Alwyn Cassil

Documents & Publications

Title	Date
Balancing Access and Costs: Health Benefit Structures for Privately Insured People Along with increased spending on physician services, expanded coverage of outpatient physician visits contributed to higher spending on advanced imaging, diagnostic tests, minor procedures and prescription drugs, according to a new study from the nonprofit, nonpartisan National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR). Health insurance benefit structures, particularly cost–sharing amounts,…	March 31, 2016
Limiting Tax Breaks for Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance: Cadillac Tax vs. Capping the Tax Exclusion NIHCR Research Brief No. 20 The so-called Cadillac tax on high-cost health benefits is only slightly less progressive than capping the tax exclusion on the $250-billion annual tax break for employer health coverage because employers are likely to try and avoid paying either tax by restructuring health benefits, especially under the Cadillac tax, according to…	October 8, 2015
Health Reform 2.0: Affordable Care Act Offers Alternate State Waiver Path With current financing of U.S. health care highly dependent on federal health spending and tax subsidies for private insurance, state leaders seeking to take health reform to the next level face the quandary of losing federal funding flows if they act unilaterally to control health care spending, according to a…	September 24, 2015
Bridging the Disconnect Between Patient Wishes and Care at the End of Life NIHCR Policy Analysis No. 12 Along with people’s reluctance to discuss death and dying, barriers to high-quality end-of-life care include a fragmented delivery system that hinders communication of patients’ wishes across care settings and payment policies that discourage end-of-life care discussions and encourage aggressive treatment, according to a new Policy Analysis from the nonprofit, nonpartisan…	March 19, 2015
Bridging the Disconnect Between Patient Wishes and Care at the End of Life NIHCR Policy Analysis No. 12 Most Americans want to die at home, but most die in hospitals or other facilities. Most people care more about quality of life than prolonging life as long as possible, but many receive invasive, life-sustaining treatments that diminish quality of life. Often, the disconnect between patient wishes and actual care…	March 19, 2015
Despite Buildup, Reference Pricing Savings Modest for Medical Services Despite heightened interest in reference pricing—or capping payment for a particular medical service—potential savings to health plans and purchasers are modest, according to a new study from the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR). Conducted for NIHCR by the former Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC),…	October 9, 2014
Using Electronic Health Records to Support Hospital Medication Reconciliation While electronic health records (EHRs) can help standardize medication reconciliation for hospitalized patients, data quality, technical problems and workflow issues continue to pose challenges, according to a new qualitative study from the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR). Designed to reduce errors, medication reconciliation is a systematic…	July 29, 2014
Hospital Outpatient Prices Much Higher than Community Settings for Same Services NIHCR Research Brief No. 16 Average hospital outpatient department prices for common imaging, colonoscopy and laboratory services can be double the price or more for identical services provided in a physician’s office or other community-based setting, according to a study from the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR). The average hospital outpatient…	June 26, 2014
Study Underscores Importance of Physicians Advising Patients to Quit Smoking JAMA Internal Medicine Editor’s Note: To obtain a copy of the article, reporters may e-mail Alwyn Cassil at acassil@policytranslation.com. Physicians who skip counseling patients to stop smoking are missing an opportunity to help their patients quit—even if those patients are less engaged during medical visits, according to a new study from the nonpartisan,…	June 9, 2014
When Medicare Squeezes Payments, Hospital Use Declines for Nonelderly, Too Health Services Research When Medicare keeps a tight rein on inpatient hospital payments, hospitals scale back overall capacity, resulting in less hospital use by nonelderly patients—not just elderly patients, according to a study from the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR) published online in the journal Health Services Research.The 2010…	May 21, 2014
Putting the Union Label on Health Benefits: Collective Bargaining and Cost-Saving Strategies NIHCR Research Brief No. 15 With rising health care costs crowding out wage increases, some labor unions are pursuing cost-saving strategies that shield workers from higher out-of-pocket costs, according to a new qualitative study from the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR). Conducted for NIHCR by researchers at the former Center for…	May 7, 2014
The Missing Link: Medicare Beneficiaries and Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) JAMA Internal Medicine The failure to formally link Medicare beneficiaries to accountable care organizations threatens to undermine efforts to improve care and control costs, according to an invited commentary by economist Paul B. Ginsburg, Ph.D., published online April 21 in JAMA Internal Medicine. “Under current regulations, beneficiaries do not choose an ACO. Instead,…	April 22, 2014
