Outlines

Meanwhile, "surrogates" for the president and Romney campaign discussed significant differences in the two men's approaches to economic policy. […]

Supporters say the bonus system is improving care for millions of seniors, but critics say it can be a clumsy measure of value and rewards mediocrity. […]

In a graduation speech, the HHS secretary didn't mention the controversy over the mandate for contraception coverage but she told students that public policy debates "can be painful." […]

News outlets report Republican lawmakers' conflicting views as they wait for the Supreme Court's decision on its constitutionality. Meanwhile, The Associated Press reports that the fate of the nation's "uninsurables" is tied to what the justices decide. […]

The general election TV ad released by GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney's campaign touts the candidates first-day plan to "move to replace" the health law with "common sense health reform." Also in the news, President Barack Obama's campaign rebuts an attack ad by Crossroads GPS. […]

Supporters of the Big Data movement argue that data will change everything, but only once we break down the institutional and technological barriers that prevent us from getting at it. In his talk at TEDMED 2012 at the Kennedy Center, Stanford’s Atul Butte argues that the we already have more than enough to do real […]

By GREGG MASTERS As we trudge forward into various iterations of what and how ‘accountable care’ strategies can be sensibly configured and locally seeded for Medicare, Medicaid as well as commercial markets, attention is often focused on the ‘necessary’ but ‘not sufficient’ contribution(s) from health information technology (HIT). It is rare that a conversat […]

By Marc Siegel, MD The Food and Drug Administration is considering removing prescription requirements for medications that treat common conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, migraines and high cholesterol. This means that you would be able to go to your local pharmacy, fill out a questionnaire, receive a diagnosis and purchase a medicati […]

By Michael Millenson There I was, going one-by-one through a list of doctor and hospital groups that had volunteered to be one of the “accountable care organizations” authorized by health care reform, when I inexplicably found myself breaking into song. I know: it’s a really strange way to react to ACOs, but bear with me. […]

By Rob Lamberts, MD I saw a gentleman in my office recently.  He was having severe pain radiating from his lower back, down to his calf. I was about to describe my plan to him when he interrupted me saying, “I know, Doc, I am overweight.  I know that this would just get better if […]