Health care policy in our nation is a car with two engines and two drivers relentlessly pulling against each other, creating an incredible mess that will be a responsibility for those not driving to clean up. This endless tug-of-war is stopping anything from being accomplished, and it seems that neither side shows any signs of … Continue reading
Imagine a doctor that will come to you any time, any place or just a reliable, easy-to-reach person who will coordinate the logistics and timing of your health care. Sounds like a dream, right? It’s becoming more and more possible with rising start-ups, physicians increasingly leaving the traditional healthcare market, and an ever-changing policy environment. … Continue reading
In budgetary terms, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is anything but affordable. Though well-intentioned, it expands a poorly designed program and adds significant spending during a time of slow economic growth. This attempt to improve and expand health coverage to uninsured Americans is unduly expensive. In an already strained fiscal climate where the federal budget has reached … Continue reading
In one sense, Telehealth services and biometric devices are similar; both have the potential to improve access to a breadth of valuable health information. They are also different in a sense that the proliferation and use of biometric devices may have more profound long-term societal and policy implications when compared to telehealth services. Biometric devices … Continue reading
The day after a gunman stormed Fort Hood and the media reported the assumed presence of mental illness, the Subcommittee on Health held a hearing on the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act of 2013, H.R. 3717. The Act aims to redistribute funding in mental health programs and to improve mental health services by … Continue reading
On Wednesday March 5th, the Obama Administration announced a second delay in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandate that requires health insurance plans to meet minimum requirements in health benefits. The mandate has been controversial since its conception. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act, this mandate established 10 essential benefits that must be … Continue reading
In an attempt to decrease health care costs, wellness initiatives have become increasingly popular programs offered by corporations. Health and wellness is an extremely important issue and when it comes to health care reform there should to be a larger personal responsibility component. Unhealthy lifestyles, such as inactivity, poor nutrition, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol … Continue reading
The tracking technology that has been successfully used to locate missing individuals with Alzheimer’s can now offer similar success to individuals on the autistic spectrum. On January 29th 2014, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder from the Department of Justice testified at a Hearing with the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Part of his testimony … Continue reading
When addressing the nation last week, President Obama had only brief remarks regarding immigration reform, simply saying, “let’s get it done”. Perhaps this brevity is emblematic of how unlikely immigration reform has become. While off-putting to some members of Congress, comprehensive immigration reform remains one of the President’s major legislative goals. Though the President has … Continue reading
American health care reform is a three-headed beast. Attempts at reform typically seek to resolve issues regarding access, quality care, and cost control. The ACA, one of the largest overhauls of American healthcare is aimed at improving access—but the problem becomes what good is increasing access to expensive and low quality care? Vermont’s leaders have … Continue reading
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