Inpatient Hospital Prices Drive Spending Variation for Privately Insured Patients’ Knee/Hip Replacements and Other Episodes of Care NIHCR Research Brief No. 14 When including all care related to a hospitalization—for a knee or hip replacement, for example—the price of the initial inpatient stay explains almost all of the wide spending variation from hospital to hospital on so-called episodes of care, according to a study from the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health…	February 27, 2014
High-Price Hospitals Bigger but Not Necessarily Better Health Affairs, Web First While higher-price hospitals tend to be bigger, have larger market shares and offer expensive specialized services, they don’t necessarily provide better quality of care than lower-price hospitals, according to a study from the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR) published today as a Web First by Health…	January 29, 2014
Patients’ Sense of Urgency—Not Convenience—Contributes to Much ED Use HSC Research Brief No. 31 Contrary to the idea that convenience prompts many privately insured people to seek care in emergency departments (EDs), the people most likely to use EDs believe they urgently need medical attention, according to a new study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for the nonpartisan, nonprofit National…	December 30, 2013
Steering Patients to Lower-Price Hospitals Prompts Others to Lower Prices HSC Research Brief No. 30 Along with steering patients to lower-price hospitals, a California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) reference pricing initiative influenced market dynamics by motivating other hospitals to reduce prices for hip and knee replacements, according to a qualitative study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for the nonpartisan, nonprofit…	December 4, 2013
Wide Price Variation for Privately Insured Underscores Hospital Market Power HSC Research Brief No. 27 Across 13 selected U.S. metropolitan areas, hospital prices for privately insured patients—especially for outpatient care—are much higher than Medicare and vary widely within and across communities, according to a new study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health Care Reform…	September 4, 2013
Treatment Costs for Specific Conditions Vary Within and Across Communities HSC Research Brief No. 26 Consumer demand for more convenient and timely access to care for illnesses and injuries is a major driver of the rapid growth of urgent care centers across the country, according to a new qualitative study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute…	July 11, 2013
Contrary to Conventional Cost-Shifting Wisdom, Lower Medicare Hospital Payment Rates Lead to Lower Rates for Private Payers Health Affairs, Vol. 32, No. 5 Contrary to the notion that hospitals charge private payers higher payment rates to offset lower Medicare rates, it turns out the opposite is true—lower Medicare payment rates lead to lower private rates for inpatient care, according to a study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) published in…	May 6, 2013
Scaling Up Payment Reform Pilots Key to Health Care Cost Containment Health Affairs, Vol. 32, No. 5 Scaling up health care payment reform to control costs and improve quality will require both sticks to prod providers from the sidelines and carrots to guide patients to more-efficient, higher-quality doctors and hospitals, according to an article by Paul B. Ginsburg, Ph.D., president of the Center for Studying Health System…	May 6, 2013
Hospital Quality Reporting: Separating the Signal from the Noise NIHCR Policy Analysis No. 11 Amid the proliferation of quality measures, reporting requirements and transparency efforts, purchasers often find it difficult to separate the signal from the noise when determining what hospital quality measures are important, how to interpret and use quality information in a meaningful way, and how to present useful and actionable information…	April 14, 2013
Primary Care Workforce Shortages: Nurse Practitioner Scope-of-Practice Laws and Payment Policies NIHCR Research Brief No. 13 While state scope-of practice laws don’t typically restrict what primary care services nurse practitioners (NPs) can provide to patients, the laws do affect practice opportunities for NPs and appear to influence payer policies, according to a new qualitative study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for the…	February 27, 2013
Few Americans Switch Employer Health Plans for Better Quality, Lower Costs NIHCR Research Brief No. 12 Less than 2.5 percent of nonelderly Americans in 2010 with employer coverage—about the same proportion as in 2003—initiated a change in health plans to reduce their health insurance costs or get a better quality plan, according to a new national study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC)…	January 31, 2013
Employer-Sponsored Insurance and Health Reform: Doing the Math NIHCR Research Brief No. 11 Amid concerns that health reform might hasten the ongoing decline of employer health coverage, the calculus of offering coverage will continue to make economic sense for businesses employing most workers (81%) now offered insurance, according to a new national study for the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health Care Reform…	December 19, 2012
