Rx for Reform – NCHC Blog | National Coalition on Health Care

How to Ensure America Takes Its Medicine

In response to a question posted on the National Journal’s Health Care Expert Blog, Ralph Neas, President and CEO of the NCHC Action Fund, discussed the need to hold Congress and stakeholders accountable for curtailing the growth rate of national health care expenditures.

Justifying System-Wide Cost Containment

On the National Journal’s expert health care blog, Marilyn Werber Serafini opened discussion on the recent report issued by Medicare actuary Richard Foster, which stated that health care spending over the next decade could increase by up to 1 percent, due to new insurance coverage for 34 million people. In response to Serafini’s question regarding the meaning of this report for the fate of health reform, Ralph Neas, President and CEO of the National Coalition on Health Care, commented that while this news is actually a pleasant revelation, considering the throngs of new insured individuals, the need for system-wide cost containment is clearer than ever. Click above to read his full response.

Failsafe Drafting Options with Additional Examples

In order to address two potential issues with the Cost Containment Failsafe Proposal, three alternative pathways may be proposed. These three options are to modify the cost containment mechanism, dial back the Congressional consideration requirements of the private sector cost containment recommendations, or rewrite the private sector cost containment to make policy recommendations, but with requirements that enhance their power and usage.