5 CFR 792.209 - What is the definition of child care subsidy program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false What is the definition of child care... (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' HEALTH AND COUNSELING PROGRAMS Agency Use of Appropriated Funds for Child Care Costs for Lower Income Employees-What Is the Child Care...

5 CFR 792.209 - What is the definition of child care subsidy program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false What is the definition of child care... (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' HEALTH AND COUNSELING PROGRAMS Agency Use of Appropriated Funds for Child Care Costs for Lower Income Employees-What Is the Child Care...

5 CFR 792.209 - What is the definition of child care subsidy program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false What is the definition of child care... (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES' HEALTH AND COUNSELING PROGRAMS Agency Use of Appropriated Funds for Child Care Costs for Lower Income Employees-What Is the Child Care...

Evaluation of Child Care Subsidy Strategies: Massachusetts Family Child Care Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Ann; Goodson, Barbara; Luallen, Jeremy; Fountain, Alyssa Rulf; Checkoway, Amy

2010-01-01

This report presents findings from the Massachusetts Family Child Care study, a two-year evaluation of the impacts of an early childhood education program on providers and children in family child care. The program--"LearningGames"--is designed to train caregivers to stimulate children's cognitive, language, and social-emotional…

Are We at the Crossroads for Wisconsin Child Care? Policies in Conflict

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, 2016

2016-01-01

This report examines the conflicting public policies in child care and their implications. The policy analysis tracks the history of two major child care programs, the Wisconsin Shares child care subsidy program and the YoungStar Quality Rating and Improvement System. While YoungStar shows promising trends in improving the quality of early care…

76 FR 60134 - Agency Information Collection (Child Care Subsidy) Activity Under OMB Review

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-28

... Care Subsidy) Activity Under OMB Review AGENCY: Human Resources and Administration, Department of....gov . Please refer to ``OMB Control No. 2900-0717.'' SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Titles a. Child Care Subsidy Application Form, VA Form 0730a. b. Child Care Provider Information (For the Child Care Subsidy...

Moving the Goal Posts: The Shift from Child Care Supply to Child Care Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickman, Anneliese; Kovach, Melissa; Smith, Annemarie; Henken, Rob

2010-01-01

As policymakers in Madison redesign the state's child care subsidy program--known as Wisconsin Shares--it is important to understand the original vision for the program. This report investigates the development and implementation of Wisconsin Shares and its linkages to the state's landmark W-2 welfare reform initiative. In particular, the authors…

Breaking down barriers to eye care for Indigenous people: a new scheme for delivery of eye care in Victoria.

PubMed

Napper, Genevieve; Fricke, Tim; Anjou, Mitchell D; Jackson, A Jonathan

2015-09-01

This report describes the implementation of and outcomes from a new spectacle subsidy scheme and de-centralised care options for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Victoria, Australia. The Victorian Aboriginal Spectacle Subsidy Scheme (VASSS) commenced in 2010, as an additional subsidy to the long-established Victorian Eyecare Service (VES). The Victorian Aboriginal Spectacle Subsidy Scheme aimed to improve access to and uptake of affordable spectacles and eye examinations by Indigenous Victorians. The scheme is overseen by a committee convened by the Victorian Government's Department of Health and Human Services and includes eye-health stakeholders from the Aboriginal community and government, not-for-profit, university and Aboriginal communities. Key features of the Victorian Aboriginal Spectacle Subsidy Scheme include reduced and certain patient co-payments of $10, expanded spectacle frame range, broadened eligibility and community participation in service design and implementation. We describe the services implemented by the Australian College of Optometry (ACO) in Victoria and their impact on access to eye-care services. In 2014, optometric services were available at 36 service sites across Victoria, including 21 Aboriginal Health Services (AHS) sites. Patient services have increased from 400 services per year in 2009, to 1,800 services provided in 2014. During the first three years of the Victorian Aboriginal Spectacle Subsidy Scheme program (2010 to 2013), 4,200 pairs of glasses (1,400 pairs per year) were provided. Further funding to 2016/17 will lift the number of glasses to be delivered to 6,600 pairs (1,650 per year). This compares to population projected needs of 2,400 pairs per year. Overcoming the barriers to using eye-care services by Indigenous people can be difficult and resource intensive; however the Victorian Aboriginal Spectacle Subsidy Scheme provides an example of positive outcomes achieved through carefully designed and targeted approaches that engender sector and stakeholder support. Sustained support for the Victorian Aboriginal Spectacle Subsidy Scheme at a level that meets population needs is an ongoing challenge. © 2015 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Optometry © 2015 Optometry Australia.

The influence of maternal health literacy and child's age on participation in social welfare programs.

PubMed

Pati, Susmita; Siewert, Elizabeth; Wong, Angie T; Bhatt, Suraj K; Calixte, Rose E; Cnaan, Avital

2014-07-01

The objective of this study is to determine the influence of maternal health literacy and child's age on participation in social welfare programs benefiting children. In a longitudinal prospective cohort study of 560 Medicaid-eligible mother-infant dyads recruited in Philadelphia, maternal health literacy was assessed using the test of functional health literacy in adults (short version). Participation in social welfare programs [Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), child care subsidy, and public housing] was self-reported at child's birth, and at the 6, 12, 18, 24 month follow-up interviews. Generalized estimating equations quantified the strength of maternal health literacy as an estimator of program participation. The mothers were primarily African-Americans (83%), single (87%), with multiple children (62%). Nearly 24% of the mothers had inadequate or marginal health literacy. Children whose mothers had inadequate health literacy were less likely to receive child care subsidy (adjusted OR = 0.54, 95% CI 0.34-0.85) than children whose mothers had adequate health literacy. Health literacy was not a significant predictor for TANF, SNAP, WIC or housing assistance. The predicted probability for participation in all programs decreased from birth to 24 months. Most notably, predicted WIC participation declined rapidly after age one. During the first 24 months, mothers with inadequate health literacy could benefit from simplified or facilitated child care subsidy application processes. Targeted outreach and enrollment efforts conducted by social welfare programs need to take into account the changing needs of families as children age.

One state's response to the malpractice insurance crisis: North Carolina's Rural Obstetrical Care Incentive Program.

PubMed Central

Taylor, D H; Ricketts, T C; Berman, J L; Kolimaga, J T

1992-01-01

In the period 1985-89, there was a severe drop in obstetrical services in rural areas of North Carolina, partly because of rising malpractice insurance rates. The State government responded with the Rural Obstetrical Care Incentive (ROCI) Program that provides a malpractice insurance subsidy of up to $6,500 per participating physician per year. Enacted into law in 1988, the ROCI Program was expanded in 1991, making certified nurse midwives eligible to receive subsidies of up to $3,000 per year. To participate, practitioners must provide obstetrical care to all women, regardless of their ability to pay for services. Total funding for the program has increased from $240,000 to $840,000, in spite of extreme budgetary constraints faced by the State. The program and how its implementation has maintained or increased access to obstetrical care in participating counties are described on the basis of site visits to local health departments in participating counties and data from the North Carolina Division of Maternal and Child Health. The program is of significance to policy makers nationwide as both a response to rising malpractice insurance rates and reduced access to obstetrical care in rural areas, and as an innovative, nontraditional State program in which the locus of decision making is at the county level. PMID:1410232

Maryland Day Care Voucher System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hildebrand, Joan M.

This manual was written to assist States and other governmental units wishing to replicate the Maryland Day Care Voucher Program, a system of providing child care subsidies to eligible families. Chapter I provides brief histories of day care in Maryland and that State's grant to demonstrate the viability of a day care voucher system. Chapter II…

Pathways and Partnerships for Child Care Excellence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Child Care, 2011

2011-01-01

More than 12 million American children regularly rely on child care to support their healthy development and school success. Of these, over 1.6 million children receive a child care subsidy from the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) program each month. In addition, CCDF helps leverage child care investments from the Temporary Assistance for…

Evaluation of Child Care Subsidy Strategies: Massachusetts Family Child Care Study. Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Ann; Goodson, Barbara

2010-01-01

This report presents findings from the Massachusetts Family Child Care study, a two-year evaluation designed to examine the impacts on providers and children of an early childhood education program aimed at improving the development and learning opportunities in the care settings and, as a consequence, the outcomes for children in care. The early…

Child Care and Development Block Grant Participation in 2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Hannah; Reeves, Rhiannon

2014-01-01

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary funding source for federal child care subsidies to low-income working families, as well as improving child care quality. Based on preliminary state-reported data from the federal Office of Child Care, this fact sheet provides a snapshot of CCDBG program participation in 2012, noting…

The influence of maternal health literacy and child’s age on participation in social welfare programs

PubMed Central

Pati, Susmita; Siewert, Elizabeth; Wong, Angie T.; Bhatt, Suraj K.; Calixte, Rose E.; Cnaan, Avital

2013-01-01

Objective To determine the influence of maternal health literacy and child’s age on participation in social welfare programs benefiting children. Methods In a longitudinal prospective cohort study of 560 Medicaid-eligible mother-infant dyads recruited in Philadelphia, maternal health literacy was assessed using the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (short version). Participation in social welfare programs (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families [TANF], Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP], Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children [WIC], child care subsidy, and public housing) was self-reported at child’s birth, and at the 6, 12, 18, 24 month follow-up interviews. Generalized estimating equations quantified the strength of maternal health literacy as an estimator of program participation. Results The mothers were primarily African-Americans (83%), single (87%), with multiple children (62%). Nearly 24% of the mothers had inadequate or marginal health literacy. Children whose mothers had inadequate health literacy were less likely to receive child care subsidy (adjusted OR= 0.54, 95% CI: 0.34–0.85) than children whose mothers had adequate health literacy. Health literacy was not a significant predictor for TANF, SNAP, WIC or housing assistance. The predicted probability for participation in all programs decreased from birth to 24 months. Most notably, predicted WIC participation declined rapidly after age one. Conclusions During the first 24 months, mothers with inadequate health literacy could benefit from simplified or facilitated child care subsidy application processes. Targeted outreach and enrollment efforts conducted by social welfare programs need to take into account the changing needs of families as children age. PMID:23990157

Child Care during Nonstandard Work Hours: Research to Policy Resources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Daniel

2016-01-01

In November 2014, the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act of 2014 was signed into law, reauthorizing the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)--the federal child care subsidy program--for the first time since 1996. In December 2015, the U.S. Office of Child Care issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which updated CCDF regulations…

Financial barriers to care among low-income children with asthma: health care reform implications.

PubMed

Fung, Vicki; Graetz, Ilana; Galbraith, Alison; Hamity, Courtnee; Huang, Jie; Vollmer, William M; Hsu, John; Wu, Ann Chen

2014-07-01

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes subsidies that reduce patient cost sharing for low-income families. Limited information on the effects of cost sharing among children is available to guide these efforts. To examine the associations between cost sharing, income, and care seeking and financial stress among children with asthma. A telephone survey in 2012 about experiences during the prior year within an integrated health care delivery system. Respondents included 769 parents of children aged 4 to 11 years with asthma. Of these, 25.9% of children received public subsidies; 21.7% were commercially insured with household incomes at or below 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and 18.2% had higher cost-sharing levels for all services (e.g., ≥$75 for emergency department visits). We classified children with asthma based on (1) current receipt of a subsidy (i.e., Medicaid or Children's Health Insurance Program) or potential eligibility for ACA low-income cost sharing or premium subsidies in 2014 (i.e., income ≤250%, 251%-400%, or >400% of the FPL) and (2) cost-sharing levels for prescription drugs, office visits, and emergency department visits. We examined the frequency of changes in care seeking and financial stress due to asthma care costs across these groups using logistic regression, adjusted for patient/family characteristics. Switching to cheaper asthma drugs, using less medication than prescribed, delaying/avoiding any office or emergency department visits, and financial stress (eg, cutting back on necessities) because of the costs of asthma care. After adjustment, parents at or below 250% of the FPL with lower vs higher cost-sharing levels were less likely to delay or avoid taking their children to a physician's office visit (3.8% vs. 31.6%; odds ratio, 0.07 [95% CI, 0.01-0.39]) and the emergency department (1.2% vs. 19.4%; 0.05 [0.01-0.25]) because of cost; higher-income parents and those whose children were receiving public subsidies (eg, Medicaid) were also less likely to forego their children's care than parents at or below 250% of the FPL with higher cost-sharing levels. Overall, 15.6% of parents borrowed money or cut back on necessities to pay for their children's asthma care. Cost-related barriers to care among children with asthma were concentrated among low-income families with higher cost-sharing levels. The ACA's low-income subsidies could reduce these barriers for many families, but millions of dependents for whom employer-sponsored family coverage is unaffordable could remain at risk for cost-related problems because of ACA subsidy eligibility rules.

Child Care: Narrow Subsidy Programs Create Problems for Mothers Trying To Work. Testimony before the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth, and Families, Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities, House of Representatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Jane L.

This testimony examines the role that affordable child care plays in helping unemployed mothers enter and remain in the workforce, focusing on how current federal programs create service gaps for low-income mothers attempting to work. These are issues needing consideration as consolidation of these programs is weighed as a means of closing these…

Taking Pressure off Families: Child-Care Subsidies Lessen Mothers' Work-Hour Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Press, Julie E.; Fagan, Jay; Laughlin, Lynda

2006-01-01

We use the Philadelphia Survey of Child Care and Work to model the effect of child-care subsidies and other ecological demands and resources on the work hour, shift, and overtime problems of 191 low-income urban mothers. Comparing subsidy applicants who do and do not receive cash payments for child care, we find that mothers who receive subsidies…

Maintaining Work: The Influence of Child Care Subsidies on Child Care-Related Work Disruptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forry, Nicole D.; Hofferth, Sandra L.

2011-01-01

With the passage of welfare reform, support for low-income parents to not only obtain but also maintain work has become imperative. The role of child care subsidies in supporting parents' job tenure has received little attention in the literature. This article examines the association between receiving a child care subsidy and experiencing a child…

Pay less, consume more? The price elasticity of home care for the disabled elderly in France.

PubMed

Roquebert, Quitterie; Tenand, Marianne

2017-09-01

Little is known about the price sensitivity of demand for home care of the disabled elderly. We partially fill this knowledge gap by using administrative data on the beneficiaries of the main French home care subsidy program in a department and exploiting interindividual variation in provider prices. We address the potential endogeneity of prices by taking advantage of the unequal spatial coverage of providers and instrumenting price by the number of municipalities served by a provider. We estimate a price elasticity of around -0.4 that is significantly different from both 0 and -1. This less than proportionate response of consumption to price has implications for the efficiency and redistributive impact of variation in the level of copayments in home care subsidy schemes. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Child Care Subsidies and Child Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herbst, Chris M.; Tekin, Erdal

2010-01-01

Child care subsidies are an important part of federal and state efforts to move welfare recipients into employment. One of the criticisms of the current subsidy system, however, is that it overemphasizes work and does little to encourage parents to purchase high-quality child care. Consequently, there are reasons to be concerned about the…

19 CFR 351.502 - Specificity of domestic subsidies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 351.502 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANTIDUMPING AND...) The subsidy programs have the same purpose; (2) The subsidy programs bestow the same type of benefit; (3) The subsidy programs confer similar levels of benefits on similarly situated firms; and (4) The...

Welfare Reform: States' Efforts To Expand Child Care Programs. United States General Accounting Office Report to the Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee on Children and Families, Committee on Labor and Human Resources, U.S. Senate.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC. Health, Education, and Human Services Div.

The sweeping changes of welfare reform embodied in the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, and which created the Child Care and Development Block Grant, raise many questions about how states will implement subsidy programs to help an increasing number of low-income families meet their child care needs. At the…

The Effect of Cost Sharing on an Employee Weight Loss Program: A Randomized Trial.

PubMed

John, Leslie K; Troxel, Andrea B; Yancy, William S; Friedman, Joelle; Zhu, Jingsan; Yang, Lin; Galvin, Robert; Miller-Kovach, Karen; Halpern, Scott D; Loewenstein, George; Volpp, Kevin

2018-01-01

To test the effects of employer subsidies on employee enrollment, attendance, and weight loss in a nationally available weight management program. A randomized trial tested the impact of employer subsidy: 100%; 80%, 50%, and a hybrid 50% subsidy that could become a 100% subsidy by attaining attendance targets. NCT01756066. Twenty three thousand twenty-three employees of 2 US companies. The primary outcome was the percentage of employees who enrolled in the weight management program. We also tested whether the subsidies were associated with differential attendance and weight loss over 12 months, as might be predicted by the expectation that they attract employees with differing degrees of motivation. Analysis and Results: Enrollment differed significantly by subsidy level ( P < .0001). The 100% subsidy produced the highest enrollment (7.7%), significantly higher than each of the lower subsidies (vs 80% subsidy: 6.2%, P = .002; vs 50% subsidy: 3.9%, P < .0001; vs hybrid: 3.7%, P < .0001). Enrollment in the 80% subsidy group was significantly higher than both lower subsidy groups (vs 50% subsidy: 3.9%, P < .0001; vs hybrid: 3.7%, P < .0001). Among enrollees, there were no differences among the 4 groups in attendance or weight loss. This pragmatic trial, conducted in a real-world workplace setting, suggests that higher rates of employer subsidization help individuals to enroll in weight loss programs, without a decrement in program effectiveness. Future research could explore the cost-effectiveness of such subsidies or alternative designs.

Income dynamics and the Affordable Care Act.

PubMed

Shore-Sheppard, Lara D

2014-12-01

To examine the sources of family income dynamics leading to movement into and out of Medicaid expansion and subsidy eligibility under the Affordable Care Act. Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP): 1996, 2001, 2004, 2008 panels. Considering four broad subsidy eligibility categories for monthly Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) (<138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level [FPL], 138-250 percent FPL, 250-400 percent FPL, and >400 percent FPL), I use duration analysis to examine determinants of movements between categories over the course of a year. Using detailed monthly data, I determine the members of tax-filing units and calculate an approximation of MAGI at the monthly level. The analysis sample is adults ages 22-64 years. Incomes are highly variable within a year, particularly at the lower end of the income distribution. Employment transitions, including transitions not involving a period of nonemployment, and family structure changes strongly predict sufficient income volatility to trigger a change in subsidy category. Income volatility arising from employment and family structure changes is likely to trigger changes in subsidy eligibility within the year, but the sources and effects of the volatility differ substantially depending on the individual's position in the income distribution. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Modernizing Medicare's Benefit Design and Low-Income Subsidies to Ensure Access and Affordability.

PubMed

Schoen, Cathy; Davis, Karen; Buttorff, Christine; Andersen, Martin

2015-07-01

Insurance coverage through the traditional Medicare program is complex, fragmented, and incomplete. Beneficiaries must purchase supplemental private insurance to fill in the gaps. While impoverished beneficiaries may receive supplemental coverage through Medicaid and subsidies for prescription drugs, help is limited for people with incomes above the poverty level. This patchwork quilt leads to confusion for beneficiaries and high administrative costs, while also undermining coverage and care coordination. Most important, Medicare's benefits fail to limit out-of-pocket costs or ensure adequate financial protection, especially for beneficiaries with low incomes and serious health problems. This brief, part of a series about Medicare's past, present, and future, presents options for an integrated benefit for enrollees in traditional Medicare. The new benefit would not only reduce cost burdens but also could potentially strengthen the Medicare program and enhance its role in stimulating and supporting innovations throughout the health care delivery system.

Capital Needed: Financing New Space for Day Care Centers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Antony; And Others

The issue of how to finance creation of new space or expansion of current space for day care in New York City (NYC) is the subject of this report. In NYC, there are close to 105,000 children under 6 years of age for whom there is no space in day care programs. Even if there were sufficient subsidies to help parents obtain child care, there would…

Productivity vs. training in primary care: analysis of hospitals and health centers in New York City.

PubMed

DeLia, Derek; Cantor, Joel C; Duck, Elaine

2002-01-01

This paper examines the indirect costs of primary care residency in terms of ambulatory care site productivity and the influence of graduate medical education (GME) subsidies on the employment of primary care residents. Using a sample of hospitals and health centers in New York City (NYC), we find that most facilities employ significantly more primary care residents relative to nonresident primary care physicians than would be dictated by cost-minimizing behavior in the production of primary care. We also find evidence that New York's GME subsidy encourages the "overemployment" of residents, while the Medicare GME subsidy does not. We conclude that the trade-off between productivity and teaching is more serious in primary care than in inpatient settings, and that facilities heavily involved in ambulatory care teaching will be at a competitive disadvantage if GME subsidies are not targeted specifically for primary care.

The Impact of Child Care Subsidies on Child Well-Being: Evidence from Geographic Variation in the Distance to Social Service Agencies. NBER Working Paper No. 16250

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herbst, Chris M.; Tekin, Erdal

2010-01-01

In recent years, child care subsidies have become an integral part of federal and state efforts to move economically disadvantaged parents from welfare to work. Although previous empirical studies consistently show that these employment-related subsidies raise work levels among this group, little is known about the impact of subsidy receipt on…

Effects of asymmetric medical insurance subsidy on hospitals competition under non-price regulation.

PubMed

Wang, Chan; Nie, Pu-Yan

2016-11-15

Poor medical care and high fees are two major problems in the world health care system. As a result, health care insurance system reform is a major issue in developing countries, such as China. Governments should take the effect of health care insurance system reform on the competition of hospitals into account when they practice a reform. This article aims to capture the influences of asymmetric medical insurance subsidy and the importance of medical quality to patients on hospitals competition under non-price regulation. We establish a three-stage duopoly model with quantity and quality competition. In the model, qualitative difference and asymmetric medical insurance subsidy among hospitals are considered. The government decides subsidy (or reimbursement) ratios in the first stage. Hospitals choose the quality in the second stage and then support the quantity in the third stage. We obtain our conclusions by mathematical model analyses and all the results are achieved by backward induction. The importance of medical quality to patients has stronger influence on the small hospital, while subsidy has greater effect on the large hospital. Meanwhile, the importance of medical quality to patients strengthens competition, but subsidy effect weakens it. Besides, subsidy ratios difference affects the relationship between subsidy and hospital competition. Furthermore, we capture the optimal reimbursement ratio based on social welfare maximization. More importantly, this paper finds that the higher management efficiency of the medical insurance investment funds is, the higher the best subsidy ratio is. This paper states that subsidy is a two-edged sword. On one hand, subsidy stimulates medical demand. On the other hand, subsidy raises price and inhibits hospital competition. Therefore, government must set an appropriate subsidy ratio difference between large and small hospitals to maximize the total social welfare. For a developing country with limited medical resources and great difference in hospitals such as China, adjusting the reimbursement ratios between different level hospitals and increasing medical quality are two reasonable methods for the sustainable development of its health system.

Evaluation of Child Care Subsidy Strategies: Implementation of Three Language and Literacy Interventions in Project Upgrade. OPRE 2011-4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Layzer, Carolyn J.; Layzer, Jean I.; Wolf, Anne

2010-01-01

This report describes the design and implementation of the three interventions tested in Project Upgrade, one of four experiments conducted as part of the Evaluation of Child Care Subsidy Strategies. The evaluation was a multi-site, multi-year effort to determine whether and how different child care subsidy policies and procedures and quality…

77 FR 25961 - Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber and Softwood Lumber Products to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-02

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries...: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Department) seeks public comment on any subsidies, including stumpage subsidies...

76 FR 67148 - Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber and Softwood Lumber Products to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-31

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries...: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Department) seeks public comment on any subsidies, including stumpage subsidies...

78 FR 24724 - Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber and Softwood Lumber Products to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-26

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries...: Import Administration, International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Department) seeks public comment on any subsidies, including stumpage subsidies...

Targeted Employment Subsidies: Issues of Structure and Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, John; Haveman, Robert

Effects of variations in the structure of targeted employment subsidy programs on the attainment of program objectives are explored in this paper. First, the objectives that underlie targeted subsidy programs are outlined in relation to individual program characteristics and the economics of such programs are discussed. Then the wide range of…

The emerging market for supplemental long term care insurance in Germany in the context of the 2013 Pflege-Bahr reform.

PubMed

Nadash, Pamela; Cuellar, Alison Evans

2017-06-01

The growing cost of long term care is burdening many countries' health and social care systems, causing them to encourage individuals and families to protect themselves against the financial risk posed by long term care needs. Germany's public long-term care insurance program, which mandates coverage for most Germans, is well-known, but fewer are aware of Germany's growing voluntary, supplemental private long-term care insurance market. This paper discusses German policymakers' 2013 effort to expand it by subsidizing the purchase of qualified policies. We provide data on market expansions and the extent to which policy goals are being achieved, finding that public subsidies for purchasing supplemental policies boosted the market, although the effect of this stimulus diminished over time. Meanwhile, sales growth in the unsubsidized market appears to have slowed, despite design features that create incentives for lower-risk individuals to seek better deals there. Thus, although subsidies for cheap, low-benefit policies seem to have achieved the goal of market expansion, the overall impact and long-term sustainability of these products is unclear; conclusions about its impact are further muddied by significant expansions to Germany's core program. The German example reinforces the examples of the US and France private long term care insurance markets, to show how such products flourish best when supplementing a public program. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Child Care: Multiple Factors Could Have Contributed to the Recent Decline in the Number of Children Whose Families Receive Subsidies. Report to Congressional Requesters. GAO-10-344

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Kay E.

2010-01-01

As Congress considers reauthorization of the laws which provide funding for the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), there is interest in understanding what accounts for recent trends in child care subsidy receipt among eligible families and what research says about subsidies' effects on parents' ability to obtain and maintain employment. The…

Michigan's Family Support and Family Subsidy Programs. Remarks for the New Jersey Council of Executive-ARC.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arneaud, Susan

"Family support" describes the philosophy of the Michigan Public Mental Health System. Family Support is also the name of a Michigan program that provides the supports that parents of children with developmental disabilities need to keep their families together. Services include respite care, client services management, parent and…

Child Care Subsidy Use and Child Development: Potential Causal Mechanisms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkinson, Laura E.

2011-01-01

Research using an experimental design is needed to provide firm causal evidence on the impacts of child care subsidy use on child development, and on underlying causal mechanisms since subsidies can affect child development only indirectly via changes they cause in children's early experiences. However, before costly experimental research is…

Income Dynamics and the Affordable Care Act

PubMed Central

Shore-Sheppard, Lara D

2014-01-01

Objective To examine the sources of family income dynamics leading to movement into and out of Medicaid expansion and subsidy eligibility under the Affordable Care Act. Data Source Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP): 1996, 2001, 2004, 2008 panels. Study Design Considering four broad subsidy eligibility categories for monthly Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) (<138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level [FPL], 138–250 percent FPL, 250–400 percent FPL, and >400 percent FPL), I use duration analysis to examine determinants of movements between categories over the course of a year. Data Collection/Extraction Using detailed monthly data, I determine the members of tax-filing units and calculate an approximation of MAGI at the monthly level. The analysis sample is adults ages 22–64 years. Principal Findings Incomes are highly variable within a year, particularly at the lower end of the income distribution. Employment transitions, including transitions not involving a period of nonemployment, and family structure changes strongly predict sufficient income volatility to trigger a change in subsidy category. Conclusions Income volatility arising from employment and family structure changes is likely to trigger changes in subsidy eligibility within the year, but the sources and effects of the volatility differ substantially depending on the individual's position in the income distribution. PMID:25327987

Application of propensity scores to estimate the association between government subsidy and injection use in primary health care institutions in China.

PubMed

Tang, Yuqing; Zhang, Xiaopeng; Yang, Chunyan; Yang, Lianping; Wang, Hongtao; Zhang, Xinping

2013-05-21

The problem posed by therapeutic injection is a clinical practice issue that influences health care quality and patient safety. Although sufficient government subsidy was one of the 12 key interventions to promote rational drug use initiated by WHO (World Health Organization), limited information is available about the association between government subsidy and injection use in primary health care institutions. In 2009, National Essential Medicines System (NEMS) was implemented in China. The subsidy policy plays an important role in maintaining primary health care institutions. This study explores the impact of government subsidies on the injection use in primary health care institutions in China. 126 primary health institutions were included in this study. Institutions were divided into two groups (intervention and control groups) according to the median GS (General subsidy per personnel). Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to minimize the observed covariate differences in the characteristics of the primary institutions between the two groups. Kappa score was calculated to determine the consistency between the groups. Paired chi-square test and Relative Risk (RR) were calculated to compare the differences in injection use between the groups. Among all the investigated prescriptions, the overall percent of people who received an injection prescribed was 36.96% (n = 12600). PSM showed no significant covariate difference among the 34 groups obtained through this analysis. Kappa score (k = -0.082, p = 0.558) indicated an inconsistency between groups and paired chi-square test revealed a significant difference (p < 0.05) in injection use between the two groups. Relative Risk = 0.679 (95%CI [0.485, 0.950]) indicate that high General subsidy per personnel is a protective factor for primary health care institutions to prescribe injections properly. The intervention group obtained a higher possibility of using injection properly. The overall effect of government subsidy on the use of injection was positively significant. However, the mechanism by which government subsidy influence injection administration remains unclear, and thus requires further study.

Medicaid Disproportionate Share and Other Special Financing Programs

PubMed Central

Ku, Leighton; Coughlin, Teresa A.

1995-01-01

Medicaid disproportionate share hospital (DSH) and related programs, such as provider-specific taxes or intergovernmental transfers (IGTs), help support uncompensated care and effectively reduce State Medicaid expenditures by increasing Federal matching funds. We analyze the uses of these funds, based on a survey completed by 39 States and case studies of 6 States. We find that only a small share of these funds were available to cover the costs of uncompensated care. One method to ensure that funds are used for health care would be to reprogram funds into health insurance subsidies. An alternative to improve equity of funding across the Nation would be to create a substitute Federal grant program to directly support uncompensated care. PMID:10142580

Differential Third-Grade Outcomes Associated with Attending Publicly Funded Preschool Programs for Low-Income Latino Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ansari, Arya; L?pez, Michael; Manfra, Louis; Bleiker, Charles; Dinehart, Laura H. B.; Hartman, Suzanne C.; Winsler, Adam

2017-01-01

This study examined the third-grade outcomes of 11,902 low-income Latino children who experienced public school pre-K or child care via subsidies (center-based care) at age 4 in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Regression and propensity score analyses revealed that children who experienced public school pre-K earned higher scores on standardized…

Child Care Programs Help Parents Find and Keep Jobs: Funding Shortfalls Leave Many Families Without Assistance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mezey, Jennifer

2004-01-01

Child care subsidies help low-income families work and leave welfare, but funding shortfalls are forcing states to enact restrictive policies that are hurting poor families and efforts to promote their employment and earnings. The Administration?s recently proposed FY 2005 budget would make this situation even worse, causing 447,000 children…

Staffing Subsidies and the Quality of Care in Nursing Homes

PubMed Central

Foster, Andrew D.; Lee, Yong Suk

2015-01-01

Concerns about the quality of state-financed nursing home care has led to the wide-scale adoption by states of pass-through subsidies, in which Medicaid reimbursement rates are directly tied to staffing expenditure. We examine the effects of Medicaid pass-through on nursing home staffing and quality of care by adapting a two-step FGLS method that addresses clustering and state-level temporal autocorrelation. We find that pass-through subsidies increases staffing by about 1% on average and 2.7% in nursing homes with a low share of Medicaid patients. Furthermore, pass-through subsidies reduce the incidences of pressure ulcer worsening by about 0.9%. PMID:25814437

Do Child Care Subsidies Influence Single Mothers' Decision to Invest in Human Capital?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herbst, Chris M.; Tekin, Erdal

2011-01-01

A child care subsidy is one of the most effective policy instruments to facilitate low-income individuals' transition from welfare to work. Although previous studies consistently find that subsidy receipt is associated with increased employment among single mothers, there is currently no evidence on the influence of these benefits on the decision…

Child Care Subsidies and the School Readiness of Children of Immigrants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Anna D.; Han, Wen-Jui; Ruhm, Christopher J.; Waldfogel, Jane

2014-01-01

This study is the first to test whether receipt of a federal child care subsidy is associated with children of immigrants' school readiness skills. Using nationally representative data (n ˜ 2,900), this study estimates the associations between subsidy receipt at age 4 and kindergarten cognitive and social outcomes, for children of immigrant…

Childcare Type and Quality among Subsidy Recipients with and without Special Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sullivan, Amanda L.; Farnsworth, Elyse M.; Susman-Stillman, Amy

2018-01-01

Low-income children, particularly those with special needs, may have limited access to high-quality early care experiences. Childcare subsidies are intended to increase families' access to quality care, but little is known about subsidy use by children with special needs. Using a nationally representative sample of 4,000 young children who…

Lessons Learned From the Affordable Care Act: The Premium Subsidy Design May Promote Adverse Selection.

PubMed

Graetz, Ilana; McKillop, Caitlin N; Kaplan, Cameron M; Waters, Teresa M

2017-05-01

Since 2014, average premiums for health plans available in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces have increased. We examine how premium price changes affected the amount consumers pay after subsidies for the lowest-cost bronze and silver plans available by age in the federally facilitated exchanges. Between 2015 and 2016, benchmark plan premiums increased in 83.3% of counties. Overall, rising benchmark premiums were associated with lower average after-subsidy premiums for the lowest-cost bronze and silver plans for older subsidy-eligible adults, but with higher after-subsidy premiums for younger adults purchasing the same plans, regardless of income. With recent discussions to replace or overhaul the Affordable Care Act, it is critical that we learn from the successes and failures of the current policy. Our findings suggest that the subsidy design, which makes rising premiums costlier for younger adults looking to purchase an entry-level plan, may be contributing to adverse selection and instability in the marketplace.

Statewide program to promote institutional delivery in Gujarat, India: who participates and the degree of financial subsidy provided by the Chiranjeevi Yojana program.

PubMed

Sidney, Kristi; Iyer, Veena; Vora, Kranti; Mavalankar, Dileep; De Costa, Ayesha

2016-01-27

The Chiranjeevi Yojana (CY) is a large public-private partnership program in Gujarat, India, under which the state pays private sector obstetricians to provide childbirth services to poor and tribal women. The CY was initiated statewide in 2007 because of the limited ability of the public health sector to provide emergency obstetric care and high out-of-pocket expenditures in the private sector (where most qualified obstetricians work), creating financial access barriers for poor women. Despite a million beneficiaries, there have been few reports studying CY, particularly the proportion of vulnerable women being covered, the expenditures they incur in connection with childbirth, and the level of subsidy provided to beneficiaries by the program. Cross-sectional facility based the survey of participants in three districts of Gujarat in 2012-2013. Women were interviewed to elicit sociodemographic characteristics, out-of-pocket expenditures, and CY program details. Descriptive statistics, chi square, and a multivariable logistic regression were performed. Of the 901 women surveyed in 129 facilities, 150 (16 %) were CY beneficiaries; 336 and 415 delivered in government and private facilities, respectively. Only 36 (24 %) of the 150 CY beneficiaries received a completely cashless delivery. Median out-of-pocket for vaginal/cesarean delivery among CY beneficiaries was $7/$71. The median degree of subsidy for women in CY who delivered vaginally/cesarean was 85/71 % compared to out-of-pocket expenditure of $44/$208 for vaginal/cesarean delivery paid by non-program beneficiaries in the private health sector. CY beneficiaries experienced a substantially subsidized childbirth compared to women who delivered in non-accredited private facilities. However, despite the government's efforts at increasing access to delivery services for poor women in the private sector, uptake was low and very few women experienced a cashless delivery. While the long-term focus remains on strengthening the public sector's ability to provide emergency obstetric care, the CY program is a potential means by which the state can ensure its poor mothers have access to necessary care if uptake is increased.

The Impact of Fiscal Redistributive Policies on the Supply of Labor: Five Essays in Economic Theory and Program Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kesselman, Jonathan Rhys

Static and dynamic incentive effects of the following fiscal transfer forms are examined: income subsidy (negative income tax), wage subsidy, categorical income subsidy (work requirement), and overtime wage subsidy. Budgetary costs, aggregate labor-market impacts, and welfare effects are analyzed. A program for categorically combining wage and…

Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Participation Continues to Fall

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Hannah; Schmit, Stephanie

2014-01-01

Child care subsidies help make quality child care affordable for low-income parents, allowing them to attend work or school to support their families while ensuring their children's healthy development. The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary source of federal funding for child care subsidies for low-income working…

Health Care Reform: How Will It Impact You?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lukaszewski, Thomas

1993-01-01

Discusses the impact of health care reform on child-care centers and child-care employees. Topics covered include requirements to provide health insurance for all employees; subsidies for businesses with fewer than 50 employees; subsidies for low income employees; family coverage; health are costs for 2 working parents; and costs to day-care…

Using Medicaid/SCHIP to insure working families: the Massachusetts experience.

PubMed

Mitchell, Janet B; Osber, Deborah S

2002-01-01

Massachusetts was the first State to implement a premium subsidy program for employer-sponsored health insurance, using both Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) funding. The Insurance Partnership (IP) provides subsidies directly to small employers, and the Premium Assistance Program provides subsidies to their low-income employees. Approximately 3,500 small firms currently participate, most of them offering health insurance coverage for the first time. Approximately 10,000 adults and children are covered through the program, the majority of whom had been uninsured prior to enrolling. Massachusetts' successful experience with premium subsidies offers important lessons for other States wishing to implement similar programs.

Lessons from sexual and reproductive health voucher program design and function: a comprehensive review.

PubMed

Grainger, Corinne; Gorter, Anna; Okal, Jerry; Bellows, Ben

2014-04-29

Developing countries face challenges in financing healthcare; often the poor do not receive the most basic services. The past decade has seen a sharp increase in the number of voucher programs, which target output-based subsidies for specific services to poor and underserved groups. The dearth of literature that examines lessons learned risks the wheel being endlessly reinvented. This paper examines commonalities and differences in voucher design and implementation, highlighting lessons learned for the design of new voucher programmes. The methodology comprised: discussion among key experts to develop inclusion/exclusion criteria; up-dating the literature database used by the DFID systematic review of voucher programs; and networking with key contacts to identify new programs and obtain additional program documents. We identified 40 programs for review and extracted a dataset of more than 120 program characteristics for detailed analysis. All programs aimed to increase utilisation of healthcare, particularly maternal health services, overwhelmingly among low-income populations. The majority contract(ed) private providers, or public and private providers, and all facilitate(d) access to services that are well defined, time-limited and reflect the country's stated health priorities. All voucher programs incorporate a governing body, management agency, contracted providers and target population, and all share the same incentive structure: the transfer of subsidies from consumers to service providers, resulting in a strong effect on both consumer and provider behaviour. Vouchers deliver subsidies to individuals, who in the absence of the subsidy would likely not have sought care, and in all programs a positive behavioural response is observed, with providers investing voucher revenue to attract more clients. A large majority of programs studied used targeting mechanisms. While many programs remain too small to address national-level need among the poor, large programs are being developed at a rate of one every two years, with further programs in the pipeline. The importance of addressing inequalities in access to basic services is recognized as an important component in the drive to achieve universal health coverage; vouchers are increasingly acknowledged as a promising targeting mechanism in this context, particularly where social health insurance is not yet feasible.

Lessons from sexual and reproductive health voucher program design and function: a comprehensive review

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Developing countries face challenges in financing healthcare; often the poor do not receive the most basic services. The past decade has seen a sharp increase in the number of voucher programs, which target output-based subsidies for specific services to poor and underserved groups. The dearth of literature that examines lessons learned risks the wheel being endlessly reinvented. This paper examines commonalities and differences in voucher design and implementation, highlighting lessons learned for the design of new voucher programmes. Methodology The methodology comprised: discussion among key experts to develop inclusion/exclusion criteria; up-dating the literature database used by the DFID systematic review of voucher programs; and networking with key contacts to identify new programs and obtain additional program documents. We identified 40 programs for review and extracted a dataset of more than 120 program characteristics for detailed analysis. Results All programs aimed to increase utilisation of healthcare, particularly maternal health services, overwhelmingly among low-income populations. The majority contract(ed) private providers, or public and private providers, and all facilitate(d) access to services that are well defined, time-limited and reflect the country’s stated health priorities. All voucher programs incorporate a governing body, management agency, contracted providers and target population, and all share the same incentive structure: the transfer of subsidies from consumers to service providers, resulting in a strong effect on both consumer and provider behaviour. Vouchers deliver subsidies to individuals, who in the absence of the subsidy would likely not have sought care, and in all programs a positive behavioural response is observed, with providers investing voucher revenue to attract more clients. A large majority of programs studied used targeting mechanisms. Conclusions While many programs remain too small to address national-level need among the poor, large programs are being developed at a rate of one every two years, with further programs in the pipeline. The importance of addressing inequalities in access to basic services is recognized as an important component in the drive to achieve universal health coverage; vouchers are increasingly acknowledged as a promising targeting mechanism in this context, particularly where social health insurance is not yet feasible. PMID:24779653

The Impact of Child-Care Subsidies on Child Development: Evidence from Geographic Variation in the Distance to Social Service Agencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herbst, Chris M.; Tekin, Erdal

2016-01-01

In this paper, we examine the impact of U.S. child-care subsidies on the cognitive and behavioral development of children in low-income female-headed families. We identify the effect of subsidy receipt by exploiting geographic variation in the distance that families must travel from home to reach the nearest social service agency that administers…

A Preliminary Evaluation of Federal Dental Manpower Subsidy Program. Health Manpower Policy Discussion Paper Series, No. A5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feldstein, Paul J.

