Public Policy Issues

Latest Policy Materials 

Patient Safety and Quality

Health Affairs has prepared an issue brief on patient safety and health care quality. The issue brief provides background material, a summary of relevant ACA provisions, and current policy efforts to improve patient safety and health care quality.
Improving Quality and Safety

Medical Malpractice

Medical Malpractice premiums were approximately $10.8 billion in 2008. CRS has outlined recent action congress has taken to address Medical Malpractice.
Medical Malpractice: Background and Legislation in the 112th Congress

Medicaid

The Kaiser Family Foundation has prepared a report on the effect of the recession, policy trends, and health care reform on Medicaid. 
Medicaid and the Uninsured
Medicaid and the Uninsured - Long-term Care Users

The GAO has prepared a report on payment rates in Medicaid managed care.
Medicaid Managed Care - Report
Medicaid Managed Care - Highlights

Costs

The Massachusetts Attorney General has published the results of an investigation on health care costs and trends.
Attorney General Report-2011  
Attorney General Report-2010 

The Rhode Island Insurance Commissioner published a study on variations in hospital payment rates.
Rhode Island Insurance Commissioner

The National Institute for Health Care Management has prepared a report on hospital consolidation.
Hospital Market Consolidation: Trends and Consequences

Coverage

The Commonwealth Fund Commission on High Performance Health System has prepared a report that outlines coverage disparities in vulnerable populations. The Commission concludes that better access, a stronger care delivery system, and better care coordination will help bridge the health care divide.
Ensuring Equity: A Post-Reform Framework to Achieve High Performance Health Care for Vulnerable Populations.

Health Affairs has published a policy brief by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that outlines coverage disparities by race, ethnicity, income, and other key social factors.
Achieving Equity in Health

The Congressional Research Service has prepared a demographic break down of the 85% of insured and 15% of uninsured Americans
Health Insurance Coverage by State and Congressional District 2010

The report analyzed cost and coverage under the expanded Medicaid
Kaiser Family Foundation’s Report on Medicaid Coverage and Spending

The Commonwealth Fund reports on PPACA’s coverage extension for young adults to age 26
Rite of Passage Young Adults and the Affordable Care Act of 2010

Congressional Research Service provides an overview of full and self-insured plans and how they are affected by ERISA, HIPAA and PPACA
Self-Insured Health Insurance Coverage

Medicare Part D

The Congressional Budget Office has prepared a report on the use of generic drugs in Medicare Part D Plans
Effects of Using Generic Drugs on Medicare's Prescription Drug Spending

The Kaiser Family Foundation has prepared this report on 2011 plan availability and changes since 2006.
Medicare Part D Spotlight 

Resources

Health Care Reform: Check here for the latest proposed regulation, follow-up legislation, studies and other resources related to health care reform.

Federal Legislative Activity - Provides links to recently passed federal health care legislation, proposed legislation and congressional hearings and testimony.

Key Issues in National Health Care - Using data from leading sources, this series discusses important health care issues and trends in a manner accessible to a broad audience. We add new items on a regular basis and continuously update existing materials.  

Health Policy Resources - Provides links to congressional testimony, correspondence and other resource documents for key health care policy topics: Pay-for-Performance, Quality Measures and Reporting, Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plans, Health Savings Accounts, Non-profit Status Issues, Coding Intensity/Adjustment of Medicare Advantage Risk Scores. 

ACHP shares the Institute of Medicine's goals for quality health care: health care that is safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient and equitable. We are committed to advancing public policies to help achieve these goals.