Policy Snapshots
The Center for Health Affairs' monthly policy snapshots are intended to provide a succinct look at relevant healthcare issues. These shorter and more frequent publications will allow CHA to remain current with the issue of the day, and allow readers to quickly glean information on topics that are important to them. Click the links below to download the PDFs.
Key Issues to Consider When Evaluating Healthcare Reform Models
Part 1: Access
September 2008 - Recent estimates show that both the percentage and the number of people without health insurance remain high. A staggering 45.7 million people in the United States are uninsured, including 1.2 million Ohioans. As the economic outlook remains less than buoyant, even insured individuals will be hard pressed to continue purchasing – and businesses will find it more challenging to offer – health insurance.
An Increasingly Complex Healthcare Field Demands the Best Leadership
July 2008 - In recent years, Congressional committees have been calling for increased scrutiny of the nonprofit sector, and nonprofit hospitals in particular, citing the importance of keeping up with the rapidly changing healthcare industry. Meanwhile, efforts by both regulators and hospitals to make the healthcare industry more transparent have gained traction. In keeping with these trends, one aspect of nonprofit hospital business practices garnering attention has been executive compensation.
Treating Behavioral Health Illness in a Patchwork System
March 2008 - More than 20 percent of Americans aged 18 and over live with a diagnosable mental illness. Complicating treatment for these individuals is the fact that up to 50 percent of the mentally ill population also has a substance abuse problem. Given the intertwined nature of mental health problems and substance abuse issues, the healthcare community frequently uses the term "behavioral health" when referring to the combination of the mental health and substance abuse fields.
Preparing for An Emergency: Northeast Ohio Builds a Collaborative Approach
February 2008 - Since 9/11, the issue of emergency preparedness has been near the forefront of politicians’ minds and in the public eye. That day brought the realization that the response systems in place at the time could easily be overwhelmed by an incident of such magnitude. As a result, since 2002 Congress has appropriated about $7 billion to be distributed through grants to communities across the nation, including here in Northeast Ohio, to help initiate a concerted effort to ensure they would be prepared for any type of disaster.
A Healthcare Holiday Wish List
December 2007 - With healthcare topping voters' list of concerns heading into the primaries, news article after news article lamenting the problems with the current state of healthcare, and analysts continuing to offer dire predictions for the local and state economics, we felt that the time was right to infuse some holiday cheer into the healthcare debate and dream about a more perfect state of affairs.
State Budget a Dose of the Right Medicine
August 2007 - With the recently signed biennial state budget, Ohio has made significant progress in expanding access to care for vulnerable populations and protecting hospitals and other health care entities that provide essential, around-the-clock care. The final 2008-2009 state operating budget, which runs from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2009, sends a clear message that members of the General Assembly as well as Governor Strickland are willing to make health care a top policy priority.
America's Healthcare System: Under Strain and Under Scrutiny
July 2007 - It’s no secret that the American healthcare system is under strain. The 2008 presidential candidates are talking out it. Polls show the American public thinks the system needs change. The topic has even found itself the subject of a movie that recently opened in theaters. But just what is the scale of the problem? And short of rebuilding the system from the ground up, what can be done about it?
Healthcare: The Heartbeat of Northeast Ohio
April 2007 - The economy is evolving in Northeast Ohio. Healthcare has become an increasingly larger source of economic activity, generating billions of dollars, employing thousands, and creating jobs even for those not directly employed in patient care. As the region looks to the future, the healthcare industry holds great promise for a healthy, vibrant economy.
