Show them the money. Health reform will emphasize financial incentives for providers and consumers to promote the use of effective health services and discourage use of marginally effective or inappropriate services. The fifth brief in a new series from Mathematica looks at evidence on the...

Examines the price of the standard Medigap policies (H, I, and J) that cover prescription drugs. Notes that premiums for these policies are high, at about $1,400 per year for minimum coverage, with wide state variation. Furthermore, the average cost to upgrade a policy to cover drugs ranges from...

This article outlines strategies proposed to expand health insurance, many of which have been tried in limited ways, and describes experiences with these attempts. The discussion is organized from the perspective of two opposing points of view: (1) approaches that would support private coverage...

Disease management programs seek to control health care costs by focusing on two major drivers: high-cost chronic illness and inpatient hospitalizations for acute conditions. The fourth brief in a new series from Mathematica looks at the research evidence on the effectiveness of disease...

This issue brief evaluates the effects of a permanent 10 percent increase in Medicare fees for primary care ambulatory visits on Medicare costs. Using a simulation model with real-world parameters, the study found that, in spite of raising the overall cost of primary care visits, such a fee...

This report focuses on a CareFirst nonprofit affiliate, General Health and Medical Services, Inc., (GHMSI) and its potential role in providing community benefits in the national capital area. The study features three perspectives: (1) community health leaders' viewpoints about community needs;...

Medical homes are part of our nation’s overall efforts to reform the health care system. For decades, medical homes have been a model for coordinating health care for children, particularly those with special health care needs.The sixth brief in a new series from Mathematica looks at federal...