This paper suggests an approach and an analysis of the impact that federal manpower programs have had on dentistry. The main beneficiaries under health manpower subsidy programs are indicated and some policy alternatives suggested. Emphasis is placed on federal subsidies for increasing the supply of dentists including students' financial…

The Federal Work-Study Program: Impacts on Academic Outcomes and Employment. Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Analysis of Postsecondary Education and Employment, 2015

2015-01-01

Student employment subsidies are one of the largest types of employment subsidies and one of the oldest forms of student aid. The Federal Work-Study program (FWS) is the largest student employment subsidy program; since 1964, it has provided about $1 billion per year to cover 75 percent of wages for student employees, who typically work on campus…

Large repayments of premium subsidies may be owed to the IRS if family income changes are not promptly reported.

PubMed

Jacobs, Ken; Graham-Squire, Dave; Gould, Elise; Roby, Dylan

2013-09-01

Subsidies for health insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act are refundable tax credits. They can be taken when taxes are filed or in advance, as reductions in monthly premiums that must be reconciled at tax filing. Recipients who take subsidies in advance will receive tax refunds if their subsidies were too small but will have to make repayments if their subsidies were too high. We analyzed predicted repayments and refunds for people receiving subsidies, using California as a case study. We found that many families could owe large repayments to the Internal Revenue Service at their next tax filing. If income changes were reported and credits adjusted in a timely manner throughout the tax year, the number of filers owing repayments would be reduced by 7-41 percent and the median size of repayments reduced by as much as 61 percent (depending on the level of changes reported and the method used to adjust the subsidy amounts). We recommend that the health insurance exchanges mandated by the Affordable Care Act educate consumers about how the subsidies work and the need to promptly report income changes. We also recommend that they provide tools and assistance to determine the amount of subsidies that enrollees should take in advance.

The CLASS Act: is it dead or just sleeping?

PubMed

Wiener, Joshua M

2012-01-01

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) established a voluntary public insurance program for long-term care: the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) Act. In October 2011, the Obama Administration announced that the program would not be implemented because of the high risk of fiscal insolvency. Under the legislative design, adverse selection was a major risk and premiums would have been very high. This article discusses several CLASS Act design and implementation issues, including the design features that led to the decision not to implement the program: the voluntary enrollment, the weak work requirement, the lifetime and cash benefits, and the premium subsidy for low-income workers and students.

Are public subsidies effective to reduce emergency care? Evidence from the PLASA study.

PubMed

Rapp, Thomas; Chauvin, Pauline; Sirven, Nicolas

2015-08-01

Elderly people facing dependence are exposed to the financial risk of long lasting care expenditures. This risk is high for people facing cognitive, functional and behavioral problems. In the short-term, dependent elderly people face increased non-medical care expenditures. In the long-term, they face increased medical care expenditures, which are driven by emergency care events such as: emergency hospitalization, emergency medical visits, and emergency institutionalizations. In France, providing public financial assistance has been shown to improve dependent people's access to non-medical care services. However, the impact of public financial assistance on emergency care use has not been explored yet. Our study aims at determining whether financial assistance on non-medical care provision decreases the probability of emergency care rates using data of 1131 French patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, collected between 2003 and 2007. Using instrumental variables to deal with the presence of a potential endogeneity bias, we find that beneficiaries of long-term care subsidies have a significantly lower rate of emergency care than non-beneficiaries. Failing to control for endogeneity problems would lead to misestimate the impact of long-term care subsidies on emergency care rates. Finding that home care subsidies has a protective effect for emergency care confirmed the efficacy of this public policy tool. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 65970 - Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber and Softwood Lumber Products to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-04

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries... Commerce. SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce (Department) seeks public comment on any subsidies, including..., International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW...

42 CFR 423.800 - Administration of subsidy program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Administration of subsidy program. 423.800 Section 423.800 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... track the application of the subsidies under this subpart to be applied to the out-of-pocket threshold...

75 FR 68328 - Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber and Softwood Lumber Products to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-05

..., provided by certain countries exporting softwood lumber or softwood lumber products to the United States... lumber products to the United States, we are soliciting public comment only on subsidies provided by... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries...

Relative Affordability of Health Insurance Premiums under CHIP Expansion Programs and the ACA.

PubMed

Gresenz, Carole Roan; Laugesen, Miriam J; Yesus, Ambeshie; Escarce, José J

2011-10-01

Affordability is integral to the success of health care reforms aimed at ensuring universal access to health insurance coverage, and affordability determinations have major policy and practical consequences. This article describes factors that influenced the determination of affordability benchmarks and premium-contribution requirements for Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) expansions in three states that sought to universalize access to coverage for youth. It also compares subsidy levels developed in these states to the premium subsidy schedule under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for health insurance plans purchased through an exchange. We find sizeable variability in premium-contribution requirements for children's coverage as a percentage of family income across the three states and in the progressivity and regressivity of the premium-contribution schedules developed. These findings underscore the ambiguity and subjectivity of affordability standards. Further, our analyses suggest that while the ACA increases the affordability of family coverage for families with incomes below 400 percent of the federal poverty level, the evolution of CHIP over the next five to ten years will continue to have significant implications for low-income families.

Child care subsidies and the school readiness of children of immigrants.

PubMed

Johnson, Anna D; Han, Wen-Jui; Ruhm, Christopher J; Waldfogel, Jane

2014-01-01

This study is the first to test whether receipt of a federal child care subsidy is associated with children of immigrants' school readiness skills. Using nationally representative data (n ≈ 2,900), this study estimates the associations between subsidy receipt at age 4 and kindergarten cognitive and social outcomes, for children of immigrant versus native-born parents. Among children of immigrants, subsidized center-based care (vs. subsidized and unsubsidized home-based care) was positively linked with reading. Among children of native-born parents, those in subsidized center care displayed poorer math skills than those in unsubsidized centers, and more externalizing problems than those in unsubsidized home-based care. © 2014 The Authors. Child Development © 2014 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

76 FR 2346 - Quarterly Update to Annual Listing of Foreign Government Subsidies on Articles of Cheese Subject...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-13

... DUTY Gross \\1\\ Subsidy Net \\2\\ Subsidy Country Program(s) ($/lb) ($/lb) 27 European Union Member States \\3\\........ European Union Restitution... $0.00 $0.00 Payments Canada Export Assistance on......... 0... states of the European Union are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia...

Developing the formula for state subsidies for health care in Finland.

PubMed

Häkkinen, Unto; Järvelin, Jutta

2004-01-01

The aim was to generate a research-based proposal for a new subsidy formula for municipal healthcare services in Finland. Small-area data on potential need variables, supply of and access to services, and age-, sex- and case-mix-standardised service utilisation per capita were used. Utilisation was regressed in order to identify need variables and the cost weights for the selected need variables were subsequently derived using various multilevel models and structural equation methods. The variables selected for the subsidy formula were as follows: age- and sex-standardised mortality (age under 65 years) and income for outpatient primary health services; age- and sex-standardised mortality (all ages) and index of overcrowded housing for elderly care and long-term inpatient care; index of disability pensions for those aged 15-55 years and migration for specialised non-psychiatric care; and index of living alone and income for psychiatric care. Decisions on the amount of state subsidies can be divided into three stages, of which the first two are mainly political and the third is based on the results of this study.

A randomized pilot trial of a full subsidy vs. a partial subsidy for obesity treatment.

PubMed

Tsai, Adam G; Felton, Sue; Hill, James O; Atherly, Adam J

2012-09-01

Intensive obesity treatment is mandated by federal health care reform but is costly. A partial subsidy for obesity treatment could lower the cost of treatment, without reducing its efficacy. This study sought to test whether a partial subsidy for obesity treatment would be feasible, as compared to a fully subsidized intervention. The study was a pilot randomized trial. Participants (n = 50) were primary care patients with obesity and at least one comorbid condition (diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, or obstructive sleep apnea). Each participant received eight weight loss counseling visits as well as portion-controlled foods for weight loss. Participants were randomized to full subsidy or partial subsidy (2 vs. 1 meal per day provided). The primary outcome was weight change after 4 months. Secondary outcomes included changes in blood pressure, waist circumference, and health-related quality of life. Participants in the full and partial subsidy groups lost 5.9 and 5.3 kg, equivalent to 5.3% and 5.1% of initial weight, respectively (P = 0.71). Changes in secondary outcomes were similar in the two groups. A partial subsidy was feasible and induced a clinically similar amount of weight loss, compared to a full subsidy. Large-scale testing of economic incentives for weight control is merited given the federal mandate to offer weight loss counseling to obese patients.

Milwaukee County User-Side Subsidy Program : A Case Study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-09-01

Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, instituted a user-side subsidy program in June 1978 for handicapped users of taxi and chair-car services. The program is funded entirely by county and state contributions. A distinctive feature of the program is that, unl...

User-Side Subsidy Programs for Special Needs Transportation : A Planning Handbook

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-06-01

This handbook, first of a series, provides guidance for designing and implementing a user-side subsidy program. The book is divided into two parts--Program Planning and Program Implementation. The Planning section covers six areas--Goals and Objectiv...

Our Children are Waiting for Adoptive Homes: A Review of New York State Adoption Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pisani, Joseph R.

The history and current problems of adoption services provided by the state of New York are discussed. First, statutory reforms since the creation in 1968 of the nation's first statewide adoption subsidy program are reviewed and adoption services aimed at providing permanent homes for children in foster care are described. Subsequently, the…

42 CFR 423.886 - Retiree drug subsidy amounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Retiree drug subsidy amounts. 423.886 Section 423... (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM (CONTINUED) VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Payments to Sponsors of Retiree Prescription Drug Plans § 423.886 Retiree drug subsidy amounts. (a) Amount of subsidy payment. (1...

42 CFR 423.886 - Retiree drug subsidy amounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Retiree drug subsidy amounts. 423.886 Section 423... (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM (CONTINUED) VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Payments to Sponsors of Retiree Prescription Drug Plans § 423.886 Retiree drug subsidy amounts. (a) Amount of subsidy payment. (1...

42 CFR 423.886 - Retiree drug subsidy amounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Retiree drug subsidy amounts. 423.886 Section 423... (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM (CONTINUED) VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Payments to Sponsors of Retiree Prescription Drug Plans § 423.886 Retiree drug subsidy amounts. (a) Amount of subsidy payment. (1...

42 CFR 423.886 - Retiree drug subsidy amounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Retiree drug subsidy amounts. 423.886 Section 423... (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Payments to Sponsors of Retiree Prescription Drug Plans § 423.886 Retiree drug subsidy amounts. (a) Amount of subsidy payment. (1) For each...

76 FR 44091 - Proposed Information Collection (Child Care Subsidy) Activity: Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-22

... techniques or the use of other forms of information technology. Titles a. Child Care Subsidy Application Form... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS [OMB Control No. 2900-0717] Proposed Information Collection (Child... solicits comments on information needed to determine VA employees' eligibility to participate in VA's child...

Do individuals respond to cost-sharing subsidies in their selections of marketplace health insurance plans?

PubMed

DeLeire, Thomas; Chappel, Andre; Finegold, Kenneth; Gee, Emily

2017-12-01

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides assistance to low-income consumers through both premium subsidies and cost-sharing reductions (CSRs). Low-income consumers' lack of health insurance literacy or information regarding CSRs may lead them to not take-up CSR benefits for which they are eligible. We use administrative data from 2014 to 2016 on roughly 22 million health insurance plan choices of low-income individuals enrolled in ACA Marketplace coverage to assess whether they behave in a manner consistent with being aware of the availability of CSRs. We take advantage of discontinuous changes in the schedule of CSR benefits to show that consumers are highly sensitive to the value of CSRs when selecting insurance plans and that a very low percentage select dominated plans. These findings suggest that CSR subsidies are salient to consumers and that the program is well designed to account for any lack of health insurance literacy among the low-income population it serves. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Review of Massachusetts Child Care Subsidy Eligibility Policies and Practices: A Report for the Assessment of the Massachusetts Subsidized Child Care System. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Gina; Katz, Michael

2015-01-01

This report summarizes findings from a review of Massachusetts' child care subsidy eligibility policies and implementation practices. The review included interviews and focus groups with approximately 60 experts and stakeholders with a broad range of perspectives on the system. It identifies several important issues that, if addressed, could…

Studying Child Care Subsidies with Secondary Data Sources. Methodological Brief OPRE 2012-54

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ha, Yoonsook; Johnson, Anna D.

2012-01-01

This brief describes four national surveys with data relevant to subsidy-related research and provides a useful set of considerations for subsidy researchers considering use of secondary data. Specifically, this brief describes each of the four datasets reviewed, highlighting unique features of each dataset and providing information on the survey…

Food subsidy programs and the health and nutritional status of disadvantaged families in high income countries: a systematic review

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Less healthy diets are common in high income countries, although proportionally higher in those of low socio-economic status. Food subsidy programs are one strategy to promote healthy nutrition and to reduce socio-economic inequalities in health. This review summarises the evidence for the health and nutritional impacts of food subsidy programs among disadvantaged families from high income countries. Methods Relevant studies reporting dietary intake or health outcomes were identified through systematic searching of electronic databases. Cochrane Public Health Group guidelines informed study selection and interpretation. A narrative synthesis was undertaken due to the limited number of studies and heterogeneity of study design and outcomes. Results Fourteen studies were included, with most reporting on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children in the USA. Food subsidy program participants, mostly pregnant or postnatal women, were shown to have 10–20% increased intake of targeted foods or nutrients. Evidence for the effectiveness of these programs for men or children was lacking. The main health outcome observed was a small but clinically relevant increase in mean birthweight (23–29g) in the two higher quality WIC studies. Conclusions Limited high quality evidence of the impacts of food subsidy programs on the health and nutrition of adults and children in high income countries was identified. The improved intake of targeted nutrients and foods, such as fruit and vegetables, could potentially reduce the rate of non-communicable diseases in adults, if the changes in diet are sustained. Associated improvements in perinatal outcomes were limited and most evident in women who smoked during pregnancy. Thus, food subsidy programs for pregnant women and children should aim to focus on improving nutritional status in the longer term. Further prospective studies and economic analyses are needed to confirm the health benefits and justify the investment in food subsidy programs. PMID:23256601

Food subsidy programs and the health and nutritional status of disadvantaged families in high income countries: a systematic review.

PubMed

Black, Andrew P; Brimblecombe, Julie; Eyles, Helen; Morris, Peter; Vally, Hassan; O Dea, Kerin

2012-12-21

Less healthy diets are common in high income countries, although proportionally higher in those of low socio-economic status. Food subsidy programs are one strategy to promote healthy nutrition and to reduce socio-economic inequalities in health. This review summarises the evidence for the health and nutritional impacts of food subsidy programs among disadvantaged families from high income countries. Relevant studies reporting dietary intake or health outcomes were identified through systematic searching of electronic databases. Cochrane Public Health Group guidelines informed study selection and interpretation. A narrative synthesis was undertaken due to the limited number of studies and heterogeneity of study design and outcomes. Fourteen studies were included, with most reporting on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children in the USA. Food subsidy program participants, mostly pregnant or postnatal women, were shown to have 10-20% increased intake of targeted foods or nutrients. Evidence for the effectiveness of these programs for men or children was lacking. The main health outcome observed was a small but clinically relevant increase in mean birthweight (23-29g) in the two higher quality WIC studies. Limited high quality evidence of the impacts of food subsidy programs on the health and nutrition of adults and children in high income countries was identified. The improved intake of targeted nutrients and foods, such as fruit and vegetables, could potentially reduce the rate of non-communicable diseases in adults, if the changes in diet are sustained. Associated improvements in perinatal outcomes were limited and most evident in women who smoked during pregnancy. Thus, food subsidy programs for pregnant women and children should aim to focus on improving nutritional status in the longer term. Further prospective studies and economic analyses are needed to confirm the health benefits and justify the investment in food subsidy programs.

Health Reform Redux: Learning From Experience and Politics

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

The 2008 presidential campaign season featured health care reform proposals. I discuss 3 approaches to health care reform and the tools for bringing about reform, such as insurance market reforms, tax credits, subsidies, individual and employer mandates, and public program expansions. I also discuss the politics of past and current health care reform efforts. Market-based reforms and mandates have been less successful than public program expansions at expanding coverage and controlling costs. New divisions among special interest groups increase the likelihood that reform efforts will succeed. Federal support for state efforts may be necessary to achieve national health care reform. History suggests that state-level success precedes national reform. History also suggests that an organized social movement for reform is necessary to overcome opposition from special interest groups. PMID:19299668

Effects of Targeted Subsidies Policy on Health Behavior in Iranian Households: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

DOSHMANGIR, Leila; DOSHMANGIR, Parinaz; ABOLHASSANI, Nazanin; MOSHIRI, Esmaeil; JAFARI, Mehdi

2015-01-01

Background: This study aimed to explore the effects of national targeted subsidies policy on health behavior of Iranian households. Methods: In this qualitative study, data were collected between January 2012 and December 2013 through face-to-face interviews (23 experts in national and provincial levels of health system and 18 household heads) and through a comprehensive and purposive document analysis. The data was analyzed using a thematic analysis method (inductive-deductive) and assisted by Atlas-ti software. Results: Rising health care costs, removing some food subsidies and the increase in price of most goods and services due to the implementation of economic policy of targeted subsidies have led to significant changes in the demand for health services, changes in the consumption trends of goods and services affecting health as well as changes in the health habits of households. Conclusion: Targeted subsidies and the cash subsidy policy have some negative effects on population health behavior especially among poor people. Hence, maintaining or increasing the cash subsidy is not an efficient allocation of resources toward health care system. So, it is necessary to identify appropriate strategies and policies and apply interventions in order to moderate negative effects and enhance positive effects resulted from implementing this economic reform on population health behavior. PMID:26056676

Influence of maternal health literacy on child participation in social welfare programs: the Philadelphia experience.

PubMed

Pati, Susmita; Mohamad, Zeinab; Cnaan, Avital; Kavanagh, Jane; Shea, Judy A

2010-09-01

We examined the influence of maternal health literacy on child participation in social welfare programs. In this cohort, 20% of the mothers had inadequate or marginal health literacy. Initially, more than 50% of the families participated in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Food Stamp Program, and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, whereas fewer than 15% received child care subsidies or public housing. In multivariate regression, TANF participation was more than twice as common among children whose mothers had adequate health literacy compared with children whose mothers had inadequate health literacy.

42 CFR 423.800 - Administration of subsidy program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Administration of subsidy program. 423.800 Section 423.800 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Premiums and Cost...

User-Side Subsidies for Taxis and Buses in Montgomery, Alabama

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-02-01

The Montgomery User-Side Subsidy Demonstration began operation in August 1977. This was one of four demonstrations of the user-side subsidy concept conducted under the UMTA Service and Management Demonstration Program, and involved the provision of r...

Does subsidy work? Price elasticity of demand for influenza vaccination among the elderly in Japan.

PubMed

Kondo, Masahide; Hoshi, Shu-ling; Okubo, Ichiro

2009-08-01

Subsidy for influenza vaccination is often provided to the elderly in order to encourage them to receive a flu shot in developed countries. However, its effect on uptake rate, i.e., price elasticity of demand, has not been well studied. Japan's decentralised vaccination programme allows observation of various pairs in price and uptake rate of flu shots among the elderly by the municipality from 2001/2002 to 2004/2005 season. We combine our sample survey data (n=281), which monitor price, subsidy and uptake rate, with published data on local characteristics in order to estimate price elasticity of demand with panel model. We find price elasticity of demand for influenza vaccine: nearly zero in nationwide, nearly zero in urban area, and -1.07 in rural area. The results question the rationale for subsidy, especially in urban area. There are cases where maintaining or increasing the level of subsidy is not an efficient allocation of finite health care resources. When organising a vaccination programme, health manager should be careful about the balance between subsidy and other efforts in order to encourage the elderly to receive shots with price elasticity in mind.

Preserving Neighborhood Opportunity: Where Federal Housing Subsidies Expire.

PubMed

Lens, Michael C; Reina, Vincent

2016-01-01

Rent burdens are increasing in U.S. metropolitan areas while subsidies on privately owned, publicly subsidized rental units are expiring. As a result, some of the few remaining affordable units in opportunity neighborhoods are at risk of being converted to market rate. Policy makers face a decision about whether to devote their efforts and scarce resources toward developing new affordable housing, recapitalizing existing subsidized housing, and/or preserving properties with expiring subsidies. There are several reasons to preserve these subsidies, one being that properties may be located in neighborhoods with greater opportunity. In this article, we use several sources of data at the census tract level to learn how subsidy expirations affect neighborhood opportunity for low-income households. Our analysis presents several key findings. First, we find that units that left the project-based Section 8 program were - on average - in lower opportunity neighborhoods, but these neighborhoods were improving. In addition, properties due to expiry from the Section 8 program between 2011 and 2020 are in higher opportunity neighborhoods than any other subsidy program. On the contrary, new Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) units were developed in tracts similar to those where LIHTC units are currently active, which tend to be lower opportunity neighborhoods.

Options for Improving the Military Child Care System. Occasional Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zellman, Gail; Gates, Susan M.; Cho, Michelle; Shaw, Rebecca

2008-01-01

The evidence presented in this paper questions whether the current U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) system of in-kind subsidies for child care is meeting DoD recruitment, readiness, and retention goals or service member needs in an optimal way. DoD appears to be reaping limited benefits from the substantial subsidies provided to families that use…

Options for Improving the Military Child Care System. Occasional Paper Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zellman, Gail L.; Gates, Susan M.; Cho, Michelle; Shaw, Rebecca

2008-01-01

This document summarizes a report that questions whether the current U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) system of in-kind subsidies for child care is meeting DoD recruitment, readiness, and retention goals or service member needs in an optimal way. DoD appears to be reaping limited benefits from the substantial subsidies provided to families that…

Small Group Health Insurance Reform in Rhode Island: Promises and Pitfalls of the HEALTHpact Plan

PubMed Central

Alan Miller, Edward; Trivedi, Amal; Kuo, Sylvia; Mor, Vincent

2011-01-01

Objective This study analyzes what design elements inhibited enrollment in HEALTHpact. Study Setting HEALTHpact is a high deductible plan with a premium capped at 10 percent of the average Rhode Island wage. Deductibles are reduced if enrollees meet wellness criteria. Study Design Qualitative case study. Data Collection Archival documents and 23 interviews. Principal Findings Inclusion of a subsidy would have led to lower premiums and more generous coverage. Although priced lower than other plans, HEALTHpact still did not offer good value for most firms. Wellness incentives also were too complex. Conclusions Subsidies for purchase of insurance coverage are critical to national reform of the small group market. Designers also will need to carefully balance program complexity with innovation in encouraging wellness and product appeal. PMID:21054375

47 CFR 76.1206 - Equipment sale or lease charge subsidy prohibition.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Equipment sale or lease charge subsidy prohibition. 76.1206 Section 76.1206 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST... Devices § 76.1206 Equipment sale or lease charge subsidy prohibition. Multichannel video programming...

Sports Subsidies Soar. Commentary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toma, J. Douglas

2010-01-01

Doug Lederman's article, "Sports Subsidies Soar," discusses the issue on institutional subsidies for sports program. His article invites an obvious question: why are so many universities willing to subsidize athletics through either a direct transfer of institutional funds, assessing a dedicated student fee, or a combination of these? This…

Impacts of subsidy policies on vaccination decisions in contact networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hai-Feng; Wu, Zhi-Xi; Xu, Xiao-Ke; Small, Michael; Wang, Lin; Wang, Bing-Hong

2013-07-01

To motivate more people to participate in vaccination campaigns, various subsidy policies are often supplied by government and the health sectors. However, these external incentives may also alter the vaccination decisions of the broader public, and hence the choice of incentive needs to be carefully considered. Since human behavior and the networking-constrained interactions among individuals significantly impact the evolution of an epidemic, here we consider the voluntary vaccination on human contact networks. To this end, two categories of typical subsidy policies are considered: (1) under the free subsidy policy, the total amount of subsidy is distributed to a certain fraction of individual and who are vaccinated without personal cost, and (2) under the partial-offset subsidy policy, each vaccinated person is offset by a certain amount of subsidy. A vaccination decision model based on evolutionary game theory is established to study the effects of these different subsidy policies on disease control. Simulations suggest that, because the partial-offset subsidy policy encourages more people to take vaccination, its performance is significantly better than that of the free subsidy policy. However, an interesting phenomenon emerges in the partial-offset scenario: with limited amount of total subsidy, a moderate subsidy rate for each vaccinated individual can guarantee the group-optimal vaccination, leading to the maximal social benefits, while such an optimal phenomenon is not evident for the free subsidy scenario.

Medicare Part D: Are Insurers Gaming the Low Income Subsidy Design?

PubMed

Decarolis, Francesco

2015-04-01

This paper shows how in Medicare Part D insurers' gaming of the subsidy paid to low-income enrollees distorts premiums and raises the program cost. Using plan-level data from the first five years of the program, I find multiple instances of pricing strategy distortions for the largest insurers. Instrumental variable estimates indicate that the changes in a concentration index measuring the manipulability of the subsidy can explain a large share of the premium growth observed between 2006 and 2011. Removing this distortion could reduce the cost of the program without worsening consumer welfare.

Canada's northern food subsidy Nutrition North Canada: a comprehensive program evaluation.

PubMed

Galloway, Tracey

2017-01-01

Nutrition North Canada (NNC) is a retail subsidy program implemented in 2012 and designed to reduce the cost of nutritious food for residents living in Canada's remote, northern communities. The present study evaluates the extent to which NNC provides access to perishable, nutritious food for residents of remote northern communities. Program documents, including fiscal and food cost reports for the period 2011-2015, retailer compliance reports, audits of the program, and the program's performance measurement strategy are examined for evidence that the subsidy is meeting its objectives in a manner both comprehensive and equitable across regions and communities. NNC lacks price caps or other means of ensuring food is affordable and equitably priced in communities. Gaps in food cost reporting constrain the program's accountability. From 2011-15, no adjustments were made to community eligibility, subsidy rates, or the list of eligible foods in response to information provided by community members, critics, the Auditor General of Canada, and the program's own Advisory Board. Measures to increase program accountability, such as increasing subsidy information on point-of-sale receipts, make NNC more visible but do nothing to address underlying accountability issues Conclusions: The current structure and regulatory framework of NNC are insufficient to ensure the program meets its goal. Both the volume and cost of nutritious food delivered to communities is highly variable and dependent on factors such as retailers' pricing practices, over which the program has no control. It may be necessary to consider alternative forms of policy in order to produce sustainable improvements to food security in remote, northern communities.

On the Making of Perfect and Beautiful Social Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baer, William C.

1975-01-01

A comparison of the workings of the homeowner deduction provisions in the federal income tax, an indirect housing subsidy program, with the more direct housing programs administered by HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) demonstrated that the latter generally bare badly by contrast. The homeowner indirect subsidies are an example of…

The Strategic Exercise of Options Using Government Subsidies: An Analysis of Production Subsidies for the Ground Source Heat Pump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Sheng-Hau; Li, Jia-Hsun; Hsu, Chih-Chen; Hsieh, Jing-Chzi; Liao, Pin-Chao

2018-04-01

This study utilizes consolidation investment theory to incorporate with business strategies and government subsidy to develop a strategic exercise of options model. This empirical investigation examines the ground source heat pump (GSHP) government subsidy program, which is part of China’s 12th Five Year Plan. The developed model is applied to explain the behaviours of business investment with regard to strategic investment timing, option values, and the influence of government subsidies in duopolistic real-world investment decisions. The results indicate that subsidy policy can reduce the differences of investment timing among GSHP investors and has clearly evidenced the positive benefit–cost ratio of government subsidy, which facilitates China’s GSHP industry development.

Adverse selection and price sensitivity when low-income people have subsidies to purchase health insurance in the private market.

PubMed

Swartz, K; Garnick, D W

2000-01-01

Policymakers interested in subsidizing low-income people's purchase of private insurance face two major questions: will such subsidies lead to adverse selection, and how large do the subsidies have to be to induce large numbers of eligible people to purchase the insurance? This study examines New Jersey's short-lived experience with a premium subsidy program, Health Access New Jersey (Access Program). The program was for people in families with incomes below 250% of the poverty level who were not eligible for health insurance provided by an employer, or Medicaid or Medicare, and who wished to purchase policies in the state's individual health insurance market, the Individual Health Coverage Program. Surveying a random sample of Access Program policyholders, we compared their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, as well as their health status, to those of other New Jersey residents who had family incomes below 250% of the poverty level to determine whether there was any evidence of adverse selection among the people who enrolled in the Access Program. The people who enrolled were not in worse health than uninsured people with incomes below 250% of the poverty level, but they were quite price sensitive. Most enrollees had incomes within the low end of the income eligibility distribution, reflecting the structure of rapidly declining subsidies as income increased.

Influence of Maternal Health Literacy on Child Participation in Social Welfare Programs: The Philadelphia Experience

PubMed Central

Mohamad, Zeinab; Cnaan, Avital; Kavanagh, Jane; Shea, Judy A.

2010-01-01

We examined the influence of maternal health literacy on child participation in social welfare programs. In this cohort, 20% of the mothers had inadequate or marginal health literacy. Initially, more than 50% of the families participated in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Food Stamp Program, and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, whereas fewer than 15% received child care subsidies or public housing. In multivariate regression, TANF participation was more than twice as common among children whose mothers had adequate health literacy compared with children whose mothers had inadequate health literacy. PMID:20634468

Small town health care safety nets: report on a pilot study.

PubMed

Taylor, Pat; Blewett, Lynn; Brasure, Michelle; Call, Kathleen Thiede; Larson, Eric; Gale, John; Hagopian, Amy; Hart, L Gary; Hartley, David; House, Peter; James, Mary Katherine; Ricketts, Thomas

2003-01-01

Very little is known about the health care safety net in small towns, especially in towns where there is no publicly subsidized safety-net health care. This pilot study of the primary care safety net in 7 such communities was conducted to start building knowledge about the rural safety net. Interviews were conducted and secondary data collected to assess the community need for safety-net care, the health care safety-net role of public officials, and the availability of safety-net care at private primary care practices and its financial impact on these practices. An estimated 20% to 40% of the people in these communities were inadequately insured and needed access to affordable health care, and private primary care practices in most towns played an important role in making primary care available to them. Most of the physician practices were owned or subsidized by a hospital or regional network, though not explicitly to provide charity care. It is likely this ownership or support enabled the practices to sustain a higher level of charity care than would have been possible otherwise. In the majority of communities studied, the leading public officials played no role in ensuring access to safety-net care. State and national government policy makers should consider subsidy programs for private primary care practices that attempt to meet the needs of the inadequately insured in the many rural communities where no publicly subsidized primary safety-net care is available. Subsidies should be directed to physicians in primary care shortage areas who provide safety-net care; this will improve safety-net access and, at the same time, improve physician retention by bolstering physician incomes. Options include enhanced Medicare physician bonuses and grants or tax credits to support income-related sliding fee scales.

47 CFR 76.1206 - Equipment sale or lease charge subsidy prohibition.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Equipment sale or lease charge subsidy... Devices § 76.1206 Equipment sale or lease charge subsidy prohibition. Multichannel video programming... subscribers, shall adhere to the standards reflected therein relating to rates for equipment and installation...

42 CFR 423.780 - Premium subsidy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...) MEDICARE PROGRAM VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Premiums and Cost-Sharing Subsidies for Low... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Premium subsidy. 423.780 Section 423.780 Public...-service plans or 1876 cost plans) in a PDP region in the reference month. (ii) Premium amounts. The...

Preserving Neighborhood Opportunity: Where Federal Housing Subsidies Expire

PubMed Central

Lens, Michael C.; Reina, Vincent

2017-01-01

Rent burdens are increasing in U.S. metropolitan areas while subsidies on privately owned, publicly subsidized rental units are expiring. As a result, some of the few remaining affordable units in opportunity neighborhoods are at risk of being converted to market rate. Policy makers face a decision about whether to devote their efforts and scarce resources toward developing new affordable housing, recapitalizing existing subsidized housing, and/or preserving properties with expiring subsidies. There are several reasons to preserve these subsidies, one being that properties may be located in neighborhoods with greater opportunity. In this article, we use several sources of data at the census tract level to learn how subsidy expirations affect neighborhood opportunity for low-income households. Our analysis presents several key findings. First, we find that units that left the project-based Section 8 program were – on average – in lower opportunity neighborhoods, but these neighborhoods were improving. In addition, properties due to expiry from the Section 8 program between 2011 and 2020 are in higher opportunity neighborhoods than any other subsidy program. On the contrary, new Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) units were developed in tracts similar to those where LIHTC units are currently active, which tend to be lower opportunity neighborhoods. PMID:28553063

Subsidising patient dispensing fees: the cost of injecting equity into the opioid pharmacotherapy maintenance system.

PubMed

Chalmers, Jenny; Ritter, Alison

2012-11-01

Australian pharmacotherapy maintenance programs incur costs to patients. These dispensing fees represent a financial burden to patients and are inconsistent with Australian health-care principles. No previous work has examined the current costs nor the future predicted costs if government subsidised dispensing fees. A system dynamics model, which simulated the flow of patients into and out of methadone maintenance treatment, was developed. Costs were imputed from existing research data. The approach enabled simulation of possible behavioural responses to a fee subsidy (such as higher retention) and new estimates of costs were derived under such scenarios. Current modelled costs (AUS$11.73m per month) were largely borne by state/territory government (43%), with patients bearing one-third (33%) of the total costs and the Commonwealth one-quarter (24%). Assuming no behavioural changes associated with fee subsidies, the cost of subsidising the dispensing fees of Australian methadone patients would be $3.9m per month. If retention were improved as a result of fee subsidy, treatment numbers would increase and the model estimates an additional cost of $0.8m per month. If this was coupled with greater numbers entering treatment, the costs would increase by a further $0.4m per month. In total, full fee subsidy with modelled behavioural changes would increase per annum government expenditure by $81.8m to $175.8m. If government provided dispensing fee relief for methadone maintenance patients, it would be a costly exercise. However, these additional costs are offset by the social and health gains achieved from the methadone maintenance program. © 2012 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Avoided electricity subsidy payments can finance substantial appliance efficiency incentive programs: Case study of Mexico

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leventis, Greg; Gopal, Anand; Rue du Can, Stephane de la

Numerous countries use taxpayer funds to subsidize residential electricity for a variety of socioeconomic objectives. These subsidies lower the value of energy efficiency to the consumer while raising it for the government. Further, while it would be especially helpful to have stringent Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for appliances and buildings in this environment, they are hard to strengthen without imposing a cost on ratepayers. In this secondbest world, where the presence of subsidies limits the government’s ability to strengthen standards, we find that avoided subsidies are a readily available source of financing for energy efficiency incentive programs. Here, wemore » introduce the LBNL Energy Efficiency Revenue Analysis (LEERA) model to estimate the appliance efficiency improvements that can be achieved in Mexico by the revenue neutral financing of incentive programs from avoided subsidy payments. LEERA uses the detailed techno-economic analysis developed by LBNL for the Super-efficient Equipment and Appliance Deployment (SEAD) Initiative to calculate the incremental costs of appliance efficiency improvements. We analyze Mexico’s tariff structures and the long-run marginal cost of supply to calculate the marginal savings for the government from appliance efficiency. We find that avoided subsidy payments alone can finance incentive programs that cover the full incremental cost of refrigerators that are 27% more efficient and TVs that are 32% more efficient than baseline models. We find less substantial market transformation potential for room ACs primarily because AC energy savings occur at less subsidized tariffs.« less

An Analysis of the Public Financial Support Eligibility Rule for French Dependent Elders with Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Rapp, Thomas; Lacey, Loretto; Ousset, Pierre-Jean; Cowppli-Bony, Pascale; Vellas, Bruno; Orgogozo, Jean-Marc

2015-07-01

It is crucial to define health policies that target patients with the highest needs. In France, public financial support is provided to dependent patients: it can be used to finance informal care time and nonmedical care use. Eligibility for public subsidies and reimbursement of costs is associated with a specific tool: the autonomie gérontologie groupes iso-ressources (AGGIR) scale score. Our objective was to explore whether patients with Alzheimer's disease who are eligible for public financial support have greater needs than do noneligible patients. Using data from the Dépendance des patients atteints de la maladie d'Alzheimer en France study, we calculated nonmedical care expenditures (in €) using microcosting methods and informal care time demand (hours/month) using the Resource Use in Dementia questionnaire. We measured the burden associated with informal care provision with Zarit Burden Interview. We used a modified two-part model to explore the correlation between public financial support eligibility and these three variables. We find evidence of higher informal care use, higher informal caregivers' burden, and higher care expenditures when patients have an AGGIR scale score corresponding to public financial support eligibility. The AGGIR scale is useful to target patients with the highest costs and needs. Given our results, public subsidies could be used to further sustain informal caregivers networks by financing programs dedicated to lowering informal caregivers' burden. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Differential Third-Grade Outcomes Associated With Attending Publicly Funded Preschool Programs for Low-Income Latino Children.

PubMed

Ansari, Arya; Lόpez, Michael; Manfra, Louis; Bleiker, Charles; Dinehart, Laura H B; Hartman, Suzanne C; Winsler, Adam

2017-09-01

This study examined the third-grade outcomes of 11,902 low-income Latino children who experienced public school pre-K or child care via subsidies (center-based care) at age 4 in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Regression and propensity score analyses revealed that children who experienced public school pre-K earned higher scores on standardized assessments of math and reading in third grade and had higher grade point averages than those who attended center-based care 4 years earlier. The sustained associations between public school pre-K (vs. center-based care) and third-grade outcomes were mediated by children's kindergarten entry preacademic and social-behavioral skills, and among English-language learners, English proficiency. Implications for investing in early childhood programs to assist with the school readiness of young Latino children in poverty are discussed. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Is outpatient care benefit distribution of government healthcare subsidies equitable in rural ethnic minority areas of China? Results from cross-sectional studies in 2010 and 2013

PubMed Central

Chen, Mingsheng; Qian, Dongfu; Feng, Zhanchun; Si, Lei

2018-01-01

Objectives Government healthcare subsidies for healthcare facilities play a significant role in providing more extensive healthcare access to patients, especially poor ones. However, equitable distribution of these subsidies continues to pose a challenge in rural ethnic minority areas of China. This study aimed to evaluate the benefits distribution of outpatient services across different socioeconomic populations in China’s rural ethnic minority areas. Setting Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xinjiang Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province. Design Two rounds of cross-sectional study. Participants One thousand and seventy patients in 2010 and 907 patients in 2013, who sought outpatient services prior to completing the household surveys, were interviewed. Methods Benefits incidence analysis was performed to measure the benefits distribution of government healthcare subsidies across socioeconomic groups. The concentration index (CI) for outpatient care at different healthcare facility levels in rural ethnic minority areas was calculated. Two rounds of household surveys using multistage stratified samples were conducted. Findings The overall CI for outpatient care was –0.0146 (P>0.05) in 2010 and –0.0992 (P<0.01) in 2013. In 2010, the CI was –0.0537 (P<0.01), –0.0085 (P>0.05) and −0.0034 (P>0.05) at levels of village clinics (VCs), township health centres (THCs) and county hospitals (CHs), respectively. In 2013, the CI was –0.1353 (P<0.05), –0.0695 (P>0.05) and –0.1633 (P<0.01) at the levels of VCs, THCs and CHs, respectively. Conclusion Implementation of the gatekeeper mechanism helped improve the benefits distribution of government healthcare subsidies in rural Chinese ethnic minority areas. Equitable distribution of government healthcare subsidies for VCs was improved by increasing financial input and ensuring the performance of primary healthcare facilities. Equitable distribution of subsidies for CHs was improved by policies that rationally guided patients’ care-seeking behaviour. In addition, highly qualified physicians were also a key factor in ensuring equitable benefits distribution. PMID:29431138

Part D employer retiree drug subsidy: inception, implementation and issues.

PubMed

Costello, Ann

2010-01-01

The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 provided a subsidy to employers that offered a retiree health prescription coverage benefit actuarially equivalent to Medicare Part D. This article reviews the development of the subsidy, the support by the federal government and the issues that have arisen. It also presents analysis of data from a set of companies that offered retiree health in 2006 and 2007. The data show widespread acceptance of the subsidy and continuance of prescription coverage; however, companies that did not take the subsidy were more likely to be smaller and in less robust financial health. Analysis of a subset of the companies shows the magnitude of the benefits paid yearly and the accounting liability caused by retiree health relative to the size of the subsidy. The author concludes that the potential success or failure of the federal subsidy in preserving retiree health benefits will not be known for years. Nevertheless, with the elimination of the deductibility of the subsidy in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), employers surely will reexamine their offer of prescription coverage to retirees.

42 CFR 423.782 - Cost-sharing subsidy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cost-sharing subsidy. 423.782 Section 423.782... (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Premiums and Cost-Sharing Subsidies... cents. (c) When the out-of-pocket cost for a covered Part D drug under a Part D sponsor's plan benefit...

A market approach to better care at lower cost.

