn to systematic reviews for reliable, evidence-based comparisons of health interventions. Systematic reviews identify, select, assess, and synthesize the findings of similar but separate studies and can help clarify what is known and not known about the potential benefits and harms of drugs, devices, and other health care services. In a report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM), standards for systematic reviews of the comparative effectiveness of medical or surgical interventions are recommended.
A report brief can be accessed by clicking http://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2011/Finding-What-Works-in-Health-Care-Standards-for-Systematic-Reviews/Standards%20for%20Systematic%20Review%202010%20Report%20Brief.pdf.
A quality scorecard was developed that is intended to serve as a standardized measure for comparing any type of fully online college program, regardless of discipline. The scorecard has 70 metrics, developed over six months by a panel of 43 long-serving online administrators representing colleges of various classifications, including several for-profit institutions. It builds on the Institute for Higher Education’s “Benchmarks for Success in Internet-Based Distance Education,” which was published in 2000 and outlines 24 metrics.
The scorecard can be accessed by clicking http://sloanconsortium.org/quality_scoreboard_online_program.
The Innovative University: Changing The DNA Of Higher Education
The American Council on Education is now offering, The Innovative University: Changing the DNA of Higher Education, a new paper which explores issues driving the drop in the percentage of young individuals with a postsecondary degree as compared to previous generations. It notes that university leaders face many new challenges, such as disruptive technologies, and calls for institutions to be innovative and focused when moving forward.
The paper can be accessed by clicking http://www.acenet.edu/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Programs_and_Services&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=40357.
National Strategy For Quality Improvement In Health Care
The Affordable Care Act seeks to increase access to high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans. To that end, the law requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a National Strategy for Quality Improvement in Health Care (the National Quality Strategy) that sets priorities to guide this effort and includes a strategic plan for how to achieve it. A report issued on March 21, 2011 describes the initial Strategy and plan for implementation.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.healthcare.gov/center/reports/quality03212011a.html#es.
Leading Health Indicators For Healthy People 2020
For the past three decades, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a national agenda aimed at improving the health of all Americans over each 10-year span. Under each of these Healthy People initiatives, HHS established health benchmarks and monitored how well people were reaching them over time. HHS asked the IOM to review the Healthy People 2020 objectives and recommend leading health indicators that could sharpen the focus of the agenda. In particular, the IOM was asked to identify 12 key topics and 24 key objectives, and to identify 24 leading indicators that are critical to the nation’s health needs.
With this basis, the IOM identified a set of basic principles for Healthy People 2020 and developed a conceptual framework within which the topics, indicators, and objectives would be developed or selected. The IOM concludes that the indicators for Healthy People 2020 should prove valuable in eliciting interest and awareness among the general population; motivating diverse population groups to engage in activities that will exert a positive impact on specific indicators and, in turn, improve the overall health of the nation; and providing feedback on progress toward improving the status of specific indicators.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13088.
Enhancing Use Of Clinical Preventive Services Among Older Adults
Many older adults in the U.S. currently do not receive vaccinations, screenings, and other preventive services national experts recommend. These important services help detect many diseases, delay their onset, or identify them early in their most treatable stages to ensure healthier, longer, and more productive lives for older adults. By presenting and interpreting available state and national self-reported data, the report Enhancing Use of Clinical Preventive Services Among Older Adults: Closing the Gap aims to raise awareness of crucial gaps and increase interventions focused on those currently underserved.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.cdc.gov/Features/PreventiveServices/Clinical_Preventive_Services_Closing_the_Gap_Report.pdf .
Projections of Education Statistics to 2019
A new report from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) provides projections for key educational information. It includes data on enrollment, graduates, teachers, and expenditures in elementary and secondary schools, and enrollment, earned degrees, and conferred expenditures of degree-granting institutions.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/2011017.pdf.
Innovations In Health Literacy—IOM Workshop Summary
Nearly nine out of 10 adults have difficulty using everyday health information to make good health decisions. Minority and lower socioeconomic groups disproportionately lack health literacy—the degree to which a person can obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Roundtable on Health Literacy held a workshop to explore areas for research in health literacy, the relationship between health literacy and health disparities, and ways to apply information technology to improve health literacy.
The results of the workshop became available this week and can be accessed by clicking http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=13016&page=1.
