About health insurance
Choices for Financing Medicare for All: A Preliminary Analysis: The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget just issued a comparison analysis of the current estimates for the cost of Medicare for All. In addition to a chart comparing these estimates, the Committee looks at various ways the proposal could be financed:
“A 32 percent payroll tax
A 25 percent income surtax
A 42 percent value-added tax (VAT)
A mandatory public premium averaging $7,500 per capita – the equivalent of $12,000 per individual not otherwise on public insurance
More than doubling all individual and corporate income tax rates
An 80 percent reduction in non-health federal spending
A 108 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increase in the national debt
Impossibly high taxes on high earners, corporations, and the financial sector… There is not enough annual income available among higher earners to finance the full cost of Medicare for All. On a static basis, even increasing the top two income tax rates (applying to individuals making over $204,000 per year and couples making over $408,000 per year) to 100 percent would not raise $30 trillion over a decade.
A combination of approaches [see text for some possibilities]”
New York insurance regulator to probe Optum algorithm for racial bias: As previously reported, an Optum algorithm under-scored the severity of illness of black patients. New York's Financial Services and Health departments are now asking Optum for more information about how it is being used.
Employers Are Scaling Back Their Dependence On High-Deductible Health Plans: The reason for the finding in the headline is that a tight labor market makes generous health benefits an attractive recruiting strategy. That means reducing employee out-of-pocket costs, among other strategies.
About the public’s health
Reframing resistance: How to communicate about antimicrobial resistance effectively: This Wellcome Trust monograph is based on a large international study of the best ways to communicate the importance of antibiotic resistance to populations. It is a must-read for public health professionals, not only for its content but to learn how language matters in conveying an important health message. Five strategies that came from the research are detailed.
About pharma
Pelosi's office working to kill progressive change to drug pricing bill: As previously reported, Democratic progressives are trying to amend Speaker Pelosi’s drug pricing bill to expand its reach. It originally looked like the changes were going to be adopted; but now the Speaker is trying to keep to the original terms.
Socially transmitted placebo effects: Not much new in placebo research until this article appeared last week. The message is that if the healthcare provider really believes the placebo will work, the social cues transmitted in interacting with the patient will enhance the treatment’s effectiveness.