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What We're Reading: SCOTUS Abortion Ruling; Use of HDHPs Grows; More Seniors Die at Home
A California law that requires clinics to notify women that abortions paid for by the state are available has been ruled a violation of free speech rights; half of all workers in the United States have health insurance with a deductible of at least $1000, which is up from 22% in 2009; a new study found that more seniors insured by Medicare are dying at home instead of a hospital.
Supreme Court Blocks Rule Requiring Notification of Abortion Availability
A California law that requires clinics, even those that are pro-life, to notify women that abortions paid for by the state are available has been ruled unconstitutional. The Supreme Court ruled that the law violated the free speech rights of those facilities that do not want to promote abortion, according to Reuters. The vote went along party lines with the 5 conservative justices appointed by Republican presidents voting down the law and the 4 liberal justices appointed by Democratic presidents dissenting.
High-Deductible Health Plans Continue to Grow in Use
Half of all workers in the United States have health insurance with a deductible of at least $1000, which is up from 22% in 2009. In that same time period, the proportion of large employers offering only high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) grew from 7% to 39%, reported Bloomberg. The trend of offering HDHPs took off during the financial crisis, when employers were trying to cut costs, and again with the Affordable Care Act. Some companies, such as JPMorgan Chase and CVS Health, have announced plans to cover more care costs or reduce deductibles for their employees.
More Seniors Are Dying at Home
A new study found that more seniors insured by Medicare are dying at home instead of a hospital. Los Angeles Times reported that 29% of seniors who were dying spent part of the final month of life in the intensive care unit, indicating a stabilization of a trend that had risen from 2000 to 2009. The research also found that in 2015, approximately 40% of patients passed away either in a home, hospice, assisted living facility, or other community setting compared with just 31% in 2000.
Hospital Participation in Medicare ACOs: No Change in Admission Practices and Spending
August 19th 2025Hospital accountable care organization (ACO) participation did not impact emergency department admission rates, length of stay, or costs, suggesting limited effectiveness in reducing spending for unplanned admissions and challenging hospital-led ACO cost-saving strategies.
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Laundromats as a New Frontier in Community Health, Medicaid Outreach
May 29th 2025Lindsey Leininger, PhD, and Allister Chang, MPA, highlight the potential of laundromats as accessible, community-based settings to support Medicaid outreach, foster trust, and connect families with essential health and social services.
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Care Quality Metrics in Medicare During COVID-19 Pandemic
August 12th 2025Medicare Advantage outperformed traditional Medicare on clinical quality measures before and during the COVID-19 pandemic; mid-pandemic, however, traditional Medicare narrowed the gap on some in-person screenings.
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