State Higher Education Finance FY 2010
The State Higher Education Finance (SHEF) report is produced annually by the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO). It includes: an overview and highlights of national trends and the current status of state funding for higher education; a description of the revenue sources and uses for higher education, including state tax and non‐tax revenue, local tax support, tuition revenue, and the proportion of this funding available for general educational support; an analysis of national trends in enrollment and revenue, in particular, changes over time in the public resources available for general operating support; and indicators of relative state wealth, tax effort, and allocations for higher education, along with ways to take these factors into account in making interstate comparisons.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.sheeo.org/finance/shef_fy10.pdf.
Many Americans turn to friends and family for support and advice when they have a health problem. A report from the Pew Research Center shows how social networks are expanding to include online peers, particularly in the crucible of rare disease. Health professionals remain the central source of information for most Americans, but “peer‐to‐peer healthcare” is a significant supplement. This report is based in part on a national telephone survey of 3,001 adults, which captures an estimate of how widespread this activity is in the U.S.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2011/Pew_P2PHealthcare_2011.pdf.
Reducing Potential Duplication In Government Programs
Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the U.S., testified before Congress on March 3 on two key issues (1) federal programs or functional areas where unnecessary duplication, overlap, or fragmentation exists, the actions needed to address such conditions, and the potential financial and other benefits of doing so; and (2) other opportunities for potential cost savings or enhanced revenue. Health programs were among the areas described in his remarks.
The testimony can be accessed by clicking http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11441t.pdf.
College Presidents On Navigating The Economic Downturn
Three in 10 private college leaders say their tuition discount rates are "dangerously high." Three quarters of public college presidents believe online learning can help their institutions increase both enrollments and net tuition revenue. About a third of all college chief executives, public and private, say they would alter their tenure policies and mandate the retirement of older professors if they didn't have to worry about political blowback on their campuses. Those findings are among the many in the report "Presidential Perspectives" that was released today.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://insidehighered.com/content/download/388090/4609375/version/1/file/SurveyBooklet.pdf.
Federal Role In Removing Jurisdictional Impediments To College Education
Written for the Center for American Progress, a report examines how educational opportunities in multi-state metropolitan areas often are unaligned with regional economic and social needs due to state-oriented policymaking. One way to address this condition is for the federal government to play a larger role in coordinating a more regionally based approach to managing public postsecondary education in multi-state metropolitan areas.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.ihep.org/assets/files/publications/a-f/(Report)_Easy_Come__EZ-GO.pdf.
Proposed Payment Reforms In Health Care
Insurers and purchasers of health care in the United States are on the verge of potentially revolutionary changes in the approaches they use to pay for health care. Recently, purchasers and insurers have been experimenting with payment approaches that include incentives to improve quality and reduce the use of unnecessary and costly services. A technical report from Rand catalogues nearly 100 implemented and proposed payment reform programs, classifies each of these programs into one of 11 payment reform models, and identifies the performance measurement needs associated with each model.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/technical_reports/2011/RAND_TR841.pdf.
The Kaiser Family Foundation’s February Health Tracking Poll reports that nearly half of Americans either believe that health reform has been repealed and is no longer law or doesn’t know enough to say whether it still is law. Meanwhile, views on repeal continue to be mixed and overall opinion on the law is largely unchanged, with the public roughly divided and partisans on opposite sides of the issue.
A report can be accessed by clicking http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/8156.cfm.
Impact Of Health Reform On State Budgets
The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU) has issued a new analysis in the form of an issue brief that seeks to explain why states' recent estimates of the likely impact of the health reform law on their budgets vary widely and discusses the major expected sources of costs and savings as the new law is implemented. The review of state analyses found most estimates reflected potential cost increases, but did not account for the full range of potential savings.
The issue brief can be accessed by clicking http://www.kff.org/healthreform/8149.cfm.
Health, United States, 2010 is the 34th report on the health status of the Nation. It was compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The report contains a Chartbook that assesses the Nation’s health by presenting trends and current information on selected measures of morbidity, mortality, health care utilization, health risk factors, prevention, health insurance, and personal health care expenditures.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus10.pdf.
The Health Horizons Program at the Institute for the Future undertook a year-long examination of the future of health and health care, focusing on pressing challenges, along with key response strategies likely to shape the direction of change by 2020.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.iftf.org/system/files/feature/SR-1276HC2020_Perspectives.pdf.
