Cathy Schoen

A Medicare Long-Term Care Benefit?

Public opinion surveys show that most Americans incorrectly think Medicare pays for long-term supports and services (LTSS). It does not. But should it? Should Congress add a long-term care benefit to the program’s current package of insurance for hospital care, doctor visits, and drugs? Three highly respected health researchers, Karen Davis, Amber Willink, and Cathy Schoen, think it should. In [...]

By |2016-04-15T13:42:54-04:00April 15th, 2016|Health Care, long term care reform, Medicare|1 Comment

Like A 1965 Ford Mustang, Medicare Needs a Redesign

Medicare is the 1965 Ford Mustang of healthcare. It was cutting-edge back in the day. But, like that half-century old car, Medicare no longer runs very well and needs a remake. The real issue is not its finances, which is what most of Medicare’s 50th anniversary commentary is about. It’s about redesigning how it delivers care, which is what really [...]

By |2015-08-12T13:25:05-04:00August 12th, 2015|Medicare|0 Comments

Three New Health Reform Plans Ignore the Long-Term Care Needs of Seniors and People with Disabilities

In the past few weeks, no fewer than three highly respected groups have proposed major health care reforms. They all promise greater use of patient-centered integrated care, but none include supports and services for frail elders or younger people with disabilities. It took four decades to incorporate a drug benefit into Medicare. Now we seem to be in the same place [...]