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Health Care

Top Features

Progressive Prescriptions

Progressive Prescriptions

CAP proposes a bold but practical approach to guaranteeing an American right to affordable, quality health coverage.
Health Issue Briefs

Current Topics in Health Policy

CAP looks in-depth at topics that are vitally important to improving care, controlling costs, and expanding access.
There's No Excuse

There's No Excuse

See CAP's new idea, a Wellness Trust, and reports by other experts on overhauling the American health care system.
Navigating American Health Care

Navigating American Health Care

New CAP report outlines how health information technology systems can improve lives, lower costs, and boost productivity.

Other Health Care Features

September 29, 2008

High-Risk Insurance Pools: A Flawed Model for Reform

High-risk insurance pools are an impractical model for nationwide health care reform, write Morgan Mulveon, Karen Davenport, and Ellen-Marie Whelan. By Morgan Mulveon, Karen Davenport, Ellen-Marie Whelan
September 23, 2008

Reject the Highmark/Blue Cross Merger

CAPAF's David Balto testifies to the Pennsylvania Senate Banking and Insurance Committee on why they should reject the merger between two insurance giants. By David Balto
September 18, 2008

America's Need for Health Reform

CAPAF Senior Fellow Elizabeth Edwards testifies before the House Subcommittee on Energy and Commerce about the need for health reform.
September 8, 2008

Good Health Starts Early

Kate Bell analyzes new reports showing that child poverty is linked to poor health in adults, even those who rise out of poverty. By Kate Bell
August 28, 2008

A Moral Prescription

The faith community is an important supporter of progressive health reform proposals, writes Lindsay Barrett. By Lindsay Barrett
August 19, 2008

The Price Isn't Right: The Facts on Affordable Health Care

What is affordable health care? Why is it important to define affordability? Who is most at risk for unaffordable care? By Karen Davenport, Morgan Mulvenon, Garrett Groves, Avinash Kinra, Laurie Seremetis
August 11, 2008

Why Does Health Care Cost So Much?

Karen Davenport on why health care costs so much, and how we can make health care more affordable. By Karen Davenport
July 31, 2008

Consumers Suffer as Health Insurers Consolidate

CAPAF's David Balto testifies on Pennsylvania health mergers before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights. By David Balto
July 28, 2008

Making Medicare Better for Patients and Doctors

Karen Davenport on what Congress' latest Medicare bill will mean for senior citizens and doctors and what we can do to improve Medicare's long-term financial health. By Karen Davenport
July 18, 2008

Making Health Care More Efficient

CAP's Jeanne Lambrew joins other experts at House Budget Committee hearing to testify on how health care value can be improved.
July 16, 2008

Getting Better Value in Health Care

CAPAF's Jeanne Lambrew testifies before the House Committee on the Budget about how to get better value in health care for Americans. By Jeanne Lambrew
July 15, 2008

Six Conservative Myths About Health Care

Checking the facts proves that some of the most pervasive conservative myths, from flax taxes to consumer-driven health care, are ill-suited for the United States.
June 25, 2008

Financing the U.S. Health System

Report from the Bipartisan Policy Center co-authored by Jeanne Lambrew examines different options for financing the health system. By Meena Seshamani, Jeanne Lambrew, Joseph T. Antos
June 16, 2008

The Role of Public Programs in Health Care Reform

Jeanne Lambrew testifies to the Senate Finance Committee's "Prepare for Launch" Summit on health care reform. By Jeanne Lambrew
June 12, 2008

The Jury's Still Out: A Critical Look at Malpractice Reform

What exactly is malpractice? What does tort reform mean? And why is it so important to health policy generally? By William M. Sage, M.D., Margaret Thompson, Cynthia Gorman, Melissa King
June 6, 2008

All Health Is Local: Health Outcomes Differ by Race and Location

A new study reveals that health disparities occur along geographic—not just racial and ethnic—lines.
June 4, 2008

Room for Progress

This by the numbers look shows that government support for health IT could save lives and improve care.
May 30, 2008

Public Opinion Snapshot: Private Insurance Isn’t the Answer to Public’s Health Care Concerns

The public believes that everyone should be covered and relying on the private marketplace is not enough. By Ruy Teixeira
May 19, 2008

Myth vs. Fact: Consumer-Driven Health Plans

Theoretically, consumer-driven health plans should give people more control over their care and provide them with what they want. In reality, it doesn't work that way.
May 14, 2008

The Specter of Socialized Medicine

Universal coverage does not equal socialized medicine. Here's why. By Marla Bizzle, Denise Fraga, Laurie Seremetis, Jeanne Lambrew
April 23, 2008

Strengthening America’s First and Foremost Retirement Plan

By Christian E. Weller, David Madland
April 21, 2008

Affordable Long-Term Care

America is in desperate need of a long-term care solution. On the verge of the baby boomers' retirement—the 65-plus population will increase by some 30 million over the next 20 years, a three-fold increase over the previous two decades—the United States is utterly unprepared to finance their long-term-care needs. By Jeanne Lambrew
April 21, 2008

Got "Access"?

