Can You Really Mandate People To Buy Health Insurance?

That's not so much a policy question as a practical question and it is what Hillary Clinton seems to be saying is the big difference between her health care reform plan and the health reform plan of Barack Obama.That's why a news story this week out of Massachusetts caught my eye.It seems that the Mass Department of Revenue is in the process of drafting new regulations to up the penalty for

Medicare Advantage Cuts?

The highly profitable Medicare Advantage business is vulnerable to payment cuts to HMOs.Any of you that read this blog know that I have been predicting big changes for the Medicare Advantage business ever since the Democrats took control of the Congress--particularly for the controversial Private Fee-For-Service (PFFS) part of the program.But I have often felt alone in that opinion so a recent

The Budget Outcome--Everything Was Decided and Nothing Was Decided

The Budget agreement, SCHIP, the Medicare Physician Fee Cut, and Medicare Advantage HMO payments.For months, I have been telling you four things:The federal budget impasse would be resolved because Democrats and Republicans weren't going to go home without their earmarks. In predicting the budget outcome you might recall my telling you to follow the "pork."SCHIP would not be allowed to expire and