Cost Estimate for H.R. 2—Repealing The Job-Killing Health Care Law Act
A Director’s Blog from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued two letters related to health care legislation: First, an estimate of the budgetary effects of H.R. 2, a bill to repeal the major health care legislation that was enacted last year—specifically, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and the provisions of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 that are related to health care. (H.R. 2 was passed by the House of Representatives on January 19). Second, an analysis of the budgetary effects of H.R. 2 over the 2022-2031 period.
The items can be accessed by clicking http://cboblog.cbo.gov/?p=1844.
Factors Associated With The Cost Of Treating High-Cost Medicare Beneficiaries
A new article in Health Services Research indicates that health reform policies currently envisioned to improve care and lower costs may have small effects on high-cost patients who consume most resources. Instead, developing interventions tailored to improve care and lowering cost for specific types of complex and costly patients may hold greater potential for “bending the cost curve.”
The article can be accessed by clicking http://www.hschange.org/CONTENT/1185/1185.pdf
From Evidence To Practice: A National Strategy For CER Dissemination
American health care suffers from a pervasive lack of good evidence to support practical decision making by patients and clinicians and from a lack of effective dissemination of the evidence that does exist. A white paper from NEHI takes the position that the newly created Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI must elevate dissemination as a priority, above and beyond the level called for in the Affordable Care Act and in the Institute of Medicine’s 2009 report to Congress on CER priorities.
The paper can be accessed by clicking http://www.nehi.net/publications/53/from_evidence_to_practice_a_national_strategy_for_cer_dissemination.
Improving Health Care Efficiency
Governments must make their health care systems more efficient if they are to maintain quality of care without putting further stress on public finances, according to a new report from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The organization warns that cash-strapped governments no longer have the option of boosting spending to improve health outcomes as they have done over the past several decades.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.oecd.org/document/39/0,3343,en_2649_34587_46491431_1_1_1_1,00.html.
Allied Health Professionals Survey
The results of the Allied Health Professionals Survey conducted by the AMA Organized Medical Staff Section in cooperation with National Association Medical Staff Services are available. The study collected information on how hospital medical staffs integrate and monitor the activities of allied health professionals with regard to patient care, safety, quality, and ethical issues. A total of 439 surveys were completed yielding a 10% response rate.
The survey can be accessed by clicking http://www.ama-assn.org/ama1/pub/upload/mm/21/final-allied-health-professionals-survey-results.pdf.
New Primer Examines Medicare Spending And Financing
As Congress and the Administration increasingly focus on the nation’s budget deficit, many policy experts and several bipartisan deficit reduction panels have proposed significant changes to Medicare to reduce federal spending and address rising health care costs. A new primer from the Kaiser Family Foundation provides an overview of Medicare spending trends, how the program is financed, and factors contributing to the growth in Medicare spending. The Primer also describes the expected effects of provisions in the 2010 health reform law on future Medicare spending, reviews financial obligations and out-of-pocket spending for individuals covered by Medicare, outlines several ways to assess Medicare’s long-term fiscal outlook, and discusses future financing challenges facing the program.
The Primer is available online at http://www.kff.org/medicare/7731.cfm.
Physical Therapy At Home Improves Stroke Patients’ Ability To Walk
In the largest stroke rehabilitation study ever conducted in the United States, stroke patients who had physical therapy at home improved their ability to walk just as well as those who were treated in a training program that requires the use of a body-weight supported treadmill device followed by walking practice.
The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, also found that patients continued to improve up to one year after a stroke, defying conventional wisdom that recovery occurs early and tops out at six months. In fact, even patients who started rehabilitation as late as six months after a stroke were able to improve their walking.
Additional information can be accessed by clicking http://www.nih.gov/news/health/feb2011/ninds-11.htm.
California Hospitals To Face Shortage Of Allied Health Personnel
Over the next five years, California hospitals could face a shortage of allied health care workers because of an aging medical work force and other factors, according to a report from the California Hospital Association. The Association conducted a survey of California hospitals between January 2010 and May 2010. According to the report, California's hospital work force will need more than one million new allied health professionals by 2030. CHA notes that an aging population, the federal health reform law, and population growth will contribute to the increase in demand.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.calhospital.org/sites/chadocuments.org/files/file-attachments/FINAL.Critical_Roles.Feb_.9.2011.pdf.