PubMed

Antos, Joseph

2015-11-01

The Affordable Care Act expanded health insurance coverage in the United States but did little to address the structural problems that plague the U.S. health care system. Controlling cost while maintaining or improving access to quality care requires a more fundamental reform based on market principles. Such an approach means aligning the financial incentives of patients and providers to promote smarter spending. It also requires better information and more flexible regulation to promote well-functioning competitive markets. Key elements of these reforms include setting reasonable limits on subsidies for Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance; modernizing the Medicare program and adopting reforms that promote competition between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage; allowing greater flexibility for states in running their Medicaid programs; enacting smarter regulations to protect consumers without imposing greater inefficiency on the health market; and promoting more direct consumer involvement in all phases of their health and health care. These changes will challenge academic medical centers as a new era of creativity and competition emerges in the health care market.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Contraception among Afghan Refugee Women in Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Raheel, Hina; Karim, Mehtab S.; Saleem, Sarah; Bharwani, Sulaiman

2012-01-01

Background During the 1980s, approximately three million people migrated from Afghanistan to Pakistan and sought refuge in several cities including the city of Karachi. After the initial settlement of the refugees, the international organizations transitioned the health care of these refugees to the two local non-profit service agencies in Karachi. One of these agencies subsidized health care to the refugees under their care and the other agency encouraged the refugees under their care to utilize governmental and non-governmental private health resources at the disposal of general public. Our objective was to measure the effect of health subsidy on the uptake of contraception among Afghan refugee women and compare them to the group of Afghan women without such a subsidy. Methodology/Principal Findings A randomly selected group of 650 married Afghan women-325 women in each group-participated in a detailed survey regarding the knowledge, attitude and practices of family planning and contraceptive use. 90 percent of the women in the health subsidy group had had heard of family planning, compared to the 45 percent in the non-subsidized group. The use of contraceptives was greater than two-fold in the former versus the latter. Results of logistic regression analysis revealed that the refugee women who had had access to subsidized healthcare were significantly more likely to use the contraceptive methods with advancing age as compared to the women in the non-health subsidy group. The difference remained significant after adjusting for other variables. Conclusions/Significance Refugee women who are provided subsidized healthcare are more inclined to use contraceptives. It is therefore important that Afghan refugee women living elsewhere in Pakistan be provided healthcare subsidy, whereby their reproductive health indicators could improve with reduced fertility. We strongly encourage facilities introducing such subsidies to refugees in resource poor settings to assess the impact through similar inquiry. PMID:23133658

Using stated preference methods to design cost-effective subsidy programs to induce technology adoption: an application to a stove program in southern Chile.

PubMed

Gómez, Walter; Salgado, Hugo; Vásquez, Felipe; Chávez, Carlos

2014-01-01

We study the design of an economic incentive based program - a subsidy - to induce adoption of more efficient technology in a pollution reduction program in southern Chile. Stated preferences methods, contingent valuation (CV), and choice experiment (CE) are used to estimate the probability of adoption and the willingness to share the cost of a new technology by a household. The cost-effectiveness property of different subsidy schemes is explored numerically for different regulatory objectives. Our results suggest that households are willing to participate in voluntary programs and to contribute by paying a share of the cost of adopting more efficient technologies. We find that attributes of the existing and the new technology, beyond the price, are relevant determinant factors of the participation decision and payment. Limited access to credit markets for low income families can be a major barrier for an effective implementation of these types of programs. Variations in the design of the subsidy and on the regulator's objective and constraints can have significant impact on the level and the cost of reduction of aggregate emissions achieved. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strategies to enhance price and quality competition in health care: lessons learned from tracking local markets.

PubMed

Lesser, Cara S; Ginsburg, Paul B

2006-06-01

Drawing on observations from tracking changes in local health care markets over the past ten years, this article critiques two Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice recommendations to enhance price and quality competition. First, we take issue with the notion that consumers, acting independently, will drive greater competition in health care markets. Rather we suggest an important role remains for trusted agents who can analyze inherently complex price and quality information and negotiate on consumers' behalf. With aggregated information identifying providers who deliver cost-effective care, consumers would be better positioned to respond to financial incentives about where to seek care and thereby drive more meaningful competition among providers to reduce costs and improve quality. Second, we take issue with the FTC/DOJ recommendation to provide more direct subsidies to prevent distortions in competition. In the current political environment, it is not practical to provide direct subsidies for all of the unfunded care that exists in health care markets today; instead, some interference with competition may be necessary to protect cross subsidies. Barriers can be reduced, though, by revising pricing policies that have resulted in marked disparities in the relative profitability of different services.

77 FR 66584 - Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber and Softwood Lumber Products to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-06

..., provided by certain countries exporting softwood lumber or softwood lumber products to the United States... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber and Softwood Lumber Products to the United States; Request for Comment AGENCY...

75 FR 22743 - Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber and Softwood Lumber Products to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-30

..., provided by certain countries exporting softwood lumber or softwood lumber products to the United States... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber and Softwood Lumber Products to the United States; Request for Comment AGENCY...

76 FR 23991 - Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber and Softwood Lumber Products to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-29

..., provided by certain countries exporting softwood lumber or softwood lumber products to the United States... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Subsidy Programs Provided by Countries Exporting Softwood Lumber and Softwood Lumber Products to the United States; Request for Comment AGENCY...

Premium subsidies, the mandate, and Medicaid expansion: Coverage effects of the Affordable Care Act.

PubMed

Frean, Molly; Gruber, Jonathan; Sommers, Benjamin D

2017-05-01

Using premium subsidies for private coverage, an individual mandate, and Medicaid expansion, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has increased insurance coverage. We provide the first comprehensive assessment of these provisions' effects, using the 2012-2015 American Community Survey and a triple-difference estimation strategy that exploits variation by income, geography, and time. Overall, our model explains 60% of the coverage gains in 2014-2015. We find that coverage was moderately responsive to price subsidies, with larger gains in state-based insurance exchanges than the federal exchange. The individual mandate's exemptions and penalties had little impact on coverage rates. The law increased Medicaid among individuals gaining eligibility under the ACA and among previously-eligible populations ("woodwork effect") even in non-expansion states, with no resulting reductions in private insurance. Overall, exchange premium subsidies produced 40% of the coverage gains explained by our ACA policy measures, and Medicaid the other 60%, of which 1/2 occurred among previously-eligible individuals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Canada’s northern food subsidy Nutrition North Canada: a comprehensive program evaluation

PubMed Central

Galloway, Tracey

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Nutrition North Canada (NNC) is a retail subsidy program implemented in 2012 and designed to reduce the cost of nutritious food for residents living in Canada’s remote, northern communities. The present study evaluates the extent to which NNC provides access to perishable, nutritious food for residents of remote northern communities. Design: Program documents, including fiscal and food cost reports for the period 2011–2015, retailer compliance reports, audits of the program, and the program’s performance measurement strategy are examined for evidence that the subsidy is meeting its objectives in a manner both comprehensive and equitable across regions and communities. Results: NNC lacks price caps or other means of ensuring food is affordable and equitably priced in communities. Gaps in food cost reporting constrain the program’s accountability. From 2011–15, no adjustments were made to community eligibility, subsidy rates, or the list of eligible foods in response to information provided by community members, critics, the Auditor General of Canada, and the program’s own Advisory Board. Measures to increase program accountability, such as increasing subsidy information on point-of-sale receipts, make NNC more visible but do nothing to address underlying accountability issues Conclusions: The current structure and regulatory framework of NNC are insufficient to ensure the program meets its goal. Both the volume and cost of nutritious food delivered to communities is highly variable and dependent on factors such as retailers’ pricing practices, over which the program has no control. It may be necessary to consider alternative forms of policy in order to produce sustainable improvements to food security in remote, northern communities. PMID:28151097

24 CFR 266.10 - Allocations of assistance and credit subsidy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... AND OTHER AUTHORITIES HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY RISK-SHARING PROGRAM FOR INSURED AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY PROJECT LOANS General Provisions § 266.10 Allocations of assistance and credit subsidy. (a) Notice of...

Public spending on health care in Africa: do the poor benefit?

PubMed Central

Castro-Leal, F.; Dayton, J.; Demery, L.; Mehra, K.

2000-01-01

Health care is a basic service essential in any effort to combat poverty, and is often subsidized with public funds to help achieve that aim. This paper examines public spending on curative health care in several African countries and finds that this spending favours mostly the better-off rather than the poor. It concludes that this targeting problem cannot be solved simply by adjusting the subsidy allocations. The constraints that prevent the poor from taking advantage of these services must also be addressed if the public subsidies are to be effective in reaching the poor. PMID:10686734

TDM Status Report: Transportation Allowances

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1992-08-01

The status report discusses the following travel allowance programs that provide subsidies to employees in one form or another: transit fare allowances or subsidies; vanpool fare allowances; parking allowances or free parking; and general travel allo...

Choices for Whom? The Rhetoric and Reality of the Direct Subsidy Scheme in Hong Kong (1988-2006)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tse, Thomas Kwan-choi

2008-01-01

School choice programs have proliferated around the world since the 1980s. Following this international trend, the Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) was launched in 1991 to revitalize Hong Kong's private school sector. DSS schools receive a similar subsidy per student to that received by aided schools, but they may charge fees and have greater control…

Optimal price subsidies for appropriate malaria testing and treatment behaviour.

PubMed

Hansen, Kristian Schultz; Lesner, Tine Hjernø; Østerdal, Lars Peter

2016-11-04

Malaria continues to be a serious public health problem particularly in Africa. Many people infected with malaria do not access effective treatment due to high price. At the same time many individuals receiving malaria drugs do not suffer from malaria because of the common practice of presumptive diagnosis. A global subsidy on artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) has recently been suggested to increase access to the most effective malaria treatment. Following the recommendation by World Health Organization that parasitological testing should be performed before treatment and ACT prescribed to confirmed cases only, it is investigated in this paper if a subsidy on malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) should be incorporated. A model is developed consisting of a representative individual with fever suspected to be malaria, seeking care at a specialized drug shop where RDTs, ACT medicines, and cheap, less effective anti-malarials are sold. Assuming that the individual has certain beliefs of the accuracy of the RDT and the probability that the fever is malaria, the model predicts the diagnosis-treatment behaviour of the individual. Subsidies on RDTs and ACT are introduced to incentivize appropriate behaviour: choose an RDT before treatment and purchase ACT only if the test is positive. Solving the model numerically suggests that a combined subsidy on both RDT and ACT is cost minimizing and improves diagnosis-treatment behaviour of individuals. For certain beliefs, such as low trust in RDT accuracy and strong belief that a fever is malaria, subsidization is not sufficient to incentivize appropriate behaviour. A combined subsidy on both RDT and ACT rather than a single subsidy is likely required to improve diagnosis-treatment behaviour among individuals seeking care for malaria in the private sector.

Effects of reduced cost-sharing on children's health: Evidence from Japan.

PubMed

Takaku, Reo

2016-02-01

Although childhood health status is widely recognized as an important determinant for future achievement and health, there are few studies on the impact of patient cost-sharing on children's health. This paper investigates whether reduced cost-sharing leads to an improvement of health status among preschool and school-age children in Japan, exploiting regional disparities in expansions of municipality-level subsidy programs for out-of-pocket expenditure. With the eligibility for this subsidy program, known as the Medical Subsidy for Children and Infants (MSCI), the coinsurance rate generally decreases from 30% or 20% to zero for outpatient health care services and drug prescriptions. In order to uncover the impact of this program, I conducted an original survey of all municipalities in Japan to understand the time-series evolution of the eligible age for the MSCI in October 2013 (weighted response rate = 75%), and the probability of being eligible for the MSCI was then calculated by the age, prefecture of residence, and year. These probabilities were matched to children's health data from the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions from 1995 to 2010. The results show that eligibility for the MSCI improves subjective measures of health status among preschool children (n = 115,019). However, I find no such improvement among school-age children (n = 133,855). In addition, MSCI eligibility does not reduce hospitalization among either preschool or school-age children. Taken together, this study finds no discernible effects on health among school-age children, suggesting recent rapid expansions of the MSCI for this age group have not been associated with the improvement of health status. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Putting out the welcome mat-targeting outreach efforts under the Affordable Care Act: Evidence from the Minnesota Community Application Agent Program.

PubMed

Dybdal, Kristin; Blewett, Lynn A; Pintor, Jessie Kemmick; Johnson, Kelli

2015-01-01

An evaluation of the Minnesota Community Application Agent (MNCAA) Program was conducted for the MN Minnesota Department of Human Services and funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration's State Health Access Program grant. The MNCAA evaluation assessed effectiveness in reaching disparate populations, explored overall program value, and sought lessons applicable to the Navigator programs required under the Affordable Care Act. Mixed-methods approach using quantitative analysis of tracking and payment data and interviews with key informants to elicit "lessons learned" about the MNCAA program. The MNCAA program offers incentive payments and technical assistance to community partner organizations that assist individuals in applying for public health care coverage. A total of 140 unique community organizations participated in the MNCAA program in 2008 to 2012. Outreach staff and directors from participating MNCAAs and state/local government officials were interviewed. The article highlights a strategy for targeting outreach to individuals eligible for Medicaid coverage or subsidies under the Affordable Care Act by presenting evaluation findings from a unique outreach program to increase access to care for vulnerable populations in Minnesota. Almost two-thirds of applicants were successfully enrolled but lengthy waiting periods persisted. Seventy percent of applications came from health care organizations. Only 13% of applicants assisted by MNCAAs were new to public health care programs. Most MNCAAs believed that the incentive payment-$25 per successful enrollee-was insufficient. Significant expertise in enrolling individuals in public health care programs exists within a core group of community organizations. Incentives to leverage the capacity of community organizations must be accompanied by recruiting and training. Outreach providers and navigators also need timely access to client information. More investment in financial incentives will be required.

The “Cadillac Tax” on Health Benefits in the United States Will Hit the Middle Class Hardest: Refuting the Myth That Health Benefit Tax Subsidies Are Regressive.

PubMed

Woolhandler, Steffie; Himmelstein, David U

2016-01-01

U.S. employment-based health benefits are exempt from income and payroll taxes, an exemption that provided tax subsidies of $326.2 billion in 2015. Both liberal and conservative economists have denounced these subsidies as “regressive” and lauded a provision of the Affordable Care Act—the Cadillac Tax—that would curtail them. The claim that the subsidies are regressive rests on estimates showing that the affluent receive the largest subsidies in absolute dollars. But this claim ignores the standard definition of regressivity, which is based on the share of income paid by the wealthy versus the poor, rather than on dollar amounts. In this study, we calculate the value of tax subsidies in 2009 as a share of income for each income quintile and for the wealthiest Americans. In absolute dollars, tax subsidies were highest for families between the 80th and 95th percentiles of family income and lowest for the poorest 20%. However, as shares of income, subsidies were largest for the middle and fourth income quintiles and smallest for the wealthiest 0.5% of Americans. We conclude that the tax subsidy to employment-based insurance is neither markedly regressive, nor progressive. The Cadillac Tax will disproportionately harm families with (2009) incomes between $38,550 and $100,000, while sparing the wealthy.

Effect of reducing cost sharing for outpatient care on children's inpatient services in Japan.

PubMed

Kato, Hirotaka; Goto, Rei

2017-08-15

Assessing the impact of cost sharing on healthcare utilization is a critical issue in health economics and health policy. It may affect the utilization of different services, but is yet to be well understood. This paper investigates the effects of reducing cost sharing for outpatient services on hospital admissions by exploring a subsidy policy for children's outpatient services in Japan. Data were extracted from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database for 2012 and 2013. A total of 366,566 inpatients from 1390 municipalities were identified. The impact of expanding outpatient care subsidy on the volume of inpatient care for 1390 Japanese municipalities was investigated using the generalized linear model with fixed effects. A decrease in cost sharing for outpatient care has no significant effect on overall hospital admissions, although this effect varies by region. The subsidy reduces the number of overall admissions in low-income areas, but increases it in high-income areas. In addition, the results for admissions by type show that admissions for diagnosis increase particularly in high-income areas, but emergency admissions and ambulatory-care-sensitive-condition admissions decrease in low-income areas. These results suggest that outpatient and inpatient services are substitutes in low-income areas but complements in high-income ones. Although the subsidy for children's healthcare would increase medical costs, it would not improve the health status in high-income areas. Nevertheless, it could lead to some health improvements in low-income areas and, to some extent, offset costs by reducing admissions in these regions.

Status of Family Support Services and Spending in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parish, Susan L.; Braddock, David; Hemp, Richard; Rizzolo, Mary C.

2000-01-01

Analysis of data on family support services and spending for individuals with developmental disabilities presents information on cash subsidy payments, respite care, and other family support. A graph shows U.S. spending for family support, 1986-1998. Additional tables break down subsidy spending for family support services by state in 1998 and…

Notification: Review of EPA’s Transit Subsidy Program

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Project #OA-FY15-0080, January 30, 2015. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to begin preliminary research on EPA’s current transit subsidy practices, policies and procedures.

20 CFR 418.3610 - Is there administrative or judicial review for administrative actions that are not initial...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION MEDICARE SUBSIDIES Medicare Part D Subsidies Determinations and the... these sections. For example, changes in your prescription drug program or voluntary disenrollment in the...

Comparisons of the interactions of health care delivery and medico-legal practice between Australia and Singapore.

PubMed

Kandiah, D

2006-09-01

Australia and Singapore have similar standards of health care. The one major difference in the two health care systems is the cost to the patient at the point of care. The Medicare system in Australia provides partial to complete subsidy for health care delivery in the public hospitals. In Singapore, the patient has to bear the cost of their health care when needed, with some government subsidies. Studies in the variations between two health care systems, where the costs to the government and individuals are clearly dissimilar, but the health outcomes are similar, can be educational for health law specialists. The methods in which patients obtain recompense for their grievances can help both countries understand how to determine and improve standards of health care communication. Having worked in both systems, the relative values of each and their effects on medical litigation will be discussed.

Lessons from a pilot program to induce stove replacements in Chile: design, implementation and evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez, Walter; Chávez, Carlos; Salgado, Hugo; Vásquez, Felipe

2017-11-01

We present the design, implementation, and evaluation of a subsidy program to introduce cleaner and more efficient household wood combustion technologies. The program was conducted in the city of Temuco, one of the most polluted cities in southern Chile, as a pilot study to design a new national stove replacement initiative for pollution control. In this city, around 90% of the total emissions of suspended particulate matter is caused by households burning wood. We created a simulated market in which households could choose among different combustion technologies with an assigned subsidy. The subsidy was a relevant factor in the decision to participate, and the inability to secure credit was a significant constraint for the participation of low-income households. Due to several practical difficulties and challenges associated with the implementation of large-scale programs that encourage technological innovation at the household level, it is strongly advisable to start with a small-scale pilot that can provide useful insights into the final design of a fuller, larger-scale program.

Obesity and government.

PubMed

Kahan, Scott; Zvenyach, Tracy

2016-10-01

Despite much effort, obesity prevalence and disease severity continues to worsen. The purpose of this review is to describe the leading government supported food and nutrition interventions and policies to prevent and address obesity in the USA. The review also summarizes obesity interventions and policies that the government plays a role in, but further development is warranted. The government's role in obesity has largely focused on interventions and policies such as national surveillance, obesity education and awareness, grant-based food subsidy programs, zoning for food access, school-based nutrition programs, dietary guidelines, nutrition labeling, and food marketing and pricing policies. The government has played a lesser role in obesity interventions and policies that provide access to evidence-based obesity care to people affected by the disease. Given the magnitude of the obesity epidemic, the government should explore multiple evidence-based interventions and policies across prevention and clinical care.

Better methods will be needed to project incomes to estimate eligibility for subsidies in health insurance exchanges.

PubMed

Graves, John A

2012-07-01

Under the Affordable Care Act, people who meet certain income eligibility criteria will be eligible for subsidies to offset costs of premiums and cost sharing for health insurance plans purchased through new health insurance exchanges. But determining the correct level of these subsidies will not be easy, because of several factors. These include the way in which eligibility will be calculated for participation in Medicaid or for subsidies through the exchanges; possibly inaccurate income projections; the use of different income time periods to determine eligibility; and fluctuations in income. I performed a simulation that shows that under the most likely methods to be used to determine eligibility for Medicaid or for receiving subsidies through exchanges, one-third of people with incomes initially judged to be below the Medicaid threshold would actually "churn" into an exchange at the end of the year. Other people would be wrongly deemed ineligible for advance subsidy payments because their projected income was too high, while still others judged eligible for subsidies would receive advance payments on those subsidies that were too high by $208 per year, on average. To reduce these errors, I recommend the adoption of a single eligibility standard based on income data derived from prior tax returns, along with generous accommodations during a given enrollment year for people who claim a change in circumstances, such as a change in income.

DO CONSUMER PRICE SUBSIDIES REALLY IMPROVE NUTRITION?*

PubMed Central

Jensen, Robert T.; Miller, Nolan H.

2010-01-01

Many developing countries use food-price subsidies or controls to improve nutrition. However, subsidizing goods on which households spend a high proportion of their budget can create large wealth effects. Consumers may then substitute towards foods with higher non-nutritional attributes (e.g., taste), but lower nutritional content per unit of currency, weakening or perhaps even reversing the subsidy’s intended impact. We analyze data from a randomized program of large price subsidies for poor households in two provinces of China and find no evidence that the subsidies improved nutrition. In fact, it may have had a negative impact for some households. (JEL I38; O12; Q18) PMID:22505779

Price subsidies and the market for mosquito nets in developing countries: A study of Tanzania's discount voucher scheme.

PubMed

Gingrich, Chris D; Hanson, Kara; Marchant, Tanya; Mulligan, Jo-Ann; Mponda, Hadji

2011-07-01

This study uses a partial equilibrium simulation model to explore how price subsidies for insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) affect households' purchases of ITNs. The model describes the ITN market in a typical developing country and is applied to the situation in Tanzania, where the Tanzania National Voucher Scheme (TNVS) provides a targeted subsidy to vulnerable population groups by means of a discount voucher. The data for this study come from a nationally-representative household survey completed July-August 2006 covering over 4300 households in 21 districts. The simulation results show the impact of the voucher program on ITN coverage among target households, namely those that experienced the birth of a child. More specifically, the share of target households purchasing an ITN increased from 18 to 62 percent because of the discount voucher. The model also suggests that the voucher program could cause the retail ITN price to rise due to an overall increase in demand. As a result, ITN purchases by households without a voucher may actually decline. The simulation model suggests that additional increases toward the stated goal of 80 percent ITN coverage for pregnant women and children could best be achieved through a combination of "catch up" mass distribution programs and expanding the target group for the voucher program to cover additional households. The model can be employed in other countries considering use of a targeted price subsidy for ITNs, and could be adapted to assess the impact of subsidies for other public health commodities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inequity in hospitalization care: a study on utilization of healthcare services in West Bengal, India.

PubMed

Bose, Montu; Dutta, Arijita

2015-01-01

Out of eight commonly agreed Millennium Development Goals (MDG), six are related to the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) throughout the globe. This universalization of health status suggests policies to narrow the gap in access and benefit sharing between different socially and economically underprivileged classes with that of the better placed ones and a consequent expansion of subsidized healthcare appears to be a common feature for most of the developing nations. The National Health Policy in India (2002) suggests expansion of market-based care for the affording class and subsidized care for the deserving class of the society. So, the benefit distribution of this limited public support in health sector is important to examine to study the welfare consequences of the policy. This paper examines the nature of utilization to inpatient care by different socio-economic groups across regions and gender in West Bengal (WB), India. The benefit incidence of public subsidies across these socio-economic groups has also been verified for different types of services like medicines, diagnostics and professional care etc. National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) has collected information on all hospitalized cases (60(th) round, 2004) with a recall period of 365 days from the sampled households through stratified random sampling technique. The data has been used to assess utilization of healthcare services during hospitalization and the distribution of public subsidies among the patients of different socio-economic background; a Benefit Incidence Analysis (BIA) has also been carried out. Analysis shows that though the rate of utilization of public hospitals is quite high, other complementary services like medicine, doctor and diagnostic tests are mostly purchased from private market. This leads to high Out-of-Pocket (OOP) expenditure. Moreover, BIA reveals that the public subsidies are mostly enjoyed by the relatively better placed patients, both socially and economically. The worse situation is observed for gender related inequality in access and benefit from public subsidies in the state. Focused policies are required to ensure proper distribution of public subsidies to arrest high OOP expenditure. Drastic change in policy targeting is needed to secure equity without compromising efficiency.

Inequity in hospitalization care: a study on utilization of healthcare services in West Bengal, India

PubMed Central

Bose, Montu; Dutta, Arijita

2015-01-01

Background: Out of eight commonly agreed Millennium Development Goals (MDG), six are related to the attainment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) throughout the globe. This universalization of health status suggests policies to narrow the gap in access and benefit sharing between different socially and economically underprivileged classes with that of the better placed ones and a consequent expansion of subsidized healthcare appears to be a common feature for most of the developing nations. The National Health Policy in India (2002) suggests expansion of market-based care for the affording class and subsidized care for the deserving class of the society. So, the benefit distribution of this limited public support in health sector is important to examine to study the welfare consequences of the policy. This paper examines the nature of utilization to inpatient care by different socio-economic groups across regions and gender in West Bengal (WB), India. The benefit incidence of public subsidies across these socio-economic groups has also been verified for different types of services like medicines, diagnostics and professional care etc. Methods: National Sample Survey Organization (NSSO) has collected information on all hospitalized cases (60th round, 2004) with a recall period of 365 days from the sampled households through stratified random sampling technique. The data has been used to assess utilization of healthcare services during hospitalization and the distribution of public subsidies among the patients of different socio-economic background; a Benefit Incidence Analysis (BIA) has also been carried out. Results: Analysis shows that though the rate of utilization of public hospitals is quite high, other complementary services like medicine, doctor and diagnostic tests are mostly purchased from private market. This leads to high Out-of-Pocket (OOP) expenditure. Moreover, BIA reveals that the public subsidies are mostly enjoyed by the relatively better placed patients, both socially and economically. The worse situation is observed for gender related inequality in access and benefit from public subsidies in the state. Conclusion: Focused policies are required to ensure proper distribution of public subsidies to arrest high OOP expenditure. Drastic change in policy targeting is needed to secure equity without compromising efficiency. PMID:25584350

The "common sense" of the nonprofit hospital tax exemption: a policy analysis.

PubMed

Sanders, S M

1995-01-01

Although rarely discussed prior to the 1985 Utah Supreme Court ruling against Intermountain Health Care Inc., the question of whether to grant tax exemptions to nonprofit hospitals is currently being debated by federal, state, and local legislators, and by the courts. Changes to current policy seem likely. This policy analysis: (1) presents the historical and legal background; (2) examines the economic, political, and organizational implications of current tax-exemption policy; and (3) offers three alternatives to this current policy. The analysis indicates that the current policy provides little incentive for nonprofit hospitals to make contributions of charity care. Of the alternatives, eliminating the exemption is not politically feasible at this time; regulating hospital operations and outputs portends an implementation nightmare; and tying tax subsidy levels to output levels of charity care--perhaps the strongest and most efficient incentive--would require an unlikely political consensus on what constitute valid and reliable measures of charity care. If there is a movement toward subsidies, then linking subsidy amounts to levels of charity care will depend on whether policy analysts can design satisfactory empirical measures. With the advent of universal health coverage, the demand for charity care will decrease. The problem for tax-exempt hospitals will then become justifying the exemption by demonstrating the extent to which they generate community benefits at no or reduced cost to society.

Who will pay for medical education in our teaching hospitals?

PubMed

Relman, A S

1984-10-05

Although most medical educators believe that education, research, and patient care are inseparable and essential to their academic mission, the educational component of this triad has never been given adequate, earmarked support. To fund educational programs, medical centers first relied on research grants and later on third-party payments intended for patient care. However, research money has long since ceased to be available for other purposes and recent federal cost containment measures have started to reduce payments for patient care. Teaching hospitals are threatened with loss of support not only for education, but for their capital improvements and care of the poor. Many institutions are now hoping to generate new income through business deals with for-profit health care corporations, but this effort probably will also fail and may compromise professional traditions. Teaching hospitals serve the public interest and will have to depend, at least in part, on public subsidy of their unavoidable extra costs.

Diabetes mellitus disease management in a safety net hospital system: translating evidence into practice.

PubMed

Butler, Michael K; Kaiser, Michael; Johnson, Jolene; Besse, Jay; Horswell, Ronald

2010-12-01

The Louisiana State University Health Care Services Division system assessed the effectiveness of implementing a multisite disease management program targeting diabetes mellitus in an indigent patient population. A population-based disease management program centered on evidence-based clinical care guidelines was applied from the system level. Specific clinic modifications and models were used, as well as ancillary services such as medication assistance and equipment subsidies. Marked improvement in process goals led to improved clinical outcomes. From 2001 to 2008, the percentage of patients with a hemoglobin A1c < 7.0 increased from 45% to 55% on the system level, with some sites experiencing a more dramatic shift. Results were similar across sites, which included both small provider groups and academic health centers. In order to achieve these results, the clinical environment changed to promote those evidence-based interventions. Even in complex environments such as academic health centers with several provider levels, or those environments with limited care resources, disease management programs can be successfully implemented and achieve statistically significant results.

Demand for pneumococcal vaccination under subsidy program for the elderly in Japan.

PubMed

Kondo, Masahide; Yamamura, Mariko; Hoshi, Shu-Ling; Okubo, Ichiro

2012-09-12

Vaccination programs often organize subsidies and public relations in order to obtain high uptake rates and coverage. However, effects of subsidies and public relations have not been studied well in the literature. In this study, the demand function of pneumococcal vaccination among the elderly in Japan is estimated, incorporating effects of public relations and subsidy. Using a data from a questionnaire survey sent to municipalities, the varying and constant elasticity models were applied to estimate the demand function. The response variable is the uptake rate. Explanatory variables are: subsidy supported shot price, operating years of the program, target population size for vaccination, shot location intensity, income and various public relations tools. The best model is selected by c-AIC, and varying and constant price elasticities are calculated from estimation results. The vaccine uptake rate and the shot price have a negative relation. From the results of varying price elasticity, the demand for vaccination is elastic at municipalities with a shot price higher than 3,708 JPY (35.7 USD). Effects of public relations on the uptake rate are not found. It can be suggested that municipalities with a shot price higher than 3,708 JPY (35.7 USD) could subsidize more and reduce price to increase the demand for vaccination. Effects of public relations are not confirmed in this study, probably due to measurement errors of variables used for public relations, and studies at micro level exploring individual's response to public relations would be required.

42 CFR 423.886 - Retiree drug subsidy amounts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Retiree drug subsidy amounts. 423.886 Section 423.886 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Payments to Sponsors of Retiree...

24 CFR 990.235 - PHAs that will experience a subsidy increase.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... URBAN DEVELOPMENT THE PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND PROGRAM Transition Policy and Transition Funding... the difference between the two funding levels in the first year following implementation of the...) For example, a PHA's subsidy increased from $900,000 under the formula in effect prior to...

24 CFR 990.235 - PHAs that will experience a subsidy increase.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... URBAN DEVELOPMENT THE PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND PROGRAM Transition Policy and Transition Funding... the difference between the two funding levels in the first year following implementation of the...) For example, a PHA's subsidy increased from $900,000 under the formula in effect prior to...

24 CFR 990.235 - PHAs that will experience a subsidy increase.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... URBAN DEVELOPMENT THE PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND PROGRAM Transition Policy and Transition Funding... the difference between the two funding levels in the first year following implementation of the...) For example, a PHA's subsidy increased from $900,000 under the formula in effect prior to...

75 FR 32495 - Operating Fund Subsidies Allocation Formula

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-08

... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5376-N-49] Operating Fund Subsidies... establishes an Operating Fund for the purpose of making assistance available to public housing agencies (PHAs) which assistance is determined using a formula approach under the Operating Fund Program. PHAs compute...

Are tax subsidies for private medical insurance self-financing? Evidence from a microsimulation model.

PubMed

López Nicolás, Angel; Vera-Hernández, Marcos

2008-09-01

This paper develops an empirical strategy to estimate whether subsidies to private medical insurance are self-financing in countries where public and private insurance coexist and the latter covers the same treatments as the former. We construct a simulation routine based on a micro-econometric discrete choice model that allows us to evaluate the impact of premium changes on the utilization of outpatient and inpatient health care services. As an application, we estimate the budgetary effects of scrapping a subsidy from the purchase of individual private policies, using micro-data from Catalonia. Our results suggest that the subsidy is not self-financing. This result is driven by the fact that private medical insurance holders make concurrent use of public and private services, and by the price inelasticity of the demand for private policies.

The Congress Should Control Federal Credit Programs to Promote Economic Stabilization.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-21

economic stability since 1960. The current rate of direct and guaranteed loan flows will exceed $70 billion annually in fiscal 1981. Recently, the Congress and the Administration have proposed a credit budget to limit the rapid growth of Federal credit. GAO demonstrates in this report that the best point of program control is the amount of the interest rate subsidy. Controlling subsidy levels rather than program activity levels would allocate credit efficiently and would, at the same time, lead to Federal credit flows that would contribute to the economic stabilization

Cost-effectiveness analysis of malaria rapid diagnostic test incentive schemes for informal private healthcare providers in Myanmar.

PubMed

Chen, Ingrid T; Aung, Tin; Thant, Hnin Nwe Nwe; Sudhinaraset, May; Kahn, James G

2015-02-05

The emergence of artemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum parasites in Southeast Asia threatens global malaria control efforts. One strategy to counter this problem is a subsidy of malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) within the informal private sector, where the majority of malaria care in Myanmar is provided. A study in Myanmar evaluated the effectiveness of financial incentives vs information, education and counselling (IEC) in driving the proper use of subsidized malaria RDTs among informal private providers. This cost-effectiveness analysis compares intervention options. A decision tree was constructed in a spreadsheet to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) among four strategies: no intervention, simple subsidy, subsidy with financial incentives, and subsidy with IEC. Model inputs included programmatic costs (in dollars), malaria epidemiology and observed study outcomes. Data sources included expenditure records, study data and scientific literature. Model outcomes included the proportion of properly and improperly treated individuals with and without P. falciparum malaria, and associated disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Results are reported as ICERs in US dollars per DALY averted. One-way sensitivity analysis assessed how outcomes depend on uncertainty in inputs. ICERs from the least to most expensive intervention are: $1,169/DALY averted for simple subsidy vs no intervention, $185/DALY averted for subsidy with financial incentives vs simple subsidy, and $200/DALY averted for a subsidy with IEC vs subsidy with financial incentives. Due to decreasing ICERs, each strategy was also compared to no intervention. The subsidy with IEC was the most favourable, costing $639/DALY averted compared with no intervention. One-way sensitivity analysis shows that ICERs are most affected by programme costs, RDT uptake, treatment-seeking behaviour, and the prevalence and virulence of non-malarial fevers. In conclusion, private provider subsidies with IEC or a combination of IEC and financial incentives may be a good investment for malaria control.

Who Cares for the Children? Denmark's Unique Public Child-Care Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polakow, Valerie

1997-01-01

U.S. working mothers wrestle daily with a child-care crisis characterized by unavailable infant care, high costs, and inadequate access and regulation. In Denmark, high-quality child care is a guaranteed entitlement for every child. Other benefits include paid parental leaves, single-parent allowances, housing subsidies, and universal health care.…

75 FR 39561 - Administrative Guidelines; Subsidy Layering Reviews for Proposed Section 8 Project-Based Voucher...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-09

... review process. The operational support analysis will consider the debt coverage ratio (DCR) and the... performing subsidy layering reviews for project-based voucher HAP contracts for new construction and... construction and rehabilitated housing under the project-based voucher program where the applicable State or...

Improving access to malaria medicine through private-sector subsidies in seven African countries.

PubMed

Tougher, Sarah; Mann, Andrea G; Ye, Yazoume; Kourgueni, Idrissa A; Thomson, Rebecca; Amuasi, John H; Ren, Ruilin; Willey, Barbara A; Ansong, Daniel; Bruxvoort, Katia; Diap, Graciela; Festo, Charles; Johanes, Boniface; Kalolella, Admirabilis; Mallam, Oumarou; Mberu, Blessing; Ndiaye, Salif; Nguah, Samual Blay; Seydou, Moctar; Taylor, Mark; Wamukoya, Marilyn; Arnold, Fred; Hanson, Kara; Goodman, Catherine

2014-09-01

Improving access to quality-assured artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs) is an important component of malaria control in low- and middle-income countries. In 2010 the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria launched the Affordable Medicines Facility--malaria (AMFm) program in seven African countries. The goal of the program was to decrease malaria morbidity and delay drug resistance by increasing the use of ACTs, primarily through subsidies intended to reduce costs. We collected data on price and retail markups on antimalarial medicines from 19,625 private for-profit retail outlets before and 6-15 months after the program's implementation. We found that in six of the AMFm pilot programs, prices for quality-assured ACTs decreased by US$1.28-$4.34, and absolute retail markups on these therapies decreased by US$0.31-$1.03. Prices and markups on other classes of antimalarials also changed during the evaluation period, but not to the same extent. In all but two of the pilot programs, we found evidence that prices could fall further without suppliers' losing money. Thus, concerns may be warranted that wholesalers and retailers are capturing subsidies instead of passing them on to consumers. These findings demonstrate that supranational subsidies can dramatically reduce retail prices of health commodities and that recommended retail prices communicated to a wide audience may be an effective mechanism for controlling the market power of private-sector antimalarial retailers and wholesalers. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Distributional consequences of the transition from age-based to income-based prescription drug coverage in British Columbia, Canada.

PubMed

Hanley, Gillian E; Morgan, Steve; Hurley, Jeremiah; van Doorslaer, Eddy

2008-12-01

In May, 2003, British Columbia transitioned from an age-based public drug program, with public subsidy primarily based on age, to an age-irrelevant income-based drug program, in which public subsidy is based primarily on household income. As one of the specific aims of the policy change was to improve fairness by increasing the extent to which payment for drugs is based on ability to pay, we measure the progressivity of pharmaceutical financing before and after the policy change in BC using Kakwani indices. Our results suggest that pharmaceutical financing became less regressive after the policy change. However, this decrease in regressivity arose primarily because high-income seniors were making greater direct contributions to pharmaceutical financing and not because low-income households were making smaller direct contributions. Our results also suggest that if the public financing of pharmaceuticals were maintained or increased, a change from age-based to income-based eligibility can unambiguously improve equity in finance. As populations in developed countries age, governments will increasingly consider reforms to publicly financed health-care programs with age-based eligibility. In assessing policy options, financial equity is likely to be a key consideration. These results suggest that income-based pharmacare can improve financial equity especially when implemented with a commitment to maintain or increase public funding for prescription drugs.

Commentary: improving the supply and distribution of primary care physicians.

PubMed

Dorsey, E Ray; Nicholson, Sean; Frist, William H

2011-05-01

The current medical education system and reimbursement policies in the United States have contributed to a maldistribution of physicians by specialty and geography. The causes of this maldistribution include financial barriers that prevent the individuals who would be the most likely to serve in primary care and underserved areas from entering the profession, large taxpayer subsidies to teaching hospitals that provide incentives to act in ways that are not in the best interest of society, and reimbursement policies that discourage physicians from providing primary care. The authors propose that the maldistribution of physicians can be addressed successfully by reducing the financial barriers to becoming a primary care physician, aligning subsidies with societal interests, and providing financial incentives that target primary care. They suggest that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 takes steps in the right direction but that more financially prudent measures should be taken as politicians revisit health care reform with heightened financial scrutiny. Copyright © by the Association of American medical Colleges.

Agricultural subsidies and the American obesity epidemic.

PubMed

Franck, Caroline; Grandi, Sonia M; Eisenberg, Mark J

2013-09-01

Government-issued agricultural subsidies are worsening obesity trends in America. Current agricultural policy remains largely uninformed by public health discourse. Although findings suggest that eliminating all subsidies would have a mild impact on the prevalence of obesity, a revision of commodity programs could have a measurable public health impact on a population scale, over time. Policy reforms will be important determinants of the future of obesity in America, primarily through indemnity program revisions, and the allocation of increasing amounts of resources to sustainable agriculture. Public health intervention will be required at the policy level to promote healthy behavioral changes in consumers. The 2013 Farm Bill will be the key mechanism to induce such policy change in the near future. Copyright © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health insurance subsidies and deductible choice: Evidence from regional variation in subsidy schemes.

PubMed

Kaufmann, Cornel; Schmid, Christian; Boes, Stefan

2017-09-01

The extent to which premium subsidies can influence health insurance choices is an open question. In this paper, we explore the regional variation in subsidy schemes in Switzerland, designed as either in-kind or cash transfers, to study their impact on the choice of health insurance deductibles. Using health survey data and a difference-in-differences methodology, we find that in-kind transfers increase the likelihood of choosing a low deductible plan by approximately 4 percentage points (or 7%). Our results indicate that the response to in-kind transfers is strongest among women, middle-aged and unmarried individuals, which we explain by differences in risk-taking behavior, health status, financial constraints, health insurance and financial literacy. We discuss our results in the light of potential extra-marginal effects on the demand for health care services, which are however not supported by our data. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The effect of Health Savings Accounts on group health insurance coverage.

PubMed

Ye, Jinqi

2015-12-01

This paper presents new empirical evidence on the impact of tax subsidies for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) on group insurance coverage. HSAs are tax-free health care expenditure savings accounts. Coupled with high deductible health insurance plans (HDHPs), they together represent new health insurance options. The tax advantage of HSAs expands the group health insurance market by making health care more affordable. Using individual level data from the Current Population Survey and exploiting policy variation by state and year from 2004 to 2012, I find that HSA tax subsidies increase small-group coverage by a statistically significant 2.5 percentage points, although not coverage in larger firms. Moreover, if the tax price of HSA contribution decreases by 10 cents, small-group insurance coverage increases by almost 2 percentage points. I also find that for older workers or less-educated workers, HSA subsidies are associated with 2-3 percentage point increase in their group insurance coverage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Do infertile women and government staff differ in the evaluation of infertility-related Web sites?

PubMed

Takabayashi, Chikako; Shimada, Keiko

2011-01-01

To investigate the evaluation of local government Web sites carrying information on infertility by infertile women and by government staff. In particular, the study investigated whether the women and staff differed with respect to the information they rate as important and their self-reported satisfaction with the Web sites. Cross-sectional descriptive study. Sixty-two local government staff members, of whom 46 were public health nurses managing subsidy programs for infertility treatment in the Hokuriku region of Japan, and 84 infertile women attending local clinics. We measured the level of satisfaction with the local government Web sites and perceptions about the importance of each type of content. Data were descriptively analyzed, as well as by factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. Local government Web sites were analyzed with respect to information about the treatment, details of the subsidy program, psychological support, and procedures for making a subsidy application. The women rated information on the treatment and details of the subsidy programs as important. There was no difference of satisfaction with the Web sites between the infertile women and the staff. Local government staff need to provide reliable data for women who are seeking information on infertility treatment. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

How Medicare Could Provide Dental, Vision, and Hearing Care for Beneficiaries.

