RAND Research Topic: Health Care Reform 2012-05-24T20:41:32Z Copyright (c) 2012, The RAND Corporation RAND Corporation http://www.rand.org/topics/health-care-reform.html Would the Affordable Care Act Lead to Reductions in Employer-Sponsored Coverage? http://www.rand.org/blog/2012/05/would-the-affordable-care-act-lead-to-reductions-in.html May 4, 2012 May 4, 2012 As the U.S. Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act's (ACA) individual mandate, one of the questions being debated is what effect the mandate would have on employer-sponsored health insurance coverage. A factor to consider in this is the effect the ACA would have on small businesses, which employ the majority of America's private-sector workforce. What is the Impact of Health Care Reform on Workers' Compensation Medical Care? http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR1216.html Apr 23, 2012 Apr 23, 2012 When enacting, implementing, and evaluating health care reform, policymakers should consider potential spillover effects on workers' compensation insurance. The experience of Massachusetts's heath care reform suggests that reform may reduce medical costs. Ways to Improve Health Care Provider 'Report Cards' http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20120051.html Mar 5, 2012 Mar 5, 2012 As health care reform expands the use of "report cards" to grade health care providers, greater attention to reporting methods may be needed to assure the quality of such efforts. Ways to Improve Health Care Provider 'Report Cards' http://www.rand.org/news/press/2012/03/05.html Mar 5, 2012 Mar 5, 2012 As health care reform expands the use of "report cards" to grade health care providers, greater attention to reporting methods may be needed to assure the quality of such efforts. What Would Removing the Individual Mandate from the ACA Mean For Costs and Coverage? http://www.rand.org/multimedia/video/2012/02/16/effect-affordable-care-act.html Feb 22, 2012 Feb 22, 2012 New RAND research finds that eliminating the requirement that all Americans have health insurance would sharply lower the number of people gaining coverage, but would not dramatically increase the cost of buying policies through new insurance exchanges. RAND Economist Christine Eibner discusses the ramifications. Rules Allowing Small Businesses to Opt Out of Health Reform Should Have Minor Impact on Insurance Cost http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP201100293.html Feb 8, 2012 Feb 8, 2012 Rules that allow some small employers to avoid regulation under the federal Affordable Care Act are unlikely to have a major impact on the future cost of health insurance unless those rules are relaxed to allow more businesses to opt out. Financial Burden of Prescription Drugs Is Dropping, but Costs Remain a Challenge for Many Families http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20120039.html Feb 8, 2012 Feb 8, 2012 The financial burden Americans face paying out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs has declined, although prescription costs remain a significant challenge for people with lower incomes and those with public insurance. Two Years and Counting: How Will the Effects of the Affordable Care Act Be Monitored? http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP20120004.html Jan 1, 2012 Jan 1, 2012 The Affordable Care Act marks a new era in US health care and US medicine. This commentary suggests ways to monitor the act's effect on the health of the US population. How Does Health Reform Affect the Health Care Workforce? Lessons from Massachusetts http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9635.html Dec 13, 2011 Dec 13, 2011 Since Massachusetts enacted health reform legislation in 2006, health care employment in the state has grown more rapidly than in the rest of the United States, primarily in administrative positions. Burdens on Research Imposed by Institutional Review Boards: The State of the Evidence and Its Implications for Regulatory Reform http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP201100271.html Dec 1, 2011 Dec 1, 2011 Bundling Payments to Curb Health Care Costs Proves Difficult to Realize http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP201100242.html Nov 7, 2011 Nov 7, 2011 Under bundled payments, doctors, hospitals, and other providers share one fee for treating all aspects of a procedure such as a hip replacement or a chronic disease like diabetes. The approach should eliminate unnecessary care and improve quality, but putting it into practice is proving to be more difficult than anticipated. Bundling Payments to Curb Health Care Costs Proves Difficult to Realize http://www.rand.org/news/press/2011/11/07.html Nov 7, 2011 Nov 7, 2011 Under bundled payments, doctors, hospitals, and other providers share one fee for treating all aspects of a procedure such as a hip replacement or a chronic disease like diabetes. The approach should eliminate unnecessary care and improve quality, but putting it into practice is proving to be more difficult than anticipated. Can the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute Become Relevant to Controlling Medical Costs and Improving Value? http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP201100253.html Nov 1, 2011 Nov 1, 2011 Research sponsored by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute can help patients make better decisions by comparing the effectiveness of alternative therapies, but it is constrained from considering the costs of therapies it compares. Ensuring the ACA Helps Reduce Disparities&mdash;Not Exacerbate Them http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/10/14/AHE.html Oct 14, 2011 Oct 14, 2011 Evidence from past efforts in the U.S. and abroad suggests that the full potential of health reform will not be realized without specific efforts to reduce disparities, write Robin M. Weinick, Malcom V. Williams, and Romana Hasnain-Wynia. Focus on the Rising Cost of Health Care http://www.rand.org/pubs/corporate_pubs/CP639z2-2011-09.html Oct 5, 2011 Oct 5, 2011 A substantial body of RAND research has focused on evaluating policies to lower health care costs; promoting health and preventing disease; and improving health system value and quality of care. How Does Growth in Health Care Costs Affect the American Family? http://www.rand.org/multimedia/video/2011/10/03/growth-health-care-costs.html Oct 3, 2011 Oct 3, 2011 In this October 2011 Congressional Briefing, Art Kellermann presents a breakdown of how U.S. health care cost growth directly affects the finances of a typical American family. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.: How to Ensure That They Help Reduce Disparities--Not Increase Them http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP201100205.html Sep 30, 2011 Sep 30, 2011 This article examines potential effects of the Affordable Care Act's quality provisions on disparities and suggests disparities impact assessments to measure and monitor effects. Beyond the Shadow of 9/11 http://www.rand.org/pubs/corporate_pubs/CP22-2011-09.html Sep 1, 2011 Sep 1, 2011 The 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks warrants a thoughtful review of America's progress and future strategy. In this <em>RAND Review</em> cover story, RAND experts offer perspectives on Afghan-led solutions, ways to counter al Qaeda, air passenger security, and compensation for those affected by terrorism. Health Care Reform and the Health Care Workforce &mdash; The Massachusetts Experience http://www.rand.org/pubs/external_publications/EP201100185.html Aug 31, 2011 Aug 31, 2011 Analysis of the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Plan suggests national health care reform may require larger numbers of support personnel, rather than requiring greater numbers of physicians and nurses themselves. Insurance Expansion and Health Literacy http://www.rand.org/commentary/2011/08/09/JAMA.html Aug 9, 2011 Aug 9, 2011 The ongoing evolution of the health care system is leading US households toward greater responsibility for their own well-being. With this responsibility, however, comes an increasing need to be able to find, trust, use, and act on relevant information to make informed choices, write Laurie T. Martin and Ruth M. Parker.