The Kassebaum-Kennedy bill - the limits of incrementalism
Article Abstract:
The 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act does not go far enough in ensuring universal health insurance coverage. The Act basically forces insurance companies to insure a person who was previously insured by another company as long as the person was insured for at least 18 months. Thus, it basically extends the 1985 Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), which allows employees to maintain their insurance coverage for up to 18 months after leaving a job. However, the 1996 Act does not require insurance companies to provide insurance to people who have never been insured or have a greater than 18-month gap in coverage.
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 1997
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Wall Street and health care: the American health care system
Article Abstract:
Declining profits in the for-profit health care industry could have an adverse impact on patient care. During the 1990s, many for-profit health care companies sprang up and their stocks outperformed the general market. However, this trend reversed in 1997, and some managed care organizations are actually losing money. The initial cost-cutting led to great cost savings and large profits. However, most of the profits have been wrung out of the system. This means that these companies must compete for a smaller share of the profit, which could result in further cuts in services.
Publication Name: The New England Journal of Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0028-4793
Year: 1999
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