Phil Galewitz covers Medicaid, Medicare, long‐term care, hospitals and various state health issues. He has covered the health beat for nearly two decades. He is a board member of the Association of Health Care Journalists. In 2004‐05, he was a Kaiser Media Fellow and wrote about community solutions to the uninsured. Before coming to KHN, he was at The Palm Beach Post and was a national health industry writer for the Associated Press and The Patriot‐ News in Harrisburg, Pa. He has a BA in health planning and administration and a master's in public administration with an emphasis in health policy.
| Contact: PGalewitz@kff.org
Obama and congressional leaders hope to reduce health care spending by promoting prevention to catch disease early. But some insurance and health officials say such efforts—although laudable—may not cut overall health costs.
Aug 04, 2009
Unions and advocates for low-income workers are criticizing a possible Senate Finance Committee move to drop an employer mandate in favor of a "free-rider" penalty. The provision would require companies to pay for part of the subsidies for uninsured workers to buy health insurance on the proposed exchanges. Business lobbyists say it's better than a straight mandate.
Jul 30, 2009
Powerful hospital trade associations are opposing President Obama's plan for an independent commission to determine how much Medicare pays doctors and hospitals. But certain "model" hospital systems - such as CHRISTUS Health - are breaking ranks and supporting the idea.
Jul 24, 2009
Public support for an overhaul the U.S. health care system has slipped somewhat, according to a new poll. But a majority of Americans still believe that "it is more important than ever to take on health care reform now."
Jul 23, 2009
Even as an overhaul of the nation's health care system gets bogged down in Congress, hospitals, doctors and administrators from around the country talk about how they have changed the way they operate to bolster health care in their home towns.
Jul 22, 2009
When talking about his vision for the U.S. health care system, President Barack Obama points to places like the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and Intermountain Healthcare in Utah, which are known for providing high-quality, low-cost care.
Jul 20, 2009
Integrated health systems have won kudos for their performances from President Obama. But officials at the health systems say the health overhaul bills being debated in Congress don't reward them or encourage others to imitate them. They want lawmakers to move more aggressively to change the Medicare payment system to prod hospitals and doctors to provide better, less expensive care.
Jul 17, 2009
The hot new concept in health care--Accountable Care Organizations-- would get a test run in pilot projects included in health overhaul legislation.
Jul 17, 2009
Patricia Danzon, the Celia Moh Professor at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, discusses the debate over patent protection for biologics, drugs made from living cells.
Jul 15, 2009
Hospital officials today agreed to federal-payment cuts to help pay for a health care overhaul. They hope their concessions will build good will with the Obama administration and Democratic lawmakers. They’re pressing for action on a host of other issues, including Medicaid reimbursements and funding for graduate medical education.
Jul 08, 2009