Kaiser Family Foundation Launches Revamped Site

Today the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) launched a revamped version of their health reform gateway, chock full of resources on the new health reform law.  Included on the site are new features that provide explanations of the basics of the law, in-depth analysis of policy issues in implementation, and quick and easy access to relevant data, studies, and developments.

One of the site's new features, The Scan, provides a daily feed of easily-digestible summaries of the latest research and studies from the Foundation and others, as well as official actions and other developments related to the health law. Other new elements include:

• A customizable implementation timeline,
• A series of video clips featuring experts answering specific questions about the law and on a variety of other health policy topics,
• An interactive state map with key state-specific information related to health coverage and the health law,
• A public opinion poll tracker,
• A health reform subsidy calculator, and
• An official document finder that provides quick access to federal regulations and studies related to the health law.

Click here to access the new site.

Health Costs Projected to Continue Climbing

A new report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' (CMS) Office of the Actuary notes that health care costs are expected to increase at a slightly higher rate over the next 10 years because of the new health reform law. The authors estimate that national health spending will reach nearly $4.6 trillion by 2019, increasing by 6.3 percent on average annually. This increase is 0.2 percentage points faster than expected before the health reform law was passed in March. Additionally, the team of economists predict that health spending will be at 19.3 percent GDP in 2019.

The report, published in Health Affairs, can be found by clicking here.
The New York Times story is available here.
And The Wall Street Journal article is here.