5/23/2012 - More than half of Americans who have health coverage through the individual insurance market are in plans that would not meet the standards for "essential benefits" set by the Affordable Care Act. Most people enrolled in employer group plans, however, have more comprehensive coverage with less cost-sharing.
In the Literature
5/16/2012 - A new analysis of the Commonwealth Fund 2010 Biennial Health Insurance Survey demonstrates that when low-income adults have both health insurance and a medical home, they are less likely to report cost-related access problems, more likely to be up-to-date with preventive screenings, and report greater satisfaction with the quality of their care.
Issue Brief
5/16/2012 - This Commonwealth Fund data brief describes how more than 70 researchers came together as part of the Patient-Centered Medical Home Evaluators’ Collaborative to identify a set of standardized measures to assess patient-centered medical homes.
Data Brief
5/11/2012 - The authors of this Commonwealth Fund-supported study report on how the policy reforms set forth by the World Health Organization in 2008 are being implemented in 12 wealthy health systems.
In Brief
5/11/2012 - The authors of this Commonwealth Fund-supported study identified some steps that can be taken by the Guidelines International Network to ensure that guideline development processes "are both rigorous and feasible even for modestly funded groups to implement."
In Brief
5/11/2012 - The authors of this Commonwealth Fund-supported study argue that physicians must develop competencies to provide culturally sensitive care to a more diverse patient population.
In Brief
5/8/2012 - The Commonwealth Fund-supported author of this Health Affairs article examined variations in beneficiaries' use of 13 health care services in 60 communities to investigate: discernible patterns; the extent of variation in service categories across sites; and which services vary to the extent that they account for disproportionate geographic variation in total use.
In the Literature
5/8/2012 - Japan has been able to maintain access to care and avoid rationing while also taking advantage of the latest medical technology by applying a standardized fee schedule for nearly all health care goods and services and combining hospital and physician fees, according to this Commonwealth Fund–supported research.
In the Literature
5/3/2012 - This Commonwealth Fund analysis of 13 industrialized countries finds the U.S. spends far more on health care than any other country. However this high spending cannot be attributed to higher income, an older population, or greater supply or utilization of hospitals and doctors. Instead, the findings suggest the higher spending is more likely due to higher prices and perhaps more readily accessible technology and greater obesity.
Issue Brief
5/1/2012 - This article, based on a survey of quality improvement directors at 537 hospitals, describes strategies associated with lower mortality rates for patients admitted with a heart attack. These include: holding meetings between clinicians and emergency medical services to review cases and always having cardiologists on site, among others.
In the Literature
4/26/2012 - In this New England Journal of Medicine article, Commonwealth Fund Commission chair David Blumenthal proposes a coordinated plan that addresses the "root causes of our health care crisis."
In Brief
4/26/2012 - The Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System believes the federal government needs a comprehensive, disciplined implementation plan that takes full advantage of the new opportunities provided by the Affordable Care Act, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act. The Commission identifes some general principles to help guide this strategic plan.
Fund Report
4/19/2012 - One-quarter of adults ages 19 to 64 experienced a gap in their health insurance in 2011, with a majority remaining uninsured for one year or more, according to the The Commonwealth Fund Health Insurance Tracking Survey of U.S. Adults.
Issue Brief
4/16/2012 - In this article, experts at The Commonwealth Fund examine the role the law will have in increasing the use of preventive health services. The authors estimate that through expanded access to insurance coverage, reduced financial barriers to care, and improved quality of care delivery, an additional 9.8 million patients will receive recommended preventive services.
In Brief
4/13/2012 - This issue brief lays out a number of innovative strategies CO-OP organizers are developing to increase the odds of long-term sustainability and economic success of this approach to providing affordable health plans.
Issue Brief