Significant Demographic Changes Among Youth In The U.S.
New Census Bureau data on school enrollment in the United States released earlier this week show that roughly half of children in the youngest age group consists of minorities. A paper from the Brookings Institution links the data to the country's demographics, reinforcing the picture of an increasingly multiethnic minority American youth. Also noted is the need for adequate public policy responses in education and workforce training.
The paper from Brookings can be accessed by clicking http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2011/0207_population_frey.aspx.
Census data can be accessed by clicking http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/school/cps2009.html.
How Disruptive Innovation Can Deliver Quality And Affordability to Postsecondary Education
As policy makers shift their focus away from "how we can enable more students to afford higher education no matter the cost" and toward "how we can make a quality postsecondary education affordable," the key question is whether traditional institutions can adapt themselves enough to fill this role or "whether community colleges, for-profit universities, and other entrant organizations aggressively using online learning will do it instead -- and ultimately grow to replace many of today's traditional institutions." The authors of a new report lay out ways in which both new and traditional institutions can step into the breach.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/02/pdf/disrupting_college.pdf.
Moving The Medical Home Forward: Innovations In Primary Care Training And Delivery
The "Moving the Medical Home Forward: Innovations in Primary Care Training and Delivery" report from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) highlights academic practices that have successfully incorporated key attributes of the "Patient-Centered Medical Home" (PCMH) model of care into their delivery system while serving as a training site for medical residents and other health professionals.
The report can be accessed by clicking https://services.aamc.org/publications/showfile.cfm?file=version168.pdf&prd_id=316&prv_id=392&pdf_id=168.
Upcoming Rules Pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
This report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) examines the most recent edition of the Unified Agenda. The report identifies upcoming proposed and final rules listed in the Unified Agenda that are expected to be issued pursuant to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The Appendix lists these upcoming proposed and final rules in a table.
The document can be accessed by clicking http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R41586_20110113.pdf.
Gathering Health Information Online
One of the most common uses of the Internet is increasingly for gathering health information. Research by the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project and the California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF) found that 80% of Internet users look online for health information, making it the third most popular online pursuit among all those tracked by the Pew Internet Project, following email and using a search engine. The most likely groups to look online for health information include: caregivers, women, whites, younger adults, and adults with at least some college education. The groups least likely to look online for health information include: African Americans, Latinos, individuals living with disability, older adults, and adults with a high school education or less.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2011/PIP_HealthTopics.pdf.
This is the second report by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project exploring how different generations use the internet. Seventy-nine percent of all American adults go online, a number that has remained relatively steady since early 2006. While most generations have internet adoption rates of at least 70%, internet use drops off significantly for adults over age 65: only 58% of adults ages 65-73 (the Silent Generation) and 30% of adults age 74 and older (the G.I. Generation) go online. As a result, younger generations continue to be over-represented in the online population, with adults ages 45 and younger constituting about 56% of the online population, despite making up only 49% of the total adult population.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://www.pewinternet.org/~/media//Files/Reports/2010/PIP_Generations_and_Tech10.pdf.
Enrollment In Postsecondary Institutions, Graduation Rates, And Financial Statistics
A new report from the national Center for Education Statistics (NCES) presents findings from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) spring 2010 data collection. The collection included five components: Student Financial Aid for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students for the 2009-10 academic year; Enrollment for fall 2009; Graduation Rates within 150 percent of normal program completion time for full-time, first-time degree/ certificate-seeking undergraduate students beginning college in 2003 at 4-year institutions or in 2006 at less-than-4-year institutions; Graduation Rates within 200 percent of normal program completion time for full-time, first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduate students beginning college in 2001 at 4-year institutions or in 2005 at less-than-4-year institutions; and Finance for fiscal year 2009.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2011/2011230.pdf.
Top Health Industry Issues Of 2011
According to a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers, the new health reform law will prompt most organizations to do strategy makeovers as they react to and prepare for new rules and payment models in 2011. Continuing cost pressures and new customer demands require a fresh look at existing roles of industry players. Industry changes wrought by health reform are far from over. In fact, they’ve only just begun.
The report can be accessed by clicking http://pwchealth.com/cgi-local/hregister.cgi?link=reg/top-health-industry-issues-of-2011.pdf.