Stop Health Care Industry Profiteering

OVERVIEW

Jul 15 2008

Putting the health care industry on the defensive by moving reforms that increase transparency, oversight, and accountability highlights health care costs and the industry's self-interested opposition to change. The US health care system underwrites some of the most profitable industries in the world; either through complicit arrangements between the industry and government, as in the new Medicare drug benefit and Florida's recently enacted limited-benefit health plan, or through government inaction, as in poor public oversight of health insurance rates. Too large a sum of our taxes and health care spending ends up in industry profits and inefficient administration, rather than actual medical care.

In response, states can (1) reduce prescription drug costs through bulk-purchasing and countering the industry's abusive marketing influence; (2) bring accountability and oversight to health insurance rates; and (3) ensure non-profit hospitals, which provide 68% of all hospitals beds in the US, provide a real "community benefit" for their tax-exempt status.

A widely held belief is that the health care industry, specifically pharmaceutical companies, puts profits ahead of people. This anger can be channeled to bring transparency and accountability to the health care industry.

From the Dispatch

Preventing Loss of Medicaid Drug Rebate Funds for States

Jul 01 2010

While the new Affordable Health Care law provides a variety of funding opportunities for states, one provision in the health law that could shift billions of dollars from cash-strapped states to the federal government. Under the National Medicaid Drug Rebate Program created by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, drug manufacturers are required to enter into agreements that provide rebates for Medicaid purchased drugs, establishing a 15% minimum level of rebates. Up until now, the rebates were divided between the states and the federal government. But under the new health reform law, a significant portion of the rebates will go solely to Washington beginning this year.

New Health Insurance Rules Hailed as Patient's Bill of Rights

Jun 24 2010

Marking the 90 day anniversary of the signing of the Affordable Care Act, President Obama used the occasion to announce the implementation of a Patient’s Bill of Rights. After meeting privately with health insurance CEOs and state insurance commissioners, the White House sent a signal to insurers and to the public that the President intends to monitor how the insurance industry responds to the law’s implementation. In warning industry executives to refrain from using the law as an opportunity to boost unjustifiable rate increases, the Administration unveiled new regulations that will govern how new consumer protection provisions are implemented.

Anticipating Federal Reform, States Move on Reining in Insurance Abuses and Implementation

Mar 18 2010

Highlighting the outrage at insurance industry abuses pushing Congress towards a final decision on federal health care reform, state legislators continue to advance their own insurance reforms, even as they lay the groundwork for implementing the policies that will emerge in a federal bill.

How States Fare Under Obama’s Health Reform Blueprint

Feb 25 2010

This week, President Obama released his blueprint for comprehensive health care legislation. The plan 's release means Obama can outline the specifics of what he wants to see in a final bill for the first time. Many political observers see the decision to outline specifics as not only a jump start to move health care reform across the finish line but also as a stamp of approval for the Senate to use a majority vote through the reconciliation process, a strategy which appears to be gaining momentum.

Targeting Insurance Abuses as a Path to Federal Health Reform

Feb 16 2010

This Dispatch will: highlight a few of the state insurance reform campaigns underway and the health insurance problems they highlight; detail how to message these campaigns to support federal reform; provide a roundup of policy options and model bills for other states interested in moving similar insurance reforms; and end with a set of resources on the campaign, including national policy organizations, key reports, and bills moving across the country.

While DC Delays, States Move Forward on Health Care Reforms

Jan 28 2010

As Congress delays moving forward on the passage of comprehensive health care reform, progressive state leaders from across the country have been demanding passage of reform as critical for families across the nation. But that doesn't mean they are waiting; state leaders are moving forward, laying the groundwork for how national changes should be implemented, and creating the momentum for other meaningful health care reforms in their states.

Rx Reforms to Address Budget Deficits and Ensure Quality of Medications

Nov 23 2009

As part of our Shared Multi-State Agenda, the Progressive States Network is working with legislators, advocates and leading experts to promote Rx reforms in 2010 that will reduce health care costs for consumers, businesses, and state and local governments, and will help ensure access to safe and effective medications. Through coordinated, strategic support, PSN and our allies will be working to introduce and advance Rx reforms that will help address state budget deficits and improve access to quality medications in as many states possible; providing model legislation, policy analysis, messaging and more - all of which has been gathered and will be constantly updated on our Prescription Drug Reform Shared Agenda web page.

The Supreme Court and the States 2008-2009: Trend Defending State Authority Emerges this Term

Jul 14 2009

Whether out of circumstance or an emerging trend, where state authority was at issue, this term the U.S. Supreme Court overwhelmingly deferred to state decision makers-- a significant reveral from last year.

Rx Model Bill to Limit Drug Industry Marketing Enacted in Vermont

Jun 25 2009

Vermont lawmakers enacted the nation's strongest measure limiting the drug industry's marketing influence over physicians. The bill, S 48, bans gifts from the industry to physicians, including meals and travel, and requires unprecedented disclosure and transparency of relations between the industry and providers. Said Sharon Treat, Director of the National Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices (NLARx) and Maine State Representative, "Vermont now joins Minnesota and Massachusetts in tackling head-on the pervasive influence of payments and gifts on medical practitioners through a ban on many gifts.

Privatization Update: Schools, Prisons, Mental Health -- and What States are Doing to Hold Contractors Accountable

Mar 30 2009

Given the central role of private contractors in delivering public services, this Dispatch continues our series of Privatization Updates (see November's edition). Today we focus on current privatization debates in the education, prison and mental health sectors -- and what states are doing to increase accountability for contractors.

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