Access to emergency rooms is not enough. The uninsured are less likely to receive the care they need, creating longer waits and higher costs for everyone. By Karen Davenport, Melissa King, Nirav Shah, Melissa Shannon, Erika Akpan
April 11, 2008

Neighborhood Realities: Media Focus on Poverty, Race, and Health

TV series and journal article draw attention to the links between childhood poverty, race, and health, write Meredith King and Joy Moses. By Joy Moses, Meredith King Ledford
April 10, 2008

Consumer-Driven Health Plans May Preempt, Not Promote, Prevention

Prioritizing prevention is critical to health reform, but consumer-driven plans are not the answer to promoting prevention. By Denise Fraga, Garrett Groves, Laurie Seremetis, Jeanne Lambrew
April 3, 2008

Scrambling for Health Insurance Coverage: Health Security for People in Late Middle Age

CAP's Jeanne Lambrew testifies before the Senate Special Committee on Aging on attaining health security for people in late middle age. By Jeanne Lambrew
March 27, 2008

What’s Not Being Said About Sex—And Who It’s Hurting

Abstinence-only programs are contributing to higher-than-ever rates of sexually transmitted infections among teen girls, writes Julie F. Kay. By Julie F. Kay
March 26, 2008

Diagnosis: Poor Financial Health

The future of Medicare has become darker and bleaker since the Bush administration took office, writes Karen Davenport. By Karen Davenport
March 20, 2008

Credit Check: Tax Policy’s Role in Health Reform

The bottom line is that tax credits should be carefully crafted so that they help, not undermine, efforts to cover the uninsured. By Jeanne Lambrew, Melissa King, Nirav Shah, Ellen Montz, Erika Akpan
March 17, 2008

The Great State v. Federal Health Care Reform Debate

Health care reform should start with the federal government, show these resources. By Jeanne Lambrew, Avinash Kinra, Laurie Seremetis, Melissa Shannon, Margaret Thompson
March 5, 2008

Access to Health Care

Health care costs are increasing, access is decreasing, and 47 million Americans are uninsured. This is a crisis we must address. By Jeanne Lambrew
February 19, 2008

Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis

New book from CAP's Sen. Tom Daschle and Jeanne Lawbrew lays out a plan to reform America's broken health care system.
February 11, 2008

Long-Term Care by the Numbers

The current state of long-term care raises alarming questions for American families, businesses, health care, and the economy.
February 6, 2008

Treating a Symptom, Not a Disease

Bush has again offered dangerous policy prescriptions that would further damage our broken health care system, says Karen Davenport. By Karen Davenport
January 31, 2008

2008 Medicare Debate: Savings and Performance on the Line

Congress this year should focus on long-term fiscal savings and performance solutions, writes Karen Davenport. By Karen Davenport
January 28, 2008

Healthy Stimulus

Jeanne Lambrew explains why the Senate should include temporary support for states’ health programs as part of economic stimulus. By Jeanne Lambrew
January 28, 2008

The State of Latinos in the Union

A by the numbers look at the disproportionate setbacks that Latinos have faced during the Bush White House’s tenure.
January 28, 2008

A Dysfunctional Health Care System

What should we expect on health care in Bush's State of the Union address, and what should our health care focus be in the coming year? By Karen Davenport
January 23, 2008

A Foreclosure-Free Option

The mortgage crisis and the rise in foreclosures nationwide have left the American dream in tatters and may be sparking a recession. Yet a fast-growing form of housing—the community land trust—has become a virtually foreclosure-free safe harbor. One of the best examples of this fresh approach to putting a roof over people's heads is in Boston. By David M. Abromowitz
January 22, 2008

Congress Should Override the Bush Double Standard on Children’s Health: Here’s Why

Congress this week should override the Bush double standard on children’s health, writes Jeanne Lambrew. Here’s why. By Jeanne Lambrew
January 22, 2008

This Week in Congress: 1.22.08-1.25.08

From economic stimulus to global warming and health care, CAP provides you with resources to say on top of the week on the Hill.
January 18, 2008

Public Opinion Snapshot: Americans Agree, Time for Action on Health Care

Americans are dissatisfied with out-of-control health care costs and lack of access, and they want the government to do something about it. By Ruy Teixeira
January 15, 2008

Geneticizing Disease: Implications for Racial Health Disparities

Report addresses the use of race in the move to geneticize disease and refocuses the discussion on social determinants that are knows to cause health disparities. By Jamie D. Brooks, Meredith King Ledford
January 14, 2008

The Impending Health Care Crisis for Early Retirees

New strategies are needed to share the burden of health care for pre-Medicare retirees.
November 30, 2007

World AIDS Day 2007

A by the numbers look at HIV and AIDS shows that hard work over recent years has brought good news, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
November 2, 2007

New Facts on U.S. Health Care: U.S. Ranks Poorly with Other Wealthy Nations

Costly and ill-distributed U.S. health care leaves us worse off than the citizens of other wealthy countries. We need reform, writes Sen. Daschle. By Senator Tom Daschle
October 31, 2007

Bush Health-Bill Veto Leaves Needy Kids Stranded

By Gene Sperling
October 18, 2007

Congress Fails to Override SCHIP Veto

In the aftermath of the override vote, President Bush should commit to covering uninsured children, says Karen Davenport. By Karen Davenport
October 17, 2007

Overriding the SCHIP Veto by the Numbers

Everyone but the Bush administration knows that efficient, effective, and fiscally responsible SCHIP just makes sense.
October 5, 2007

Public Opinion Snapshot: Your Priorities Are All Wrong

The public disapproves of the Bush administration’s performance in a wide range of top policy objectives; so why won’t they change course? By Ruy Teixeira

» More

Where We Stand on Health Care

Our health care team develops policy solutions and analysis that will advance the cause of universally affordable and valuable coverage, playing an active role in shaping key health care debates. Beginning with CAP’s 2005 proposal for health insurance reform, “Progressive Prescriptions for a Healthy America,” our experts have focused on expanding health insurance coverage, controlling costs, improving value in the health care system, and making prevention a national priority.