Easier Access to After-Hours Care Linked to Less Emergency Department Use Health Affairs, Web First Patients with problems reaching their primary care practice after hours are more likely to report ending up in the emergency department and going without needed medical care, according to a study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) published today as a Web First by Health Affairs. Funded…	December 12, 2012
Local Public Hospitals: Changing with the Times HSC Research Brief No. 25 In recent years, local public hospitals have stayed afloat financially without abandoning their mission to care for low-income people by expanding access to primary care, attracting privately insured patients and paying closer attention to collection of patient revenues, among other strategies, according to a qualitative study released today by the…	November 29, 2012
Despite Employer Interest, Americans’ Use of Workplace Clinics Remains Low NIHCR Research Brief No. 10 Despite heightened employer interest in workplace clinics as a cost-containment tool, only 4 percent of American families in 2010 reported visiting a workplace clinic in the previous year—the same proportion as in 2007, according to a new national study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for the…	October 24, 2012
High-Intensity Primary Care: Lessons for Physician and Patient Engagement NIHCR Research Brief No. 9 WASHINGTON, DC—If fledgling efforts to improve quality and lower costs by focusing extra primary care attention on patients with complex conditions are to succeed, ensuring physicians and patients are on board will be key, accordingto a new qualitative study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for the…	October 4, 2012
Adapting Tools from Other Nations to Slow U.S. Prescription Drug Spending NIHCR Policy Analysis No. 10 Tools commonly used in other developed nations to help slow prescription drug spending growth offer potential lessons for the U.S. health system, according to a new Policy Analysis from the nonprofit, nonpartisan National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR). Written by Jack Hoadley, Ph.D., a research professor at Georgetown University's…	August 30, 2012
Health Care Safety Net Coordination Grows in Some Communities Health Affairs, Vol. 31, No. 8 Safety net clinics, hospitals and other providers that care for uninsured and low-income people increasingly are seeking ways to coordinate services to increase access, improve quality and reduce costs, according to a study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) published in the August edition of Health Affairs.…	August 6, 2012
Small Employers and Self-Insured Health Benefits: Too Small to Succeed? HSC Issue Brief No. 138 While large firms often assume financial risk for enrollees’ medical care through self-insurance, small firms’ growing interest in the practice may pose challenges for policy makers, according to a new qualitative study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). Self-insured firms typically purchase stop-loss insurance to cover medical…	July 19, 2012
Hospital Pricing Leverage and State Rate Setting NIHCR Policy Analysis No. 9 Amid growing evidence that rising prices—especially for hospital care—play a key role in rising premiums for privately insured people, policy makers may want to revisit a tool—rate setting—used decades ago by a number of states to constrain hospital costs, according to a new Policy Analysis from the nonprofit, nonpartisan National…	May 8, 2012
Health Plan-Provider Price Negotiations: Passing the Buck to Employers Health Affairs, Vol. 31, No. 5 Given the negotiating clout of so-called must-have hospitals and physician groups, even dominant health plans are wary of disrupting the status quo by trying to constrain prices, perhaps because insurers can simply pass along higher costs to employers and their workers, according to a study by the Center for Studying…	May 7, 2012
Limited Options to Managed Specialty Drug Spending HSC Research Brief No. 22 Health insurers and employers have few tools to control rapidly rising spending on high-cost specialty drugs—typically high-cost biologic medications to treat complex medical conditions, according to a new qualitative study from the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). Unlike conventional prescription drugs, where spending trends have moderated because of…	April 26, 2012
Hospital Geographic Expansion: The New Medical Arms Race? Health Affairs, Vol. 31, No. 4 Hospitals’ longstanding competitive focus on cutting-edge technology, niche specialty services and amenities to attract physicians and patients has set the stage for the next chapter in hospital competition—targeted geographic expansion into new markets with well-insured people, according to a study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) published…	April 9, 2012
Great Recession Accelerated Long-Term Decline of Employer Health Coverage NIHCR Research Brief No. 8 Between 2007 and 2010, the share of U.S. children and working-age adults with employer-sponsored health insurance dropped 10 percentage points from 63.6 percent to 53.5 percent, according to a new national study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health Care Reform…	March 15, 2012