PubMed

Willink, Amber; Shoen, Cathy; Davis, Karen

2018-01-01

The Medicare program specifically excludes coverage of dental, vision, and hearing services. As a result, many beneficiaries do not receive necessary care. Those that do are subject to high out-of-pocket costs. Examine gaps in access to dental, vision, and hearing services for Medicare beneficiaries and design a voluntary dental, vision, and hearing benefit plan with cost estimates. Uses the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, Cost and Use File, 2012, with population and costs projected to 2016 values. Among Medicare beneficiaries, 75 percent of people who needed a hearing aid did not have one; 70 percent of people who had trouble eating because of their teeth did not go to the dentist in the past year; and 43 percent of people who had trouble seeing did not have an eye exam in the past year. Lack of access was particularly acute for poor beneficiaries. Because few people have supplemental insurance covering these additional services, among people who received care, three-fourths of their costs of dental and hearing services and 60 percent of their costs of vision services were paid out of pocket. We propose a basic benefit package for dental, vision, and hearing services offered as a premium-financed voluntary insurance option under Medicare. Assuming the benefit package could be offered for $25 per month, we estimate the total coverage costs would be $1.924 billion per year, paid for by premiums. Subsidies to reach low-income beneficiaries would follow the same design as the Part D subsidy.

Demand for pneumococcal vaccination under subsidy program for the elderly in Japan

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Vaccination programs often organize subsidies and public relations in order to obtain high uptake rates and coverage. However, effects of subsidies and public relations have not been studied well in the literature. In this study, the demand function of pneumococcal vaccination among the elderly in Japan is estimated, incorporating effects of public relations and subsidy. Methods Using a data from a questionnaire survey sent to municipalities, the varying and constant elasticity models were applied to estimate the demand function. The response variable is the uptake rate. Explanatory variables are: subsidy supported shot price, operating years of the program, target population size for vaccination, shot location intensity, income and various public relations tools. The best model is selected by c-AIC, and varying and constant price elasticities are calculated from estimation results. Results The vaccine uptake rate and the shot price have a negative relation. From the results of varying price elasticity, the demand for vaccination is elastic at municipalities with a shot price higher than 3,708 JPY (35.7 USD). Effects of public relations on the uptake rate are not found. Conclusions It can be suggested that municipalities with a shot price higher than 3,708 JPY (35.7 USD) could subsidize more and reduce price to increase the demand for vaccination. Effects of public relations are not confirmed in this study, probably due to measurement errors of variables used for public relations, and studies at micro level exploring individual’s response to public relations would be required. PMID:22970727

77 FR 2446 - Amendments to Regulations Regarding Eligibility for a Medicare Prescription Drug Subsidy

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-18

... Administration. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This final rule adopts, without change, the interim final rule with... incorporated changes to the Medicare prescription drug coverage low-income subsidy (Extra Help) program made by..., 2011. We also revised our regulations to incorporate changes made by the Medicare Improvements for...

Maximizing Basic Education Subsidy in Pennsylvania Public School Districts by Accounting for Children in Educational Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCook, Byron Alexander

2009-01-01

Pennsylvania public school districts are largely funded through basic education subsidy for providing educational services for resident students and non-resident students who are placed in residential programs within the school district boundaries. Non-resident placements occur through, but are not limited to, adjudication proceedings, foster home…

Who are the uninsured eligible for premium subsidies in the health insurance exchanges?

PubMed

Cunningham, Peter J

2010-12-01

A key provision of the national health reform law is the creation of state-based exchanges to provide more affordable insurance options for people, especially the uninsured. Despite premium subsidies for people with incomes up to 400 percent of the poverty level, or $88,200 for a family of four in 2010, and an individual requirement to enroll in coverage, no one knows who will enroll in the exchanges and who will not, at least initially. Almost 40 percent of uninsured people eligible to receive subsidies through the exchanges have chronic conditions or report fair or poor health, and another 28 percent report recent problems with access to care or paying medical bills, according to a new national study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). However, about one-third of uninsured people eligible for subsidies have had no recent problems with their health, access to medical care or paying medical bills. Enrolling these apparently healthy uninsured people is likely to be challenging but essential to avoiding adverse selection, or enrolling sicker-than-average people, in the exchanges. Otherwise, health insurance costs in the exchanges could be higher than expected. Contrary to popular perception, many of these healthy and low-cost uninsured people view themselves as risk-averse, which could motivate them to gain coverage in the absence of health or access problems. Also, most uninsured people believe they need health coverage, although fewer believe that health insurance is currently worth the cost, a situation that could change once premium subsidies are available in 2014.

Child Care Assistance Spending and Participation in 2012: A Record Low

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Hannah; Schmit, Stephanie

2014-01-01

Child care subsidies help make quality child care affordable for low-income parents, allowing them to attend work or school to support their families while ensuring their children's healthy development. Access to quality child care is also proven to strengthen families' economic security. The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the…

School-Age Children in CCDBG: 2012 Update

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Hannah; Reeves, Rhiannon

2014-01-01

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary funding source for federal child care subsidies to low-income working families, as well as improving child care quality. CCDBG provides child care assistance to children from birth to age 13. This fact sheet highlights key information about school-age children and CCDBG. This…

Infants and Toddlers in CCDBG: 2012 Update

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Hannah; Reeves, Rhiannon

2014-01-01

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary source of federal funding for child care subsidies for low-income working families and to improve child care quality for low-income families. CCDBG provides child care assistance to children from birth to age 13. This fact sheet highlights key information about infants and toddlers…

76 FR 55084 - Announcement of Funding Awards for the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-06

... Subsidy: $490,500 Number of Units: 42 McHenry, IL Luth Social Service of Illinois Capital Advance: $9,487... Jamestown, ND Lutheran Social Services Housing, Incorporated Capital Advance: $2,951,000 Three-year Rental... Inc Co-Sponsor: Wiregrass Foundation Capital Advance: $4,007,200 Three-year Rental Subsidy: $354,600...

Improving uptake and use of malaria rapid diagnostic tests in the context of artemisinin drug resistance containment in eastern Myanmar: an evaluation of incentive schemes among informal private healthcare providers.

PubMed

Aung, Tin; White, Christopher; Montagu, Dominic; McFarland, Willi; Hlaing, Thaung; Khin, Hnin Su Su; San, Aung Kyaw; Briegleb, Christina; Chen, Ingrid; Sudhinaraset, May

2015-03-06

As efforts to contain artemisinin resistance and eliminate Plasmodium falciparum intensify, the accurate diagnosis and prompt effective treatment of malaria are increasingly needed in Myanmar and the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS). Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have been shown to be safe, feasible, and effective at promoting appropriate treatment for suspected malaria, which are of particular importance to drug resistance containment. The informal private sector is often the first point of care for fever cases in malaria endemic areas across Myanmar and the GMS, but there is little published information about informal private provider practices, quality of service provision, or potential to contribute to malaria control and elimination efforts. This study tested different incentives to increase RDT use and improve the quality of care among informal private healthcare providers in Myanmar. The study randomized six townships in the Mon and Shan states of rural Myanmar into three intervention arms: 1) RDT price subsidies, 2) price subsidies with product-related financial incentives, and 3) price subsidies with intensified information, education and counselling (IEC). The study assessed the uptake of RDT use in the communities by cross-sectional surveys of 3,150 households at baseline and six months post-intervention (6,400 households total, 832 fever cases). The study also used mystery clients among 171 providers to assess quality of service provision across intervention arms. The pilot intervention trained over 600 informal private healthcare providers. The study found a price subsidy with intensified IEC, resulted in the highest uptake of RDTs in the community, as compared to subsidies alone or merchandise-related financial incentives. Moreover, intensified IEC led to improvements in the quality of care, with mystery client surveys showing almost double the number of correct treatment following diagnostic test results as compared to a simple subsidy. Results show that training and quality supervision of informal private healthcare providers can result in improved demand for, and appropriate use of RDTs in drug resistance containment areas in eastern Myanmar. Future studies should assess the sustainability of such interventions and the scale and level of intensity required over time as public sector service provision expands.

Employer contribution and premium growth in health insurance.

PubMed

Liu, Yiyan; Jin, Ginger Zhe

2015-01-01

We study whether employer premium contribution schemes could impact the pricing behavior of health plans and contribute to rising premiums. Using 1991-2011 data before and after a 1999 premium subsidy policy change in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), we find that the employer premium contribution scheme has a differential impact on health plan pricing based on two market incentives: 1) consumers are less price sensitive when they only need to pay part of the premium increase, and 2) each health plan has an incentive to increase the employer's premium contribution to that plan. Both incentives are found to contribute to premium growth. Counterfactual simulation shows that average premium would have been 10% less than observed and the federal government would have saved 15% per year on its premium contribution had the subsidy policy change not occurred in the FEHBP. We discuss the potential of similar incentives in other government-subsidized insurance systems such as the Medicare Part D and the Health Insurance Marketplace under the Affordable Care Act. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The relationship between housing subsidies and supportive housing on neighborhood distress and housing satisfaction: does drug use make a difference?

PubMed

Dickson-Gomez, Julia; McAuliffe, Timothy; Obidoa, Chinekwu; Quinn, Katherine; Weeks, Margaret

2016-05-27

Since the 1970s, the dominant model for U.S. federal housing policy has shifted from unit-based programs to tenant-based vouchers and certificates. Because housing vouchers allow recipients to move to apartments and neighborhoods of their choice, such programs were designed to improve the ability of poor families to move into neighborhoods with less concentrated poverty. However, little research has examined whether housing voucher recipients live in less distressed neighborhoods than those without housing vouchers. There is much reason to believe that drug users may not be able to access or keep federal housing subsidies due to difficulties drug users, many of whom may have criminal histories and poor credit records, may have in obtaining free market rental housing. In response to these difficulties, permanent supportive housing was designed for those who are chronically homeless with one or more disabling condition, including substance use disorders. Little research has examined whether residents of permanent supportive housing units live in more or less economically distressed neighborhoods compared to low-income renters. This paper uses survey data from 337 low-income residents of Hartford, CT and geospatial analysis to determine whether low-income residents who receive housing subsidies and supportive housing live in neighborhoods with less concentrated poverty than those who do not. We also examine the relationships between receiving housing subsidies or supportive housing and housing satisfaction. Finally, we look at the moderating effects of drug use and race on level of neighborhood distress and housing satisfaction. Results show that low-income residents who receive housing subsidies or supportive housing were not more or less likely to live in neighborhoods with high levels of distress, although Black residents with housing subsidies lived in more distressed neighborhoods. Regarding housing satisfaction, those with housing subsidies perceived significantly more choice in where they were living while those in supportive housing perceived less choice. In addition, those with rental subsidies or supportive housing reported living closer to needed services, unless they also reported heavy drug use. Housing subsidies and supportive housing have little impact on the level of neighborhood distress in which recipients live, but some effects on housing satisfaction.

The Impact of Family Policy Expenditure on Fertility in Western Europe

PubMed Central

KALWIJ, ADRIAAN

2010-01-01

This article analyzes the impact on fertility of changes in national expenditure for family allowances, maternity- and parental-leave benefits, and childcare subsidies. To do so, I estimate a model for the timing of births using individual-level data from 16 western European countries, supplemented with data on national social expenditure for different family policy programs. The latter allow approximation of the subsidies that households with children receive from such programs. The results show that increased expenditure on family policy programs that help women to combine family and employment— and thus reduce the opportunity cost of children—generates positive fertility responses. PMID:20608108

Health disparities in chickenpox or shingles in Alberta?

PubMed

Russell, M L; Schopflocher, D P; Svenson, L W

2008-01-01

Exploring for evidence of socio-economic health disparities in chickenpox and shingles in Alberta, Canada. Chickenpox and shingles cases were identified from administrative data from Alberta's universal health care insurance system for 1994-2002. Incident cases were those with the earliest dated utilization of a health service (chickenpox: ICD9-CM 052/ICD10-CA B01; shingles: ICD9-CM 053/ ICD10-CA B02). Crude and age-specific rates were estimated for each year by an indicator of socio-demographic status based upon the nature of the payer and eligibility for health care premium subsidy (SES-proxy) for the provincial health care insurance system. Among young children there is a gradient of disparity in chickenpox rates prior to the year in which publicly funded vaccination programs were implemented. After this point, disparities decline but less so for First Nations children than for others. There was no evidence of disparity by SES-proxy for shingles. Publicly funded vaccination programs may effectively contribute to reduction in disease disparities for vaccine-preventable diseases. Further study is required to ascertain why disparities continue for First Nations children.

Effects of behavioral response and vaccination policy on epidemic spreading--an approach based on evolutionary-game dynamics.

PubMed

Zhang, Hai-Feng; Wu, Zhi-Xi; Tang, Ming; Lai, Ying-Cheng

2014-07-11

How effective are governmental incentives to achieve widespread vaccination coverage so as to prevent epidemic outbreak? The answer largely depends on the complex interplay among the type of incentive, individual behavioral responses, and the intrinsic epidemic dynamics. By incorporating evolutionary games into epidemic dynamics, we investigate the effects of two types of incentives strategies: partial-subsidy policy in which certain fraction of the cost of vaccination is offset, and free-subsidy policy in which donees are randomly selected and vaccinated at no cost. Through mean-field analysis and computations, we find that, under the partial-subsidy policy, the vaccination coverage depends monotonically on the sensitivity of individuals to payoff difference, but the dependence is non-monotonous for the free-subsidy policy. Due to the role models of the donees for relatively irrational individuals and the unchanged strategies of the donees for rational individuals, the free-subsidy policy can in general lead to higher vaccination coverage. Our findings indicate that any disease-control policy should be exercised with extreme care: its success depends on the complex interplay among the intrinsic mathematical rules of epidemic spreading, governmental policies, and behavioral responses of individuals.

Effects of behavioral response and vaccination policy on epidemic spreading - an approach based on evolutionary-game dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hai-Feng; Wu, Zhi-Xi; Tang, Ming; Lai, Ying-Cheng

2014-07-01

How effective are governmental incentives to achieve widespread vaccination coverage so as to prevent epidemic outbreak? The answer largely depends on the complex interplay among the type of incentive, individual behavioral responses, and the intrinsic epidemic dynamics. By incorporating evolutionary games into epidemic dynamics, we investigate the effects of two types of incentives strategies: partial-subsidy policy in which certain fraction of the cost of vaccination is offset, and free-subsidy policy in which donees are randomly selected and vaccinated at no cost. Through mean-field analysis and computations, we find that, under the partial-subsidy policy, the vaccination coverage depends monotonically on the sensitivity of individuals to payoff difference, but the dependence is non-monotonous for the free-subsidy policy. Due to the role models of the donees for relatively irrational individuals and the unchanged strategies of the donees for rational individuals, the free-subsidy policy can in general lead to higher vaccination coverage. Our findings indicate that any disease-control policy should be exercised with extreme care: its success depends on the complex interplay among the intrinsic mathematical rules of epidemic spreading, governmental policies, and behavioral responses of individuals.

Use of Subsidized Child Care by Philadelphia Families: Findings and Discussion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sterman, Sara Vernon; Dichter, Harriet

The study examined the consequences of delay in enrollment in subsidized child care and the impact of funding on the choices and perceived opportunities of families once they begin receiving child care subsidies. Subjects were 106 working families in Philadelphia who are either using subsidized child care or who are waiting to enroll in the…

Immigrant Families and Child Care Subsidies: What Federal Law and Guidance Says

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Hannah

2010-01-01

One in four young children in the United States lives in an immigrant family. Federal law establishes policies on immigrant eligibility for child care assistance, yet questions regarding eligibility remain at the state and local level. Most child care assistance is funded through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) and the Temporary…

Psychosocial Influences upon the Workforce and Professional Development Participation of Family Child Care Providers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swartz, Rebecca Anne; Wiley, Angela R.; A. Koziol, Natalie; Magerko, Katherine A.

2016-01-01

Background: Family child care is commonly used in the US by families, including by those receiving child care subsidies. Psychosocial influences upon the workforce and professional development participation of family child care providers (FCCPs) have implications for the investment of public dollars that aim to improve quality and stability of…

Impact of Treatment Subsidies and Cash Payouts on Treatment Choices at the End of Life.

PubMed

Finkelstein, Eric; Malhotra, Chetna; Chay, Junxing; Ozdemir, Semra; Chopra, Akhil; Kanesvaran, Ravindran

To examine the extent to which financial assistance, in the form of subsidies for life-extending treatments (LETs) or cash payouts, distorts the demand for end-of-life treatments. A discrete choice experiment was administered to 290 patients with cancer in Singapore to elicit preferences for LETs and only palliative care (PC). Responses were fitted to a latent class conditional logistic regression model. We also quantified patients' willingness to pay to avoid and willingness to accept a less effective LET or PC-only. We then simulated the effects of various LET subsidy and cash payout policies on treatment choices. We identified three classes of patients according to their preferences. The first class (26.1% of the sample) had a strong preference for PC and were willing to give up life expectancy gains and even pay for receiving only PC. The second class (29.8% of the sample) had a strong preference for LETs and preferred to extend life regardless of cost or quality of life. The final class (44.1% of the sample) preferred LETs to PC, but actively traded off costs and length and quality of life when making end-of-life treatment choices. Policy simulations showed that LET subsidies increase demand for LETs at the expense of demand for PC, but an equivalent cash payout was not shown to distort demand. Patients with cancer have heterogeneous end-of-life preferences. LET subsidies and cash payouts have differing effects on the use of LETs. Policymakers should be mindful of these differences when designing health care financing schemes for patients with life-limiting illnesses. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A Budget Proposal for China's Public Long-Term Care Policy.

PubMed

Lu, Bei; Liu, Xiaoting; Yang, Mingxu

2017-01-01

Long-term care (LTC) policy is at an experimental stage in China, characterized by various regional pilot programs. The public cost of LTC is difficult to estimate due to a lack of clarity about policy detail from the central government. This article analyzes the current disabled status for vulnerable older people without sufficient financial resources and family supports. It focuses on estimating a safety net public subsidy policy for LTC services in China, both for today and into the future, using China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS) data, 2011 wave, with the methods of multinomial logistic regression and simulation. The key contribution is to estimate the future disability trend and LTC public cost based on changes in education, population ageing, and urbanization. Disability prevalence might be decreasing partly due to higher education, urbanization, and better health care, and the overall public LTC costs might be growing by the results of projection.

The Tangled World of Teacher Debt: Clashing Rules and Uncertain Benefits for Federal Student-Loan Subsidies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delisle, Jason; Holt, Alexander

2017-01-01

The world of student loans and debt forgiveness for teachers is a patchwork of overlapping programs, contradictory regulations, and expensive subsidies that date back to Dwight D. Eisenhower's signing of the National Defense Education Act of 1958. The 60-year experiment in using federal loan dollars to encourage students to become teachers could…

The Vermont Survey of Employer Receptivity to Wage Subsidy Programs in the Private Sector.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cashman, John R.; Mattson, Robert E.

The Vermont study details employer responses to a two-phase survey designed to gauge employer receptivity to the use of wage subsidies in the private sector. The "mail survey" obtained from a sample of 1,084 employers (of whom 71% responded) elicited responses to a limited number of questions, while the "face-to-face survey"…

An Optimization Model for Expired Drug Recycling Logistics Networks and Government Subsidy Policy Design Based on Tri-level Programming

PubMed Central

Huang, Hui; Li, Yuyu; Huang, Bo; Pi, Xing

2015-01-01

In order to recycle and dispose of all people’s expired drugs, the government should design a subsidy policy to stimulate users to return their expired drugs, and drug-stores should take the responsibility of recycling expired drugs, in other words, to be recycling stations. For this purpose it is necessary for the government to select the right recycling stations and treatment stations to optimize the expired drug recycling logistics network and minimize the total costs of recycling and disposal. This paper establishes a tri-level programming model to study how the government can optimize an expired drug recycling logistics network and the appropriate subsidy policies. Furthermore, a Hybrid Genetic Simulated Annealing Algorithm (HGSAA) is proposed to search for the optimal solution of the model. An experiment is discussed to illustrate the good quality of the recycling logistics network and government subsides obtained by the HGSAA. The HGSAA is proven to have the ability to converge on the global optimal solution, and to act as an effective algorithm for solving the optimization problem of expired drug recycling logistics network and government subsidies. PMID:26184252

An Optimization Model for Expired Drug Recycling Logistics Networks and Government Subsidy Policy Design Based on Tri-level Programming.

PubMed

Huang, Hui; Li, Yuyu; Huang, Bo; Pi, Xing

2015-07-09

In order to recycle and dispose of all people's expired drugs, the government should design a subsidy policy to stimulate users to return their expired drugs, and drug-stores should take the responsibility of recycling expired drugs, in other words, to be recycling stations. For this purpose it is necessary for the government to select the right recycling stations and treatment stations to optimize the expired drug recycling logistics network and minimize the total costs of recycling and disposal. This paper establishes a tri-level programming model to study how the government can optimize an expired drug recycling logistics network and the appropriate subsidy policies. Furthermore, a Hybrid Genetic Simulated Annealing Algorithm (HGSAA) is proposed to search for the optimal solution of the model. An experiment is discussed to illustrate the good quality of the recycling logistics network and government subsides obtained by the HGSAA. The HGSAA is proven to have the ability to converge on the global optimal solution, and to act as an effective algorithm for solving the optimization problem of expired drug recycling logistics network and government subsidies.

Progress in Energy Storage Technologies: Models and Methods for Policy Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matteson, Schuyler W.

Climate change and other sustainability challenges have led to the development of new technologies that increase energy efficiency and reduce the utilization of finite resources. To promote the adoption of technologies with social benefits, governments often enact policies that provide financial incentives at the point of purchase. In their current form, these subsidies have the potential to increase the diffusion of emerging technologies; however, accounting for technological progress can improve program success while decreasing net public investment. This research develops novel methods using experience curves for the development of more efficient subsidy policies. By providing case studies in the field of automotive energy storage technologies, this dissertation also applies the methods to show the impacts of incorporating technological progress into energy policies. Specific findings include learning-dependent tapering subsidies for electric vehicles based on the lithium-ion battery experience curve, the effects of residual learning rates in lead-acid batteries on emerging technology cost competitiveness, and a cascading diffusion assessment of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle subsidy programs. Notably, the results show that considering learning rates in policy development can save billions of dollars in public funds, while also lending insight into the decision of whether or not to subsidize a given technology.

The Arkansas River Valley Rural Health Cooperative: building a three-pronged approach to improved health and health care.

PubMed

Stewart, M Kathryn; Redford, Robert; Poe, Kendall; Veach, Debbie; Hines, Rebecca; Beachler, Michael

2003-01-01

This paper describes the Arkansas River Valley Rural Health Cooperative (ARVRHC), one of the Arkansas networks jump-started with support from the Southern Rural Access Program (SRAP). The initial goal of the network was to develop a subsidized health insurance program to provide affordable medical services for the uninsured population (23%) in the 3-county service area. When planning efforts called for the network to address broader needs, the ARVRHC crafted a more comprehensive 3-pronged program model consisting of 3 interrelated programs: (1) the Health Care Access Program (HCAP), (2) the Health Education and Disease Management Program (HE&DMP), and 3) the Information and Assistance Program (I&AP). The HCAP is designed to address the financial barriers to access through a community-based health plan. The HE&DMP focuses on improving the health of individuals through education, counseling, and preventive care. The I&AP links low-income families to existing public assistance programs (e.g., Medicaid) and social support services. The Prescription Drug Assistance Program is one of the I&AP programs that helps individuals without prescription coverage obtain drugs at no cost. A key lesson learned is the importance of combining technical assistance with funding. The ARVRHC has been successful in leveraging funding, having received over $1.7 million in grant funds since 1999. A critical challenge facing the network today is the need for ongoing subsidy funding. Proposed legislation for a federal demonstration of the HCAP and similar programs would enable full implementation and evaluation of this model.

Secretary Marshall's Employment Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevenson, Gloria

1977-01-01

A review of proposed employment strategies and priorities of Ray Marshall, Secretary of Labor, with regard to training programs, governmental subsidy programs, apprenticeships, private sector jobs, etc. (WL)

Population characteristics of markets of safety-net and non-safety-net hospitals.

PubMed

Gaskin, D J; Hadley, J

1999-09-01

To compare and contrast the markets of urban safety-net (USN) hospitals with the markets of other urban hospitals. To develop profiles of the actual inpatient markets of hospitals, we linked 1994 patient-level information from hospital discharge abstracts from nine states with 1990 data at the ZIP code level from the US Census Bureau. Each hospital's market was characterized by its racial and ethnic composition, median household income, poverty rate, and educational attainment. Measures of hospital competition were also calculated for each hospital. The analysis compared the market profiles of USN hospitals to those of other urban hospitals. We also compared the level of hospital competition and financial status of USN and other urban hospitals. The markets of USN hospitals had higher proportions of racial and ethnic minorities and non-English-speaking residents. Adults residing in markets of USN hospitals were less educated. Families living in markets of USN hospitals had lower incomes and were more likely to be living at or below the federal poverty level. USN hospitals and other urban hospitals faced similar levels of competition and had similar margins. However, USN hospitals were more dependent on Medicare disproportionate share payments and on state and local government subsidies to remain solvent. USN hospitals disproportionately serve vulnerable minority and low-income communities that otherwise face financial and cultural barriers to health care. USN hospitals are dependent on the public subsidies they receive from federal, state, and local governments. Public policies and market pressures that affect the viability of USN hospitals place the access to care by vulnerable populations at risk. Public policy that jeopardizes public subsidies places in peril the financial health of these institutions. As Medicare and Medicaid managed care grow, USN hospitals may lose these patient revenues and public subsidies based on their Medicaid and Medicare patient volumes. The loss of these funds would hinder the ability of USN hospitals to finance uncompensated care for uninsured and underinsured patients.

Analyzing the efficiency of small and medium-sized enterprises of a national technology innovation research and development program.

PubMed

Park, Sungmin

2014-01-01

This study analyzes the efficiency of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of a national technology innovation research and development (R&D) program. In particular, an empirical analysis is presented that aims to answer the following question: "Is there a difference in the efficiency between R&D collaboration types and between government R&D subsidy sizes?" Methodologically, the efficiency of a government-sponsored R&D project (i.e., GSP) is measured by Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), and a nonparametric analysis of variance method, the Kruskal-Wallis (KW) test is adopted to see if the efficiency differences between R&D collaboration types and between government R&D subsidy sizes are statistically significant. This study's major findings are as follows. First, contrary to our hypothesis, when we controlled the influence of government R&D subsidy size, there was no statistically significant difference in the efficiency between R&D collaboration types. However, the R&D collaboration type, "SME-University-Laboratory" Joint-Venture was superior to the others, achieving the largest median and the smallest interquartile range of DEA efficiency scores. Second, the differences in the efficiency were statistically significant between government R&D subsidy sizes, and the phenomenon of diseconomies of scale was identified on the whole. As the government R&D subsidy size increases, the central measures of DEA efficiency scores were reduced, but the dispersion measures rather tended to get larger.

Public/Private Partnership--A Cost Effective Model for Child Day Care Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alisberg, Helene R.

Trends suggest that 11 million children in the United States will need day care services by 1995. Presently, corporations provide child care support through subsidies to low income employees or through community facilities, parent education, and information and referral (I & R) services. Such support results in reduced rates of absenteeism and…

Options for Improving the Military Child Care System

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

kind subsidy. As a system of employer-sponsored care, however, DoD child care ultimately must be assessed in terms of its contribution to military...considered a compensa- tion issue, and the potential of this paradigm is assessed from a broader, more employer-based perspective. This paper will be...52 Recommendations for Assessing

Parents' and Providers' Views of Important Aspects of Child Care Quality. Publication #2015-13

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sosinsky, Laura; Halle, Tamara; Susman-Stillman, Amy; Cleveland, Jennifer; Li, Weilin

2015-01-01

The Maryland-Minnesota Child Care Research Partnership brought together two states committed to examining critical issues in early care and education and using research findings to inform policy with an interdisciplinary team of researchers experienced in conducting studies on (1) subsidy policy; (2) quality improvement strategies; and (3)…

$1.2 Billion Investment Needed in 2017 to Implement CCDBG Reauthorization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for Law and Social Policy, Inc. (CLASP), 2016

2016-01-01

The Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary source of federal funding for child care subsidies for low-income families and to improve child care quality for all children. Quality child care enables parents to work or go to school while providing children with safe and enriching environments where they can learn and thrive.…

Assessment of A. I. D. environmental programs: Energy conservation in Pakistan. Technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Church, P.; Kumar, K.; Sowers, F.

1993-09-01

This report highlights a model of environmental management that appears to work in the current political and economic context of Pakistan. The model focuses on energy conservation. This evaluation examines how the U.S. Agency for International Development (A.I.D.) has assisted Pakistan in using market forces to promote the adoption of energy conservation practices and technologies. The central operating hypothesis of the evaluation is that the adoption of energy conservation practices and technologies responds to market incentives. The field study concludes that the Pakistani program of energy conservation activities, set in motion with A.I.D. support, cannot easily be reversed. With changesmore » in political and economic policies toward the environment in Pakistan, greater and more sustainable impact is possible. The experience of Pakistan energy conservation program raises three issues that merit careful examination both in the contexts of Pakistan's future program implementation and in other countries: The role of program subsidies; The role of nonproject assistance; and The involvement of nongovernmental organizations.« less

The impact of reducing financial barriers on utilisation of a primary health care facility in Rwanda.

PubMed

Dhillon, Ranu S; Bonds, Matthew H; Fraden, Max; Ndahiro, Donald; Ruxin, Josh

2012-01-01

This study investigates the impact of subsidising community-based health insurance (mutuelle) enrolment, removing point-of-service co-payments, and improving service delivery on health facility utilisation rates in Mayange, a sector of rural Rwanda of approximately 25,000 people divided among five 'imidugudu' or small villages. While comprehensive service upgrades were introduced in the Mayange Health Centre between April 2006 and February 2007, utilisation rates remained similar to comparison sites. Between February 2007 and April 2007, subsidies for mutuelle enrolment established virtually 100% coverage. Immediately after co-payments were eliminated in February 2007, patient visits levelled at a rate triple the previous value. Regression analyses using data from Mayange and two comparison sites indicate that removing financial barriers resulted in about 0.6 additional annual visits for curative care per capita. Although based on a single local pilot, these findings suggest that in order to achieve improved health outcomes, key short-term objectives include improved service delivery and reduced financial barriers. Based on this pilot, higher utilisation rates may be affected if broader swaths of the population are enrolled in mutuelle and co-payments are eliminated. Health leaders in Rwanda should consider further studies to determine if the impact of eliminating co-payments and increasing subsidies for mutuelle enrolment as seen in Mayange holds at greater levels of scale. Broader studies to better elucidate the impact of enrolment subsidies and co-payment subsidies on utilisation, health outcomes, and costs would also provide policy insights.

Fiscal Shenanigans, Targeted Federal Health Care Funds, and Patient Mortality

PubMed Central

Baicker, Katherine; Staiger, Douglas

2007-01-01

We explore the effectiveness of matching grants when lower levels of government can expropriate some of the funds for other uses. Using data on the Medicaid Disproportionate Share program, we identify states that were most able to expropriate funds. Payments to public hospitals in these states were systematically diverted and had no significant impact on patient mortality. Payments that were not expropriated were associated with significant declines in patient mortality. Overall, subsidies were an effective mechanism for improving outcomes for the poor, but the impact was limited by the ability of state and local governments to divert the targeted funds. PMID:18084627

State CCDBG Plans to Promote Opportunities for Babies and Toddlers in Child Care. Policy Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Teresa; Schumacher, Rachel

2009-01-01

State child care policies--including licensing, subsidy, and quality enhancement strategies--can promote the quality and continuity of early childhood experiences and foster the healthy growth and development of babies and toddlers in child care settings, especially if they are informed by research. One of the policy levers states may use to…

Access to Child Care for Low-Income Working Families.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Administration for Children and Families (DHHS), Washington, DC.

The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the major source of federal child care assistance for low and moderate-income families. This report provides information on the number of children receiving subsidies through the CCDF in fiscal year (FY) 1998 and on the number of children eligible for assistance, by state. The report describes the CCDF…

Work-based antipoverty programs for parents can enhance the school performance and social behavior of children.

PubMed

Huston, A C; Duncan, G J; Granger, R; Bos, J; McLoyd, V; Mistry, R; Crosby, D; Gibson, C; Magnuson, K; Romich, J; Ventura, A

2001-01-01

We assess the impact of the New Hope Project, an antipoverty program tested in a random assignment experimental design, on family functioning and developmental outcomes for preschool- and school-aged children (N = 913). New Hope offered wage supplements sufficient to raise family income above the poverty threshold and subsidies for child care and health insurance to adults who worked full-time. New Hope had strong positive effects on boys' academic achievement, classroom behavior skills, positive social behavior, and problem behaviors, as reported by teachers, and on boys' own expectations for advanced education and occupational aspirations. There were not corresponding program effects for girls. The child outcomes may have resulted from a combination of the following: Children in New Hope families spent more time in formal child care programs and other structured activities away from home than did children in control families. New Hope parents were employed more, had more material resources, reported more social support, and expressed less stress and more optimism about achieving their goals than did parents in the control sample. The results suggest that an anti-poverty program that provides support for combining work and family responsibilities can have beneficial effects on the development of school-age children.

The U.S. health insurance marketplace: are premiums truly affordable?

PubMed

Graetz, Ilana; Kaplan, Cameron M; Kaplan, Erin K; Bailey, James E; Waters, Teresa M

2014-10-21

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires that individuals have health insurance or pay a penalty. Individuals are exempt from paying this penalty if the after-subsidy cost of the least-expensive plan available to them is greater than 8% of their income. For this study, premium data for all health plans offered on the state and federal health insurance marketplaces were collected; the after-subsidy cost of premiums for the least-expensive bronze plan for every county in the United States was calculated; and variations in premium affordability by age, income, and geographic area were assessed. Results indicated that-although marketplace subsidies ensure affordable health insurance for most persons in the United States-many individuals with incomes just above the subsidy threshold will lack affordable coverage and will be exempt from the mandate. Furthermore, young individuals with low incomes often pay as much as or more than older individuals for bronze plans. If substantial numbers of younger, healthier adults choose to remain uninsured because of cost, health insurance premiums across all ages may increase over time.

Insurer Competition In Federally Run Marketplaces Is Associated With Lower Premiums.

PubMed

Jacobs, Paul D; Banthin, Jessica S; Trachtman, Samuel

2015-12-01

Federal subsidies for health insurance premiums sold through the Marketplaces are tied to the cost of the benchmark plan, the second-lowest-cost silver plan. According to economic theory, the presence of more competitors should lead to lower premiums, implying smaller federal outlays for premium subsidies. The long-term impact of the Affordable Care Act on government spending will depend on the cost of these premium subsidies over time, with insurer participation and the level of competition likely to influence those costs. We studied insurer participation and premiums during the first two years of the Marketplaces. We found that the addition of a single insurer in a county was associated with a 1.2 percent lower premium for the average silver plan and a 3.5 percent lower premium for the benchmark plan in the federally run Marketplaces. We found that the effect of insurer entry was muted after two or three additional entrants. These findings suggest that increased insurer participation in the federally run Marketplaces reduces federal payments for premium subsidies. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Taxi Scrip Program in Seattle, Washington

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-09-01

The Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle (Metro) took over a taxi user-side subsidy program from the City of Seattle in December 1978, which was based on the sale of discounted taxicab scrip. Metro expanded the program, raised the discount, and condu...

Home for now: A mixed-methods evaluation of a short-term housing support program for homeless families.

PubMed

Meschede, Tatjana; Chaganti, Sara

2015-10-01

The use of short-term rental subsidy vouchers offers a new approach to addressing the housing needs of families facing homelessness. In Massachusetts, the Family Home pilot program placed homeless families in housing instead of shelter, providing two years of rental subsidy plus support services with the goal of enabling families to maintain market rate housing. This mixed-method case study complements staff and participant interview data with participant survey and administrative data to evaluate the implementation and short-term outcomes of Family Home in one region. Data point to improved family well-being in housing but also persistent barriers to achieving longer-term housing and economic stability. Of the families who had exited the program at the end of the study, one quarter were able to retain their housing at market rate, only 9% returned to shelter, and one in five moved in with families/friends. Lack of affordable housing in a high rental cost region and jobs that pay living wages were among the major reasons that families struggled to maintain housing. This research points to the need for integrating supportive services from the program's start, including targeted workforce development, to plan for the end of the short-term rental subsidy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Current and Projected Taxpayer Shares of US Health Costs.

PubMed

Himmelstein, David U; Woolhandler, Steffie

2016-03-01

We estimated taxpayers' current and projected share of US health expenditures, including government payments for public employees' health benefits as well as tax subsidies to private health spending. We tabulated official Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services figures on direct government spending for health programs and public employees' health benefits for 2013, and projected figures through 2024. We calculated the value of tax subsidies for private spending from official federal budget documents and figures for state and local tax collections. Tax-funded health expenditures totaled $1.877 trillion in 2013 and are projected to increase to $3.642 trillion in 2024. Government's share of overall health spending was 64.3% of national health expenditures in 2013 and will rise to 67.1% in 2024. Government health expenditures in the United States account for a larger share of gross domestic product (11.2% in 2013) than do total health expenditures in any other nation. Contrary to public perceptions and official Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimates, government funds most health care in the United States. Appreciation of government's predominant role in health funding might encourage more appropriate and equitable targeting of health expenditures.

The Current and Projected Taxpayer Shares of US Health Costs

PubMed Central

Woolhandler, Steffie

2016-01-01

Objectives. We estimated taxpayers’ current and projected share of US health expenditures, including government payments for public employees’ health benefits as well as tax subsidies to private health spending. Methods. We tabulated official Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services figures on direct government spending for health programs and public employees’ health benefits for 2013, and projected figures through 2024. We calculated the value of tax subsidies for private spending from official federal budget documents and figures for state and local tax collections. Results. Tax-funded health expenditures totaled $1.877 trillion in 2013 and are projected to increase to $3.642 trillion in 2024. Government’s share of overall health spending was 64.3% of national health expenditures in 2013 and will rise to 67.1% in 2024. Government health expenditures in the United States account for a larger share of gross domestic product (11.2% in 2013) than do total health expenditures in any other nation. Conclusions. Contrary to public perceptions and official Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimates, government funds most health care in the United States. Appreciation of government’s predominant role in health funding might encourage more appropriate and equitable targeting of health expenditures. PMID:26794173

Incentive Pass-through for Residential Solar Systems in California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dong, C. G.; Wiser, Ryan; Rai, Varun

2014-10-01

The deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems has grown rapidly over the last decade, partly because of various government incentives. In the United States, among the largest and longest-running incentives have been those established in California. Building on past research, this report addresses the still-unanswered question: to what degree have the direct PV incentives in California been passed through from installers to consumers? This report helps address this question by carefully examining the residential PV market in California (excluding a certain class of third-party-owned PV systems) and applying both a structural-modeling approach and a reduced-form regression analysis to estimate themore » incentive pass-through rate. The results suggest an average pass-through rate of direct incentives of nearly 100%, though with regional differences among California counties. While these results could have multiple explanations, they suggest a relatively competitive market and well-functioning subsidy program. Further analysis is required to determine whether similar results broadly apply to other states, to other customer segments, to all third-party-owned PV systems, or to all forms of financial incentives for solar (considering not only direct state subsidies, but also utility electric bill savings and federal tax incentives).« less

The German Long-Term Care Insurance Program: Evolution and Recent Developments.

PubMed

Nadash, Pamela; Doty, Pamela; von Schwanenflügel, Matthias

2018-05-08

Since 1995, Germany has operated one of the longest-running public programs providing universal support for the cost of long term services and supports (LTSS). Its self-funding, social insurance approach provides basic supports to nearly all Germans. We discuss its design and development, including recent reforms expanding the program and ensuring its ongoing sustainability. The study reviews legislative and programmatic changes, using program data, as well as legislative documents and program reports. The program is widely accepted among citizens and has achieved many of its original goals: ensuring access to LTSS and reducing reliance on the locally-funded safety-net social assistance program, which can be used to cover nursing home costs. It also strengthened the LTSS provider infrastructure and expanded access to home care. Recent reforms have addressed some of the program's key issues: the benefit's decreasing value, the eligibility and benefit structure that largely excluded cognitive impairment, and the program's longer-term financial sustainability-particularly its ability to sustain newly expanded benefits, which provide stronger protections to caregivers, index-link benefits, and more systematically incorporate cognitive impairment via a new assessment system. It has addressed financing issues by increasing premiums, introducing subsidies for the purchase of private insurance, and creating a "demographic reserve fund." The reforms constitute a significant strengthening of the program, remarkable in an era of retrenchment. Overall, the program provides evidence for the financial viability of a social insurance model, although longer-term challenges may yet arise.

Public Perceptions of Child Care in Alberta, Canada: Evidence for Policies and Practice from a Cross-Sectional Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tough, Suzanne; Rikhy, Shivani; Benzies, Karen; Vekved, Monica; Kehler, Heather; Johnston, David W.

