Skip to page content

Economic Burden of Health Care

News Release

News Release

Limiting Out-of-Network Payments to Hospitals Could Produce Cost Savings Similar to Single-Payer Options

Placing limits on what hospitals can collect for out-of-network care could yield savings similar to more-sweeping proposals such as Medicare for All or setting global health spending caps. Because such an approach has the possibility to sharply cut hospital revenues, any cap would need to be set carefully as to not overly disrupt hospital operations.

Mar 12, 2020
Report

The Effects of Limiting Payments to Hospitals for Out-of-Network Care

There is growing interest among U.S. policymakers to use out-of-network payment limits to curb surprise medical bills and as a tool to control rising health care costs. How might such limits affect negotiated in-network prices and total payments for hospital care?

Mar 11, 2020
Research Brief

Research Brief

Options for funding the NHS and social care in the UK: How the UK general public would prefer extra funds to be raised

What is the publicly preferred way to raise additional funds needed to meet growing demand for health and social care. Options are taxation, insurance, or user charges. We analyse the preferences of the UK general public using a choice experiment.

Oct 7, 2019
Blog

Why Are Drug Prices So High in the United States?

Ezekiel J. Emanuel is vice provost for global initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania and chair of the Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy. In 2018, he delivered the Albert P. Williams Lecture on Health Policy at RAND, where he offered a framework for thinking about drug pricing.

May 3, 2019
Journal Article

Journal Article

Public Acceptability of Health and Social Care Funding Options: Funding Options for the NHS and Social Care in the UK

An assessment of how popular different funding approaches for the NHS and social care are among the general public, as part of a wider study on feasible options for the future funding of health and social care in the UK.

Feb 20, 2019
Multimedia

Albert P. Williams Lecture on Health Policy: What's the Fair Price of a Drug?

In this Events @ RAND podcast, Ezekiel J. Emanuel delivers the 2018 Albert P. Williams Lecture on Health Policy. Emanuel explains why drug prices are so high and proposes a policy solution.

Oct 17, 2018
Journal Article

Journal Article

Identifying Options for Funding the NHS and Social Care in the UK: International Evidence

As part of a larger project identifying feasible options for the future funding of health & social care in the UK, this paper explores how 16 high-income countries have implemented changes to their funding systems to better meet the challenges ahead.

Jul 10, 2018
Commentary

Extending Marketplace Tax Credits Would Make Coverage More Affordable for Middle-Income Adults

Paying for health care coverage is a challenge for Americans facing rising premiums, deductibles, and copayments. The ACA's tax credits that make marketplace insurance more affordable for lower-income individuals should be extended to middle-income adults aged 50–64.

Jul 27, 2017
Commentary

Effects of Removing Maternity Care and Mental Health Treatment from Coverage Requirements

The American Health Care Act passed by the U.S. House of Representatives to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act allows states to waive benefits that the ACA deemed “essential.” Dropping maternity care coverage, for example, would reduce premiums by 5 percent but increase out-of-pocket spending for new mothers.

May 18, 2017
Journal Article

Journal Article

Child Poverty in the United States Today: Introduction and Executive Summary

This executive summary summarizes what is known about the scope of childhood poverty in the United States today, as well as its effects on health and well-being for U.S children.

Apr 20, 2016
Project

Small Ideas for Saving Big Health Care Dollars

Big proposals to rein in health care spending in the United States have encountered stiff political and organizational resistance. But adopting a combination of smaller ideas could save the U.S. health care system a total of up to $26 billion a year.

Mar 8, 2016
Commentary

What Happens If the ACA's Tax Credits Are Replaced with Premium Support?

As policymakers consider alternatives to reduce the federal government's financial burden from providing subsidies under the ACA, they should consider the consequences for enrollees. Existing premium-support models yield considerable savings for the federal government but could create age and income disparities in coverage.

Nov 24, 2015
Journal Article

Journal Article

Roles of Prices, Poverty, and Health in Medicare and Private Spending in Texas

Variation in private spending reflects the ability of the local population to pay for healthcare, whereas variation in Medicare is more driven by health status.

Jul 7, 2015
Commentary

Why Obamacare Lives

Economic reasoning took center stage in the Supreme Court's decision on Thursday to uphold the legality of the Affordable Care Act's subsidies in all states. The subsidies are critical to ensuring that healthy people, with lower health care costs, have adequate incentive to enroll.

Jun 26, 2015
Content

The Affordable Care Act: An Overview of the Evidence

RAND researchers have analyzed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act—the sweeping health care reform sometimes known as “Obamacare”—from many different angles. Here's what they've learned.

Apr 8, 2015
Research Brief

The Cost of Elderly Caregiving

Family members and friends spend 30 billion hours each year providing care for their elderly loved ones. These caregivers are giving up valuable time, either from their jobs or from other potentially productive activities. What is the annual price tag of this informal care—and how might it be offset?

Jan 20, 2015
News Release

News Release

Who Pays for Health Care in Vermont Under the Current System

If Vermont considers further health care reform proposals, legislators might look for opportunities to better align the degree of subsidization available for individuals with similar incomes, regardless of whether they are enrolled on the exchange or in employer coverage.

Jan 14, 2015
Report

A Look at Health Care Spending in Vermont As It Weighs Reform

Most Vermont residents receive more in health benefits than they pay for directly or through taxes. Those with lower incomes pay less for health care than those with higher-incomes but there is much variation, something legislators may wish to review as they consider implementing universal health coverage.

Jan 8, 2015
News Release

News Release

Consumers Who Buy Subsidized Health Plans May Face Higher Costs When More Choices Are Available

For people who buy subsidized coverage through marketplaces created under the ACA, those who live in areas with more plan offerings may have to pay a higher premium to receive the same deductible when compared to consumers in regions with fewer options.

Jan 6, 2015
News Release

News Release

Cost of Informal Caregiving for U.S. Elderly Is $522 Billion Annually

The price tag for informal caregiving of elderly people by friends and relatives in the U.S. comes to $522 billion a year. Replacing that care with unskilled paid care at minimum wage would cost $221 billion, while replacing it with skilled nursing care would cost $642 billion annually.

Oct 27, 2014

1
2
3
Next