State Benefit Mandates and National Health Reform NIHCR Policy Analysis No. 8 While the national health reform law requires states to pay for health benefit mandates that exceed a minimum package of covered services, states’ financial liability for mandates is likely to be relatively small, according to a new Policy Analysis from the nonprofit, nonpartisan National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR).…	February 29, 2012
Health Status and Hospital Prices Key to Regional Variation in Private Spending NIHCR Research Brief No. 7 Differences in health status explain much of the regional variation in spending for privately insured people, but differences in provider prices—especially for hospital care—also play a key role, according to a new study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health…	February 15, 2012
Indianapolis Hospital Systems Compete for Well-Insured, Suburban Patients Community Report No. 12 Indianapolis’ major hospital systems continue to encroach on each other’s traditional territories, engaging in a battle of bricks and mortar in suburban areas to compete for well-insured patients, according to a new Community Report released today by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). Unlike many other communities, the…	December 30, 2011
Matching Supply to Demand: Addressing the U.S. Primary Care Workforce Shortage NIHCR Policy Analysis No. 7 While there’s little debate about a growing primary care workforce shortage in the United States, it’s less clear whether existing workforce policies—such as educational loan forgiveness or scholarships and higher payment rates—can boost the supply of practitioners quickly enough, according to a new Policy Analysis from the nonprofit, nonpartisan National…	December 11, 2011
A Third of Adults Discharged from a Hospital Don’t See a Doctor Within 30 Days NIHCR Research Brief No. 6 One in three adult patients—aged 21 and older—discharged from a hospital to the community does not see a physician within 30 days of discharge, according to a new national study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR).…	December 8, 2011
Federally Qualified Health Centers Poised for Significant Role in Reform HSC Research Brief No. 21 Tracing their roots to the civil rights movement and the 1960s’ War on Poverty, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) have grown from fringe providers to mainstays of many local health care system safety nets, according to a study released today by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). With…	November 11, 2011
Promoting Healthy Competition in Health Insurance Exchanges: Options and Trade-offs NIHCR Policy Analysis No. 6 While federal and state policy makers face many complex decisions about the design and operation of new state-based health insurance exchanges, the overarching goal of the exchanges is straightforward—promoting healthy competition among insurers to provide better health care at lower total cost, according to a new Policy Analysis from the…	November 9, 2011
Reforming Provider Payment—The Price Side of the Equation New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 365, No. 14 WASHINGTON , DC—Unless public and private health care payers send consistent signals to providers through payment reform about controlling both the price and quantity of care, they risk working at cross purposes, according to a perspective by Paul B. Ginsburg, president of the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC),…	October 6, 2011
Economic Downturn Strains Miami Health Care System Community Report No. 11 WASHINGTON , DC—Despite the economic downturn’s severe fallout on Miami’s tourism, real estate and construction sectors, some hospitals are expanding beyond their traditional geographic markets to compete for privately insured patients, according to a new Community Report released today by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC).While hospital competition…	September 29, 2011
Adding Patients to the Decision Equation NIHCR Policy Analysis No. 5 WASHINGTON, D.C. –– While evidence suggests that patients' medical decisions in the United States, even momentous ones, are seldom well informed, greater use of shared decision making between clinicians and patients might help bridge the gap between the care patients want and the care they actually receive, according to a…	September 20, 2011
Ginsburg Testifies at Ways & Means Health Panel on Provider Market Power Congressional Testimony WASHINGTON , DC—While consolidation contributes to dominant hospitals’ upper hand in negotiating higher payment rates from private insurers, other factors, including consumer perceptions of quality and desire for broad provider choice, provision of highly specialized services, and geographic niches, contribute to providers’ market power, economist Paul B. Ginsburg, Ph.D., president…	September 9, 2011
Hospitals Rush to Employ Physicians to Shore Up Referrals, Admissions HSC Issue Brief No. 136 WASHINGTON , DC—While not new, the pace of hospital employment of physicians has quickened in many communities, driven largely by hospitals’ quest to increase market share and revenue, according to a study released today by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). To date, hospitals’ primary motivation for employing…	August 18, 2011
Physicians Key to Health Maintenance Organization Popularity in Orange County Community Report No. 10 WASHINGTON , DC—The extent of health plan delegation of financial risk and utilization management to physicians caring for health maintenance organization (HMO) enrollees makes Orange County stand out from many health care markets, according to a new Community Report released today by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC).Although…	August 11, 2011