2013-01-01

Research Findings: This study assessed public perceptions of child care and its providers in a Canadian province where government funding for child care includes subsidies and a voluntary accreditation process. In 2007-2008, 1,443 randomly selected adults in Alberta, Canada, completed a telephone survey. Individuals were eligible to participate if…

A Policy Analysis of Child Care Subsidies: Increasing Quality, Access, and Affordability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moodie-Dyer, Amber

2011-01-01

Changing family dynamics over the past four decades, including rises in the numbers of working mothers and single-parent families, have created an increased need for affordable child care. Government response to this need has involved a number of stop-and-start policy approaches, which have led to a fractured child care system that makes it…

[The tortilla subsidy in Mexico: a nutritional or economic program?].

PubMed

Shamah Levy, Teresa; Avila Curiel, Abelardo; Cuevas Nasu, Lucía; Chávez Villasana, Adolfo; Avila Arcos, Marco Antonio; Fernández Mendoza, Carlota

2003-03-01

To evaluate the impact of the tortilla subsidy on the family food consumption, on its economy and on the nutritional condition of women and under five children, from three marginal zones, with the purpose of focus nutritional interventions. Fifty families were randomly selected in each one of three similar low income sectors of the Oaxaca city. One received subsidy, other has never received it and the third received it five years ago but not at present. Anthropometry was performed in all women of reproductive age and children under five years old. In the first BMI was the indicator used and in children weight for age with two standard deviations was the cut-off point. The tortilla represents between 13.6% to 20% of the family expenditure. Anyhow the energy, protein and some nutrient consumption was higher. The malnutrition index was better in the subsidy community as 12.0% of under five children were low weight for age against 19.2% in the other two communities. The tortilla family expenditure represents 45% of their income and the subsidy reduces it 9%, surely this help a better nutrient consumption and improves the nutritional condition of the poor and marginated urban sectors of the society.

A simple change to the Medicare Part D low-income subsidy program could save $5 billion.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuting; Zhou, Chao; Baik, Seo Hyon

2014-06-01

Medicare Part D provides a subsidy to beneficiaries with incomes below 150 percent of the federal poverty level. Enrollees with the low-income subsidy accounted for 75 percent of the $60 billion in total federal Part D spending in 2013. The government randomly assigns any new beneficiary who automatically qualifies for the subsidy, or who successfully applies for it without indicating a preferred plan, to a stand-alone Part D plan whose premium is equal to or below the average premium for the basic Part D benefit in the region. We used an intelligent reassignment algorithm and 2008-09 Part D drug use and spending data to match enrollees to available plans according to their medication needs. We found that such a reassignment approach could have saved the federal government over $5 billion in 2009, for mean government savings of $710 (median: $368) per enrollee with a low-income subsidy. Implementing that simple change to reassign beneficiaries would have also lowered the proportion of prescriptions that required utilization review from 29 percent to 20 percent, and the proportion of prescriptions with quantity limits from 27 percent to 19 percent. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Determinants of basic public health services provision by village doctors in China: using non-communicable diseases management as an example.

PubMed

Li, Tongtong; Lei, Trudy; Xie, Zheng; Zhang, Tuohong

2016-02-04

To ensure equity and accessibility of public health care in rural areas, the Chinese central government has launched a series of policies to motivate village doctors to provide basic public health services. Using chronic disease management and prevention as an example, this study aims to identify factors associated with village doctors' basic public health services provision and to formulate targeted interventions in rural China. Data was obtained from a survey of village doctors in three provinces in China in 2014. Using a multistage sampling process, data was collected through the self-administered questionnaire. The data was then analyzed using multilevel logistic regression models. The high-level basic public health services for chronic diseases (BPHS) provision rate was 85.2% among the 1149 village doctors whom were included in the analysis. Among individual level variables, more education, more training opportunities, receiving more public health care subsidy (OR = 3.856, 95 % CI: 1.937-7.678, and OR = 4.027, 95% CI: 1.722-9.420), being under integrated management (OR = 1.978, 95% CI: 1.132-3.458), and being a New Cooperative Medical Scheme insurance program-contracted provider (OR = 2.099, 95% CI: 1.187-3.712) were associated with the higher BPHS provision by village doctors. Among county level factors, Foreign Direct Investment Index showed a significant negative correlation with BPHS provision, while the government funding for BPHS showed no correlation (P > 0.100). Increasing public health care subsidies received by individual village doctors, availability and attendance of training opportunities, and integrated management and NCMS contracting of village clinics are important factors in increasing BPHS provision in rural areas.

Physicians' fees and public medical care programs.

PubMed Central

Lee, R H; Hadley, J

1981-01-01

In this article we develop and estimate a model of physicians' pricing that explicitly incorporates the effects of Medicare and Medicaid demand subsidies. Our analysis is based on a multiperiod model in which physicians are monopolistic competitors supplying services to several markets. The implications of the model are tested using data derived from claims submitted by a cohort of 1,200 California physicians during the years 1972-1975. We conclude that the demand for physician's services is relatively elastic; that increases in the local supply of physicians reduce prices somewhat; that physicians respond strategically to attempts to control prices through the customary-prevailing-reasonable system; and that price controls limit the rate of increase in physicians' prices. The analysis identifies a family of policies that recognize the monopsony power of public programs and may change the cost-access trade-off. PMID:7021479

Has equity in government subsidy on healthcare improved in China? Evidence from the China's National Health Services Survey.

PubMed

Si, Lei; Chen, Mingsheng; Palmer, Andrew J

2017-01-10

Monitoring the equity of government healthcare subsidies (GHS) is critical for evaluating the performance of health policy decisions. China's low-income population encounters barriers in accessing benefits from GHS. This paper focuses on the distribution of China's healthcare subsidies among different socio-economic populations and the factors that affect their equitable distribution. It examines the characteristics of equitable access to benefits in a province of northeastern China, comparing the equity performance between urban and rural areas. Benefit incidence analysis was applied to GHS data from two rounds of China's National Health Services Survey (2003 and 2008, N = 27,239) in Heilongjiang province, reflecting the information in 2002 and 2007 respectively. Concentration index (CI) was used to evaluate the absolute equity of GHSs in outpatient and inpatient healthcare services. A negative CI indicates disproportionate concentration of GHSs among the poor, while a positive CI indicates the GHS is pro-rich, a CI of zero indicates perfect equity. In addition, Kakwani index (KI) was used to evaluate the progressivity of GHSs. A positive KI denotes the GHS is regressive, while a negative value denotes the GHS is progressive. CIs for inpatient care in urban and rural residents were 0.2036 and 0.4497 respectively in 2002, and those in 2007 were 0.4433 and 0.5375. Likewise, CIs for outpatient care are positive in both regions in 2002 and 2007, indicating that both inpatient and outpatient GHSs were pro-rich in both survey periods irrespective of region. In addition, KIs for inpatient services were -0.3769 (urban) and 0.0576 (rural) in 2002 and those in 2007 were 0.0280 and 0.1868. KIs for outpatient service were -0.4278 (urban) and -0.1257 (rural) in 2002, those in 2007 were -0.2572 and -0.1501, indicating that equity was improved in GHS in outpatient care in both regions but not in inpatient services. The benefit distribution of government healthcare subsidies has been strongly influenced by China's health insurance schemes. Their compensation policies and benefit packages need reform to improve the benefit equity between outpatient and inpatient care both in urban and rural areas.

The impact of reducing financial barriers on utilisation of a primary health care facility in Rwanda

PubMed Central

Dhillon, Ranu S.; Bonds, Matthew H.; Fraden, Max; Ndahiro, Donald; Ruxin, Josh

2011-01-01

This study investigates the impact of subsidising community-based health insurance (mutuelle) enrolment, removing point-of-service co-payments, and improving service delivery on health facility utilisation rates in Mayange, a sector of rural Rwanda of approximately 25,000 people divided among five ‘imidugudu’ or small villages. While comprehensive service upgrades were introduced in the Mayange Health Centre between April 2006 and February 2007, utilisation rates remained similar to comparison sites. Between February 2007 and April 2007, subsidies for mutuelle enrolment established virtually 100% coverage. Immediately after co-payments were eliminated in February 2007, patient visits levelled at a rate triple the previous value. Regression analyses using data from Mayange and two comparison sites indicate that removing financial barriers resulted in about 0.6 additional annual visits for curative care per capita. Although based on a single local pilot, these findings suggest that in order to achieve improved health outcomes, key short-term objectives include improved service delivery and reduced financial barriers. Based on this pilot, higher utilisation rates may be affected if broader swaths of the population are enrolled in mutuelle and co-payments are eliminated. Health leaders in Rwanda should consider further studies to determine if the impact of eliminating co-payments and increasing subsidies for mutuelle enrolment as seen in Mayange holds at greater levels of scale. Broader studies to better elucidate the impact of enrolment subsidies and co-payment subsidies on utilisation, health outcomes, and costs would also provide policy insights. PMID:21732708

Federal Subsidies of Advanced Telecommunications for Schools, Libraries, and Health Care Providers. CBO Papers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Congressional Budget Office.

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to include support for advanced telecommunications--such as the Internet and computer networking--for elementary and secondary schools, public libraries, and nonprofit rural health care providers among the Universal Service Fund (USF) mandates. In its plan, the…

Measuring the direct costs of graduate medical education training in Minnesota.

PubMed

Blewett, L A; Smith, M A; Caldis, T G

2001-05-01

To demonstrate the usefulness of self-reported cost-accounting data from the sponsors of training programs for estimating the direct costs of graduate medical education (GME). The study also assesses the relative contributions of resident, faculty, and administrative costs to primary care, surgery, and the combined programs of radiology, emergency medicine, anesthesiology, and pathology (REAP). The data were the FY97 direct costs of clinical education reported to Minnesota's Department of Health by eight sponsors of 117 accredited medical education programs, representing 394 sites of training (both hospital- and community-based) and 2,084 full-time-equivalent trainees (both residents and fellows). Average costs of clinical training were calculated as residency, faculty, and administrative costs. Preliminary analysis showed average costs by type of training programs, comparing the cost components for surgery, primary care, and REAP. The average direct cost of clinical training in FY97 was $130,843. Faculty costs were 52%, resident costs were 26%, and administrative costs were 20% of the total. Primary care programs' average costs were lower than were those of either surgery or REAP programs, but proportionally they included more administrative costs. As policymakers assess government subsidies for GME, more detailed cost information will be required. Self-reported data are more cost-effective and efficient than are the more detailed and costly time-and-motion studies. This data-collection study also revealed that faculty costs, driven by faculty hours and base salaries, represent a higher proportion of direct costs of GME than studies have shown in the past.

Taxation without representation: the illegal IRS rule to expand tax credits under the PPACA.

PubMed

Adler, Jonathan H; Cannon, Michael F

2013-01-01

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) provides tax credits and subsidies for the purchase of qualifying health insurance plans on state-run insurance exchanges. Contrary to expectations, many states are refusing or otherwise failing to create such exchanges. An Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rule purports to extend these tax credits and subsidies to the purchase of health insurance in federal exchanges created in states without exchanges of their own. This rule lacks statutory authority. The text, structure, and history of the Act show that tax credits and subsidies are not available in federally run exchanges. The IRS rule is contrary to congressional intent and cannot be justified on other legal grounds. Because tax credit eligibility can trigger penalties on employers and individuals, affected parties are likely to have standing to challenge the IRS rule in court.

77 FR 5193 - Retrospective Review Under E.O. 13563: Shipping-Removal of Obsolete Regulations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-02

... Program, which replaced the Operating-Differential Subsidy (ODS) Program. Therefore, the regulations pertaining to the ODS Program and the Construction-Differential (CDS) Program are no longer in use. In... regulations 46 CFR parts 251, 252, 276, 280, 281,282, and 283. The regulations related to the ODS Program are...

The economics of gasoline subsidy cost reduction policy: Case study of Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akimaya, Muhammad I.

A gasoline subsidy distorts the gasoline market with the resulting inefficiencies and takes substantial revenues that arguably could be spent elsewhere with a better impact on economic growth. Governments with such subsidies are aware of their cost yet face difficulties in removing the policy because of strong resistance from the public. This thesis discusses in three essays the problem faced by the government in removing the gasoline subsidy and provides an alternative policy in reducing the subsidy cost applied to the case of Indonesia. In the first essay, we examine the decision-making process from the government's perspective that has an objective of generating savings to fund other programs while maintaining political power, and the influence that the general population has over the decision. Despite the immense literature on political power, there has yet to be any research that mathematically models the decision-making process of a government with influences from the general population. Under the benchmark scenario, the equilibrium strategy is to keep the subsidy intact. However, the results are found to be very sensitive to the magnitude of the shift in political power as well as the preferences of both the government and the people. In the second essay, we estimate the cross-price elasticity of regular gasoline with respect to premium gasoline price. The importance of such knowledge is to accurately determine the impact of fuel pricing policy that tends to have different rates of tax or subsidy depending on the grade of gasoline. Using data on the Mexican gasoline market, regular gasoline demand is estimated with an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model. Endogeneity of the price and structural break are also investigated. The cross-price elasticities between regular and premium gasoline is found to be -0.895, which confirms high substitutability among gasoline with different grades. In the third essay, we look at the unique case of Indonesia that only provides a subsidy for regular gasoline and in turn proposes an alternative policy that introduces a subsidy for premium gasoline at a lower rate to reduce the overall gasoline subsidy cost. There has yet to be any research that simulates price controls for gasoline with different grades. Simulations based on the calibrated demand are performed and the results confirm the existence of potential savings that are largely determined by the cross-price elasticities between regular and premium gasoline. The benchmark scenario, based on a recent study of substitutability between gasoline by grades, results in an 11.5% reduction in subsidy cost of around 950 million USD with a subsidy rate of Rp 2,254/liter. Furthermore, the optimal rate of subsidy for premium gasoline results in a reduction of inefficiency as consumers' welfare increase by 6.8 trillion rupiahs (or 560 million USD).

20 CFR 418.3005 - Purpose and administration of the program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Purpose and administration of the program. 418.3005 Section 418.3005 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION MEDICARE SUBSIDIES... and Human Services has responsibility for administration of the Medicare program, including the new...

Emergency health care use and follow-up among sociodemographic groups of children who visit emergency departments for mental health crises

PubMed Central

Newton, Amanda S.; Rosychuk, Rhonda J.; Dong, Kathryn; Curran, Janet; Slomp, Mel; McGrath, Patrick J.

2012-01-01

Background: Previous studies of differences in mental health care associated with children’s sociodemographic status have focused on access to community care. We examined differences associated with visits to the emergency department. Methods: We conducted a 6-year population-based cohort analysis using administrative databases of visits (n = 30 656) by children aged less than 18 years (n = 20 956) in Alberta. We measured differences in the number of visits by socioeconomic and First Nations status using directly standardized rates. We examined time to return to the emergency department using a Cox regression model, and we evaluated time to follow-up with a physician by physician type using a competing risks model. Results: First Nations children aged 15–17 years had the highest rate of visits for girls (7047 per 100 000 children) and boys (5787 per 100 000 children); children in the same age group from families not receiving government subsidy had the lowest rates (girls: 2155 per 100 000 children; boys: 1323 per 100 000 children). First Nations children (hazard ratio [HR] 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30–2.05), and children from families receiving government subsidies (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.30–1.98) had a higher risk of return to an emergency department for mental health care than other children. The longest median time to follow-up with a physician was among First Nations children (79 d; 95% CI 60–91 d); this status predicted longer time to a psychiatrist (HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.32–0.70). Age, sex, diagnosis and clinical acuity also explained post-crisis use of health care. Interpretation: More visits to the emergency department for mental health crises were made by First Nations children and children from families receiving a subsidy. Sociodemographics predicted risk of return to the emergency department and follow-up care with a physician. PMID:22690003

The public cost of expanding coverage.

PubMed

Sheils, J F; Baxter, R J; Haught, R A

1995-01-01

The 103d Congress considered several health care reform bills that would encourage voluntary expansions of coverage through insurance market reforms, new tax deductions for premiums, and direct premium subsidies for low-income persons. We found that insurance reforms alone will do little to expand coverage. We also found that most of the proposed tax deductions would go to persons who already have insurance and would have little impact on coverage. Premium subsidies for low-income persons would greatly increase coverage. However, coverage would change little for those who would have to pay all or part of the premium.

Effect of a policy to reduce user fees on the rate of skilled birth attendance across socioeconomic strata in Burkina Faso

PubMed Central

Langlois, Étienne V; Karp, Igor; Serme, Jean De Dieu; Bicaba, Abel

2016-01-01

Background. In Sub-Saharan Africa, maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality rates are associated with underutilization of skilled birth attendance (SBA). In 2007, Burkina Faso introduced a subsidy scheme for SBA fees. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Burkina Faso’s subsidy policy on SBA rate across socioeconomic status (SES) strata. Methods. We used a quasi-experimental design. The data sources were two representative surveys (n = 1408 and n = 1403) of women from Houndé and Ziniaré health districts of Burkina Faso, and a survey of health centres assessing structural quality of care. Multilevel Poisson regression models were used with robust variance estimators. We estimated adjusted rate ratios (RR) and rate differences (RD) as a function of time and SES. Results. For lowest-SES women, immediately upon the introduction of the subsidy policy, the rate of SBA was 45% higher (RR = 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19–1.77) than expected in the absence of subsidy introduction. The results indicated a sustained effect after introduction of the subsidy policy, based on RR estimate (95% CI) of 1.48 (1.21–1.81) at 2 years. For middle-SES women, the RR estimates were 1.28 (1.09–1.49) immediately after introduction of the subsidy policy and 1.30 (1.11–1.51) at 2 years, respectively. For highest-SES women, the RR estimates were 1.19 (1.02–1.38) immediately after subsidy introduction and 1.21 (1.06–1.38) at 2 years, respectively. The RD (95% CI) was 14% (3–24%) for lowest-SES women immediately after introduction of the policy, and the effect was sustained at 14% (4–25%) at 2 years. Conclusion. Our study suggests that the introduction of a user-fee subsidy in Burkina Faso resulted in increased rates of SBA across all SES strata. The increase was sustained over time and strongest among the poorest women. These findings have important implications for evidence-informed policymaking in Burkina Faso and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. PMID:26453087

[To aim at better home medical care].

PubMed

Nagura, Michiaki

2013-01-01

As Japan has been confronting rapid aging of the population, the government is promoting home medical care, with reforming medical service policy, offering subsidies, and revising payment system of medical service. Hereafter, home medical care will play an important role in order to build the integrated community care system by cooperating with long-term care services. More physicians, not only of specialized clinics, but also of general ones, are expected to visit home to provide medical service to their own immobile patients.

The external costs of a sedentary life-style.

PubMed Central

Keeler, E B; Manning, W G; Newhouse, J P; Sloss, E M; Wasserman, J

1989-01-01

Using data from the National Health Interview Survey and the RAND Health Insurance Experiment, we estimated the external costs (costs borne by others) of a sedentary life-style. External costs stem from additional payments received by sedentary individuals from collectively financed programs such as health insurance, sick-leave coverage, disability insurance, and group life insurance. Those with sedentary life-styles incur higher medical costs, but their life expectancy at age 20 is 10 months less so they collect less public and private pensions. The pension costs come late in life, as do some of the medical costs, and so the estimate of the external cost is sensitive to the discount rate used. At a 5 percent rate of discount, the lifetime subsidy from others to those with a sedentary life style is $1,900. Our estimate of the subsidy is also sensitive to the assumed effect of exercise on mortality. The subsidy is a rationale for public support of recreational facilities such as parks and swimming pools and employer support of programs to increase exercise. PMID:2502036

Web-based survey to assess the perceptions of managed care organization representatives on use of copay subsidy coupons for prescription drugs.

PubMed

Nemlekar, Poorva; Shepherd, Marvin; Lawson, Kenneth; Rush, Sharon

2013-10-01

Promotion of prescription drug coupons and vouchers by pharmaceutical manufacturers has increased in recent years. These coupons and vouchers usually subsidize patients' cost-sharing obligations. In other words, drug companies pay for a patient's portion of the drug cost, and the remaining cost is paid by the patient and the patient's health plan. This practice is normally used for brand name drugs but can and has been used for generic drugs. Copayments (also known as copays), and especially high copays for higher cost drugs, are used by managed care organizations (MCOs) to place a higher financial burden on patients and also provide an appreciation of the medication cost. At the same time, tiered copay plans offer incentives, in the form of lower copays, to use available equivalent generic alternatives or lower cost brand name drugs, instead of high cost brand name drugs. With higher tiered copays for brand name drugs being offset by coupons, little is known about MCO representatives' perceptions about the use of copay subsidy coupons for brand name prescription drugs. To assess health plan managers' and pharmacy benefit managers' (PBMs) perceptions about the use of prescription drug copay subsidy coupons. A 28-item online survey instrument was used to collect data from health plan and PBM representatives. A sample of 834 MCO representatives was selected from the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy membership directory. Pharmacists, managers, directors, and executive officers working in pharmacy, formulary, and clinical pharmacy operations were selected for the survey. Respondents from non-MCO settings and government-sponsored health plans were excluded from the survey. A total of 122 surveys were returned after 3 emails (i.e., an invitation and 2 reminder emails) of which 105 were usable surveys, giving a response rate of 13.7%. A 5-point, 11-item Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree and 5 = Strongly Agree) was used to measure respondents' perceptions toward prescription drug coupons. Some items referred to coupons used repeatedly over a year to get copay discounts (i.e., long-term use coupons) whereas some items referred to coupons distributed for trial purposes (i.e., short-term use coupons). Of the 105 respondents, 100 (95.2%) agreed that copay subsidy coupons encouraged nonpreferred brand name drugs over preferred brand name drugs. A total of 102 (97.2%) respondents agreed that brand name drug coupons undermined tiered formulary structure. Ninety-two (87.6%) respondents agreed that short-term use coupons increased plan sponsor's costs while 96 (91.5%) respondents agreed that sponsor cost increased with long-term use coupons. A total of 68 (64.8%) agreed that short-term use coupons should be eliminated whereas 78 (74.3%) respondents agreed that long-term use coupons should be eliminated. Among MCOs' many business activities are efforts to contain rising pharmacy costs. The results of this survey indicate that MCO representatives believe that incentive programs such as prescription drug coupons and vouchers lead to an increase in brand name drug utilization, which undermines their formulary controls and, in turn, can be expected to increase overall health care costs.

How do Housing Subsidies Improve Quality of Life Among Homeless Adults? A Mediation Analysis.

PubMed

O'Connell, Maria; Sint, Kyaw; Rosenheck, Robert

2018-03-01

Supported housing, combining rent subsidies with intensive case management, is associated with improvements in quality of life of homeless adults, but factors mediating their impact on quality of life have not been studied. Twelve-month outcome data from a randomized trial of the Housing and Urban Development- Veterans Affairs Supported Housing program (HUD-VASH) showed that access to a housing rent subsidy plus intensive case management (ICM) was associated with greater improvement in subjective quality of life than ICM alone. Multiple mediation analyses were applied to identify variables that significantly mediated the relationship between receipt of housing voucher and improvements in quality of life. Significant mediating covariates were those whose 95% bias-corrected confidence intervals, when added to the model predicting improvement in quality of life, did not overlap zero. Increases in the number of days housed, size of social network, and availability of emotional support appear to mediate improvement in quality of life and account for 71% of the benefit attributable to having a rent subsidy. Improvement in subjective quality of life though housing subsidies is mediated by gains in both material and psychosocial factors. Mediating factors deserve special attention in supported housing services. © Society for Community Research and Action 2018.

Conditional Cash Transfer against Child Labor: Indonesia Program Keluarga Harapan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Kye Woo; Hwang, Miae

2016-01-01

This study aims to analyze whether subsidies provided by the Indonesian conditional cash transfer against child labor program (Program Keluarga Harapan: PKH) were sufficient for children to stop working and go back to schooling. Ex-post evaluations of the program found that it did not improve children's enrollment rate and reduce child labor…

Evaluation Policy on Assistance Program Bidikmisi Higher Education in Private Kopertis Region XII

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wasahua, Tahir; Koesmaryono, Yonny; Sailah, Illah

2018-01-01

One of the governments' policy through Directoral General of Learning and Student Affair, Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education in improving the access for new students namely the bidikmisi program. Program bidikmisi is a tuition fee subsidy program allocated to selected new students who possess excellent academic capability yet…

Subsidy Estimates for Guaranteed and Direct Student Loans. A CBO Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humphrey, Justin

2005-01-01

The federal government assists students and their parents in meeting the costs of postsecondary education through two student loan programs, the Federal Family Education Loan Program and the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program. Although the two programs provide similar benefits to borrowers, their structures and operations differ greatly. As a…

25 CFR 103.2 - Who does the Program help?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Who does the Program help? 103.2 Section 103.2 Indians... INTEREST SUBSIDY General Provisions § 103.2 Who does the Program help? The purpose of the Program is to... direct function of the Program is to help lenders reduce excessive risks on loans they make. That...

25 CFR 103.2 - Who does the Program help?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Who does the Program help? 103.2 Section 103.2 Indians... INTEREST SUBSIDY General Provisions § 103.2 Who does the Program help? The purpose of the Program is to... direct function of the Program is to help lenders reduce excessive risks on loans they make. That...

5 CFR 792.221 - Is there a statutory cap on the amount or the percentage of child care costs that will be...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Is there a statutory cap on the amount or... statutory cap on the amount or the percentage of child care costs that will be subsidized? The law does not specify a cap on the amount or percentage of child care subsidy that may be subsidized. ...

Redefining the Role of the Pharmacist: Medication Therapy Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilsenrath, Peter; Woelfel, Joseph; Shek, Allen; Ordanza, Katrina

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore better use of pharmacists in rural communities as a partial solution to scarcity of physicians and other health care providers. It discusses expected reduction in public subsidies for rural health care and the changing market for pharmacists. The paper emphasizes the use of pharmacists as a backdrop…

Monitoring of Childcare Fees: Prices Surveillance Authority Monitoring Report No. 13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prices Surveillance Authority, Melbourne (Australia).

This report documents a survey conducted to determine if Australian parents have benefited from an increase in child care assistance subsidies authorized in April 1993. A total of 281 day care centers across Australia responded to surveys mailed in July 1992, February 1993, and May 1993. Data was also collected about profit margins, quality of…

Impact of Supported Housing on Social Relationships Among Homeless Veterans.

PubMed

O'Connell, Maria J; Kasprow, Wesley J; Rosenheck, Robert A

2017-02-01

This study examined social network structure and function among a sample of 460 homeless veterans who participated in an experimental trial of the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supported Housing (HUD-VASH) program. Participants were randomly assigned to HUD-VASH (housing subsidies and case management), case management only, or standard care. Mixed-model longitudinal analysis was used to compare treatment groups on social network outcomes over 18 months. Veterans in HUD-VASH reported significantly greater increases in social support than veterans in the two other groups, as well as greater frequency of contacts, availability of tangible and emotional support, and satisfaction with nonkin relationships over time. These gains largely involved relationships with providers and other veterans encountered in treatment. Supported housing may play a pivotal role in fostering constructive new relationships with persons associated with service programs but may have a more limited impact on natural support networks.

Ending SNAP subsidies for sugar-sweetened beverages could reduce obesity and type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Basu, Sanjay; Seligman, Hilary Kessler; Gardner, Christopher; Bhattacharya, Jay

2014-06-01

To reduce obesity and type 2 diabetes rates, lawmakers have proposed modifying Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to encourage healthier food choices. We examined the impact of two proposed policies: a ban on using SNAP dollars to buy sugar-sweetened beverages; and a subsidy in which for every SNAP dollar spent on fruit and vegetables, thirty cents is credited back to participants' SNAP benefit cards. We used nationally representative data and models describing obesity, type 2 diabetes, and determinants of food consumption among a sample of over 19,000 SNAP participants. We found that a ban on SNAP purchases of sugar-sweetened beverages would be expected to significantly reduce obesity prevalence and type 2 diabetes incidence, particularly among adults ages 18-65 and some racial and ethnic minorities. The subsidy policy would not be expected to have a significant effect on obesity and type 2 diabetes, given available data. Such a subsidy could, however, more than double the proportion of SNAP participants who meet federal vegetable and fruit consumption guidelines. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Cost and quality impact of Intermountain's mental health integration program.

PubMed

Reiss-Brennan, Brenda; Briot, Pascal C; Savitz, Lucy A; Cannon, Wayne; Staheli, Russ

2010-01-01

Most patients with mental health (MH) conditions, such as depression, receive care for their conditions from a primary care physician (PCP) in their health/medical home. Providing MH care, however, presents many challenges for the PCP, including (1) the difficulty of getting needed consultation from an MH specialist; (2) the time constraints of a busy PCP practice; (3) the complicated nature of recognizing depression, which may be described with only somatic complaints; (4) the barriers to reimbursement and compensation; and (5) associated medical and social comorbidities. Practice managers, emergency departments, and health plans are stretched to provide care for complex patients with unmet MH needs. At the same time, payment reform linked to accountable care organizations and/or episodic bundle payments, MH parity rules, and increasing MH costs to large employers and payers all highlight the critical need to identify high-quality, efficient, integrated MH care delivery practices. Over the past ten years, Intermountain Healthcare has developed a team-based approach-known as mental health integration (MHI)-for caring for these patients and their families. The team includes the PCPs and their staff, and they, in turn, are integrated with MH professionals, community resources, care management, and the patient and his or her family. The integration model goes far beyond co-location in its team-based approach; it is operationalized at the clinic, thereby improving both physician and staff satisfaction. Patients treated in MHI clinics also show improved satisfaction, lower costs, and better quality outcomes. The MHI program is financially sustainable in routinized clinics without subsidies. MHI is a successful approach to improving care for patients with MH conditions in primary care health homes.

Child Care: Child Care Subsidies Increase Likelihood That Low-Income Mothers Will Work. United States General Accounting Office Report to the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues, House of Representatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

General Accounting Office, Washington, DC. Health, Education, and Human Services Div.

Noting Congressional interest in encouraging low-income mothers to seek employment as an alternative to receiving welfare, this report describes a study of the impact of child care expenditures on mothers' decision to work and compares the differences in costs for poor, near-poor, and non-poor mothers. The study developed measures for predicted…

Health Insurance Marketplaces: Premium Trends in Rural Areas.

PubMed

Barker, Abigail R; Kemper, Leah M; McBride, Timothy D; Meuller, Keith J

2016-05-01

Since 2014, when the Health Insurance Marketplaces (HIMs) authorized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) were implemented, considerable premium changes have been observed in the marketplaces across the 50 states and the District of Columbia. This policy brief assesses the changes in average HIM plan premiums from 2014 to 2016, before accounting for subsidies, with an emphasis on the widening variation across rural and urban places. Since this brief focuses on premiums without accounting for subsidies, this is not intended to be an analysis of the "affordability" of ACA premiums, as that would require assessment of premiums, cost-sharing adjustments, and other factors.

Health-adjusted premium subsidies in the Netherlands.

PubMed

van de Ven, Wynand P M M; van Vliet, René C J A; Lamers, Leida M

2004-01-01

The Dutch government has decided to proceed with managed competition in health care. In this paper we report on progress made with health-based risk adjustment, a key issue in managed competition. In 2004 both Diagnostic Cost Groups (DCGs) computed from hospital diagnoses only and Pharmacy-based Cost Groups (PCGs) computed from out-patient prescription drugs are used to set the premium subsidies for competing risk-bearing sickness funds. These health-based risk adjusters appear to be effective and complementary. Risk selection is not a major problem in the Netherlands. Despite the progress made, we are still faced with a full research agenda for risk adjustment in the coming years.

Balancing Quality Early Education and Parents' Workforce Success: Insights from the Urban Institute's Assessment of the Massachusetts Subsidized Child Care System. Research Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Gina; Katz, Michael

2015-01-01

This report examines the Massachusetts child care subsidy system's balance between providing quality early childhood education and providing workforce support for parents. It is based on qualitative and quantitative data and findings from several studies conducted as part of a legislatively mandated assessment of the Massachusetts subsidized child…

75 FR 42766 - National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP); Assistance to Private Sector Property Insurers...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-22

... Financial Assistance/ Subsidy Arrangement (Arrangement) to notify private insurance companies (Companies... private insurance companies participating under the current FY2010 Arrangement. Any private insurance...] National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP); Assistance to Private Sector Property Insurers, Availability of...

19 CFR 351.510 - Indirect taxes and import charges (other than export programs).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Indirect taxes and import charges (other than export programs). 351.510 Section 351.510 Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT... Subsidies § 351.510 Indirect taxes and import charges (other than export programs). (a) Benefit—(1...

Characteristics, Views Held of Agricultural Extension Activities, and Communication Behavior of Hsien Extension Supervisors in Taiwan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Pi-Feng

Government agencies in Taiwan have carried out agricultural extension programs since 1910, with the assistance of Farmers' Associations. Programs have been expanded since 1953, and now include both general extension (subsidy programs) and educational extension. Comparison of personal characteristics of hsien (county) Farmers' Association…

Equity in the financing of social security for health in Chile.

PubMed

Bitran, R; Mu?oz, J; Aguad, P; Navarrete, M; Ubilla, G

2000-01-01

Real public health spending has more than doubled since 1990, raising concerns about the targeting of public subsidies. This study examined the degree of equity in the financing of FONASA, the public insurer, which in 1995 covered 8.6 million beneficiaries, or 62% of the country's population. Study results, covering calendar year 1995, indicated that (1) government health subsidies were well-targeted, with about 90% reaching the indigent and 8% going to other, low-income beneficiaries; (2) only 2.5% of government subsidies leaked to higher-income, non-beneficiaries of FONASA (people covered by private insurers known as ISAPRES, otherwise covered, or without any coverage); (3) overall, FONASA's contributing beneficiaries (i.e. the indigent aside) self-financed their health benefits, although higher-income beneficiaries were providing significant cross-subsidies to low-income ones, making the internal financing of FONASA somewhat progressive; (4) the indigent received the highest amount of annual net benefits per capita, followed by low-income beneficiaries; and (5) the evasion of FONASA's payroll tax was pervasive, although public providers delivered care on an equal basis irrespective of the patients' contributions to FONASA. FONASA's finances would improve significantly if affiliation to health social security by both dependent and independent workers was made compulsory.

The Experience of Paid Family-Care Workers of People with Dementia in South Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Jungmin; De Bellis, Anita Marie; Xiao, Lily Dongxia

2018-03-01

The South Korean government introduced the universal long-term care insurance program in 2008 that created a new employment category of "paid family-care worker" to assist the elderly with chronic illnesses including dementia. The aim of this study was to understand the lived experience of paid family-care workers of people with dementia in South Korea. The study was a qualitative research design underpinned by interpretive description principles involving eight paid family-care workers. The participants were recruited by attaching the advertisement flyer in a notice board of an educational facility for paid family-care workers. Paid family-care workers struggled to manage the behavioral and psychological symptoms of their care recipients. Their workloads created physical, emotional, social, and financial burdens. However, the care-giving activities were encouraged through their sense of responsibility, filial piety, and personal religious beliefs. Financial subsidies from the government and help received from others were also identified as encouragements. The education course provided to them assisted them to improve their dementia-care capabilities. Understanding paid family-care workers' lived experience in dementia care in South Korea assists with the identification of their educational needs and level of support they require to improve dementia care in the home care environment. A number of suggestions are made to increase paid family-care workers' knowledge, clinical skills, and job satisfaction to reduce their burdens and work-related incidents, such as challenging behaviors from those being cared for. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effect of a policy to reduce user fees on the rate of skilled birth attendance across socioeconomic strata in Burkina Faso.

PubMed

Langlois, Étienne V; Karp, Igor; Serme, Jean De Dieu; Bicaba, Abel

2016-05-01

In Sub-Saharan Africa, maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality rates are associated with underutilization of skilled birth attendance (SBA). In 2007, Burkina Faso introduced a subsidy scheme for SBA fees. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Burkina Faso's subsidy policy on SBA rate across socioeconomic status (SES) strata. We used a quasi-experimental design. The data sources were two representative surveys (n = 1408 and n = 1403) of women from Houndé and Ziniaré health districts of Burkina Faso, and a survey of health centres assessing structural quality of care. Multilevel Poisson regression models were used with robust variance estimators. We estimated adjusted rate ratios (RR) and rate differences (RD) as a function of time and SES. For lowest-SES women, immediately upon the introduction of the subsidy policy, the rate of SBA was 45% higher (RR = 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19-1.77) than expected in the absence of subsidy introduction. The results indicated a sustained effect after introduction of the subsidy policy, based on RR estimate (95% CI) of 1.48 (1.21-1.81) at 2 years. For middle-SES women, the RR estimates were 1.28 (1.09-1.49) immediately after introduction of the subsidy policy and 1.30 (1.11-1.51) at 2 years, respectively. For highest-SES women, the RR estimates were 1.19 (1.02-1.38) immediately after subsidy introduction and 1.21 (1.06-1.38) at 2 years, respectively. The RD (95% CI) was 14% (3-24%) for lowest-SES women immediately after introduction of the policy, and the effect was sustained at 14% (4-25%) at 2 years. Our study suggests that the introduction of a user-fee subsidy in Burkina Faso resulted in increased rates of SBA across all SES strata. The increase was sustained over time and strongest among the poorest women. These findings have important implications for evidence-informed policy making in Burkina Faso and other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Estimating benefit equity of government health subsidy in healthcare Services in Shandong Province, China: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Qin, Wenzhe; Xu, Lingzhong; Li, Jiajia; Sun, Long; Ding, Gan; Shao, Hui; Xu, Ningze

2018-05-18

Government health subsidy (GHS) is an effective tool to improve population health in China. Ensuring an equitable allocation of GHS, particularly among the poorer socio-economic groups, is a major goal of China's healthcare reform. The paper aims to explore how GHS was allocated across different socioeconomic groups, and how well the overall health system was performing in terms of the allocation of subsidy for different types of health services. Data from China's National Health Services Survey (NHSS) in 2013 were used. Benefit incidence analysis (BIA) was applied to examine if GHS was equally distributed across income quintile. Benefit incidence was presented as each quintile's percentage share of total benefits, and the concentration index (CI) and Kakwani index (KI) were calculated. Health benefits from three types of healthcare services (primary health care, outpatient and inpatient services) were analyzed, separated into urban and rural populations. In addition, the distribution of benefits was compared to the distribution of healthcare need (measured by self-reported illness and chronic disease) across income quintiles. In urban populations, the CI value of GHS for primary care was negative. (- 0.14), implying an allocation tendency toward poor region; the CI values of outpatient and inpatient services were both positive (0.174 and 0.194), indicating allocation tendencies toward rich region. Similar allocation pattern was observed in rural population, with pro-poor tendency of primary care service (CI = - 0.082), and pro-rich tendencies of outpatient (CI = 0.153) and inpatient services (CI = 0.203). All the KI values of three health services in urban and rural populations were negative (- 0.4991,-0.1851 and - 0.1651; - 0.482, - 0.247and - 0.197), indicating that government health subsidy was progressive and contributed to the narrowing of economic gap between the poor and rich. The inequitable distribution of GHS in China exited in different healthcare services; however, the GHS benefit is generally progressive. Future healthcare reforms in China should not only focus on expanding the coverage, but also on improving the equity of distribution of healthcare benefits.

78 FR 19745 - Privacy Act of 1974; Privacy Act System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-02

... address, badge number, monthly commuting cost, email address, years of government service, grade, personal..., rideshare, or other transit program applications, status or participation reports of individuals... Subsidy Program Lead, Logistics Management Division, Location 4, as set forth in Appendix A. NOTIFICATION...

76 FR 45281 - National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP); Assistance to Private Sector Property Insurers...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-28

... Financial Assistance/ Subsidy Arrangement (Arrangement) to notify private insurance companies (Companies... materials and submission instructions, to all private insurance companies participating under the current FY2011 Arrangement. Any private insurance company not currently participating in the WYO Program but...

19 CFR 351.526 - Program-wide changes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANTIDUMPING AND COUNTERVAILING... preliminary determination, the foreign government in question enacts a change to the program that reduces the amount of the subsidy to a de minimis level. In a final determination, the Secretary would issue an...

19 CFR 351.526 - Program-wide changes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANTIDUMPING AND COUNTERVAILING... preliminary determination, the foreign government in question enacts a change to the program that reduces the amount of the subsidy to a de minimis level. In a final determination, the Secretary would issue an...

19 CFR 351.526 - Program-wide changes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANTIDUMPING AND COUNTERVAILING... preliminary determination, the foreign government in question enacts a change to the program that reduces the amount of the subsidy to a de minimis level. In a final determination, the Secretary would issue an...

Advancing research on animal-transported subsidies by integrating animal movement and ecosystem modelling.

PubMed

Earl, Julia E; Zollner, Patrick A

2017-09-01

Connections between ecosystems via animals (active subsidies) support ecosystem services and contribute to numerous ecological effects. Thus, the ability to predict the spatial distribution of active subsidies would be useful for ecology and conservation. Previous work modelling active subsidies focused on implicit space or static distributions, which treat passive and active subsidies similarly. Active subsidies are fundamentally different from passive subsidies, because animals can respond to the process of subsidy deposition and ecosystem changes caused by subsidy deposition. We propose addressing this disparity by integrating animal movement and ecosystem ecology to advance active subsidy investigations, make more accurate predictions of subsidy spatial distributions, and enable a mechanistic understanding of subsidy spatial distributions. We review selected quantitative techniques that could be used to accomplish integration and lead to novel insights. The ultimate objective for these types of studies is predictions of subsidy spatial distributions from characteristics of the subsidy and the movement strategy employed by animals that transport subsidies. These advances will be critical in informing the management of ecosystem services, species conservation and ecosystem degradation related to active subsidies. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2017 British Ecological Society.

Proprietary hospitals in cost containment.

