Health Insurance

Much of the information behind the charges of critics is anecdotal and based on a relatively small number of individuals concentrated in two companies who may indeed have had legitimate grievances based on their personal experience. Yet, this information alone should not allow one to draw broad conclusions about private industry performance in general.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Contents Data Health Insurance Dynamics Obtaining Coverage: Transitions out of the Uninsured State Changing and Losing Coverage: Transitions into the Uninsured State Conclusion Policy Impl

Medicare Advantage (MA) is the current program under which beneficiaries can enroll in private health plans rather than having their care covered through Medicare's traditional fee for service (FFS) program. Payments to MA plans in many areas are now substantially greater than the cost of treating comparable beneficiaries in the traditional program.

This Brief reviews the history and current status of federal special needs plans (SNPs) authority, with particular attention to provisions of interest to state Medicaid programs that have or are considering entering into contracts with SNPs to integrate or coordinate Medicaid long-term care services with Medicare primary, acute and prescription drug services for dually eligible beneficiaries.

  Strategies for Increasing TANF Work Participation Rates Summary Report December 2008 By: LaDonna Pavetti, Jacqueline Kauff, Michelle K. Derr, Jeffrey Max, Ann Person, and Gretchen Kirby Mathematica Policy Research

  Strategies for Increasing TANF Work Participation Rates Providing Unpaid Work Experience Opportunities for TANF Recipients: Examples from Erie County, New York; Montana; and Hamilton County, Ohio December 2008 By: Michelle K. Kerr Mathematica Policy Research

  Strategies for Increasing TANF Work Participation Rates Using Data to Monitor and Improve the Work Participation of TANF Recipients: Examples from New York City and Utah December 2008 By: Jeffrey Max and Gretchen Kirby Mathematica Policy Research

Medicare’s Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) is a target rate of growth in spending for physicians’ services. Payments for physicians’ services are supposed to automatically adjust in response to actual spending falling either above or below the target.

Several proposals to increase health coverage for the currently uninsured rely on encouragements to utilize and potentially expand the individual insurance market. In broadening health insurance coverage, it is important to understand the regulatory environment under which these proposals would be implemented.