Tune in to the latest podcast with Anna Sinaiko, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, who discusses with Catalyst for Payment Reform (CPR) Executive Director Suzanne Delbanco past price and quality transparency efforts and benefit design programs. CPR, in partnership with The Source, recently released a Report Card on State Transparency Laws that assesses state efforts to help consumers access health care price information to facilitate consumer shopping (see Suzanne Delbanco’s op-ed in Governing). This latest podcast from CPR provides insights on patient preferences in …

The Source continues to extend wishes of safety and good health to you and your loved ones during this uniquely challenging time.  Despite the reality that much of the healthcare industry suffers financial catastrophe due to the pandemic, experts note improvements in some areas.  Authors this month expect some advancements to last and suggest how the U.S. should use them to diminish costs.   Changes in Telehealth Will Likely Outlast the Pandemic In JAMA’s Implications for Telehealth in a Postpandemic Future, Carmel Shachar and co-authors affirm positive outcomes that the …

[Press Release] BERKELEY, CA – May 5, 2020 – Around 40% of Americans could not cover an unexpected $400 expense in 2018, which is less than one-third of the average health insurance deductible for an individual that year. Health care costs and deductibles have since continued to rise, along with the need for American consumers to have access to price information. Catalyst for Payment Reform (CPR) looked for laws in each state that ensure such transparency and today, the grades are in. CPR developed the 2020 Report Card on State …

By: Swaja Khanna, Student Fellow With the coronavirus pandemic causing shelter-in-place restrictions around the world, we here at The Source hope you are staying safe and healthy as we catch you up on some of the articles and reports in health policy this month. In this edition of the Source Roundup, we cover articles and reports that discuss: (1) the cost of hospital care for COVID-19 for the uninsured, (2) how health costs may change in the pandemic, (3) surprise out-of-network billing from ambulance transportation, (4) in-network ASC episodes that …

[Post Updated: April 20, 2020] Earlier this year, the federal government appeared poised to address the problem of surprise billing,[1] but the coronavirus pandemic shifted policy priorities before Congress had a chance to act. While some lawmakers may try to include surprise billing protections in the next COVID-19 stimulus package, the pandemic and its ripple effects make action by lawmakers to address surprise billing critical. Surprise bills, also known as balance bills, may occur when a patient unavoidably sees an out-of-network provider for an emergency situation or unexpectedly sees an …

We hope that you and loved ones are staying well as we together persevere through the unprecedented circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.  The current situation has brought to the forefront a number of issues our healthcare system currently faces, including the potential costs associated with treating those affected by COVID-19. In this month’s Source Roundup, we begin by looking at the expected treatment costs for patients affected by COVID-19 and examine how price capping may be a means to reduce healthcare costs. We also highlight articles that discuss …

Hot off the press: JAMA Health Forum article Promoting Health Care Transparency via State Legislative Efforts highlights state health transparency legislation from The State Laws Impacting Healthcare Cost (SLIHCQ) Database, a public database established by The Source on Healthcare Price and Competition and Catalyst for Payment Reform (CPR). The article looks at specific examples of state transparency legislation catalogued in the database including: All-payer claims database (APCD) – New Hampshire, Colorado Right-to-shop – Maine, Utah Surprise or balance billing – New York Find out details of these state legislation and …

By: Swaja Khanna, Student Fellow In this edition of the Source Roundup, we highlight articles and reports from February that discuss: (1) the prevalence of out-of-network billing during elective procedures with in-network services, (2) affordable care organizations’ potential to limit out-of-network spending, (3) findings from the new Health Care Cost and Utilization Report, (4) private health care spending growth  varies by hospital referral regions, (5) U.S. has highest healthcare spending despite worst health outcome, and (6) how states policies encourage provider market competition and lower healthcare spending.   The Prevalence …

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – February 25, 2020 – High commercial health care prices are a main driver of US health care spending, due in large part to consolidation among providers. While employers, other health care purchasers and payers can drive competition in the marketplace through benefit and provider network design, public policies can also strengthen and support those efforts. Catalyst for Payment Reform and The Source on Healthcare Price and Competition at UC Hastings College of the Law have catalogued state measures to enhance market competitiveness and control costs through legislation. The report, State Policies …

The Source has been closely following legal challenges to state legislation that seek to promote competition and contain costs in healthcare services. In this month’s Litigation and Enforcement Highlights, we roundup the latest developments in some of the pending cases as well as new lawsuits that have been filed to derail state efforts to address rising prescription drug costs.   Arkansas: Supreme Court Grants Review of PBM Law In November 2019, the Source Blog covered the long litigious history of lawsuits filed against various pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) laws from …