Over the past ten days, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Mass. Hospital Association have both issued reports on health plan performance in Massachusetts.  The state’s report - issued by the Massachusetts Division of Insurance - focuses on health plan administrative spending and health care claims costs from 2002 through 2007.

On administrative spending, the state’s report confirms what the plans have been saying for […]

It’s an eye-catching cover, that’s for sure.  How many times does one see “brand names” from The Heritage Foundation, The Brookings Institution, The Urban Institute, The American Enterprise Institute, and the The Progressive Policy Institute all on the same letterhead?  The answer to that question is “never.”  So - what did this collection of Washington DC […]

A few months ago, the MA Division of Health Care Finance and Policy (DHCFP) released a study that showed that mandated health insurance benefits cost insurance purchasers about $1.3 billion - or 12% of their premiums - each year. Thanks to DHCFP for publishing the study. This issue is always the source of heated debate, […]