Description: Court cases demonstrating how ERISA Preemption Clause makes it difficult for members to sue Managed Care Organizations MCOs. Issue No. 41.

Description: A rethinking of current provider reimbursement, focusing on incentives instead of simply cutting fees. The recommended 2-pronged approach would feature integrated provider organizations as well as evidence-based decision making organized around episodes of care.

Description: Shannon Brownlee shares her perspectives on the current health care crisis, including: inconsistent treatment patterns across providers and geographic regions, providers lacking evidence-based guidelines, the need for better independent clinical research to establish those guidelines, and the limits to consumerism's potential to fix the crisis.

Description: This article provides the perspective of the Health Section's chairperson on Section activities, educational programs and the US healthcare environment.

Description: CHCS is a nonprofit policy center focused on improving American health outcomes, particularly for low-income people, including payment & delivery system reform.

Description: An overview of the issues behind reimbursing providers on a bundled or packaged basis. The article presents the potential advantages offered by the proponents as well as the criticisms and obstacles to implementing this type of payment system.

Description: This article contains a condensed summary and excerpts from a recent white paper regarding the Individual Mandate.

Description: This is Part 2 of 2 on changes affecting Medigap insurers. It focuses on marketing and regulatory differences between Medigap and Medicare Advantage that affect the competitiveness of Medigap plans.

Description: This article contains a condensed summary and excerpt from the fourth white paper in the Commercial Health Care: What’s Next? series.

Description: Praise and critisicm of ERISA. Items affecting ERISA The Patient Access to Responsible Care Act of 1997 PARCA, Consumer Bill of Rights, Expansion of Portability and Health Insurance Coverage Act of 1997 EPHIC. Issue No. 35.