National Health Systems
eNews Commentary
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January 24, 2013
Actions speak louder than words. Who was President Obama trying to convince otherwise in his inaugural speech? ... Obama quoted our founding documents. He attested their significance. He even mentioned "Republic" once. Three times he mentioned "founding" (founding creed, founding principles, founding documents). Five times he said, "We the people." And although he referenced Newtown, he never mentioned his 23 executive orders on guns, mental health or curtailing the Second Amendment.
Issues
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January 22, 2013
eNews Commentary
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January 17, 2013
The gloves are coming off. We're 11 months from full implementation and the real-world impact of Obamacare is hitting the newswires. Taco Bell and Wendy's just cut the hours of hundreds of employees to avoid the Obamacare employer health insurance mandate.
Public Documents
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December 11, 2012
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services answered a few questions in a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about how the intrusive centeralized ACA database -- the federal data services hub (HUB) -- will work. They include a comment that all states must use, connect to and share data with the HUB for Medicaid even if the state refuses to expand Medicaid under the ACA.
Public Documents
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December 11, 2012
Nevada's Silver State Health insurance Exchange sent a 26 page document of questions to HHS, including on the illusive FEDERAL DATA SERVICES HUB. In their introductory statement, they note, "The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) [Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO)] has issued multiple proposed, interim final and final regulations to implement the ACA. However, complete guidance has not yet been issued....Questions, concerns and confirmation requests are provided in bold text. The number of asterisks indicates the priority of the questions. Items with five asterisks need to be answered within a month so that Nevada can maintain the implementation deadline..." (Questions about the federal data services HUB begin on page 10)
Public Documents
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November 20, 2012
On November 16, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker sent a letter to Secretary Sebelius saying, "...we have determined Wisconsin will not develop a partnership or state-based exchange."
Press Releases
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November 07, 2012
ST. PAUL, Minn. – With the election behind us and President Obama elected to a second term in office, it is clear that his administration will be emboldened to finish the implementation of his quintessential first-term “achievement,” Obamacare, regardless of the cost, problems, or irreversible – and potentially devastating – changes it forces on the landscape of American medicine.
Transcripts
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October 24, 2012
Minnesota is one 5 states furthest along in creating the exchange -- the federal takeover centers -- and could be number one, according to Minnesota state Rep. Steve Gottwalt (R) yesterday in a hearing on accepting federal exchange funding. Is Minnesota building the prototype for the nation -- all under Governor Mark Dayton's executive order? And what could that mean? One interesting fact, as pointed out by Gottwalt, is that Maximus, Inc, the exchange contractor, helped set up the single-payer system in two Canadian provinces. This document contains key statements at the hearing regarding Governor Dayton's authority to "go it alone."
Public Documents
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October 22, 2012
WALTER MCCLURE, who worked with Paul Ellwood to create the HMO, was interviewed in August 2012. Minnesota's health care system is close to where he wants health care to be with outside analysis of patients and doctors. From the Interview: "When [McClure's] team started on [cost and quality] assessment in the 1980's, the idea that someone would be looking over a physician's shoulder was considered communism. Physicians were convinced of their right to autonomy. However, by 2008 Minnesota's private and voluntary sector had accomplished a sea change in this culture with 85 percent of providers in the state participating in having their outcomes measured." [our emphasis]
Press Releases
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August 13, 2012
ST. PAUL, Minn. – KEY FACTS:
• Minnesota currently leads state health insurance exchange implementation with its recently signed, $41 million contract with Maximus, Inc.
• Contract details follow federal regulations and provide a glimpse at what information must be shared based on the law.
• Information shared with federal agencies by state health insurance exchanges based on the Enroll UX 2014 initiative is intrusive and compromises patient privacy.
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