Syracuse Health Care Market Works to Right-Size Hospital Capacity Community Report No. 9 WASHINGTON , DC—Largely stable over the last three years, the Syracuse health care market continues to grapple with the challenge of finding the right level and mix of hospital capacity, according to a new Community Report released today by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). The community has…	August 4, 2011
Economic Downturn Slows Phoenix’s Once-Booming Health Care Market Community Report No. 8 WASHINGTON , DC—After more than a decade of rapid population growth and a thriving economy, Phoenix’s once-booming health care market has adopted a more cautious outlook amid the lingering effects of the great recession, according to a new Community Report released today by the Center for Studying Health System Change…	July 21, 2011
Health Information Technology and Small Physician Practices NIHCR Research Brief No. 5 WASHINGTON, D.C.—As policy makers try to jumpstart health information technology (HIT) in small physician practices, lessons from independent practice associations—networks of small medical practices—can offer guidance in overcoming barriers to HIT adoption and use, according to a new study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for the…	June 20, 2011
Health Care Markets Weather Economic Downturn, Brace for Health Reform HSC Issue Brief No. 135 WASHINGTON , DC—Lingering fallout—loss of jobs and employer coverage—from the great recession slowed demand for health care services but did little to slow aggressive competition by dominant hospital systems for well-insured patients,according to key findings from the Center for Studying Health System Change’s (HSC) 2010 site visits to 12 nationally…	May 26, 2011
Spending to Save—Accountable Care Organizations and the Medicare Shared Savings Program New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 364, No. 22 WASHINGTON , DC—While criticism that the government set the bar too high for accountable care organizations (ACOs) has been fast and furious, the proposed rule for the Shared Savings Program is a wake-up call that Medicare is serious about achieving better care for individuals, better health for populations and lower…	May 25, 2011
Health Care Certificate-of-Need (CON) Laws: Policy or Politics? NIHCR Research Brief No. 4 WASHINGTON, D.C.—Originally intended to ensure access to care, maintain or improve quality, and control capital expenditures on health care services and facilities, the certificate-of-need (CON) process has evolved into an arena where providers often battle for service-line dominance and market share, accordingto a new study conducted by the Center for…	May 19, 2011
Geographic Variation in Health Care: Changing Policy Directions NIHCR Policy Analysis No. 4 Written by researchers at the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC), the analysis reviews evidence and key inferences from research identifying wide geographic variation in fee–for–service Medicare spending and service utilization. A major conclusion of the early research was that care is provided much more efficiently in some areas…	April 12, 2011
Lansing’s Dominant Hospital, Health Plan Strengthen Market Positions Community Report No. 7 WASHINGTON , DC—In an insular market wary of outsiders, Lansing’s dominant hospital system—Sparrow Health System—and health plan—Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan—have reinforced their already-strong market positions, according to a new Community Report released today by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). Lansing’s hospital sector continues to be…	March 22, 2011
Hospital Employment of Physicians Surges in Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C. Community Report No. 6 WASHINGTON , DC—In an area already notable for high rates of physician employment, the two largest hospital systems in Greenville and Spartanburg, S.C., have greatly increased employment of physicians with an eye toward capturing more referrals and admissions, according to a new Community Report released today by the Center for…	February 28, 2011
Coordination Between Emergency and Primary Care Physicians NIHCR Research Brief No. 3 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- An examination of emergency and primary care physicians’ ability—and willingness—to communicate found that haphazard communication and poor coordination can undermine effective care, accordingto a new study conducted by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR).…	February 24, 2011
Little Rock Health Care Safety Net Stretched by Economic Downturn Community Report No. 5 WASHINGTON , DC—The economic downturn has been milder in Little Rock than elsewhere, but increased unemployment and an almost 15 percent uninsurance rate have strained the area’s fragmented health care safety net, according to a new Community Report released today by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). The…	January 27, 2011
Lessons from the Field: Making Accountable Care Organizations Real NIHCR Research Brief No. 2 WASHINGTON, D.C. –– An examination of provider efforts to improve patient care illustrates that changing care delivery requires substantial investments—both time and money—even among groups of providers affiliated with one another for many years, according to a new study conducted by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for…	January 20, 2011
