Healthcare Policy | Penn Today

Dawn Bonnell, University of Pennsylvania's Vice Provost of Research, stands at a podium.

Promoting innovative, reproducible science: Penn’s Research Excellence Initiative

The two-year effort includes electronic research notebooks, a research symposium, and a task force of faculty and students, all spearheaded by the Office of the Vice Provost for Research.

Buyer beware: New cheaper insurance policies may have big coverage gaps

Allison K. Hoffman of the Law School cautioned that limited policies don’t resolve the issue of high-priced insurance and may surprise those accustomed to more comprehensive coverage with hard-to-pay bills after an illness or accident.

Desperate GOP twists Obama phrase into political attack line

PIK Professor Ezekiel Emanuel discussed the debate surrounding changes to the U.S. health care system. “Unlike a single-payer plan that forces people into a government system, Medicare-for-all offers lots of choices,” said Emanuel.

She paid $3.47 for a prescription drug. The retail price was 10,000% higher

Patricia Danzon of the Wharton School discussed discrepancies between listed medical costs and actual costs to patients. “The purpose of insurance is to protect patients from the full cost of medical care at the point they need it,” said Danzon. “An insured patient never faces full price.”

A federal law, part of the Fair Labor Standards Act, requires that employers offer “reasonable break time” and a place that’s not the bathroom for expressing human milk. But there are many limitations that mean many women aren't covered.

How many American cities protect the rights of employed breastfeeding mothers?

In the United States, the majority of women have to work. But of the 151 largest U.S. cities, only New York and Philadelphia safeguard their rights.

In an Emergency, What Will You Pay for an Ambulance Ride?

The Wharton School’s Benjamin Chartock co-authored a study about out-of-network ambulance billing. “When a consumer or patient isn’t aware—or can’t even possibly be aware—of the network status of their provider, there’s a breakdown of information, and that’s particularly distressing,” he said.

The transforming power of global aid on health care—and care giving

Foreign aid makes up close to half of Mozambique’s national health care budget. In a new book, Ramah McKay of the School of Arts and Science lends a critical eye toward how this influx of global health dollars is felt on the ground, by caregivers and patients alike.

A new book from Nursing professor Cynthia Connolly looks at “candy aspirin” and other case studies surrounding development, use, and marketing of children’s meds in the 20th century.

‘Candy aspirin,’ safety caps, and the history of children’s drugs

When St. Joseph Aspirin for Children was introduced in the 1940s, it was formulated to be attractive in taste and color to its young audience. Dubbed “candy aspirin,” the product became popular—fast. As a consequence, aspirin poisonings of children under five skyrocketed.

Why Medicaid Work Requirements Could Help Persuade More States to Expand Coverage

Mark Pauly of the Wharton School argued for compromise over Medicaid redesign. Although work requirements are controversial, according to Pauly their implementation may persuade lawmakers to expand health coverage to the bulk of non-disabled poor working adults.

Mother, Wife, Million-Dollar Patient

The Perelman School of Medicine’s Steven Joffe contextualized for-profit support for the work of patient-assistance charities. Joffe proposed that the pharmaceutical companies providing support to patients may be primarily motivated by the opportunity to promote the use of their drugs.

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