BACKGROUND A large group of patients of Ladek Zdrój spa consists of people with disabilities confirmed by objective tests performed under the pension prevention program of the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS). The purpose of disability prevention is to improve the health conditions to the extent required to continue work. The aim of the study was to identify the differences in the assessment ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The State Children's Health Insurance Program expanded public health insurance to children who are ineligible for Medicaid yet unable to afford private health insurance. The program was a natural experiment, offering the opportunity to study the effects of expanding health insurance to a large population of children who would otherwise be uninsured. The State Children's Health...

German Statutory Health Insurance (national health insurance) has remained relatively intact over the past century, even in the face of governmental change and recent reforms. The overall story of German national health insurance is one of political compromise and successful implementation of communitarian values. Several key lessons from the German experience can be applied to the American hea...

There is increasing pressure from the public and insurance payors for transparency and accountability in ensuring the quality of health care. In response to this, hospitals are now mandated to participate in quality improvement initiatives, and to report on their performance. This article describes three programs related to the measurement of quality that impact colon and rectal surgery: the Su...

Massachusetts was the first State to implement a premium subsidy program for employer-sponsored health insurance, using both Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) funding. The Insurance Partnership (IP) provides subsidies directly to small employers, and the Premium Assistance Program provides subsidies to their low-income employees. Approximately 3,500 small firms curr...