STEP FORWARD - Shriver Center

By Callie Dendrinos, Health Policy Project Advocate

President-elect Barack Obama has made clear his intention to seek comprehensive health care reform and to do so as soon as possible. The plan outlined in his campaign resembles, in broad strokes, reforms that have been in place in Massachusetts since 2006.

President-elect Obama’s priority is timely. As a country we spend more on health care per capita than any other, and yet we have worse health outcomes, ranging from higher infant mortality rates to lower life expectancies (exacerbated by various racial and ethnic disparities). The New York Times explains that, far from being a universal leader in health care, the United States “lags well behind other advanced nations.” As we prepare for the debate on health care reform, the Massachusetts experience is instructive. (more…)

By Margaret Stapleton, Senior Attorney

Lots of things about health insurance are ironic. Example: Getting health care (which prevents more serious trouble or restores health) can trigger difficulties staying insured due to premium adjustments upward and preexisting-condition exclusions if the patient needs to change insurance plans. 

But the biggest irony is that, in some states, it’s okay for insurers to look at information of questionable relevance (past medical treatment), but now nowhere in the United States is it okay to look at information of quite certain relevance (genetic test results).  (more…)

By Andrea Kovach, Staff Attorney

It’s not news that major medical emergencies or the treatment of chronic illnesses often cripple a family’s financial stability. What’s now becoming clear is the flip side of that story-how families suffering from financial debt often experience problems that affect their health and productivity. (more…)