The case of the disappearing hospital beds READ
Healthcare is leaving the traditional four walls of hospitals. As patients, payers, and providers seek to reduce costs and improve quality, they are relying less on inpatient stays and more on outpatient services. A growing reliance on outpatient services could drive healthcare costs down as costly inpatient services are increasingly reserved for patients who truly need them.
Putting Money Where Its Mouthpiece Is: Calif. Outspends U.S. To Market Obamacare READ
The marketing blitz is on. Californians are getting barraged with online pop-up ads, radio spots and television commercials, all aimed at persuading them to sign up for Affordable Care Act health plans during this year’s open-enrollment season. Covered California, the state’s Obamacare exchange, is wielding a monster marketing budget that devotes $45 million to ads, including $18 million for TV and $8 million for radio. The agency is so flush with marketing dollars that it also spent $100,000 for a dozen freshly painted murals across the state, most of which have nothing directly to do with health insurance enrollment.
Millions Pay the Obamacare Penalty Instead of Buying Insurance. Who Are They? READ
The Senate Republican tax bill includes the repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, the requirement that all Americans purchase qualifying health insurance or pay a penalty. The move could deal a serious blow to the health law. The repeal of the mandate could result in an estimated 13 million more people without insurance within 10 years, but may potentially lead to federal savings of $338 billion, money that would be used to help pay for broad tax cuts for individuals and businesses. Here’s who pays the mandate’s penalty and how much it costs.