PubMed

Jones, D A

1985-08-23

Any effort to control the rise in health care costs must start with analyzing the causes, which are really quite simple. Most cost control efforts fail because they do not address the causes. The causes are large subsidies in several forms that send a false message that health care is free and should be used abundantly, and expansive reimbursement programs that reward inefficient providers with higher payments. This combination of demand stimulation and cost-plus reimbursement produced the world's most expensive health care delivery system and strident calls for reform. A long overdue change in public policy took effect October 1, 1983, when Medicare payments moved from cost-plus reimbursement to fixed, prospectively determined prices. Because it addressed one of the causes of medical inflation, this change has been effective in slowing the rise in Medicare expenditures. Sponsorship of a hospital is not a determinant of its cost-effectiveness. There are examples of efficient and inefficient hospitals in both the voluntary and the investor-owned or taxpaying hospitals. The determining factor is the will of management to keep costs under control.

Subsidies and the Demand for Individual Health Insurance in California

PubMed Central

Susan Marquis, M; Buntin, Melinda Beeuwkes; Escarce, José J; Kapur, Kanika; Yegian, Jill M

2004-01-01

Objective To estimate the effect of changes in premiums for individual insurance on decisions to purchase individual insurance and how this price response varies among subgroups of the population. Data Source Survey responses from the Current Population Survey (), the Survey of Income and Program Participation (), the National Health Interview Survey (), and data about premiums and plans offered in the individual insurance market in California, 1996–2001. Study Design A logit model was used to estimate the decisions to purchase individual insurance by families without access to group insurance. This was modeled as a function of premiums, controlling for family characteristics and other characteristics of the market. A multinomial model was used to estimate the choice between group coverage, individual coverage, and remaining uninsured for workers offered group coverage as a function of premiums for individual insurance and out-of-pocket costs of group coverage. Principal Findings The elasticity of demand for individual insurance by those without access to group insurance is about −.2 to −.4, as has been found in earlier studies. However, there are substantial differences in price responses among subgroups with low-income, young, and self-employed families showing the greatest response. Among workers offered group insurance, a decrease in individual premiums has very small effects on the choice to purchase individual coverage versus group coverage. Conclusions Subsidy programs may make insurance more affordable for some families, but even sizeable subsidies are unlikely to solve the problem of the uninsured. We do not find evidence that subsidies to individual insurance will produce an unraveling of the employer-based health insurance system. PMID:15333122

Commercial aviation : programs and options for providing air service to small communities : testimony before the Subcommittee on Aviation, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, U.S. House of Representatives

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-04-25

Congress established two key programs to help support air service to small communities the Essential Air Service (EAS) providing about $100 million in subsidies per year and the Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP) that provide...

Using Spatial Subsidies to Account for Telecoupling in the Ecosystem Services of Transboundary Migratory Species in North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez-Hoffman, L.; Semmens, D. J.; Diffendorfer, J.; Thogmartin, W.

2016-12-01

In complex coupled natural-human systems, drivers of change in one location can have profound effects on human well-being in distant locations, often across international borders. While the conceptual framework of telecoupling describes these interactions across space, the ability to quantify feedbacks between ecosystem change in one area and societal benefits in other areas requires quantitative analytical approaches. We use a new approach—spatial subsidies—to operationalize the concept of telecoupling by measuring the degree to which a migratory species' ability to provide services in one location depends on habitat in another location. Spatial subsidies can be use identify critical features of telecoupled systems such as sending and receiving areas and to measure the strength of coupling between areas. We present spatial subsidies analyses for the telecoupled natural-human systems of three North American migratory species: Monarch butterflies, Mexican free-tailed bats and Northern Pintails (a dabbling duck). Spatial subsidies and the telecoupling conceptual framework have potential to be the foundation for new policies related to migratory species, such as the strategic direction of Duck Stamp revenues and the development of similar programs for other migratory species.

19 CFR 351.510 - Indirect taxes and import charges (other than export programs).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... OF COMMERCE ANTIDUMPING AND COUNTERVAILING DUTIES Identification and Measurement of Countervailable Subsidies § 351.510 Indirect taxes and import charges (other than export programs). (a) Benefit—(1... the full or partial exemption or remission of an indirect tax or an import charge, a benefit exists to...

Satellite Communities: Proposal for a New Housing Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weissbourd, Bernard

1972-01-01

Proposes that the Federal Government should embark on a land-acquisition program for new satellite communities; that antidiscrimination laws should be enforced by lending authorities and savings and loan associations; that existing subsidies for housing should be redirected toward low-income families; and that the government should provide funds…

Education, HIV, and Early Fertility: Experimental Evidence from Kenya

PubMed Central

Duflo, Esther; Dupas, Pascaline

2015-01-01

A seven-year randomized evaluation suggests education subsidies reduce adolescent girls’ dropout, pregnancy, and marriage but not sexually transmitted infection (STI). The government’s HIV curriculum, which stresses abstinence until marriage, does not reduce pregnancy or STI. Both programs combined reduce STI more, but cut dropout and pregnancy less, than education subsidies alone. These results are inconsistent with a model of schooling and sexual behavior in which both pregnancy and STI are determined by one factor (unprotected sex), but consistent with a two-factor model in which choices between committed and casual relationships also affect these outcomes. PMID:26523067

Education, HIV, and Early Fertility: Experimental Evidence from Kenya.

PubMed

Duflo, Esther; Dupas, Pascaline; Kremer, Michael

2015-09-01

A seven-year randomized evaluation suggests education subsidies reduce adolescent girls' dropout, pregnancy, and marriage but not sexually transmitted infection (STI). The government's HIV curriculum, which stresses abstinence until marriage, does not reduce pregnancy or STI. Both programs combined reduce STI more, but cut dropout and pregnancy less, than education subsidies alone. These results are inconsistent with a model of schooling and sexual behavior in which both pregnancy and STI are determined by one factor (unprotected sex), but consistent with a two-factor model in which choices between committed and casual relationships also affect these outcomes.

The Effect of Eliminating the Affordable Care Act's Tax Credits in Federally Facilitated Marketplaces.

PubMed

Saltzman, Evan; Eibner, Christine

2015-07-15

In this study, RAND Corporation researchers assess the expected change in enrollment and premiums in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA)-compliant individual market in federally facilitated marketplace (FFM) states if the U.S. Supreme Court decides to eliminate subsidies in FFM states. The analysis used the Comprehensive Assessment of Reform Efforts (COMPARE) microsimulation model, an economic model developed by RAND researchers, to assess the impact of proposed health reforms. The authors found that enrollment in the ACA-compliant individual market, including plans sold in the marketplaces and those sold outside of the marketplaces that comply with ACA regulations, would decline by 9.6 million, or 70 percent, in FFM states if subsidies were eliminated. They also found that unsubsidized premiums in the ACA-compliant individual market would increase 47 percent in FFM states. This corresponds to a $1,610 annual increase for a 40-year-old nonsmoker purchasing a silver plan.

Child Care Subsidies and the Economic Well-Being of Recipient Families: A Survey and Implications for Kentucky

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research, 2008

2008-01-01

The secular increase over the past several decades in the number of families where both the husband and wife work in the paid labor force, coupled with the surge in labor force participation of single mothers in the 1990s, has heightened policy focus on child care options for working parents; federal and state governments are now major players…

Costs and regional impacts of restoration thinning programs on the national forests in eastern Oregon.

Treesearch

Darius M. Adams; Gregory S. Latta

2005-01-01

An intertemporal spatial equilibrium model of the eastern Oregon softwood log market was employed to estimate the market and economic welfare impacts of restoration thinning programs established on national forests in the region. Programs treated only lands with sawtimber thinning volume and varied by the extent of public subsidies for costs, the types of costs that...

49 CFR 1.67 - Delegations to Maritime Subsidy Board.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Delegations to Maritime Subsidy Board. 1.67... POWERS AND DUTIES Delegations § 1.67 Delegations to Maritime Subsidy Board. (a) The Maritime Subsidy..., by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Maritime Subsidy Board. (b) The Maritime Subsidy...

25 CFR 103.20 - What is interest subsidy?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What is interest subsidy? 103.20 Section 103.20 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES LOAN GUARANTY, INSURANCE, AND INTEREST SUBSIDY Interest Subsidy § 103.20 What is interest subsidy? Interest subsidy is a payment BIA...

25 CFR 103.20 - What is interest subsidy?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false What is interest subsidy? 103.20 Section 103.20 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES LOAN GUARANTY, INSURANCE, AND INTEREST SUBSIDY Interest Subsidy § 103.20 What is interest subsidy? Interest subsidy is a payment BIA...

Markets for individual health insurance: can we make them work with incentives to purchase insurance?

PubMed

Swartz, K

2001-01-01

Simple income-based incentives to purchase health insurance (tax credits or deductions, or subsidies) are unlikely to succeed in significantly reducing the number of uninsured because income is not a good predictor of the extent to which individuals use medical service. Proposals to provide incentives to low-income people so they will purchase individual health insurance need to address the inherent tension between the interests of low-risk and high-risk people who rely on individual coverage. If carriers are forced to cover all applicants and to community rate premiums, low-risk people will drop coverage or not apply for it because premiums will exceed their expected need for insurance. Concern for people who currently have access to individual coverage calls for careful examination of options to permit incentive programs to succeed with the individual insurance markets. In particular, attention should focus on using alternatives to simple income-based subsidies to spread the burden of high-risk people's costs broadly, rather than impose the costs on low-risk people who purchase individual coverage. This paper describes three such alternatives. One uses risk adjustments and two rely on reinsurance so that carriers are compensated for the higher costs of covering high-risk people who use incentives to buy insurance. One alternative also permits risk selection by insurance carriers.

25 CFR 103.10 - What lenders are eligible under the Program?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... GUARANTY, INSURANCE, AND INTEREST SUBSIDY How a Lender Obtains a Loan Guaranty or Insurance Coverage § 103... in accordance with reasonable and prudent industry standards; and (3) Otherwise reasonably acceptable...

76 FR 38448 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-30

... Prescription Drug Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA) of 2003 established the Medicare Part D program for... individuals. The MMA also mandated the provision of subsidies for those individuals who qualify for the...

Consumer-directed health care and the disadvantaged.

PubMed

Bloche, M Gregg

2007-01-01

Broad adoption of "consumer-directed health care" would probably widen socioeconomic disparities in care and redistribute wealth in "reverse Robin Hood" fashion, from the working poor and middle classes to the well-off. Racial and ethnic disparities in care would also probably worsen. These effects could be alleviated by adjustments to the consumer-directed paradigm. Possible fixes include more progressive tax subsidies, tiering of cost-sharing schemes to promote high-value care, and reduced cost sharing for the less well-off. These fixes, though, are unlikely to gain traction. If consumer-directed plans achieve market dominance, disparities in care by class and race will probably grow.

Implications of health reform for retiree health benefits.

PubMed

Fronstin, Paul

2010-01-01

This Issue Brief examines how current health reform legislation being debated in Congress will impact the future of retiree health benefits. In general, the proposals' provisions will have a mixed impact on retiree health benefits: In the short term, the reinsurance provisions would help shore up early retiree coverage and Medicare Part D coverage would become more valuable to retirees. In the longer term, insurance reform combined with new subsidies for individuals enrolling for coverage through insurance exchanges, the maintenance-of-effort provision affecting early retiree benefits, increases to the cost of providing drug benefits to retirees, and enhanced Medicare Part D coverage, would all create significant incentives for employers to drop coverage for early retirees and drug coverage for Medicare-eligible retirees. REINSURANCE PROGRAM FOR EARLY RETIREES: Proposed legislation includes a provision to create a temporary reinsurance program for employers providing health benefits to retirees over age 55 and not yet eligible for Medicare. Given the temporary nature of the program, it is intended to provide employers an incentive to maintain benefits until the health insurance exchange is fully operational. At that point, employers will have less incentive to provide health benefits to early retirees, and retirees will have less need for former employers to maintain a program. MEDICARE DRUG BENEFITS: The House-passed bill would initially reduce the coverage gap (the so-called "doughnut hole") for individuals in the Medicare Part D program by $500 and eliminate it altogether by 2019. The bill currently before the Senate would also reduce the coverage gap by $500, but does not call for eliminating it. Both would also provide a 50 percent discount to brand-name drug coverage in the coverage gap. These provisions increase the value of the Medicare Part D drug program to Medicare-eligible beneficiaries relative to drug benefits provided by employers. TAX TREATMENT OF EMPLOYER SUBSIDIES UNDER MMA: The Medicare Modernization Act provides subsidies to employers that continue to offer prescription drug coverage through a retiree health benefits program. This subsidy is currently not counted as taxable income to the employer receiving it. Both the House and Senate bills would effectively repeal this tax exclusion. This would have two effects: The real cost of providing retiree health benefits to Medicare-eligible retirees would increase, and an employer's FAS 106 liability would increase immediately. The increase in the cost of retiree drug benefits will cause employers to re-evaluate the subsidy, compared with other available options. Moving retirees to Medicare Part D may become even more attractive to employers if the coverage gap is reduced and/or eliminated. POSTRETIREMENT BENEFIT CHANGES: With some exceptions, the House-passed legislation would prohibit employers from changing the benefits offered to retirees and their beneficiaries once a person has retired. This provision could have a number of different effects: More employers may move toward capping their contributions; employers that want to maintain retiree health benefits may react by cutting the health benefits of active workers; employers may eliminate retiree health benefits altogether to avoid being locked into providing a permanent benefit; or they may drop benefits if they think there is no need to provide them.

20 CFR 418.3501 - What could cause us to increase or reduce your subsidy or terminate your subsidy eligibility?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION MEDICARE SUBSIDIES Medicare Part D Subsidies Adjustments and Terminations...? (a) Certain changes in your circumstances could cause us to increase or reduce your subsidy or terminate your subsidy eligibility. These changes include (but are not limited to) changes to: (1) Your...

20 CFR 418.3501 - What could cause us to increase or reduce your subsidy or terminate your subsidy eligibility?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION MEDICARE SUBSIDIES Medicare Part D Subsidies Adjustments and Terminations...? (a) Certain changes in your circumstances could cause us to increase or reduce your subsidy or terminate your subsidy eligibility. These changes include (but are not limited to) changes to: (1) Your...

Subsidies and the demand for individual health insurance in California.

PubMed

Marquis, M Susan; Buntin, Melinda Beeuwkes; Escarce, José J; Kapur, Kanika; Yegian, Jill M

2004-10-01

To estimate the effect of changes in premiums for individual insurance on decisions to purchase individual insurance and how this price response varies among subgroups of the population. Survey responses from the Current Population Survey (http://www.bls.census.gov/cps/cpsmain.htm), the Survey of Income and Program Participation (http://www.sipp.census.gov/sipp), the National Health Interview Survey (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis.htm), and data about premiums and plans offered in the individual insurance market in California, 1996-2001. A logit model was used to estimate the decisions to purchase individual insurance by families without access to group insurance. This was modeled as a function of premiums, controlling for family characteristics and other characteristics of the market. A multinomial model was used to estimate the choice between group coverage, individual coverage, and remaining uninsured for workers offered group coverage as a function of premiums for individual insurance and out-of-pocket costs of group coverage. The elasticity of demand for individual insurance by those without access to group insurance is about -.2 to -.4, as has been found in earlier studies. However, there are substantial differences in price responses among subgroups with low-income, young, and self-employed families showing the greatest response. Among workers offered group insurance, a decrease in individual premiums has very small effects on the choice to purchase individual coverage versus group coverage. Subsidy programs may make insurance more affordable for some families, but even sizeable subsidies are unlikely to solve the problem of the uninsured. We do not find evidence that subsidies to individual insurance will produce an unraveling of the employer-based health insurance system.

Outlook for Education Financing: What Does the Future Hold?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biklen, Stephen C.

1996-01-01

It is argued that rising costs and declining federal student loan programs highlight the key role of the in-school interest subsidy in educational finance. Six possible scenarios are outlined, each differentially balancing indirect/direct lending and government/private involvement. Professionals are urged to find a program that serves students, is…

Land degradation, government subsidy, and smallholders' conservation decision: the case of the loess plateau in China.

PubMed

Shi, Min-Jun; Chen, Kevin

2004-12-01

Land degradation is one of the severe environmental problems in China. In order to combat land degradation, a soil conservation program was introduced since 2000 to reduce soil erosion by converting slope-cultivated land into forestry and pasture. This paper represents the first systematic attempt to investigate the impact of the soil conservation program on land degradation in the loess plateau. The results indicate that the soil conservation program to convert slope fields into forest or pasture is an effective way to combat soil erosion. However, a subsidy that is higher than profit of land use activity of slope fields before their conversion into forest and pasture is needed to encourage farmers to join the conservation program. A policy measure to encourage and assist farmers to develop sedentary livestock by using crops produced from fields as well as fodder and forage grass from the converted slope fields might contribute to combat soil erosion. Increase in off-farm job opportunities may encourage households to reduce cultivation in slope fields. That implies a policy measure to encourage rural urbanization might contribute to combat soil erosion.

An academic nursing clinic's financial survival.

PubMed

Holman, E J; Branstetter, E

1997-01-01

The authors suggest that academic institutions build business-oriented policies and practices into the development of any nurse-run clinic to set the stage for financial independence when special or development funding ends. One university-affiliated program that provides 4,000 to 5,000 annual visits drastically changed its strategies when threatened with closure after free rent and other subsidies were withdrawn. The growing emphasis on ambulatory care roles for nurses at all levels makes such clinics critical to the success of the broad-based curricula of nursing education programs, as well as the clinic's value to communities they serve. Funding difficulties frequently threaten the existence of such nurse-run clinics once the initial grant funding is no longer available. This has caused a new emphasis on running such clinics in a business-wise manner. Among the strategies initiated were: direct full-pay at the time of service; a realistic business management plan; aggressive planned marketing; contracts and agreements with other agencies; obtaining provider status with selected HMOs.

Leaving Homelessness Behind: Housing Decisions among Families Exiting Shelter1

PubMed Central

Fisher, Benjamin W.; Mayberry, Lindsay; Shinn, Marybeth; Khadduri, Jill

2014-01-01

Because homelessness assistance programs are designed to help families, it is important for policymakers and practitioners to understand how families experiencing homelessness make housing decisions, particularly when they decide not to use available services. This study explores those decisions using in-depth qualitative interviews with 80 families recruited in shelters across four sites approximately six months after they were assigned to one of four conditions (permanent housing subsidies, project-based transitional housing, community-based rapid re-housing, and usual care). Familiar neighborhoods near children’s schools, transportation, family and friends, and stability were important to families across conditions. Program restrictions on eligibility constrained family choices. Subsidized housing was the most desired intervention and families leased up at higher rates than in other studies of poor families. Respondents were least comfortable in and most likely to leave transitional housing. Uncertainty associated with community-based rapid re-housing generated considerable anxiety. Across interventions, many families had to make unhappy compromises, often leading to further moves. Policy recommendations are offered. PMID:25258503

The costs and benefits of reforestation in Liping County, Guizhou Province, China.

PubMed

Zhou, S; Yin, Y; Xu, W; Ji, Z; Caldwell, I; Ren, J

2007-11-01

Reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is becoming a pressing issue for the global community. Afforestation and reforestation are promoted worldwide as an effective means of sequestering carbon. For its national interest and global concerns, China has made great efforts to protect its existing forests and develop programs of afforestation and reforestation. Based on two surveys recently conducted in Liping County, Guizhou province, this paper investigates the economic changes associated with the implementation of the "Grain For Green" policy. Based on the analytical framework of benefit cost analysis, this paper concludes that the implementation of the reforestation of sloping agricultural land policy would not be possible if there were no government subsidies for the peasants. The short term economic returns of land and labour from forestation are substantially lower than those generated from grain or cash crop production on the steep slope lands. The government subsidies provide great economic incentives for peasants to take part in the project. The subsidies in fact have elevated peasant income in rural Liping. The estimated potential economic returns of plantations over the long run indicate that the removal of the government financial subsidies would not create an economic crisis for the peasants if the current market conditions continue.

78 FR 45946 - 60-Day Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Owner Certification With HUD's Tenant...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-30

... eligible applicants may be given priority over others, and prohibit racial discrimination in conjunction... and gender composition of subsidy program beneficiaries. This information is essential to maintain a...

The impact of reference pricing of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents on the use and costs of analgesic drugs.

PubMed

Grootendorst, Paul V; Marshall, John K; Holbrook, Anne M; Dolovich, Lisa R; O'Brien, Bernie J; Levy, Adrian R

2005-10-01

To estimate the effect of reference pricing (RP) of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on drug subsidy program and beneficiary expenditures on analgesic drugs. Monthly claims data from Pharmacare, the public drug subsidy program for seniors in British Columbia, Canada, over the period of February 1993 to June 2001. RP limits drug plan reimbursement of interchangeable medicines to a reference price, which is typically equal to the price of the lowest cost interchangeable drug; any cost above that is borne by the patient. Pharmacare introduced two different forms of RP to the NSAIDs, Type 1 in April 1994 and Type 2 in November 1995. Under Type 1 RP, generic and brand versions of the same NSAID are considered interchangeable, whereas under Type 2 RP different NSAIDs are considered interchangeable. We extrapolated average reimbursement per day of NSAID therapy over the months before RP to estimate what expenditures would have been without the policies. These counterfactual predictions were compared with actual values to estimate the impact of the policies; the estimated impacts on reimbursement rates were multiplied by the postpolicy volume of NSAIDS dispensed, which appeared unaffected by the policies, to estimate expenditure changes. After Type 2 RP, program expenditures declined by $22.7 million (CAN), or $4 million (CAN), annually cutting expenditure by about half. Most savings accrued from the substitution of low-cost NSAIDs for more costly alternatives. About 20 percent of savings represented expenditures by seniors who elected to pay for partially reimbursed drugs. Type 1 RP produced one-quarter the savings of type 2 RP. Type 2 RP of NSAIDs achieved its goal of reducing drug expenditures and was more effective than Type 1 RP. The effects of RP on patient health and associated health care costs remain to be investigated.

Market impacts of a multiyear mechanical fuel treatment program in the U.S.

Treesearch

Jeffrey P. Prestemon; Karen L. Abt; Robert J. Jr. Huggett

2008-01-01

We describe a two-stage model of global log and chip markets that evaluates the spatial and temporal economic effects of government- subsidized fire-related mechanical fuel treatment programs in the U.S.West and South. The first stage is a goal program that allocates subsidies according to fire risk and location priorities, given a budget and a feasible, market-...

Impacts of the Doha Round framework agreements on dairy policies.

PubMed

Suzuki, N; Kaiser, H M

2005-05-01

Dairy is highly regulated in many countries for several reasons. Perishability, seasonal imbalances, and inelastic supply and demand for milk can cause inherent market instability. Milk buyers typically have had more market power than dairy farmers. Comparative production advantages in some countries have led to regulations and policies to protect local dairy farmers by maintaining domestic prices higher than world prices. A worldwide consensus on reduction of border measures for protecting dairy products is unlikely, and dairy will probably be an exception in ongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations. Under the Doha Round framework agreements, countries may name some products such as dairy as "sensitive," thereby excluding them from further reforms. However, new Doha Round framework agreements depart from the current WTO rule and call for product-specific spending caps. Such caps will greatly affect the dairy sector because dairy accounts for much of the aggregate measure of support (AMS) in several countries, including the United States and Canada. Also, the amounts of dairy AMS in several countries may be recalculated relative to an international reference price. In addition, all export subsidies are targeted for elimination in the Doha Round, including export credit programs and state trading enterprises, which will limit options for disposing of surplus dairy products in foreign markets. Currently, with higher domestic prices, measures for cutting or disposing of surpluses have been used in many countries. Supply control, which is not regulated by WTO rules, remains as an option. Although explicit export subsidies are restricted by WTO rules, many countries use esoteric measures to promote dairy exports. If countries agree to eliminate "consumer financed" export subsidies using a theoretical definition and measurements proposed herein as Export Subsidy Equivalents (ESE), dairy exports in many countries may be affected. Although domestic supports and export subsidies will be reduced in the Doha Round, possible exclusion of "sensitive" products from tariff reduction will help some countries' dairy sectors survive after those final agreements. A key concern for those countries will be the simultaneous restriction of surplus-disposing measures. With fewer marketing options for surpluses, countries that continue border protection and high internal prices will likely be forced to use domestic supply control programs in the future.

Listening to the Voice of the Local Learner.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dinsdale, Julia

2001-01-01

An action research study involving British adults interested in further education opportunities found that the vast majority learned about adult education courses by word of mouth rather than print; supports such as child care, subsidies, and accommodations for people with disabilities are crucial; and follow-up courses are desired. (SK)

Support for infertility treatment in Japan: differences in perceptions between female clients and staff.

PubMed

Takabayashi, Chikako; Shimada, Keiko

2010-03-01

The aim of this study was to clarify the perceptions of both infertile women accessing support services from local governments related to infertility treatment and the public servants providing that assistance. This cross-sectional descriptive study surveyed 62 local government staff members who managed medical expense subsidy programs for infertility treatment in the Hokuriku region of Japan and 84 infertile women attending the clinics. We measured the levels of satisfaction regarding the support services from local governments and the perceptions of the importance of each type of support. The data were analyzed descriptively and included factor analysis and multiple regression analysis. Local governments' support services were analyzed by using four factors: providing information, education and consultation, improving existing services, and improving access. Both the women and the staff endorsed the importance of information provision, the easing of restrictions on subsidies for infertility treatment, reconsideration of the application procedures, and improvement of the publicizing of the available subsidies.

Energy conservation, energy efficiency and energy savings regulatory hypotheses - taxation, subsidies and underlying economics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trumpy, T.

1995-12-01

More efficient use of energy resources can be promoted by various regulatory means, i.e., taxation, subsidies, and pricing. Various incentives can be provided by income and revenue tax breaks-deductible energy audit fees, energy saving investment credits, breaks for energy saving entrepreneurs, and energy savings accounts run through utility accounts. Value added and excise taxes can also be adjusted to reward energy saving investments and energy saving entrepreneurial activity. Incentives can be provided in the form of cash refunds, including trade-in-and-scrap programs and reimbursements or subsidies on audit costs and liability insurance. Pricing incentives include lower rates for less energy use,more » prepayment of deposit related to peak load use, electronically dispatched multiple tariffs, savings credits based on prior peak use, and subsidized {open_quotes}leasing{close_quotes} of more efficient appliances and lights. Credits, with an emphasis on pooling small loans, and 5-year energy savings contracts are also discussed.« less

The Demand For, and Impact Of, Youth Internships: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment in Yemen. Policy Research Working Paper 7463

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, David; Assaf, Nabila; Cusolito, Ana Paula

2015-01-01

This paper evaluates a youth internship program in the Republic of Yemen that provided firms with a 50 percent subsidy to hire recent graduates of universities and vocational schools. The first round of the program took place in 2014 and required both firms and youth to apply for the program. The paper examines the demand for such a program, and…

E-Rate to Support Wireless E-Mail, Internet Calling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trotter, Andrew

2006-01-01

This article deals with federal E-rate program's support of school leaders' Blackberry habit. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has cleared the way to allow money from the $2.25 billion program of subsidies for school technology to apply to e-mail service for mobile, wireless devices, such as the BlackBerry, which are increasingly…

76 FR 59711 - Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB Housing Choice Voucher Program...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-27

... review, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act. The Department is soliciting public comments on the... households, at a total subsidy cost of $18.2 billion per year. The HCV program is administered federally by..., and regional housing agencies, known collectively as public housing agencies (PHAs). Funding for the...

Economic impacts on irrigated agriculture of water conservation programs in drought

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Frank A.

2014-01-01

This study analyzes vulnerability, impacts, and adaptability by irrigation to drought.It accounts for economic incentives affecting choices on irrigation technology, crop mix, and water sources.When surface water supplies fall, farmers increase pumping, even when pumping raises production costs.Conservation program subsidies raise the value of food production but can increase crop water depletions.

The Hefty Penalty on Marriage Facing Many Households with Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carasso, Adam; Steuerle, C. Eugene

2005-01-01

Over the past seventy years Congress has enacted dozens of tax and transfer programs, giving little if any attention to the marriage subsidies and penalties that they inadvertently impose. Although the programs affect both rich and poor Americans, the penalties fall most heavily on low- or moderate-income households with children. In this article,…

The Impact of Internet Subsidies in Public Schools. NBER Working Paper Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goolsbee, Austan; Guryan, Jonathan

As part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the U.S. government began subsidizing Internet and telecommunications access in classrooms and libraries through a tax on long-distance services (the E-Rate Program). This paper analyzes the impact of this program on public schools' technology adoption during 1996-2000, examining data on technology…

An Investigation of the Conceptual and Qualitative Impact of Employment Tax Credits.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fethke, Gary C.; And Others

The study reported here provides a theoretical and empirical framework for the analysis of employment tax credit policy (a government subsidy or business tax credit to firms who maintain or expand their use of labor). Various programs are examined from the standpoint of structure and implications. The programs are selective employment incentive;…

Why has the Universal Coverage Scheme in Thailand achieved a pro-poor public subsidy for health care?

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Thailand has achieved universal health coverage since 2002 through the implementation of the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) for 47 million of the population who were neither private sector employees nor government employees. A well performing UCS should achieve health equity goals in terms of health service use and distribution of government subsidy on health. With these goals in mind, this paper assesses the magnitude and trend of government health budget benefiting the poor as compared to the rich UCS members. Method Benefit incidence analysis was conducted using the nationally representative household surveys, Health and Welfare Surveys, between 2003 and 2009. UCS members are grouped into five different socio-economic status using asset indexes and wealth quintiles. Findings The total government subsidy, net of direct household payment, for combined outpatient (OP) and inpatient (IP) services to public hospitals and health facilities provided to UCS members, had increased from 30 billion Baht (US$ 1 billion) in 2003 to 40-46 billion Baht in 2004-2009. In 2003 for 23% and 12% of the UCS members who belonged to the poorest and richest quintiles of the whole-country populations respectively, the share of public subsidies for OP service was 28% and 7% for the poorest and the richest quintiles, whereby for IP services the share was 27% and 6% for the poorest and richest quintiles respectively. This reflects a pro-poor outcome of public subsidies to healthcare. The OP and IP public subsidies remained consistently pro-poor in subsequent years. The pro-poor benefit incidence is determined by higher utilization by the poorest than the richest quintiles, especially at health centres and district hospitals. Thus the probability and the amount of household direct health payment for public facilities by the poorest UCS members were less than their richest counterparts. Conclusions Higher utilization and better financial risk protection benefiting the poor UCS members are the results of extensive geographical coverage of health service infrastructure especially at district level, adequate finance and functioning primary healthcare, comprehensive benefit package and zero copayment at points of services. PMID:22992431

A Low-Subsidy Problem in Public Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fethke, Gary

2011-01-01

With an exogenous public subsidy and a break-even restriction on university net revenue, tuition discrimination supports a quasi-efficient departure from marginal-cost pricing. In contrast, when the legislature and university interact in their subsidy and tuition decisions, the public subsidy becomes endogenous. With an endogenous public subsidy,…

76 FR 33242 - Certain Steel Wheels From the People's Republic of China; Notice of Postponement of Preliminary...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-08

... is currently investigating alleged subsidy programs involving loans, grants, income tax incentives, and the provision of goods or services for less than adequate remuneration. Due to the number and...

Prevalence of Malaria Parasitemia and Purchase of Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapies (ACTs) among Drug Shop Clients in Two Regions in Tanzania with ACT Subsidies

PubMed Central

Briggs, Melissa A.; Kalolella, Admirabilis; Bruxvoort, Katia; Wiegand, Ryan; Lopez, Gerard; Festo, Charles; Lyaruu, Pierre; Kenani, Mitya; Abdulla, Salim; Goodman, Catherine; Kachur, S. Patrick

2014-01-01

Background Throughout Africa, many people seek care for malaria in private-sector drug shops where diagnostic testing is often unavailable. Recently, subsidized artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), a first-line medication for uncomplicated malaria, were made available in these drug shops in Tanzania. This study assessed the prevalence of malaria among and purchase of ACTs by drug shop clients in the setting of a national ACT subsidy program and sub-national drug shop accreditation program. Method and Findings A cross-sectional survey of drug shop clients was performed in two regions in Tanzania, one with a government drug shop accreditation program and one without, from March-May, 2012. Drug shops were randomly sampled from non-urban districts. Shop attendants were interviewed about their education, training, and accreditation status. Clients were interviewed about their symptoms and medication purchases, then underwent a limited physical examination and laboratory testing for malaria. Malaria prevalence and predictors of ACT purchase were assessed using univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression. Amongst 777 clients from 73 drug shops, the prevalence of laboratory-confirmed malaria was 12% (95% CI: 6–18%). Less than a third of clients with malaria had purchased ACTs, and less than a quarter of clients who purchased ACTs tested positive for malaria. Clients were more likely to have purchased ACTs if the participant was <5 years old (aOR: 6.6; 95% CI: 3.9–11.0) or the shop attendant had >5 years, experience (aOR: 2.8; 95% CI: 1.2–6.3). Having malaria was only a predictor of ACT purchase in the region with a drug shop accreditation program (aOR: 3.4; 95% CI: 1.5–7.4). Conclusion Malaria is common amongst persons presenting to drug shops with a complaint of fever. The low proportion of persons with malaria purchasing ACTs, and the high proportion of ACTs going to persons without malaria demonstrates a need to better target who receives ACTs in these drug shops. PMID:24732258

Prevalence of malaria parasitemia and purchase of artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) among drug shop clients in two regions in Tanzania with ACT subsidies.

PubMed

Briggs, Melissa A; Kalolella, Admirabilis; Bruxvoort, Katia; Wiegand, Ryan; Lopez, Gerard; Festo, Charles; Lyaruu, Pierre; Kenani, Mitya; Abdulla, Salim; Goodman, Catherine; Kachur, S Patrick

2014-01-01

Throughout Africa, many people seek care for malaria in private-sector drug shops where diagnostic testing is often unavailable. Recently, subsidized artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), a first-line medication for uncomplicated malaria, were made available in these drug shops in Tanzania. This study assessed the prevalence of malaria among and purchase of ACTs by drug shop clients in the setting of a national ACT subsidy program and sub-national drug shop accreditation program. A cross-sectional survey of drug shop clients was performed in two regions in Tanzania, one with a government drug shop accreditation program and one without, from March-May, 2012. Drug shops were randomly sampled from non-urban districts. Shop attendants were interviewed about their education, training, and accreditation status. Clients were interviewed about their symptoms and medication purchases, then underwent a limited physical examination and laboratory testing for malaria. Malaria prevalence and predictors of ACT purchase were assessed using univariate analysis and multiple logistic regression. Amongst 777 clients from 73 drug shops, the prevalence of laboratory-confirmed malaria was 12% (95% CI: 6-18%). Less than a third of clients with malaria had purchased ACTs, and less than a quarter of clients who purchased ACTs tested positive for malaria. Clients were more likely to have purchased ACTs if the participant was <5 years old (aOR: 6.6; 95% CI: 3.9-11.0) or the shop attendant had >5 years, experience (aOR: 2.8; 95% CI: 1.2-6.3). Having malaria was only a predictor of ACT purchase in the region with a drug shop accreditation program (aOR: 3.4; 95% CI: 1.5-7.4). Malaria is common amongst persons presenting to drug shops with a complaint of fever. The low proportion of persons with malaria purchasing ACTs, and the high proportion of ACTs going to persons without malaria demonstrates a need to better target who receives ACTs in these drug shops.

20 CFR 418.3115 - What events will make you ineligible for a subsidy?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false What events will make you ineligible for a subsidy? 418.3115 Section 418.3115 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION MEDICARE SUBSIDIES Medicare Part D Subsidies Eligibility for A Medicare Prescription Drug Subsidy § 418.3115 What events will...

20 CFR 418.3115 - What events will make you ineligible for a subsidy?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What events will make you ineligible for a subsidy? 418.3115 Section 418.3115 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION MEDICARE SUBSIDIES Medicare Part D Subsidies Eligibility for A Medicare Prescription Drug Subsidy § 418.3115 What events will...

20 CFR 418.3115 - What events will make you ineligible for a subsidy?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false What events will make you ineligible for a subsidy? 418.3115 Section 418.3115 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION MEDICARE SUBSIDIES Medicare Part D Subsidies Eligibility for A Medicare Prescription Drug Subsidy § 418.3115 What events will...

20 CFR 418.3123 - When is a change in your subsidy effective?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false When is a change in your subsidy effective? 418.3123 Section 418.3123 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION MEDICARE SUBSIDIES Medicare Part D Subsidies Eligibility for A Medicare Prescription Drug Subsidy § 418.3123 When is a change...

Five Ways to Economy-Proof Your Enrollment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wassom, Julie

2012-01-01

When customers are facing job loss or tighter budgets, prospects are attempting to negotiate tuition fees, and subsidies are being cut, smart child care managers are studying the essential moves directors must take to increase and retain enrollment despite the volatile economy. Instead of using a tough economy as a reason enrollment drops, they…

The ethics of the affordability of health insurance.

PubMed

Saloner, Brendan; Daniels, Norman

2011-10-01

In this essay we argue that the concept of affordable health insurance is rooted in a social obligation to protect fair equality of opportunity. Specifically, health insurance plays a limited but significant role in protecting opportunity in two ways: it helps keep people functioning normally and it protects their financial security. Together these benefits enable household members to exercise reasonable choices about their plans of life. To achieve truly affordable coverage, society must be able to contain the overall cost of health care, and health insurance must be progressively financed, meaning that those who are best able to pay for coverage should pay the largest share. While the recently passed Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) falls short on both of these counts, we argue that it makes important contributions toward household affordability through the use of subsidies and regulations. The main shortcoming of the ACA is an insufficient protection against burdensome cost sharing, which we illustrate using several hypothetical scenarios. We conclude with recommendations about how to make opportunity-enhancing expansions to the current coverage subsidies.

Considering long-term care insurance for middle-income countries: comparing South Korea with Japan and Germany.

PubMed

Rhee, Jong Chul; Done, Nicolae; Anderson, Gerard F

2015-10-01

Financing and provision of long-term care is an increasingly important concern for many middle-income countries experiencing rapid population aging. We examine three countries (South Korea, Japan, and Germany) that use social insurance to finance medical care and have developed long-term care insurance (LTCI) systems. These countries have adopted different approaches to LTCI design within the social insurance framework. We contrast their financing systems and draw lessons regarding revenue generation, benefits design, and eligibility. Based on this review, it seems important for middle-income countries to start developing LTCI schemes early, before aging becomes a significant problem and substantial revenues are needed. Early financing also ensures that the service delivery system has time to adapt because most middle-income countries lack the infrastructure for providing long-term care services. One approach is to start with a limited benefit package and strict eligibility rules and expanded the program as the country develops sufficient experience and more providers became available. All three countries use some form of cost-sharing to discourage service overuse, combined with subsidies for poor populations to maintain appropriate access. A major policy choice is between cash benefits or direct provision of services and the approach will have a large impact on the workforce participation of women. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Dental politics and subsidy systems for adults in Sweden from 1974 until 2016.

PubMed

Franzon, Bengt; Axtelius, Björn; Åkerman, Sigvard; Klinge, Björn

2017-01-01

The dental health sector, as part of the Swedish welfare system, originated in 1974. Since then, the dental insurance has undergone three major changes. The aim of this archive study was to study where in the legislative process the dental politics concerning national dental insurance and subsidies were formed. The material, such as Commission of inquiry proposals and Government Bills from four major dental reforms, was collected from the library at the Sveriges Riksdag (Swedish Parliament) and was analysed and structured using a modified version of the Health Field Model. The views on the fundamental ideas, such as the connection between general and dental health, preventive dentistry, rehabilitation of the mouth and promotion of dental health, were the same over the years. The views on dentistry as a market, when it comes to freedom of prices, have undergone a major change since 1974, but the view on the welfare state remains the same. The Swedish dental subsidy systems and how dentistry has been treated politically are the results of a chain of events ranging from care for the population's dental health, political doctrines, 'zeitgeist', dental policy, to state finances.

Piloting the global subsidy: the impact of subsidized artemisinin-based combination therapies distributed through private drug shops in rural Tanzania.

PubMed

Sabot, Oliver J; Mwita, Alex; Cohen, Justin M; Ipuge, Yahya; Gordon, Megumi; Bishop, David; Odhiambo, Moses; Ward, Lorrayne; Goodman, Catherine

2009-09-02

WHO estimates that only 3% of fever patients use recommended artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), partly reflecting their high prices in the retail sector from where many patients seek treatment. To overcome this challenge, a global ACT subsidy has been proposed. We tested this proposal through a pilot program in rural Tanzania. Three districts were assigned to serve either as a control or to receive the subsidy plus a package of supporting interventions. From October 2007, ACTs were sold at a 90% subsidy through the normal private supply chain to intervention district drug shops. Data were collected at baseline and during intervention using interviews with drug shop customers, retail audits, mystery shoppers, and audits of public and NGO facilities. The proportion of consumers in the intervention districts purchasing ACTs rose from 1% at baseline to 44.2% one year later (p<0.001), and was significantly higher among consumers purchasing for children under 5 than for adults (p = 0.005). No change in ACT usage was observed in the control district. Consumers paid a mean price of $0.58 for ACTs, which did not differ significantly from the price paid for sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine, the most common alternative. Drug shops in population centers were significantly more likely to stock ACTs than those in more remote areas (p<0.001). A subsidy introduced at the top of the private sector supply chain can significantly increase usage of ACTs and reduce their retail price to the level of common monotherapies. Additional interventions may be needed to ensure access to ACTs in remote areas and for poorer individuals who appear to seek treatment at drug shops less frequently. Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN39125414.

