Health Affairs, my favorite health policy magazine (and perhaps the only health policy magazine) has launched a blog. One of the first posts is by James Robinson, and is a review of Redefining Healthcare by Porter and Teisberg. I haven’t read the book so I can’t comment on Robinson’s commentary.
One of the complaints about Health Affairs is it only appears quarterly; then again, given the weighty nature of the periodical that may have been a blessing in disguise. The new blog will likely remedy that situation, although the blog’s apparent weekly posting schedule will have to be fixed if HA wants to be a meaningful player in the blog-o-sphere.
They’re just getting started, so let’s give them time.

I was going to post a blistering riposte to an amazingly lousy article in the NYTimes (registration required), but Matt Holt beat me to it.
The Times article says words to the effect that the reason health care costs so much is because it makes us live longer. Boy is that misinformed, superficial, ineptly researched, and just plain wrong.
Health care costs so much in the US because prices are high and practice pattern variation prevails and there are too many uninsured and cost-shifting is rampant and Congress and the White House would rather grand stand about Terry Schiavo than address real problems.
Good work Matt.