Comments on: Health Reform = More Cost Shifting http://healthblog.ncpa.org/health-reform-more-cost-shifting/ Health Care Policy and Reform Insights | NCPA Thu, 24 May 2012 02:53:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Stephen C. http://healthblog.ncpa.org/health-reform-more-cost-shifting/comment-page-1/#comment-43575 Stephen C. Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:35:08 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=4059#comment-43575 Bart: Excellent point. Bart: Excellent point.

]]> By: Bart Ingles http://healthblog.ncpa.org/health-reform-more-cost-shifting/comment-page-1/#comment-43574 Bart Ingles Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:28:04 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=4059#comment-43574 The authors estimate that cost shift adds 10.7% to the cost of health care for a typical family. But how much does it reduce the cost to Medicare and Medicaid? If total government spending is about equal to private health care spending, would it be reasonable to estimate that total Medicare and Medicaid spending would have to be around 10% higher without cost shifting? In other words, the real cost for these programs is about 20% higher than the real cost for private health care? The authors estimate that cost shift adds 10.7% to the cost of health care for a typical family. But how much does it reduce the cost to Medicare and Medicaid?

If total government spending is about equal to private health care spending, would it be reasonable to estimate that total Medicare and Medicaid spending would have to be around 10% higher without cost shifting? In other words, the real cost for these programs is about 20% higher than the real cost for private health care?

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