Piloting the Global Subsidy: The Impact of Subsidized Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapies Distributed through Private Drug Shops in Rural Tanzania

PubMed Central

Sabot, Oliver J.; Mwita, Alex; Cohen, Justin M.; Ipuge, Yahya; Gordon, Megumi; Bishop, David; Odhiambo, Moses; Ward, Lorrayne; Goodman, Catherine

2009-01-01

Background WHO estimates that only 3% of fever patients use recommended artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), partly reflecting their high prices in the retail sector from where many patients seek treatment. To overcome this challenge, a global ACT subsidy has been proposed. We tested this proposal through a pilot program in rural Tanzania. Methods/Principal Findings Three districts were assigned to serve either as a control or to receive the subsidy plus a package of supporting interventions. From October 2007, ACTs were sold at a 90% subsidy through the normal private supply chain to intervention district drug shops. Data were collected at baseline and during intervention using interviews with drug shop customers, retail audits, mystery shoppers, and audits of public and NGO facilities. The proportion of consumers in the intervention districts purchasing ACTs rose from 1% at baseline to 44.2% one year later (p<0.001), and was significantly higher among consumers purchasing for children under 5 than for adults (p = 0.005). No change in ACT usage was observed in the control district. Consumers paid a mean price of $0.58 for ACTs, which did not differ significantly from the price paid for sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine, the most common alternative. Drug shops in population centers were significantly more likely to stock ACTs than those in more remote areas (p<0.001). Conclusions A subsidy introduced at the top of the private sector supply chain can significantly increase usage of ACTs and reduce their retail price to the level of common monotherapies. Additional interventions may be needed to ensure access to ACTs in remote areas and for poorer individuals who appear to seek treatment at drug shops less frequently. Trial Registration Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN39125414. PMID:19724644

Childcare Subsidies and the Transition from Welfare to Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danziger, Sandra K.; Ananat, Elizabeth Oltmans; Browning, Kimberly G.

2004-01-01

We address how childcare subsidies help in the welfare-to-work transition relative to other factors. We examine how the policy operates, whether childcare problems differ by subsidy receipt, and the effect of subsidy on work. Data are from a random sample panel study of welfare recipients after 1996. Findings show that subsidy receipt reduces…

20 CFR 418.3215 - Who may file your application for a subsidy?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Medicare Part D Subsidies Filing of Application § 418.3215 Who may file your application for a subsidy? You or your personal representative (as defined in 42 CFR 423.772) may complete and file your subsidy... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Who may file your application for a subsidy...

20 CFR 418.3215 - Who may file your application for a subsidy?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... Medicare Part D Subsidies Filing of Application § 418.3215 Who may file your application for a subsidy? You or your personal representative (as defined in 42 CFR 423.772) may complete and file your subsidy... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Who may file your application for a subsidy...

Commercial aviation : programs and options for the federal approach to providing and improving air service to small communities : testimony before the Subcommittee on Aviation, Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, U.S. Senate

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-09-14

The EAS program guarantees that communities that were served by air carriers before deregulation continue to receive a certain level of scheduled air service, under certain conditions. A growing number of communities are receiving subsidies under thi...

The Benefits and Costs of the Section 8 Housing Subsidy Program: A Framework and Estimates of First-Year Effects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Deven; Haveman, Robert; Kaplan, Thomas; Wolfe, Barbara

2011-01-01

This paper provides estimates for a comprehensive set of social benefits and costs associated with the federal Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program. The impact categories for which we provide empirical estimates include the value of the voucher to recipients; additional services and public benefits induced by voucher receipt; improvements in…

An Interactive Microcomputer Program for Teaching the Impacts of Alternative Policy Sets in the Market for a Single Commodity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Elton; Stoecker, Arthur

1995-01-01

Describes a computer software program where students define alternative policy sets and compare their effects on the welfare of consumers, producers, and the public sector. Policy sets may be a single tax or quota or a mix of taxes, subsidies, and/or price supports implemented in the marketing chain. (MJP)

Essential air service : changes in subsidy levels, air carrier costs, and passenger traffic

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-04-01

Overall, DOT applied relevant statutory authority when determining which communities would receive air service subsidized by the EAS program. Under this authority, communities may receive subsidized air service if they were initially eligible for Ess...

The Money Investment in People

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkinson, Roderick

1975-01-01

The long-term cost savings in keeping a plant really safe are very high indeed; so are those in cafeteria subsidies or apprenticeship programs. The author calls for a long-sighted view of personnel welfare expenditures as an investment in people. (Author/AJ)

To amend the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 to establish a technical school training subsidy program.

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Barrow, John [D-GA-12

2010-06-24

House - 09/13/2010 Referred to the Subcommittee on Higher Education, Lifelong Learning, and Competitiveness. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

User-Side Subsidies for the Elderly and Handicapped in Lawrence, Massachusetts

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-06-01

Funding provided by the Service and Methods Demonstration (SMD) Program of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Urban Mass Transportation Administration, was used to subsidize the bus, taxicab, and wheelchair lift-equipped van travel of elderly and...

75 FR 4838 - Renewal of Agency Information Collection for Loan Guaranty, Insurance, and Interest Subsidy Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-29

... OMB Control Number 1076-0020, which expires April 30, 2010. The information collection allows IEED to... able to do so. III. Data OMB Control Number: 1076-0020. Title: Loan Guaranty, Insurance, and Interest...

Economic feasibility of alternative practitioners for provision of dental care to the underserved.

PubMed

Matthiesen, Anne

2012-01-01

This study assesses the viability of three alternative practitioner types for provision of dental care to the underserved. Key factors modeled include compensation, training and practice costs, productivity, and payer mix scenarios. Utilizing dental therapists or dental health aide therapists is cost-effective for enhancing access. However, to be sustainable, the practices will require a subsidy or a better reimbursement than modeled. Without tuition support, the debt burden will deter applicants mostlikely to treat the underserved.

76 FR 38359 - Quarterly Update to Annual Listing of Foreign Government Subsidies on Articles of Cheese Subject...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-30

... Foreign Government Subsidies on Articles of Cheese Subject to an In-Quota Rate of Duty AGENCY: Import... subsidy with respect to any article of cheese subject to an in-quota rate of duty, as defined in section... subsidies. We hereby provide the Department's quarterly update of subsidies on articles of cheese that were...

75 FR 35769 - Quarterly Update to Annual Listing of Foreign Government Subsidies on Articles of Cheese Subject...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-23

... Foreign Government Subsidies on Articles of Cheese Subject to an In-Quota Rate of Duty AGENCY: Import... subsidy with respect to any article of cheese subject to an in-quota rate of duty, as defined in section... subsidies. We hereby provide the Department's quarterly update of subsidies on articles of cheese that were...

Do nutrition programs make a difference? The case of Brazil.

PubMed

Musgrove, P

1990-01-01

Four Brazilian food and nutrition programs operating during some part of 1974-86 are evaluated for their effectiveness in curing or preventing infant and child malnutrition, including low birth weight when pregnant women were beneficiaries. Two programs distributed free food to identified clients: traditional commercial foods in one case and specially formulated supplements in the other. The other two programs subsidized four or more basic foodstuffs: one experiment quantitatively restricted a subsidy to identified families, and the other was unrestricted and open to all families patronizing certain shops. The programs were more effective at curing than at preventing malnutrition, and more effective at increasing weight than height. Many beneficiaries, even when initially underweight, showed no change, and some deteriorated despite the food transfer. Results were better after than during the first year of life, when deterioration is most likely. Donation programs including medical and educational components proved more effective than pure subsidies, showing that while poverty may be the chief cause of malnutrition, the problem should be seen as poor health rather than simply low food consumption. Evaluation also shows that programs were inefficient in transferring benefits, and that clients were deterred from participating by the costs of obtaining the food and its poor quality and small volume. Longer participation improved results, but more frequent participation in a given interval did not necessarily do so.

Health care reform: a short summary.

PubMed

Harolds, Jay

2010-09-01

The Health Care Reform legislation has many provisions of importance to the nuclear medicine community. This article is not a complete summary of the thousands of pages in the legislation, but emphasizes some relevant aspects of the bills. When the plan is fully implemented, about 32 million more Americans will have health insurance. Pre-existing medical conditions will no longer result in insurance denials. There are many initiatives to slow the growth of spending on health care in various ways, such as by setting up the new Medicare Advisory Board. There are also new fees, taxes, penalties, subsidies, and tax deduction changes.

The economic cost of fuel price subsidies in Ghana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ofori, Roland Oduro

I adapt the Harberger formula for deadweight loss to develop approximations for the deadweight loss created by multiple fuel price subsidies. I also estimate the own-price, cross-price, and income elasticities of demand for gasoline and diesel in Africa. I use data on fuel prices and sales in combination with my formulas and elasticity estimates to calculate the deadweight loss of fuel price subsidies in Ghana from 2009 to 2014. I show that the average efficiency cost of the gasoline and diesel price subsidies in Ghana is 0.8% of fuel price subsidy transfers. This result stresses the futility of basing subsidy reforms on economic efficiency losses, which are relatively small due to very inelastic energy demand, and the need for such reforms to be motivated by the poor-targeting of subsidies to low-income households and the impact of subsidies on government debt-financing.

[Impacts of cross-habitat resource subsidies on ecosystems: A review.

PubMed

Zhang, Yi Xin; Xiang, Hong Yong

2017-02-01

The flux of matter, energy and nutrients across ecosystems, i.e., resource subsidy, is a fundamental attribute of ecosystems, as well as one of basic research questions in ecology. Common subsidies include leaf litter and terrestrial insects that fall into waters, the adults of aquatic insects, spawning salmon. The allocthonous input of resource subsidy can influence individual organisms, populations, communities, biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, such as enhancing individual growth, increasing species abundance and diversity, affecting community structure, enhancing secondary productivity, influencing food-chain length and food web. Due to increased human impacts on environments, especially at aspects of land use, climate change and invasive species, the influence of anthropogenic disturbance on cross-ecosystem resource subsidies will be intensified at both spacial and temporary scales, so that ecosystems will face severer threats. Accordingly, future ecological researches in this field should emphasize the following aspects: impacts of single and multiple stressors on subsidies and ecosystems, implementation of dynamic resource subsidies on ecosystem restoration and management, the dark sides of subsidy relating with pollutants, and basic ecological research on cross-ecosystem resource subsidy in tropics and sub-tropics, as well in China.

45 CFR 1173.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE... form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a grant in an entitlement program... money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest subsidies. (5) Insurance. (6) Direct appropriations...

ENERGY PRODUCTION AND RESIDENTIAL HEATING: TAXATION, SUBSIDIES, AND COMPARATIVE COSTS

EPA Science Inventory

This analysis is in support of the Ohio River Basin Energy Study (ORBES), a multidisciplinary policy research program supported by the Environmental Protection Agency. It examines the effect of economic incentives on public and private decisions affecting energy production and us...

Subsidising artemisinin-based combination therapy in the private retail sector.

PubMed

Opiyo, Newton; Yamey, Gavin; Garner, Paul

2016-03-09

Malaria causes ill health and death in Africa. Treating illness promptly with artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is likely to cure people and avoid the disease progressing to more severe forms and death. In many countries, ACT use remains low. Part of the problem is that most people seek treatment from the retail sector where ACTs are expensive; this expense is a barrier to their use.The Global Fund and other international organisations are subsidising the cost of ACTs for private retail providers to improve access to ACTs. The subsidy was initially organised through a stand-alone initiative, called the Affordable Medicines Facility-malaria (AMFm), but has since been integrated into the Global Fund core grant management and financial processes. To assess the effect of programmes that include ACT price subsidies for private retailers on ACT use, availability, price and market share. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2015, Issue 1, The Cochrane Library, including the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care (EPOC) Group Specialised Register); MEDLINE (OvidSP), EMBASE (OvidSP), CINAHL (EbscoHost), EconLit (ProQuest), Global Health (OvidSP), Regional Indexes (Global Health Library, WHO), LILACS (Global Health Library, WHO), Science Citation Index and Social Sciences Citation Index (ISI Web of Science) and Health Management (ProQuest). All databases were searched February 2015, except for Health Management which was searched November 2013, without any date, language or publication status restrictions. We also searched the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP; WHO), ClinicalTrials.gov (NIH) and various grey literature sources. We also conducted a cited reference search for all included studies in ISI Web of Knowledge, checked references of identified articles and contacted authors to identify additional studies. Randomised trials, non-randomised trials, controlled before-after studies and interrupted-time-series studies that compared the effects of ACT price subsidies for private retailers to no subsidies or alternative ACT financing mechanisms were eligible for inclusion. Two authors independently screened and selected studies for inclusion. Two review authors independently extracted data, assessed study risk of bias and confidence in effect estimates (certainty of evidence) using Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). We included four trials (two cluster-randomised trials reported in three articles and two non-randomised cluster trials). Three trials assessed retail sector ACT subsidies combined with supportive interventions (retail outlet provider training, community awareness and mass media campaigns). One trial assessed vouchers provided to households to purchase subsidised ACTs. Price subsidies ranged from 80% to 95%. One trial enrolled children under five years of age; the other three trials studied people of all age groups. The studies were done in rural districts in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania).In this East Africa setting, these ACT subsidy programmes increased the percentage of children under five years of age receiving ACTs on the day, or following day, of fever onset by 25 percentage points (95% confidence interval (CI) 14.1 to 35.9 percentage points; 1 study, high certainty evidence). This suggests that in practice, among febrile children under five years of age with an ACT usage rate of 5% without a subsidy, subsidy programmes would increase usage by between 19% and 41% over a one year period.The ACT subsidy programmes increased the percentage of retail outlets stocking ACTs for children under five years of age by 31.9 percentage points (95% CI 26.3 to 37.5 percentage points; 1 study, high certainty evidence). Effects on ACT stocking for patients of any age is unknown because the certainty of evidence was very low.The ACT subsidy programmes decreased the median cost of ACTs for children under five years of age by US$ 0.84 (median cost per ACT course without subsidy: US$ 1.08 versus with subsidy: US$ 0.24; 1 study, high certainty evidence).The ACT subsidy programmes increased the market share of ACTs for children under five years of age by between 23.6 and 63.0 percentage points (1 study, high certainty evidence).The ACT subsidy programmes decreased the use of older antimalarial drugs (such as amodiaquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine) among children under five years of age by 10.4 percentage points (95% CI 3.9 to 16.9 percentage points; 1 study, high certainty evidence).None of the three studies of ACT subsidies reported the number of patients treated who had confirmed malaria.Vouchers increased the likelihood that an illness is treated with an ACT by 16 to 23 percentage points; however, vouchers were associated with a high rate of over-treatment of malaria (only 56% of patients taking ACTs from the drug shop tested positive for malaria under the 92% subsidy; 1 study, high certainty evidence). Programmes that include substantive subsidies for private sector retailers combined with training of providers and social marketing improved use and availability of ACTs for children under five years of age with suspected malaria in research studies from three countries in East Africa. These programmes also reduced prices of ACTs, improved market share of ACTs and reduced the use of older antimalarial drugs among febrile children under five years of age. The research evaluates drug delivery but does not assess whether the patients had confirmed (parasite-diagnosed) malaria. None of the included studies assessed patient outcomes; it is therefore not known whether the effects seen in the studies would translate to an impact on health.

Federal Financial Interventions and Subsidies in Energy Markets 2007

EIA Publications

2008-01-01

This report responds to a request from Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee that the Energy Information Administration update its 1999 to 2000 work on federal energy subsidies, including any additions or deletions of federal subsidies based on Administration or Congressional action since 2000, and providing an estimate of the size of each current subsidy. Subsidies directed to electricity production are estimated on the basis of generation by fuel.

Incentive Policy Options for Product Remanufacturing: Subsidizing Donations or Resales?

PubMed

Zhu, Xiaodong; Wang, Zhe; Wang, Yue; Li, Bangyi

2017-12-01

Remanufactured products offer better environmental benefits, and governments encourage manufacturers to remanufacture through various subsidy policies. This practice has shown that, in addition to product sales, remanufactured product can also achieve its value through social donation. Based on the remanufactured product value realization approaches, governments provide two kinds of incentive policies, which are remanufactured product sales subsidies and remanufactured product donation subsidies. This paper constructs a two-stage Stackelberg game model including a government and a manufacturer under two different policies, which can be solved by backward induction. By comparing the optimal decision of the two policies, our results show that, compared with the remanufacturing sales subsidy, donation subsidy weakens the cannibalization of remanufactured products for new products and increases the quantity of new products. It reduces the sales quantity of remanufactured products, but increases their total quantity. Under certain conditions of low subsidy, the manufacturer adopting sales subsidy provides better economic and environmental benefits. Under certain conditions of high subsidy, the manufacturer adopting donation subsidy offers better economic and environmental benefits. When untreated product environmental impact is large enough, donation subsidy policy has a better social welfare. Otherwise, the choice of social welfare of these two different policies depends on the social impact of remanufactured product donated.

Incentive Policy Options for Product Remanufacturing: Subsidizing Donations or Resales?

PubMed Central

Zhu, Xiaodong; Wang, Yue; Li, Bangyi

2017-01-01

Remanufactured products offer better environmental benefits, and governments encourage manufacturers to remanufacture through various subsidy policies. This practice has shown that, in addition to product sales, remanufactured product can also achieve its value through social donation. Based on the remanufactured product value realization approaches, governments provide two kinds of incentive policies, which are remanufactured product sales subsidies and remanufactured product donation subsidies. This paper constructs a two-stage Stackelberg game model including a government and a manufacturer under two different policies, which can be solved by backward induction. By comparing the optimal decision of the two policies, our results show that, compared with the remanufacturing sales subsidy, donation subsidy weakens the cannibalization of remanufactured products for new products and increases the quantity of new products. It reduces the sales quantity of remanufactured products, but increases their total quantity. Under certain conditions of low subsidy, the manufacturer adopting sales subsidy provides better economic and environmental benefits. Under certain conditions of high subsidy, the manufacturer adopting donation subsidy offers better economic and environmental benefits. When untreated product environmental impact is large enough, donation subsidy policy has a better social welfare. Otherwise, the choice of social welfare of these two different policies depends on the social impact of remanufactured product donated. PMID:29194411

Can vouchers make a difference to the use of private primary care services by older people? Experience from the healthcare reform programme in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Yam, Carrie H K; Liu, Su; Huang, Olivia H Y; Yeoh, E K; Griffiths, Sian M

2011-10-07

As part of its ongoing healthcare reform, the Hong Kong Government introduced a voucher scheme, intended for encouraging older patients to use primary healthcare services in the private sector, thereby, reducing burden on the overwhelmed public sector. The voucher program is also considered one of the strategies to further develop the public private partnership in healthcare, a policy direction of high political priority as indicated in the Chief Executive Policy Address in 2008-09. This study assessed whether the voucher scheme, as implemented so far, has reached its intended goals, and how it might be further improved in the context of public-private partnership. This was a cross-sectional study using structured questionnaires by face-to-face interviews with older people aged 70 or above in Hong Kong, the target group of the demand-side voucher program. 71.2% of 1,026 older people were aware of the new voucher scheme but only 35.0% had ever used it. The majority of the older people used the vouchers for acute curative services in the private sector (82.4%) and spent less on preventive services. Despite the provision of vouchers valued US$30 per year as an incentive to encourage the use of private primary care services, after 12-months of implementation, 66.2% of all respondents agreed with the statement that "the voucher scheme does not change their health seeking behaviours on seeing public or private healthcare professionals". The most common reasons for no change in their behaviours included "I am used to seeing doctors in the public system" and "The amount of the subsidy is too low". Those who usually used a mix of public and private doctors and those with better self-reported health condition compared to last year were more likely to perceive a change in their own health seeking behaviours. Our study showed that despite a reasonably high awareness of the voucher scheme, its usage was low. The voucher alone was not enough to realize the government's policy of greater use of the private primary care services. Greater publicity and more variety of media promotion would increase awareness but the effectiveness of vouchers in changing older people's behaviour needs to be revisited. Designating vouchers for use of preventive services with evidence-based practice could be considered. In addition to the demand-side subsidies, improving transparency and comparability of private services against the public sector might be necessary.

Can vouchers make a difference to the use of private primary care services by older people? Experience from the healthcare reform programme in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background As part of its ongoing healthcare reform, the Hong Kong Government introduced a voucher scheme, intended for encouraging older patients to use primary healthcare services in the private sector, thereby, reducing burden on the overwhelmed public sector. The voucher program is also considered one of the strategies to further develop the public private partnership in healthcare, a policy direction of high political priority as indicated in the Chief Executive Policy Address in 2008-09. This study assessed whether the voucher scheme, as implemented so far, has reached its intended goals, and how it might be further improved in the context of public-private partnership. Methods This was a cross-sectional study using structured questionnaires by face-to-face interviews with older people aged 70 or above in Hong Kong, the target group of the demand-side voucher program. Results 71.2% of 1,026 older people were aware of the new voucher scheme but only 35.0% had ever used it. The majority of the older people used the vouchers for acute curative services in the private sector (82.4%) and spent less on preventive services. Despite the provision of vouchers valued US$30 per year as an incentive to encourage the use of private primary care services, after 12-months of implementation, 66.2% of all respondents agreed with the statement that "the voucher scheme does not change their health seeking behaviours on seeing public or private healthcare professionals". The most common reasons for no change in their behaviours included "I am used to seeing doctors in the public system" and "The amount of the subsidy is too low". Those who usually used a mix of public and private doctors and those with better self-reported health condition compared to last year were more likely to perceive a change in their own health seeking behaviours. Conclusions Our study showed that despite a reasonably high awareness of the voucher scheme, its usage was low. The voucher alone was not enough to realize the government's policy of greater use of the private primary care services. Greater publicity and more variety of media promotion would increase awareness but the effectiveness of vouchers in changing older people's behaviour needs to be revisited. Designating vouchers for use of preventive services with evidence-based practice could be considered. In addition to the demand-side subsidies, improving transparency and comparability of private services against the public sector might be necessary. PMID:21978140

School Subsidies for the Poor: Evaluating the Mexican Progresa Poverty Program. Center Discussion Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz, T. Paul

In rural Mexico, the Progresa program provided educational grants to poor mothers of children enrolled in grades 3-9 and attending 85 percent of the school days. Payments were increased at the higher grades, a premium was paid for girls enrolled in grades 7-9, and every 6 months the grants were adjusted upward to compensate for inflation. The…

An Analysis of the Monetary Benefits and Costs of Higher Education in New Jersey in 1975-1976.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Jersey State Commission on Financing Postsecondary Education, Trenton.

The equitability of current New Jersey State programs supporting higher education is the primary focus of this study. Taxpayer equity is defined as the distribution of higher education costs on the basis of ability to pay and commensurate with the distribution of higher education subsidies. The net effect of all state programs on each income group…

Annual NASSGP/NCHELP Research Conference on Student Financial Aid Research (4th, St. Louis, Missouri, June 3-5, 1987). The Proceedings, Volume 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Higher Education Services Corp., Albany.

The following papers from the National Association of State Scholarship and Grant Programs/National Council of Higher Education Loan Programs conference on student aid are provided: (1) "The Equity of Higher Education Subsidies" (John B. Lee); (2) "The Economics and Financing of Higher Education: The Tension between Quality and…

Medicare Part D: successes and continuing challenges. Impact of Medicare Part D on Massachusetts health programs and beneficiaries.

PubMed

Thomas, Cindy Parks; Sussman, Jeffrey

2007-05-30

On January 1, 2006, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented the Medicare Drug Benefit, or "Medicare Part D." The program offers prescription drug coverage for the one million Medicare beneficiaries in Massachusetts. Part D affects Massachusetts state health programs and beneficiaries in a number of ways. The program: (1) provides prescription drug insurance, including catastrophic coverage, through a choice of private prescription drug plans (PDPs) or integrated Medicare Advantage (MA-PD) health plans; (2) shifts prescription drug coverage for dual-eligible Medicare / Medicaid beneficiaries from Medicaid to Medicare Part D drug plans; (3) requires a maintenance-of-effort, or "clawback" payments from states to CMS designed to capture a portion of states' Medicaid savings to help finance the benefit; (4) offers additional help for premiums and cost sharing to low income beneficiaries through the Low Income Subsidy (LIS); and (5) provides a subsidy to employer groups that maintain their own prescription drug coverage for retired beneficiaries. This paper summarizes the activities involved in implementing Medicare Part D, the impact it has had on Massachusetts health programs, and the experiences of beneficiaries and others conducting outreach and enrollment. The data are drawn from interviews with officials and documents provided by state health programs, CMS and the Social Security Administration, and representatives of provider and advocacy groups involved in the enrollment and ongoing support of Medicare beneficiaries.

Health Insurance and Health Status: Exploring the Causal Effect from a Policy Intervention.

PubMed

Pan, Jay; Lei, Xiaoyan; Liu, Gordon G

2016-11-01

Whether health insurance matters for health has long been a central issue for debate when assessing the full value of health insurance coverage in both developed and developing countries. In 2007, the government-led Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URBMI) program was piloted in China, followed by a nationwide implementation in 2009. Different premium subsidies by government across cities and groups provide a unique opportunity to employ the instrumental variables estimation approach to identify the causal effects of health insurance on health. Using a national panel survey of the URBMI, we find that URBMI beneficiaries experience statistically better health than the uninsured. Furthermore, the insurance health benefit appears to be stronger for groups with disadvantaged education and income than for their counterparts. In addition, the insured receive more and better inpatient care, without paying more for services. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Public and private health insurance premiums: how do they affect the health insurance status of low-income childless adults?

PubMed

Guy, Gery P; Adams, E Kathleen; Atherly, Adam

2012-01-01

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) will substantially increase public health insurance eligibility and alter the costs of insurance coverage. Using Current Population Survey (CPS) data from the period 2000-2008, we examine the effects of public and private health insurance premiums on the insurance status of low-income childless adults, a population substantially affected by the ACA. Results show higher public premiums to be associated with a decrease in the probability of having public insurance and an increase in the probability of being uninsured, while increased private premiums decrease the probability of having private insurance. Eligibility for premium assistance programs and increased subsidy levels are associated with lower rates of uninsurance. The magnitudes of the effects are quite modest and provide important implications for insurance expansions for childless adults under the ACA.

Analysis of the effectiveness of fertilizer subsidy policy and its effect on rice production in Karanganyar Regency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulyadiana, A. T.; Marwanti, S.; Rahayu, W.

2018-03-01

The research aims to know the factors which affecting rice production, and to know the effectiveness of fertilizer subsidy policy on rice production in Karanganyar Regency. The fertilizer subsidy policy was based on four indicators of fertilizer subsidy namely exact price, exact place, exact time, and exact quantity. Data was analyzed using descriptive quantitative and qualitative and multiple linear regression. The result of research showed that fertilizer subsidy policy in Karanganyar Regency evaluated from four indicators was not effective because the distribution of fertilizer subsidy to farmers still experience some mistakes. The result of regression analysis showed that production factors such as land area, use of urea fertilizer, use of NPK fertilizer, and effectiveness of fertilizer subsidy policy had positive correlation and significant influence on rice production, while labor utilization and use of seeds factors had no significant effect on rice production in Karanganyar Regency. This means that if the fertilizer subsidy policy is more effective, rice production is also increased.

42 CFR 423.773 - Requirements for eligibility.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Requirements for eligibility. 423.773 Section 423.773 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Premiums and Cost-Sharing Subsidies...

19 CFR 351.513 - Worker-related subsidies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Customs Duties INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANTIDUMPING AND COUNTERVAILING...) Benefit. In the case of a program that provides assistance to workers, a benefit exists to the extent that... benefit. In the case of assistance provided to workers, the Secretary normally will consider the benefit...

22 CFR 312.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... PEACE CORPS GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions § 312... form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a grant in an entitlement program... instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest subsidies. (5) Insurance. (6) Direct...

22 CFR 312.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... Relations PEACE CORPS GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions... form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a grant in an entitlement program... instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest subsidies. (5) Insurance. (6) Direct...

22 CFR 312.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... PEACE CORPS GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions § 312... form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a grant in an entitlement program... instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest subsidies. (5) Insurance. (6) Direct...

22 CFR 312.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... PEACE CORPS GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions § 312... form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a grant in an entitlement program... instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest subsidies. (5) Insurance. (6) Direct...

22 CFR 312.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... PEACE CORPS GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions § 312... form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a grant in an entitlement program... instead of money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest subsidies. (5) Insurance. (6) Direct...

Taxes and Subsidies for Improving Diet and Population Health in Australia: A Cost-Effectiveness Modelling Study

PubMed Central

Veerman, Lennert

2017-01-01

Background An increasing number of countries are implementing taxes on unhealthy foods and drinks to address the growing burden of dietary-related disease, but the cost-effectiveness of combining taxes on unhealthy foods and subsidies on healthy foods is not well understood. Methods and Findings Using a population model of dietary-related diseases and health care costs and food price elasticities, we simulated the effect of taxes on saturated fat, salt, sugar, and sugar-sweetened beverages and a subsidy on fruits and vegetables, over the lifetime of the Australian population. The sizes of the taxes and subsidy were set such that, when combined as a package, there would be a negligible effect on average weekly expenditure on food (<1% change). We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the interventions individually, then determined the optimal combination based on maximising net monetary benefit at a threshold of AU$50,000 per disability-adjusted life year (DALY). The simulations suggested that the combination of taxes and subsidy might avert as many as 470,000 DALYs (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 420,000 to 510,000) in the Australian population of 22 million, with a net cost-saving of AU$3.4 billion (95% UI: AU$2.4 billion to AU$4.6 billion; US$2.3 billion) to the health sector. Of the taxes evaluated, the sugar tax produced the biggest estimates of health gain (270,000 [95% UI: 250,000 to 290,000] DALYs averted), followed by the salt tax (130,000 [95% UI: 120,000 to 140,000] DALYs), the saturated fat tax (97,000 [95% UI: 77,000 to 120,000] DALYs), and the sugar-sweetened beverage tax (12,000 [95% UI: 2,100 to 21,000] DALYs). The fruit and vegetable subsidy (−13,000 [95% UI: −44,000 to 18,000] DALYs) was a cost-effective addition to the package of taxes. However, it did not necessarily lead to a net health benefit for the population when modelled as an intervention on its own, because of the possible adverse cross-price elasticity effects on consumption of other foods (e.g., foods high in saturated fat and salt). The study suggests that taxes and subsidies on foods and beverages can potentially be combined to achieve substantial improvements in population health and cost-savings to the health sector. However, the magnitude of health benefits is sensitive to measures of price elasticity, and further work is needed to incorporate potential benefits or harms associated with changes in other foods and nutrients that are not currently modelled, such as red and processed meats and fibre. Conclusions With potentially large health benefits for the Australian population and large benefits in reducing health sector spending on the treatment of non-communicable diseases, the formulation of a tax and subsidy package should be given a more prominent role in Australia’s public health nutrition strategy. PMID:28196089

Taxes and Subsidies for Improving Diet and Population Health in Australia: A Cost-Effectiveness Modelling Study.

PubMed

Cobiac, Linda J; Tam, King; Veerman, Lennert; Blakely, Tony

2017-02-01

An increasing number of countries are implementing taxes on unhealthy foods and drinks to address the growing burden of dietary-related disease, but the cost-effectiveness of combining taxes on unhealthy foods and subsidies on healthy foods is not well understood. Using a population model of dietary-related diseases and health care costs and food price elasticities, we simulated the effect of taxes on saturated fat, salt, sugar, and sugar-sweetened beverages and a subsidy on fruits and vegetables, over the lifetime of the Australian population. The sizes of the taxes and subsidy were set such that, when combined as a package, there would be a negligible effect on average weekly expenditure on food (<1% change). We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the interventions individually, then determined the optimal combination based on maximising net monetary benefit at a threshold of AU$50,000 per disability-adjusted life year (DALY). The simulations suggested that the combination of taxes and subsidy might avert as many as 470,000 DALYs (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 420,000 to 510,000) in the Australian population of 22 million, with a net cost-saving of AU$3.4 billion (95% UI: AU$2.4 billion to AU$4.6 billion; US$2.3 billion) to the health sector. Of the taxes evaluated, the sugar tax produced the biggest estimates of health gain (270,000 [95% UI: 250,000 to 290,000] DALYs averted), followed by the salt tax (130,000 [95% UI: 120,000 to 140,000] DALYs), the saturated fat tax (97,000 [95% UI: 77,000 to 120,000] DALYs), and the sugar-sweetened beverage tax (12,000 [95% UI: 2,100 to 21,000] DALYs). The fruit and vegetable subsidy (-13,000 [95% UI: -44,000 to 18,000] DALYs) was a cost-effective addition to the package of taxes. However, it did not necessarily lead to a net health benefit for the population when modelled as an intervention on its own, because of the possible adverse cross-price elasticity effects on consumption of other foods (e.g., foods high in saturated fat and salt). The study suggests that taxes and subsidies on foods and beverages can potentially be combined to achieve substantial improvements in population health and cost-savings to the health sector. However, the magnitude of health benefits is sensitive to measures of price elasticity, and further work is needed to incorporate potential benefits or harms associated with changes in other foods and nutrients that are not currently modelled, such as red and processed meats and fibre. With potentially large health benefits for the Australian population and large benefits in reducing health sector spending on the treatment of non-communicable diseases, the formulation of a tax and subsidy package should be given a more prominent role in Australia's public health nutrition strategy.

The Effects of Subsidies and Mandates : A Dynamic Model of the Ethanol Industry

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-11-01

This paper analyzes the effects of government subsidies and the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) on the U.S. ethanol industry. We first develop a stylized theory model of subsidies in which we examine which types of subsidies are more cost-effective for...

International policies toward parental leave and child care.

PubMed

Waldfogel, J

2001-01-01

The pleasures and pressures of parenting a newborn are universal, but the supports surrounding parents vary widely from country to country. In many nations, decades of attention to benefits and services for new parents offer lessons worthy of attention in this country. This article describes policies regarding parental leave, child care, and early childhood benefits here and in 10 industrial nations in North America and Europe. The sharpest contrast separates the United States from the other countries, although differences among the others also are instructive: The right to parental leave is new to American workers; it covers one-half of the private-sector workforce and is relatively short and unpaid. By contrast, other nations offer universal, paid leaves of 10 months or more. Child care assistance in Europe is usually provided through publicly funded programs, whereas the United States relies more on subsidies and tax credits to reimburse parents for part of their child care expenses. Nations vary in the emphasis they place on parental leave versus child care supports for families with children under age three. Each approach creates incentives that influence parents' decisions about employment and child care. Several European nations, seeking flexible solutions for parents, are testing "early childhood benefits" that can be used to supplement income or pay for private child care. Based on this review, the author urges that the United States adopt universal, paid parental leave of at least 10 months; help parents cover more child care costs; and improve the quality of child care. She finds policy packages that support different parental choices promising, because the right mix of leave and care will vary from family to family, and child to child.

Forecasting the Value of Podiatric Medical Care in Newly Insured Diabetic Patients During Implementation of the Affordable Care Act in California.

PubMed

Labovitz, Jonathan M; Kominski, Gerald F

2016-05-01

Because value-based care is critical to the Affordable Care Act success, we forecasted inpatient costs and the potential impact of podiatric medical care on savings in the diabetic population through improved care quality and decreased resource use during implementation of the health reform initiatives in California. We forecasted enrollment of diabetic adults into Medicaid and subsidized health benefit exchange programs using the California Simulation of Insurance Markets (CalSIM) base model. Amputations and admissions per 1,000 diabetic patients and inpatient costs were based on the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development 2009-2011 inpatient discharge files. We evaluated cost in three categories: uncomplicated admissions, amputations during admissions, and discharges to a skilled nursing facility. Total costs and projected savings were calculated by applying the metrics and cost to the projected enrollment. Diabetic patients accounted for 6.6% of those newly eligible for Medicaid or health benefit exchange subsidies, with a 60.8% take-up rate. We project costs to be $24.2 million in the diabetic take-up population from 2014 to 2019. Inpatient costs were 94.3% higher when amputations occurred during the admission and 46.7% higher when discharged to a skilled nursing facility. Meanwhile, 61.0% of costs were attributed to uncomplicated admissions. Podiatric medical services saved 4.1% with a 10% reduction in admissions and amputations and an additional 1% for every 10% improvement in access to podiatric medical care. When implementing the Affordable Care Act, inclusion of podiatric medical services on multidisciplinary teams and in chronic-care models featuring prevention helps shift care to ambulatory settings to realize the greatest cost savings.

Analysing oil-production subsidies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steenblik, Ronald

2017-11-01

Understanding how subsidies affect fossil-fuel investment returns and production is crucial to commencing new reforms. New analysis on the impact of subsidies on US crude-oil producers finds that, at recent oil prices of around US50 per barrel, tax preferences and other subsidies push nearly half of new oil investments into profitability.

Are Public Subsidies to Higher Education Regressive?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, William R.

2006-01-01

This article estimates the dollar amount of public higher education subsidies received by U.S. youth and examines the distribution of subsidies and the taxes that finance them across parental and student income levels. Although youths from high-income families obtain more benefit from higher education subsidies, high-income households pay…

42 CFR 423.904 - Eligibility determinations for low-income subsidies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Eligibility determinations for low-income subsidies... Eligibility determinations for low-income subsidies. (a) General rule. The State agency must make eligibility determinations and redeterminations for low-income premium and cost-sharing subsidies in accordance with subpart...

Canadian federalism and the Canadian health care program: a comparison of Ontario and Quebec.

PubMed

Palley, H A

1987-01-01

The Quebec and Ontario health insurance and health service delivery systems, developed within the parameters of federal regulations and national financial subsidies, provide generally universal and comprehensive basic hospital and medical benefits and increasingly provide for the delivery of long-term care services. Within a framework of cooperative federalism, the health care systems of Ontario and Quebec have developed uniquely. In terms of vital statistics, the health of Ontario and Quebec residents generally is comparable. In viewing expenditures, Quebec has a more clearly articulated plan for providing accessible services to low-income persons and for integrating health and social services, although it has faced some difficulties in seeking to achieve the latter goal. Its plans for decentralized services are counter-balanced by a strong provincial role in health policy decision-making. Quebec's political culture also allows the province to play a stronger role in hospital planning and in the regulation of physician income than one finds in Ontario. These political dynamics allow Quebec an advantage in control of costs. In Ontario, in spite of some recent setbacks, physician interests and hospital sector interests play a more active role in health system bargaining and are usually able to influence remuneration and resource allocation decisions more than physician interests and hospital sector interests in Quebec.

Evaluation of an integrated housing and recovery model for people with severe and persistent mental illnesses: the Doorway program.

PubMed

Dunt, David R; Benoy, Andrew W; Phillipou, Andrea; Collister, Laura L; Crowther, Elizabeth M; Freidin, Julian; Castle, David J

2017-10-01

Objective The Doorway program is a 3-year pilot integrated housing and recovery support program aimed at people with a severe and persistent mental illness who are 'at risk' or actually homeless. Participants source and choose properties through the open rental market, with appropriate rental subsidy and brokerage support. This arrangement is highly innovative, differing from widely favoured arrangements internationally involving congregate and scattered-site housing owned or managed by the support program. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of the Doorway program on participants' health, housing, service utilisation and costs. Methods A pre-post study design was used with outcome measures consisting of a number of question inventories and their costs (where relevant). The principal inventories were the Behaviour and Symptom Identification Scale 32 (BASIS-32), a consumer-oriented, self-report measure of behavioural symptoms and distress, the Health of the Nation Outcome Scale (HoNOS), an interviewer-administered measurement tool designed to assess general health and social functioning of mentally ill people and the Outcomes Star (Homelessness) system which measures various aspects of the homelessness experience. Baseline measurements were performed routinely by staff at entry to the program and then at 6-monthly intervals across the evaluation period. Results For 55 of 59 participants, total mean BASIS-32 scores (including as well three of five subscale scores) improved significantly and with moderate effect size. Four of the 10 domain scores on the Outcome Star (Homelessness) inventory also improved significantly, with effect sizes ranging from small-medium (three domains) to large (one domain). Mean usage of bed-based mental health clinical services and general hospital admissions both significantly decreased (with overall net savings of A$3096 per participant per annum). Overall cost savings (including housing) to government ranged from A$1149 to A$19837 depending on the housing type comparator. Conclusion The Doorway program secured housing for this vulnerable group with additional benefits in client outcomes, including reduced use and cost of health services. These findings, if confirmed in larger studies, should have widespread applicability internationally. What is known about the topic? Beneficial effects of housing and recovery programs (Housing First) on people with severe and persistent mental illness and who are 'at risk', or actually homeless, are being demonstrated in Northern America. These effects include housing security, well being, health service utilisation and cost effects on government. However, these beneficial effects can only be regarded as settled for housing security. The highly innovative Doorway care model in which participants source and choose properties through the open rental market, with appropriate rental subsidy and brokerage support, has not been investigated previously. What does this paper add? This paper adds new data on the Doorway care models, it's effects and costs, particularly with regard to participant behavioural distress and social functioning. What are the implications for practitioners? The beneficial effects of this innovative model, if confirmed in larger studies, should have widespread applicability internationally.

Implementing accountability for reasonableness--the case of pharmaceutical reimbursement in Sweden.

PubMed

Jansson, Sandra

2007-04-01

This paper aims to describe the priority-setting procedure for new original pharmaceuticals practiced by the Swedish Pharmaceutical Benefits Board (LFN), to analyse the outcome of the procedure in terms of decisions and the relative importance of ethical principles, and to examine the reactions of stakeholders. All the 'principally important' decisions made by the LFN during its first 33 months of operation were analysed. The study is theoretically anchored in the theory of fair and legitimate priority-setting procedures by Daniels and Sabin, and is based on public documents, media articles, and semi-structured interviews. Only nine cases resulted in a rejection of a subsidy by the LFN and 15 in a limited or conditional subsidy. Total rejections rather than limitations gave rise to actions by stakeholders. Primarily, the principle of cost-effectiveness was used when limiting/conditioning or totally rejecting a subsidy. This study suggests that implementing a priority-setting process that fulfils the conditions of accountability for reasonableness can result in a priority-setting process which is generally perceived as fair and legitimate by the major stakeholders and may increase social learning in terms of accepting the necessity of priority setting in health care. The principle of cost-effectiveness increased in importance when the demand for openness and transparency increased.

