[In the Press] Interview Quoted in Bloomberg Law Article “Sutter Antitrust Class Action Could Upend Industry Consolidation”
Jaime S. King, Executive Editor September 20, 2019
Jaime King was quoted in the 9/20/2019 Bloomberg Law article “Sutter Antitrust Class Action Could Upend Industry Consolidation”: Health-care costs are one of the most important concerns in the U.S., said Jaime King, associate dean of the University of California Hastings School of Law and director of the Concentration on Law and Health Sciences. “I know that attorneys general in other states are paying very close attention to what’s happening because concentration is not something that is just happening in California—it’s happening all over the country. If successful we will …
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[Case Watch] Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. UPMC and Highmark: State AG Prevails with 10-Year Consent Decree After Long Bitter Court Battle
Amy Y. Gu, Managing Editor September 16, 2019
Pennsylvania’s efforts to restore competition to the provider and insurance markets in the long-standing battle between University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and Highmark Health overcame mounting challenges and finally concluded with an unprecedented 10-year consent decree. The Source closely tracked the case as it unfolded over the past several months. In this post, we take a look back at the case’s long and winding road, which included three stops at the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, leading up to the new truce. It’s Déjà Vu All Over Again It all began in …
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The Source Roundup: September 2019 Edition
Source Fellow September 3, 2019
By: Hayden Soria, Student Fellow Hello September! As we see cooler days slowly roll in, there are still many sizzling topics in this month’s health policy literature. In this Roundup, we take a dive into article and reports that discuss 1) the prevalence of surprise billing, 2) the effects of California’s AB 72 on provider networks, 3) increasing hospital prices, 4) hospital quality ratings, 4) increasing insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs, and 5) health plan profitability. Surprise Billing and Provider Networks Eric C. Sun, Michelle Mello, and Jasmin Moshfegh explore …
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California Budget Watch (Part 4 of 4): The Legislature Implements Major Healthcare Reforms in Trailer Bills SB 78 and SB 104
Sammy Chang, Health Policy Researcher August 30, 2019
Last month, we recapped the appropriations allocated to healthcare reform in the 2019 California Budget. These budget allocations, however, do not provide much guidance on how the money should be spent. Trailer bills provide the statutory language to implement the budget. With the enacted 2019 budget, the Governor signed two healthcare trailer bills passed by the Legislature, SB 78 and SB 104. In this post, we dissect these trailers bills which create and implement various programs impacting healthcare access and costs. What are Trailer Bills? SB 78 and SB …
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Health Affairs Blog Highlights The SLIHCQ Database
Amy Y. Gu, Managing Editor August 22, 2019
Hot off the press: Health Affairs Blog post The State Of State Legislation Addressing Health Care Costs And Quality highlights The State Laws Impacting Healthcare Cost (SLIHCQ) Database established by The Source on Healthcare Price and Competition and Catalyst for Payment Reform (CPR). The Source Executive Editor Jaime King and CPR Director Suzanne Delbanco discuss key approaches states are taking to develop high-quality, affordable health care, including transparency laws, payment reform and benefit design laws, laws that encourage provider competition, and laws that govern oversight and regulation of costs. Check …
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[Case Watch] UCFW & Employers Benefit Trust v. Sutter Health: Court Sets Antitrust Standards, Readying the Stage for Trial
Sammy Chang, Health Policy Researcher August 15, 2019
See UFCW & Employers Benefit Trust v. Sutter Health case page. Editor’s Note: As the historic antitrust lawsuit against healthcare giant Sutter Health heads to trial, The Source will feature a series of legal analyses, including revisiting the complaints and summary judgment order, to bring readers up to speed in this one of a kind case. The trial is set for September and expected to last around 12 weeks. Continue to follow The Source Blog as we bring the latest first-hand coverage and analysis in this case. On August 6, …
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Are Medicaid Health Plans Making Too Much Money?
Gary Ko August 9, 2019
Medicaid health plans are often criticized for making too much money at the expense of tax payers and the indigent population, measured in billions of dollars. However, real profitability goes far beyond the simple measure of profit dollars. This post explores the profitability of Medicaid health plans from a corporate finance point of view, how the levels have changed over the years, and how they compare in today’s corporate context. Beyond Profit Dollars: Evaluating Profitability on Operating Margin The public often focus on absolute profit dollars as a measure …
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[Publication] The Judges’ Book: Health Law: SB 17 and State Regulation of Drug Pricing
Amy Y. Gu, Managing Editor August 1, 2019
The Judges’ Book: Vol. 3 , Article 12 (2019) “Health Law: SB 17 and State Regulation of Drug Pricing” Authors: Jaime S. King and Katherine L. Gudiksen
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The Source Roundup: August 2019 Edition
Source Fellow August 1, 2019
By: Hayden Soria, Student Fellow Happy August! Even as the summer winds down, there is no waning of health policy literature. In this month’s Source Roundup, we take a look at academic articles and studies that analyze 1) potential prescription drug savings from generics and biosimilars, 2) the need for price transparency, and 4) a multitude of efforts in health system reform. Potential Prescription Drug Savings from Generics and Biosimilars As prescription drug pricing continue to capture the nation’s attention, Stacie B. Dusetzina et al. take a dive into cost …
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California Budget Watch (Part 3 of 4): California’s Newly Enacted Budget Contains Impactful Healthcare Initiatives That Will Help Increase Healthcare Access
Sammy Chang, Health Policy Researcher July 31, 2019
On June 27, 2019, Governor Newsom signed AB 74, the Legislature’s final budget with no line item changes related to health care. Previously, we glimpsed at the Governor’s May Revise and the Legislature’s final proposal. While not much has changed, we recap and delve deeper this month into specific programs under the enacted budget that could impact healthcare access and costs. Final Allocations for New Healthcare Programs While many different healthcare initiatives are included in the enacted budget, we focus our discussion specifically on programs laid out in the …
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