From USA TODAY:
…In 2011, the [Affordable Care Act] targeted specific groups of people — mostly the young and senior citizens — while the most argued about pieces won’t come until 2014. Then, assuming the Supreme Court doesn’t rule against the “individual mandate,” the provision that requires most Americans to buy health insurance, millions more people will be affected…
In 2012, Medicare providers will be able to start affordable care organizations to improve quality and cut costs, while the government will implement rules making it easier to use electronic medical records and share data about which treatments work the best and which need improvement. Health and Human Services has designated 32 health care providers as members of the first wave of affordable care organizations that will start Jan. 1 and be eligible for bonus payments from Medicare if they meet savings and care targets…
HHS Assistant Secretary of Health Howard Koh told senators in October that immunizing children saves $10 for every $1 spent. He said yearly costs for smokers are $2,000; for people who are obese, they are $1,400; and for people who have diabetes, they are $6,600 higher than for people without the disease. Koh said managing heart disease better could save $76 billion by 2023. Managing the seven leading chronic diseases could save $1 trillion by 2023…
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