The Facts

Reports

Health Care For America

A proposal for guaranteed, affordable health care for all Americans building on Medicare and employment-based insurance

By Jacob S. Hacker
Professor at Yale University
01/11/2007
Related Topics:

Health Care For America allows people to keep the health care coverage they have and offers Americans the choice to buy into a public plan like Medicare. It combines personal responsibility and an employer contribution to create a new framework ensuring that everyone is covered. more »

The Stress Test

A State-by-State Assessment of America's Economic Health and a Prescription for Change

By Eric Lotke, Alex Carter, Molly Swartz
Institute for America's Future
05/14/2008
Related Topics:

The Stress TestEconomists and politicians debate whether or not we’re technically in a recession, but most Americans feel we’ve been in a recession for years.

The Campaign for America’s Future has designed "The Stress Test" to show how the economy affects working families. By assessing the condition of the job market, housing, health care, and household costs on a state-by-state basis over time, "The Stress Test" illustrates the troubles families face. Use this report to talk about the real impact of conservative policies and need for a new, progressive economic strategy.

» Read the full report (PDF)

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Fast Facts

(submit your own)
Molly Swartz's picture

CAF STAFF

Medicare becoming more cost-efficient

Submitted by Molly Swartz
April 14th, 2008

Medicare cost savings rose to $1.2 billion in 2006 from $136 million in 2001

Source
"Fewer Heart Attacks and Related Hospital Admissions Offset Rising Medicare Costs" PR-USA.net, 10 April 2008. http://www.pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=96792&Itemid=9
Molly Swartz's picture

CAF STAFF

Pharmacy Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Contributes to High Costs for Medicare Part D

Submitted by Molly Swartz
April 11th, 2008

Approximately 1 percent of prescription costs are likely due to fraud, waste, or abuse. This amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars in unnecessary costs for the Medicare Part D program and its beneficiaries.

Source
“Prompt Payment” Mandates Would Raise Costs Due to Pharmacy Fraud, Waste, and Abuse" Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, April 2008. http://www.pcmanet.org/assets/2008-04-10_Research_FINAL%20Fraud%20Detection%20Survey%20Findings%20April%202008.pdf
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Fact Sheets and Briefs

Health Insurance Coverage of Women Ages 18 to 64, by State, 2005- 2006

Kaiser Fmaily Foundation

This fact sheet provides state-by-state data on the uninsured rate, as well as rates of private insurance coverage and Medicaid coverage, among women nationally, in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. more »

Trends in Health Care Costs and Spending

Kaiser Family Foundation

This September 2007 fact sheet on health care costs presents key statistics about the growth, level and impact of rising U.S. health care costs. It covers spending on various medical services, sources of health spending, employer-sponsored health coverage and the impact on businesses and people. more »

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Public Pulse

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Eric Lotke's picture

CAF STAFF

Doctors support universal health care

Submitted by Eric Lotke
April 1st, 2008

More than half (59%) of U.S. doctors now favor switching to a national health insurance program ; fewer than a third (32%) oppose the idea, according to a new survey published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

Source
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN3143203520080331
Alex Carter's picture

CAF STAFF

Voters are Angry as Costs are Major Concerns!

Submitted by Alex Carter
March 12th, 2008

Voters are increasingly angry about an economy in which wages are flat and costs keep rising. Costs cause the most tension, especially health care. Even as the housing crisis was breaking, a Wall Street Journal poll of adults from July 2007 found that “the cost of health care” ranked as the biggest economic issue (44%), with “jobs going overseas” ranking second (34%). more »

Source
NBC News/Wall Street Journal, July 27-30, 2007 survey of adults. http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/WSJ0707_poll.pdf Washington Post-ABC News Poll, survey of adults, January 9-12, 2008. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/polls/postpoll_011408.html
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