Northern New Jersey Health Care Market Reflects Urban-Suburban Contrasts Community Report No. 4 WASHINGTON , DC—Northern New Jersey is a community of contrasts with affluent suburbs and financially strong health care providers juxtaposed against the fragile health care safety net of impoverished inner-city Newark, according to a new Community Report released today by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). The major…	December 23, 2010
Seattle Hospital Competition Heats Up, Raising Cost Concerns Community Report No. 3 WASHINGTON , DC—Known as a market where hospital systems focus on particular niches rather than head-to-head competition, Seattle now faces growing competition as hospital systems vie for market share in the city and seek new affiliations and growth in affluent suburbs, according to a new Community Report released today by…	December 2, 2010
Comparative Effectiveness Research and Medical Innovation NIHCR Policy Analysis No. 3 WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Determining what treatments work best for which patients in real–world settings—known as comparative effectiveness research (CER)—can help foster beneficial medical innovation, according to a new Policy Analysis from the nonprofit, nonpartisan National Institute for Health Care Reform (NIHCR). Written by researchers at the Center for Studying Health…	October 5, 2010
Cleveland Hospital Systems Expand Despite Weak Economy Community Report No. 2 WASHINGTON, DC—Attracting well-insured suburban patients, expanding profitable specialty-service lines and winning physician loyalty are the main fields of competition between the two dominant Cleveland health systems, leading to ever-more consolidation of the hospital and physician sectors, according to a new Community Report released today by the Center for Studying Health…	September 29, 2010
State Health Reform Dominates Boston Health Care Market Community Report No. 1 WASHINGTON , DC—Massachusetts’ 2006 landmark health reform law has reverberated throughout the Boston health care market as providers, insurers, employers and consumers adjust and adapt to a post-reform world of nearly universal health insurance coverage, according to a new Community Report released today by the Center for Studying Health System…	September 2, 2010
Detroit: Motor City to Medical Mecca? Spector of Higher Costs Looms as Health Care Expansion Embraced to Jumpstart Economy WASHINGTON, D.C.—Despite a weak economic outlook, Detroit area hospital systems plan to spend more than $1.3 billion in the coming years on capital improvements, leading some to hope that medical care can help revitalize the area's economy, according to a new Community Report released today by the Center for Studying…	August 26, 2010
Employer Wellness Initiatives Grow Rapidly, but Effectiveness Varies Widely NIHCR Research Brief No. 1 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- While employer wellness programs have spread rapidly in recent years, few firms implement comprehensive programs likely to make a meaningful difference in employees’ health, according to a new study conducted by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) for the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health…	July 29, 2010
Policy Options for Design of the Temporary High-Risk Health Coverage Pool NIHCR Policy Analysis No. 2 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- While 5.6-million to 7-million Americans may qualify for health coverage through the new temporary national high-risk pool program, the $5 billion allocated until 2014 will cover only a small fraction of those in need, potentially as few as 200,000 people a year, according to a new Policy…	May 27, 2010
Episode-Based Payments: Charting a Course for Health Care Payment Reform NIHCR Policy Analysis No. 1 WASHINGTON, D.C. As consensus grows that true reform of the U.S. health care system requires a move away from fee–for–service payments, designing alternative payment methods, including episode–based payments, has emerged as a high priority for policy makers, according to a new Policy Analysis from the National Institute for Health Care…	January 14, 2010
Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) President Paul B. Ginsburg Named Research Director of the National Institute for Health Care Reform WASHINGTON, D.C. —HSC President Paul B. Ginsburg will serve as research director of the nonpartisan, nonprofit National Institute for Health Care Reform—an initiative of the International Union, UAW; Chrysler Group LLC; Ford Motor Company; and General Motors to conduct high–quality, objective health policy research and analyses to improve the organization,…	December 10, 2009
Rough Passage: Affordable Health Coverage for Near-Elderly Americans HSC Policy Analysis No. 2 WASHINGTON, DC—Among the policy options to expand health coverage for Americans aged 55 to 64—the near elderly—comprehensive reform of the individual insurance market, coupled with a Medicaid expansion for those with very low incomes, would be the most effective and far-reaching approach, according to a new Policy Perspective from the…	September 30, 2009

Policy Research & Analysis

Publications

Alwyn Cassil

Documents & Publications