March 15, 2006 - Giving the public better information about health care costs and quality is essential to improving the health care system, Fund Senior Program Officer Sara R. Collins told a March 15 U.S. House of Representatives hearing, "What's The Cost?: Proposals to Provide Consumers With Better Information About Healthcare Service Costs."
Testimony
February 17, 2006 - Partners HealthCare CEO James Mongan looks at how health savings accounts could leave many currently insured people exposed to high health care costs.
Commentary
February 9, 2006 - Patient survey data can be valuable in planning quality improvement initiatives, but only if physician practices, hospitals, and other providers understand how to use this information effectively. A new Fund-supported study captures health professionals' experiences using patient feedback.
In the Literature
February 7, 2006 - In her 2005 President's Message, Karen Davis outlines 10 priorities to help the health system achieve the goal of high performance.
Other
February 1, 2006 - Millions of American families spend at least 10 percent of their income on out-of-pocket (OOP) medical care costs, according to this Fund report. Families struggling with high OOP expenses are more likely than other families to report difficulties in obtaining needed care, and often have trouble paying their bills.
Fund Report
January 20, 2006 - U.S. baby boomers are facing a host of problems related to health and health coverage as they age, a new Fund analysis finds. Among them: high rates of chronic conditions, unstable insurance coverage, and medical debt.
Fund Report
January 19, 2006 - A major Massachusetts research study sponsored by the Fund and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation demonstrates the validity of patients' reports about the quality of individual doctors.
In the Literature
January 12, 2006 - An "unequivocal business case" can be made for increasing the level of nurse staffing in hospitals, says a new Fund-supported study in Health Affairs. Researchers say increasing the proportion of RNs while keeping total licensed nursing hours the same can pay for itself in fewer patient deaths, shorter hospital stays, and decreased complication rates.
In the Literature
December 8, 2005 - Americans enrolled in a type of health insurance designed to make them more cost-conscious are less satisfied with their coverage than those with comprehensive health insurance, a new EBRI/Commonwealth Fund survey finds.
Issue Brief
December 1, 2005 - "Nonstandard" workers—those employed on a part-time, temporary, or contractual basis—are far more likely than regular, full-time employees to lack health care coverage, experience gaps in their coverage, or depend on public insurance programs, a new Fund report finds.
Fund Report
November 30, 2005 - A new Fund-supported study finds that federal matching payments intended to help states expand their high-risk pools are instead being used to refinance them. Only one of 19 states has used all its federal aid to reduce premiums, expand benefits, or otherwise promote enrollment.
Issue Brief
November 29, 2005 - Following her yearlong fellowship in the United States and personal encounter with the American health system, Welsh health care economist Rhiannon Tudor Edwards questions whether more choice equals better care.
In the Literature
October 27, 2005 - The latest enrollment figures for the Health Coverage Tax Credit program, created by the 2002 Trade Act, show that more people received the credit than some had projected. Still, take-up has been disappointing, with high premium costs, a complex application process, and inadequate outreach largely to blame, a new Fund Issue Brief finds.
Issue Brief
October 14, 2005 - Despite significant strides, "patient-centered" care is not yet the norm throughout the U.S. health care system. A new article by Fund experts shows how primary care in the U.S. can be taken to the next level.
In the Literature
October 12, 2005 - A new Fund-supported study published in JAMA assessing the effects of a pay-for-performance program in a large health plan found quality improvement in one of the clinical measures studied.
In the Literature