Posted on December 22, 2003

Health

The recent passage of Medicare reform legislation grabbed most of the headlines, but 2003 saw several other major healthcare stories, including reports of an increase in the number of uninsured Americans, rising health insurance premiums, and the emergence of healthcare reform as a significant issue in the presidential campaign. The Commonwealth Fund has compiled its Top 10 Health Policy Stories of 2003, with links to related resources and Fund publications. Among other developments on the list, Maine and California expanded health coverage at the state level; some Medicaid programs, state employee benefit plans, and private companies joined together to battle rising prescription drug costs; and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services adopted several standards for clinical information technology. In addition, key research published this year revealed that clinicians are not providing many patients with the most appropriate care, racial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality health care, and the quality of care and efficiency have been improved in the Veteran's Health Administration and the Kaiser-Permanente health system.