Cost-volume-profit analysis and expected benefit of health services: a study of cardiac catheterization services.

PubMed

Younis, Mustafa Z; Jabr, Samer; Smith, Pamela C; Al-Hajeri, Maha; Hartmann, Michael

2011-01-01

Academic research investigating health care costs in the Palestinian region is limited. Therefore, this study examines the costs of the cardiac catheterization unit of one of the largest hospitals in Palestine. We focus on costs of a cardiac catheterization unit and the increasing number of deaths over the past decade in the region due to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). We employ cost-volume-profit (CVP) analysis to determine the unit's break-even point (BEP), and investigate expected benefits (EBs) of Palestinian government subsidies to the unit. Findings indicate variable costs represent 56 percent of the hospital's total costs. Based on the three functions of the cardiac catheterization unit, results also indicate that the number of patients receiving services exceed the break-even point in each function, despite the unit receiving a government subsidy. Our findings, although based on one hospital, will permit hospital management to realize the importance of unit costs in order to make informed financial decisions. The use of break-even analysis will allow area managers to plan minimum production capacity for the organization. The economic benefits for patients and the government from the unit may encourage government officials to focus efforts on increasing future subsidies to the hospital.

24 CFR 135.11 - Other laws governing training, employment, and contracting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... preference in the evaluation of bids or proposals. (2) Flexible Subsidy Program. Multifamily project... practices it selects provide preference to section 3 business concerns. (b) Procurement standards for other... statute that expressly encourages a geographic preference in the evaluation of bids or proposals. (c...

42 CFR 423.771 - Basis and scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Basis and scope. 423.771 Section 423.771 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Premiums and Cost-Sharing Subsidies for Low...

42 CFR 423.772 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... PROGRAM VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Premiums and Cost-Sharing Subsidies for Low-Income... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Definitions. 423.772 Section 423.772 Public Health... revision required by that section. Full-benefit dual eligible individual means an individual who, for any...

24 CFR 990.225 - Transition determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... DEVELOPMENT THE PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND PROGRAM Transition Policy and Transition Funding § 990.225 Transition determination. The determination of the amount and period of the transition funding shall be based... effect prior to implementation of the formula set forth in this part. The difference in subsidy levels...

24 CFR 990.225 - Transition determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... DEVELOPMENT THE PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND PROGRAM Transition Policy and Transition Funding § 990.225 Transition determination. The determination of the amount and period of the transition funding shall be based... effect prior to implementation of the formula set forth in this part. The difference in subsidy levels...

24 CFR 990.225 - Transition determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... DEVELOPMENT THE PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND PROGRAM Transition Policy and Transition Funding § 990.225 Transition determination. The determination of the amount and period of the transition funding shall be based... effect prior to implementation of the formula set forth in this part. The difference in subsidy levels...

41 CFR 105-74.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...-GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions § 105-74.605 Award. Award... form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a grant in an entitlement program... money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest subsidies. (5) Insurance. (6) Direct appropriations...

41 CFR 105-74.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...-GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions § 105-74.605 Award. Award... form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a grant in an entitlement program... money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest subsidies. (5) Insurance. (6) Direct appropriations...

41 CFR 105-74.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...-GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions § 105-74.605 Award. Award... form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a grant in an entitlement program... money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest subsidies. (5) Insurance. (6) Direct appropriations...

41 CFR 105-74.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...-GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions § 105-74.605 Award. Award... form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a grant in an entitlement program... money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest subsidies. (5) Insurance. (6) Direct appropriations...

41 CFR 105-74.605 - Award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...-GOVERNMENTWIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE (FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE) Definitions § 105-74.605 Award. Award... form of money or property in lieu of money. (2) A block grant or a grant in an entitlement program... money. (2) Loans. (3) Loan guarantees. (4) Interest subsidies. (5) Insurance. (6) Direct appropriations...

Bioeconomic analysis of child-targeted subsidies for artemisinin combination therapies: a cost-effectiveness analysis

PubMed Central

Klein, Eili Y.; Smith, David L.; Cohen, Justin M.; Laxminarayan, Ramanan

2015-01-01

The Affordable Medicines Facility for malaria (AMFm) was conceived as a global market-based mechanism to increase access to effective malaria treatment and prolong effectiveness of artemisinin. Although results from a pilot implementation suggested that the subsidy was effective in increasing access to high-quality artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs), the Global Fund has converted AMFm into a country-driven mechanism whereby individual countries could choose to fund the subsidy from within their country envelopes. Because the initial costs of the subsidy in the pilot countries was higher than expected, countries are also exploring alternatives to a universal subsidy, such as subsidizing only child doses. We examined the incremental cost-effectiveness of a child-targeted policy using an age-structured bioeconomic model of malaria from the provider perspective. Because the vast majority of malaria deaths occur in children, targeting children could potentially improve the cost-effectiveness of the subsidy, though it would avert significantly fewer deaths. However, the benefits of a child-targeted subsidy (i.e. deaths averted) are eroded as leakage (i.e. older individuals taking young child-targeted doses) increases, with few of the benefits of a universal subsidy gained (i.e. reductions in overall prevalence). Although potentially more cost-effective, a child-targeted subsidy must contain measures to reduce the possibility of leakage. PMID:25994293

Green roof adoption in atlanta, georgia: the effects of building characteristics and subsidies on net private, public, and social benefits.

PubMed

Mullen, Jeffrey D; Lamsal, Madhur; Colson, Greg

2013-10-01

This research draws on and expands previous studies that have quantified the costs and benefits associated with conventional roofs versus green roofs. Using parameters from those studies to define alternative scenarios, we estimate from a private, public, and social perspective the costs and benefits of installing and maintaining an extensive green roof in Atlanta, GA. Results indicate net private benefits are a decreasing function of roof size and vary considerably across scenarios. In contrast, net public benefits are highly stable across scenarios, ranging from $32.49 to $32.90 m(-2). In addition, we evaluate two alternative subsidy regimes: (i) a general subsidy provided to every building that adopts a green roof and (ii) a targeted subsidy provided only to buildings for which net private benefits are negative but net public benefits are positive. In 6 of the 12 general subsidy scenarios the optimal public policy is not to offer a subsidy; in 5 scenarios the optimal subsidy rate is between $20 and $27 m(-2); and in 1 scenario the optimal rate is $5 m(-2). The optimal rate with a targeted subsidy is between $20 and $27 m(-2) in 11 scenarios and no subsidy is optimal in the twelfth. In most scenarios, a significant portion of net public benefits are generated by buildings for which net private benefits are positive. This suggests a policy focused on information dissemination and technical assistance may be more cost-effective than direct subsidy payments.

Quantity and quality: unifying food web and ecosystem perspectives on the role of resource subsidies in freshwaters.

PubMed

Marcarelli, Amy M; Baxter, Colden V; Mineau, Madeleine M; Hall, Robert O

2011-06-01

Although the study of resource subsidies has emerged as a key topic in both ecosystem and food web ecology, the dialogue over their role has been limited by separate approaches that emphasize either subsidy quantity or quality. Considering quantity and quality together may provide a simple, but previously unexplored, framework for identifying the mechanisms that govern the importance of subsidies for recipient food webs and ecosystems. Using a literature review of > 90 studies of open-water metabolism in lakes and streams, we show that high-flux, low-quality subsidies can drive freshwater ecosystem dynamics. Because most of these ecosystems are net heterotrophic, allochthonous inputs must subsidize respiration. Second, using a literature review of subsidy quality and use, we demonstrate that animals select for high-quality food resources in proportions greater than would be predicted based on food quantity, and regardless of allochthonous or autochthonous origin. This finding suggests that low-flux, high-quality subsidies may be selected for by animals, and in turn may disproportionately affect food web and ecosystem processes (e.g., animal production, trophic energy or organic matter flow, trophic cascades). We then synthesize and review approaches that evaluate the role of subsidies and explicitly merge ecosystem and food web perspectives by placing food web measurements in the context of ecosystem budgets, by comparing trophic and ecosystem production and fluxes, and by constructing flow food webs. These tools can and should be used to address future questions about subsidies, such as the relative importance of subsidies to different trophic levels and how subsidies may maintain or disrupt ecosystem stability and food web interactions.

Do stage-specific functional responses of consumers dampen the effects of subsidies on trophic cascades in streams?

PubMed

Sato, Takuya; Watanabe, Katsutoshi

2014-07-01

Resource subsidies often weaken trophic cascades in recipient communities via consumers' functional response to the subsidies. Consumer populations are commonly stage-structured and may respond to the subsidies differently among the stages yet less is known about how this might impact the subsidy effects on the strength of trophic cascades in recipient systems. We show here, using a large-scale field experiment, that the stage structure of a recipient consumer would dampen the effects of terrestrial invertebrate subsidies on the strength of trophic cascade in streams. When a high input rate of the terrestrial invertebrates was available, both large and small fish stages switched their diet to the terrestrial subsidy, which weakened the trophic cascade in streams. However, when the input rate of the terrestrial invertebrates was at a moderate level, the terrestrial subsidy did not weaken the trophic cascade. This discrepancy was likely due to small fish stages being competitively excluded from feeding on the subsidy by larger stages of fish and primarily foraging on benthic invertebrates under the moderate input level. Although previous studies using single fish stages have clearly demonstrated that the terrestrial invertebrate input equivalent to our moderate input rate weakened the trophic cascade in streams, this subsidy effect might be overestimated given small fish stage may not switch their diet to the subsidy under competition with large fish stage. Given the ubiquity of consumer stage structure and interaction among consumer stages, the effects we saw might be widespread in nature, requiring future studies that explicitly involve consumer's stage structure into community ecology. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2013 British Ecological Society.

Fortifying baladi bread in Egypt: reaching more than 50 million people through the subsidy program.

PubMed

Elhakim, Nadine; Laillou, Arnaud; El Nakeeb, Anwar; Yacoub, Rukia; Shehata, Magdy

2012-12-01

Micronutrient deficiencies, especially iron-deficiency anemia, are a public health problem in Egypt, where anemia rates almost doubled in the years from 2000 to 2005. In 2008, the Government of Egypt began implementation of a 5-year national program to fortify with iron and folic acid the wheat flour used in baking subsidized baladi bread, the staple food consumed by a majority of low- income groups. To project the achievements of this national Wheat Flour Fortification Program. This paper describes the program, estimates the production of fortified flour and consumption of fortified bread, and identifies program challenges and sustainability issues. Through the national Wheat Flour Fortification Program, ferrous sulfate and folic acid are now added to all wheat flour produced under the national Food Subsidy Program. Up to 50 million Egyptians nationwide are now consuming quality-assured fortified baladi bread on a daily basis. In 2011, 6.5 million MT of fortified wheat flour was produced by 143 participating public- and private-sector mills. Political changes in Egypt in 2011 did not seem to affect the program; the new leadership in the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade remains committed to fortification of wheat flour. The daily intake of approximately 12 mg of iron and 600 microg of folic acid through the consumption of baladi bread suggests that the impact of the program on the prevention and reduction of iron and folate deficiencies among the Egyptian population could be significant; the results of an end-line survey are pending.

Residential energy conservation measures: a penny saved is a penny earned

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finklea, E.A.; Treiber, M.P.

The authors are not suggesting that conservation alone will end our dependence on foreign oil. The focus is on basic household energy-conservation measures because they are technically simple, inexpensive, and available compared to more advanced energy-efficiency technologies (e.g., architectural designs and passive solar devices), or to alternative production technologies (e.g., photovoltaics and synthetic fuels). The social, institutional, and economic obstacles to implementing these basic measures are analyzed, and suggestions offered for overcoming these obstacles. During the Carter Administration, Congress enacted four laws to encourage the installation of household energy conservation measures. The laws provide: (1) tax credits for energy conservationmore » expenditures; (2) conservation investment subsidies for low income homeowners; and require: (3) natural gas and electric utilities to implement residential energy conservation programs for their customers; and (4) the federal government to provide loan subsidies for household energy-conservation investments through a conservation bank. The potential effectiveness of these federal programs are analyzed. President Reagan's advisers have indicated that the new administration will place greater emphasis on energy production and less emphasis on conservation. Consequently, the effectiveness of these programs may depend on the priority given them by the Reagan administration.« less

Choosing the 'best' plan in a health insurance exchange: actuarial value tells only part of the story.

PubMed

Lore, Ryan; Gabel, Jon R; McDevitt, Roland; Slover, Michael

2012-08-01

In the health insurance exchanges that will come online in 2014, consumers will be able to compare health plans with respect to actuarial value, or the percentage of health care costs that a plan would pay for a standard population. This analysis illustrates the out-of-pocket costs that might result from plans with various plan designs and actuarial values. We find that average out-of-pocket expense declines as actuarial values rise, but two plans with similar actuarial values can produce very different outcomes for a given person. The overall affordability of a plan also will be influenced by age rating, income-related premium subsidies, and out-of-pocket subsidies. Actuarial value is a useful starting point for selecting a plan, but it does not pinpoint which plan will produce the best overall value for a particular person.

Federal Financial Interventions and Subsidies in Energy Markets 1999: Primary Energy

EIA Publications

1999-01-01

The analysis in this report was undertaken at the request of the Office of Policy, U.S. Department of Energy. In its request, the Office of Policy asked the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to update the 1992 EIA report on Federal energy subsidies, including any additions or deletions of Federal subsidies based on Administration and Congressional action since the 1992 report was written, and to provide an estimate of the size of each current subsidy. Subsidies to be included are those through which a government or public body provides a financial benefit.

Federal Financial Interventions and Subsidies in Energy Markets 1999: Energy Transformation and End Use

EIA Publications

2008-01-01

This is the second report prepared in response to a two-part request from the Office of Policy, U.S. Department of Energy, to provide an estimate of U.S. Federal energy subsidies. In its request, the Office of Policy asked the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to update a 1992 EIA report on Federal energy subsidies, including any additions or deletions of Federal subsidies based on Administration and Congressional action since the 1992 report was written, and to provide an estimate of the size of each current subsidy.

Using Private Demand Studies to Calculate Socially Optimal Vaccine Subsidies in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Joseph; Jeuland, Marc; Maskery, Brian; Lauria, Donald; Dipika, Sur; Clemens, John; Whittington, Dale

2009-01-01

Although it is well known that vaccines against many infectious diseases confer positive economic externalities via indirect protection, analysts have typically ignored possible herd protection effects in policy analyses of vaccination programs. Despite a growing literature on the economic theory of vaccine externalities and several innovative…

76 FR 64313 - Multilayered Wood Flooring From the People's Republic of China: Final Affirmative Countervailing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-18

... Countervailing Duty Operations, from Susan H. Kuhbach, Office Director AD/CVD Operations, Office 1... provision of electricity for less than adequate remuneration, and 2) the countervailable subsidy rates for... Other Programs Comment 4 Provision of Electricity for Less Than Adequate Remuneration Comment 5...

24 CFR 990.230 - PHAs that will experience a subsidy reduction.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... URBAN DEVELOPMENT THE PUBLIC HOUSING OPERATING FUND PROGRAM Transition Policy and Transition Funding... percent of the difference between the two funding levels in the first year of implementation of the formula contained in this part; (2) 24 percent of the difference between the two funding levels in the...

49 CFR 260.15 - Credit risk premium.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Credit risk premium. 260.15 Section 260.15... REHABILITATION AND IMPROVEMENT FINANCING PROGRAM Overview § 260.15 Credit risk premium. (a) Where available... pay to the Administrator a Credit Risk Premium adequate to cover that portion of the subsidy cost not...

Improving Outcomes from Your Planning Process during Turbulent Times

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahn, Jay V.

2011-01-01

The retreat of state funding for higher education and other factors has increased competition and program duplication among campuses. Subsidies of in-state student tuition has shrunk; the perception of public good investments has transformed into students paying their educational costs, for what is considered private good, by borrowing against…

An Overview of the Results on Consumption, Health, and Social Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baumol, William J.

1974-01-01

The consumption effects, health, social activities, and family size of families eligible for or receiving subsidies such as negative income tax (Graduated Work Incentive Experiment-New Jersey, Pennsylvania) did not change significantly; however, the support program apparently produced an improvement in housing standards and an increase in home…

7 CFR 762.150 - Interest assistance program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... assistance the lender's cash flow budget for the guaranteed applicant must reflect the need for interest assistance and the ability to cash flow with the subsidy. Interest assistance is available only on new... significant changes in the borrower's cash flow budget are anticipated after the initial 12 months, then the...

7 CFR 762.150 - Interest assistance program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... assistance the lender's cash flow budget for the guaranteed applicant must reflect the need for interest assistance and the ability to cash flow with the subsidy. Interest assistance is available only on new... significant changes in the borrower's cash flow budget are anticipated after the initial 12 months, then the...

7 CFR 762.150 - Interest assistance program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... assistance the lender's cash flow budget for the guaranteed applicant must reflect the need for interest assistance and the ability to cash flow with the subsidy. Interest assistance is available only on new... significant changes in the borrower's cash flow budget are anticipated after the initial 12 months, then the...

7 CFR 762.150 - Interest assistance program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... assistance the lender's cash flow budget for the guaranteed applicant must reflect the need for interest assistance and the ability to cash flow with the subsidy. Interest assistance is available only on new... significant changes in the borrower's cash flow budget are anticipated after the initial 12 months, then the...

12 CFR 1291.9 - Agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 9 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Agreements. 1291.9 Section 1291.9 Banks and... HOUSING PROGRAM § 1291.9 Agreements. (a) Agreements between Banks and members. A Bank shall have in place with each member receiving an AHP subsidized advance or AHP direct subsidy an agreement or agreements...

12 CFR 1291.9 - Agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 10 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Agreements. 1291.9 Section 1291.9 Banks and... HOUSING PROGRAM § 1291.9 Agreements. (a) Agreements between Banks and members. A Bank shall have in place with each member receiving an AHP subsidized advance or AHP direct subsidy an agreement or agreements...

12 CFR 1291.9 - Agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Agreements. 1291.9 Section 1291.9 Banks and... HOUSING PROGRAM § 1291.9 Agreements. (a) Agreements between Banks and members. A Bank shall have in place with each member receiving an AHP subsidized advance or AHP direct subsidy an agreement or agreements...

12 CFR 1291.9 - Agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Agreements. 1291.9 Section 1291.9 Banks and... HOUSING PROGRAM § 1291.9 Agreements. (a) Agreements between Banks and members. A Bank shall have in place with each member receiving an AHP subsidized advance or AHP direct subsidy an agreement or agreements...

12 CFR 1291.9 - Agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 9 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Agreements. 1291.9 Section 1291.9 Banks and... HOUSING PROGRAM § 1291.9 Agreements. (a) Agreements between Banks and members. A Bank shall have in place with each member receiving an AHP subsidized advance or AHP direct subsidy an agreement or agreements...

The Farm Crisis: Who's in Trouble, How to Respond. National Issues Forum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society, 1987

1987-01-01

Provides a synopsis of information about the current crises in American agriculture. Addresses national farm policy, political activities, surplus crops, subsidy programs, the loss of smaller family-operated farms, and farm markets. Includes an opinion instrument that invites the reader to respond to the issues. (TW)

Decentralized University Budgeting, United with a More Flexible Tuition Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fethke, Gary

2014-01-01

With tuition revenues replacing state appropriations as the primary source of public university funding, it becomes difficult for universities to use historically based budget allocations and inflexible tuition structures to subsidize high-cost programs. It is argued here that combining targeted subsidies with a flexible tuition structure and…

Measuring the costs and benefits of conservation programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Einhorn, M.A.

1985-07-25

A step-by-step analysis of the effects of utility-sponsored conservation promoting programs begins by identifying several factors which will reduce a program's effectiveness. The framework for measuring cost savings and designing a conservation program needs to consider the size of appliance subsidies, what form incentives should take, and how will customer behavior change as a result of incentives. Continual reevaluation is necessary to determine whether to change the size of rebates or whether to continue the program. Analytical tools for making these determinations are improving as conceptual breakthroughs in econometrics permit more rigorous analysis. 5 figures.

Essays on Environmental Policy in Energy Markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boomhower, Judson Paul

Producing and consuming energy involves costly environmental externalities, which are addressed through a wide range of public policy interventions. This dissertation examines three economic questions that are important to environmental regulation in energy. The first chapter measures the effect of bankruptcy protection on industry structure and environmental outcomes in oil and gas extraction. The second chapter measures additionality in an appliance replacement rebate program. Finally, the third chapter focuses on the environmental impacts of subsidizing electricity production from forest-derived biomass fuels. The first chapter measures the incentive effect of limited liability. When liability is limited by bankruptcy, theory says that firms will take excessive environmental and public health risks. In the long run, this "judgment-proof problem'' may increase the share of small producers, even when there are economies of scale. I use quasi-experimental variation in liability exposure to measure the effects of bankruptcy protection on industry structure and environmental outcomes in oil and gas extraction. Using firm-level data on the universe of Texas oil and gas producers, I examine the introduction of an insurance mandate that reduced firms' ability to avoid liability through bankruptcy. The policy was introduced via a quasi-randomized rollout, which allows me to cleanly identify its effects on industry structure. The insurance requirement pushed about 6% of producers out of the market immediately. The exiting firms were primarily small and were more likely to have poor environmental records. Among firms that remained in business, the bond requirement reduced oil production among the smallest 80% of firms by about 4% on average, which is consistent with increased internalization of environmental costs. Production by the largest 20% of firms, which account for the majority of total production, was unaffected. Finally, environmental outcomes, including those related to groundwater contamination, also improved sharply. These results suggest that incomplete internalization of environmental and safety costs due to bankruptcy protection is an important determinant of industry structure and safety effort in hazardous industries, with significant welfare consequences. The second chapter focuses on the importance of a regulator's inability to distinguish between households responding to a subsidy, and households doing what they would also have done in the absence of policy. Economists have long argued that many recipients of energy-efficiency subsidies may be "non-additional,'' getting paid to do what they would have done anyway. Demonstrating this empirically has been difficult, however, because of endogeneity concerns and other challenges. In this paper we use a regression discontinuity analysis to examine participation in a large-scale residential energy-efficiency program. Comparing behavior just on either side of several eligibility thresholds, we find that program participation increases with larger subsidy amounts, but that most households would have participated even with much lower subsidy amounts. The large fraction of inframarginal participants means that the larger subsidy amounts are almost certainly not cost-effective. Moreover, the results imply that about half of all participants would have adopted the energy-efficient technology even with no subsidy whatsoever. Finally, the third chapter addresses consequences of renewable energy subsidies in other markets. Electricity generated from logging residues provides a large and growing share of US renewable electricity generation. Much of the low-value wood used by biomass power plants might otherwise be left in the field. This increased harvest can negatively affect forest health. I investigate the supply of woody biomass fuel in Maine using a 15-year panel of prices and quantities for whole tree wood chips. I find that doubling the price of woody biomass increases harvest by about 64%. I also find that coal prices are a major determinant of woody biomass harvest. This suggests that environmental policies that raise the price of coal will affect forest health.

78 FR 52504 - Quarterly Update to Annual Listing of Foreign Government Subsidies on Articles of Cheese Subject...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-23

... Foreign Government Subsidies on Articles of Cheese Subject to an In-Quota Rate of Duty AGENCY: Import... subsidy with respect to any article of cheese subject to an in-quota rate of duty, as defined in section... hereby provide the Department's quarterly update of subsidies on articles of cheese that were imported...

78 FR 40102 - Quarterly Update to Annual Listing of Foreign Government Subsidies on Articles of Cheese Subject...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-03

... Foreign Government Subsidies on Articles of Cheese Subject to an In-Quota Rate of Duty AGENCY: Import... subsidy with respect to any article of cheese subject to an in-quota rate of duty, as defined in section... hereby provide the Department's quarterly update of subsidies on articles of cheese that were imported...

76 FR 31384 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-31

... participate for that calendar month. The Exchange pays a per- contract MAP Subsidy to any Exchange member... Provider Subsidy is a per contract fee payable by the Exchange to Eligible Market Access Providers \\3\\ for... currently pays a monthly subsidy of $0.10 (the ``Subsidy Rate'') to Eligible MAPs for each Eligible Contract...

The Effect of Pharmaceutical Patent Term Length on Research and Development and Drug Expenditures in Canada

PubMed Central

Grootendorst, Paul; Matteo, Livio Di

2007-01-01

While pharmaceutical patent terms have increased in Canada, increases in patented drug spending have been mitigated by price controls and retrenchment of public prescription drug subsidy programs. We estimate the net effects of these offsetting policies on domestic pharmaceutical R&D expenditures and also provide an upper-bound estimate on the effects of these policies on Canadian pharmaceutical spending over the period 1988–2002. We estimate that R&D spending increased by $4.4 billion (1997 dollars). Drug spending increased by $3.9 billion at most and, quite likely, by much less. Cutbacks to public drug subsidies and the introduction of price controls likely mitigated drug spending growth. In cost–benefit terms, we suspect that the patent extension policies have been beneficial to Canada. PMID:19305720

Incentives for solar energy in industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergeron, K. D.

1981-05-01

Several issues are analyzed on the effects that government subsidies and other incentives have on the use of solar energy in industry, as well as on other capital-intensive alternative energy supplies. Discounted cash flow analysis is used to compare tax deductions for fuel expenses with tax credits for capital investments for energy. The result is a simple expression for tax equity. The effects that market penetration of solar energy has on conventional energy prices are analyzed with a free market model. It is shown that net costs of a subsidy program to the society can be significantly reduced by price. Several government loan guarantee concepts are evaluated as incentives that may not require direct outlays of government funds; their relative effectiveness in achieving loan leverage through project financing, and their cost and practicality, are discussed.

Contrasting effects of aquatic subsidies on a terrestrial trophic cascade

PubMed Central

Bucher, Roman; Schäfer, Ralf B.; Entling, Martin H.

2017-01-01

Subsidies from adjacent ecosystems can alter recipient food webs and ecosystem functions, such as herbivory. Emerging aquatic insects from streams can be an important prey in the riparian zone. Such aquatic subsidies can enhance predator abundances or cause predators to switch prey, depending on the herbivores. This can lead to an increase or decrease of in situ herbivores and herbivory. We examined the effects of aquatic subsidies on a simplified terrestrial food web consisting of two types of herbivores, plants and predators (spiders). In our six-week experiment, we focused on the prey choice of the spiders by excluding predator immigration and reproduction. In accordance with predator switching, survival of leafhoppers increased in the presence of aquatic subsidies. By contrast, the presence of aquatic subsidies indirectly reduced weevils and herbivory. Our study shows that effects of aquatic subsidies on terrestrial predators can propagate through the food web in contrasting ways. Thereby, the outcome of the trophic cascade is determined by the prey choice of predators. PMID:28539461

Contrasting effects of aquatic subsidies on a terrestrial trophic cascade.

PubMed

Graf, Nadin; Bucher, Roman; Schäfer, Ralf B; Entling, Martin H

2017-05-01

Subsidies from adjacent ecosystems can alter recipient food webs and ecosystem functions, such as herbivory. Emerging aquatic insects from streams can be an important prey in the riparian zone. Such aquatic subsidies can enhance predator abundances or cause predators to switch prey, depending on the herbivores. This can lead to an increase or decrease of in situ herbivores and herbivory. We examined the effects of aquatic subsidies on a simplified terrestrial food web consisting of two types of herbivores, plants and predators (spiders). In our six-week experiment, we focused on the prey choice of the spiders by excluding predator immigration and reproduction. In accordance with predator switching, survival of leafhoppers increased in the presence of aquatic subsidies. By contrast, the presence of aquatic subsidies indirectly reduced weevils and herbivory. Our study shows that effects of aquatic subsidies on terrestrial predators can propagate through the food web in contrasting ways. Thereby, the outcome of the trophic cascade is determined by the prey choice of predators. © 2017 The Author(s).

Water and sanitation service delivery, pricing, and the poor: An empirical estimate of subsidy incidence in Nairobi, Kenya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuente, David; Gakii Gatua, Josephine; Ikiara, Moses; Kabubo-Mariara, Jane; Mwaura, Mbutu; Whittington, Dale

2016-06-01

The increasing block tariff (IBT) is among the most widely used tariffs by water utilities, particularly in developing countries. This is due in part to the perception that the IBT can effectively target subsidies to low-income households. Combining data on households' socioeconomic status and metered water use, this paper examines the distributional incidence of subsidies delivered through the IBT in Nairobi, Kenya. Contrary to conventional wisdom, we find that high-income residential and nonresidential customers receive a disproportionate share of subsidies and that subsidy targeting is poor even among households with a private metered connection. We also find that stated expenditure on water, a commonly used means of estimating water use, is a poor proxy for metered use and that previous studies on subsidy incidence underestimate the magnitude of the subsidy delivered through water tariffs. These findings have implications for both the design and evaluation of water tariffs in developing countries.

Achieving a deeper understanding of the implemented provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

PubMed

Zhang, Shuang Qin; Polite, Blase N

2014-01-01

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010. Since that time, numerous regulations have been promulgated, legal battles continue to be fought and the major provisions of the law are being implemented. In the following article, we outline components of the ACA that are relevant to cancer health care, review current implementation of the new health care reform law, and identify challenges that may lie ahead in the post-ACA era. Specifically, among the things we explore are Medicaid expansion, health insurance exchanges, essential health benefits and preventive services, subsidies, access to clinical trials, the Medicare Part D donut hole, and physician quality payment reform.

Reducing the Deficit: Spending and Revenue Options

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

the Conservation Reserve Program 25AgricultureOption 6 Reduce the Premium Subsidy in the Crop Insurance Program 26Option 7 Reduce by 20 Percentage...Graduate Students 31Option 11 Change the Interest Rate Structure for Student Loans 32HealthOption 12 Add a “Public Plan” to the Health Insurance Exchanges...Health Episodes Covered by Medicare 48Option 21 Reduce Medicare Costs by Changing the Cost-Sharing Structures for Medicare and Medigap Insurance 49Option

The reform of energy subsidies for the enhancement of marine sustainability: An empirical analysis of energy subsidies worldwide and an in-depth case study of South Korea's energy subsidy policies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shim, Jae Hyun

This dissertation seeks to raise awareness about harmful effects of fossil fuel and nuclear energy subsidies that have blocked transition from conventional energy to a decarbonized, renewable energy system. Today, humans face daunting challenges in the form of global warming, which results mainly from the burning of fossil fuels. To avoid catastrophe, the transition to a renewable energy regime should be an urgent priority; however, the reality is that the progress of renewable energy is very slow due to the various political and economic factors when compared to conventional energy resources. A chief factor is that the energy subsidy for fossil fuel and nuclear energy obstructs the "level playing field" for renewable energy. Energy subsidies for conventional energy can be understood in the context of the commodification paradigm, which regards nature as an object of conquest and supports the principle of more is better. Although fossil fuel energy damages the environment, economy, and social equity, all countries subsidize such energy, no matter the country's state of development. This holds true as much in the U.S. and the EU as in China, India and South Korea. The oceans, which cover 71% of the earth, are threatened by the activities of conventional energy, which are underpinned by subsidies. These subsidies have contributed to the destruction of the marine ecosystem through increased GHG emissions like CO2 and NOx which cause a sea temperature increase and coral bleaching. Subsidies also significantly affect fishery overexploitation, oil pollution, and thermal pollution. In-depth empirical analysis of South Korea showed how fossil fuel and nuclear energy activities have threatened marine sustainability through thermal pollution, algae bloom (red tides), overexploitation, and oil-related marine pollution. Reforming subsidies of fossil fuel and nuclear energy should be a global priority because of imminent of global warming. As strategies for energy subsidy reforms, first of all, humans need a new energy paradigm to replace the hitherto dominant commodification paradigm. On an international level, creation of an international renewable energy agency and creation of renewable funds will spur on energy subsidy reforms of all nations, especially developing countries. On a national level, government's role should change from growth-oriented economic policy to sustainable development that includes environmentally friendly energy systems. In terms of social welfare, energy subsidies should be transformed to direct income policy, which is more effective for the welfare of the poor. The South Korean government should exchange its current supply-oriented fishery policy, which relies heavily on energy subsidies, to a Marine Reserves policy and direct income policy. For successful energy subsidy reforms, the government, NGOs, and private market should cooperate. Specifically, NGOs' role in monitoring and pushing government's energy subsidy reform is invaluable, considering the limits of modern bureaucracy and the profit-oriented market character. Most environmental problems, including global warming, have a close relation with fossil fuel and nuclear energy use. Historically, these energy systems have become entrenched deeply in society through energy subsidy policy. Energy subsidy reforms are a key to the environmental problem and accelerated transition to renewable energy.

The Early Developmental Competencies and School Readiness of Low-Income, Immigrant Children: Influences of Generation, Race/Ethnicity, and National Origins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Feyter, Jessica Johnson; Winsler, Adam

2009-01-01

Though much valuable research has been conducted on the academic achievement of school-age immigrant youth, less is known about the early developmental competencies of immigrant children during the preschool years. This study describes the school readiness of 2194 low-income children receiving subsidies to attend child care with emphasis on how…

Paying Medicare Advantage Plans: To Level or Tilt the Playing Field

PubMed Central

Glazer, Jacob; McGuire, Thomas G.

2017-01-01

Medicare beneficiaries are eligible for health insurance through the public option of traditional Medicare (TM) or may join a private Medicare Advantage (MA) plan. Both are highly subsidized but in different ways. Medicare pays for most of costs directly in TM, and makes a subsidy payment to an MA plan based on a “benchmark” for each beneficiary choosing a private plan. The level of this benchmark is arguably the most important policy decision Medicare makes about the MA program. Presently, about 30% of beneficiaries are in MA, and Medicare subsidizes MA plans more on average than TM. Many analysts recommend equalizing Medicare’s subsidy across the options – referred to in policy circles as a “level playing field.” This paper studies the normative question of how to set the level of the benchmark, applying the versatile model of plan choice developed by Einav and Finkelstein (EF) to Medicare. The EF framework implies unequal subsidies to counteract risk selection across plan types. We also study other reasons to tilt the field: the relative efficiency of MA vs. TM, market power of MA plans, and institutional features of the way Medicare determines subsidies and premiums. After review of the empirical and policy literature, we conclude that in areas where the MA market is competitive, the benchmark should be set below average costs in TM, but in areas characterized by imperfect competition in MA, it should be raised in order to offset output (enrollment) restrictions by plans with market power. We also recommend specific modifications of Medicare rules to make demand for MA more price elastic. PMID:28318667

[Cost-effectiveness analysis of an alternative for the provision of primary health care for beneficiaries of Seguro Popular in Mexico].

PubMed

Figueroa-Lara, Alejandro; González-Block, Miguel A

2016-01-01

To estimate the cost-effectiveness ratio of public and private health care providers funded by Seguro Popular. A pilot contracting primary care health care scheme in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, was evaluated through a population survey to assess quality of care and detection decreased of vision. Costs were assessed from the payer perspective using institutional sources.The alternatives analyzed were a private provider with capitated and performance-based payment modalities, and a public provider funded through budget subsidies. Sensitivity analysis was performed using Monte Carlo simulations. The private provider is dominant in the quality and cost-effective detection of decreased vision. Strategic purchasing of private providers of primary care has shown promising results as an alternative to improving quality of health services and reducing costs.

Parents’ Participation in a Work-Based Anti-Poverty Program Can Enhance Their Children's Future Orientation: Understanding Pathways of Influence

PubMed Central

Purtell, Kelly M.; McLoyd, Vonnie C.

2012-01-01

Planning and preparing for life after high school is a central developmental task of American adolescents, and may be even more critical for low-income youth who are less likely to attend a four year college. This study investigates factors that led to the effects of the New Hope Project, a work-based, anti-poverty program directed at parents on youths’ career-related thoughts and planning. The New Hope project was implemented in Milwaukee, WI, during the mid-1990s. 745 families participated (52% male children; 56% African American; 30% Latino, and 15% White non-Hispanic) and half were randomly selected to receive New Hope benefits, which included earnings supplements, job search assistance, and child and health care subsidies for three years. Importantly, effects on youths’ future orientation were found eight years after the program began (five years after benefits ended). The present study investigates what factors sustained these positive impacts over time. Results indicate that parental perceptions of reading performance mediate the effects of New Hope on youths’ cynicism about work. Additionally, parental perceptions of reading performance and youths’ educational expectations mediate the effects of New Hope on boys’ pessimism about future employment. These findings highlight the importance of youths’ educational development to their career-related thoughts and planning. PMID:22878938

Parents' participation in a work-based anti-poverty program can enhance their children's future orientation: understanding pathways of influence.

PubMed

Purtell, Kelly M; McLoyd, Vonnie C

2013-06-01

Planning and preparing for life after high school is a central developmental task of American adolescents, and may be even more critical for low-income youth who are less likely to attend a four year college. This study investigates factors that led to the effects of the New Hope Project, a work-based, anti-poverty program directed at parents on youths' career-related thoughts and planning. The New Hope project was implemented in Milwaukee, WI, during the mid-1990s. 745 families participated (52% male children; 56% African American; 30% Latino, and 15% White non-Hispanic) and half were randomly selected to receive New Hope benefits, which included earnings supplements, job search assistance, and child and health care subsidies for 3 years. Importantly, effects on youths' future orientation were found 8 years after the program began (5 years after benefits ended). The present study investigates what factors sustained these positive impacts over time. Results indicate that parental perceptions of reading performance mediate the effects of New Hope on youths' cynicism about work. Additionally, parental perceptions of reading performance and youths' educational expectations mediate the effects of New Hope on boys' pessimism about future employment. These findings highlight the importance of youths' educational development to their career-related thoughts and planning.

Limited emission reductions from fuel subsidy removal except in energy-exporting regions.

PubMed

Jewell, Jessica; McCollum, David; Emmerling, Johannes; Bertram, Christoph; Gernaat, David E H J; Krey, Volker; Paroussos, Leonidas; Berger, Loïc; Fragkiadakis, Kostas; Keppo, Ilkka; Saadi, Nawfal; Tavoni, Massimo; van Vuuren, Detlef; Vinichenko, Vadim; Riahi, Keywan

2018-02-07

Hopes are high that removing fossil fuel subsidies could help to mitigate climate change by discouraging inefficient energy consumption and levelling the playing field for renewable energy. In September 2016, the G20 countries re-affirmed their 2009 commitment (at the G20 Leaders' Summit) to phase out fossil fuel subsidies and many national governments are using today's low oil prices as an opportunity to do so. In practical terms, this means abandoning policies that decrease the price of fossil fuels and electricity generated from fossil fuels to below normal market prices. However, whether the removal of subsidies, even if implemented worldwide, would have a large impact on climate change mitigation has not been systematically explored. Here we show that removing fossil fuel subsidies would have an unexpectedly small impact on global energy demand and carbon dioxide emissions and would not increase renewable energy use by 2030. Subsidy removal would reduce the carbon price necessary to stabilize greenhouse gas concentration at 550 parts per million by only 2-12 per cent under low oil prices. Removing subsidies in most regions would deliver smaller emission reductions than the Paris Agreement (2015) climate pledges and in some regions global subsidy removal may actually lead to an increase in emissions, owing to either coal replacing subsidized oil and natural gas or natural-gas use shifting from subsidizing, energy-exporting regions to non-subsidizing, importing regions. Our results show that subsidy removal would result in the largest CO 2 emission reductions in high-income oil- and gas-exporting regions, where the reductions would exceed the climate pledges of these regions and where subsidy removal would affect fewer people living below the poverty line than in lower-income regions.

Limited emission reductions from fuel subsidy removal except in energy-exporting regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jewell, Jessica; McCollum, David; Emmerling, Johannes; Bertram, Christoph; Gernaat, David E. H. J.; Krey, Volker; Paroussos, Leonidas; Berger, Loïc; Fragkiadakis, Kostas; Keppo, Ilkka; Saadi, Nawfal; Tavoni, Massimo; van Vuuren, Detlef; Vinichenko, Vadim; Riahi, Keywan

2018-02-01

Hopes are high that removing fossil fuel subsidies could help to mitigate climate change by discouraging inefficient energy consumption and levelling the playing field for renewable energy. In September 2016, the G20 countries re-affirmed their 2009 commitment (at the G20 Leaders’ Summit) to phase out fossil fuel subsidies and many national governments are using today’s low oil prices as an opportunity to do so. In practical terms, this means abandoning policies that decrease the price of fossil fuels and electricity generated from fossil fuels to below normal market prices. However, whether the removal of subsidies, even if implemented worldwide, would have a large impact on climate change mitigation has not been systematically explored. Here we show that removing fossil fuel subsidies would have an unexpectedly small impact on global energy demand and carbon dioxide emissions and would not increase renewable energy use by 2030. Subsidy removal would reduce the carbon price necessary to stabilize greenhouse gas concentration at 550 parts per million by only 2-12 per cent under low oil prices. Removing subsidies in most regions would deliver smaller emission reductions than the Paris Agreement (2015) climate pledges and in some regions global subsidy removal may actually lead to an increase in emissions, owing to either coal replacing subsidized oil and natural gas or natural-gas use shifting from subsidizing, energy-exporting regions to non-subsidizing, importing regions. Our results show that subsidy removal would result in the largest CO2 emission reductions in high-income oil- and gas-exporting regions, where the reductions would exceed the climate pledges of these regions and where subsidy removal would affect fewer people living below the poverty line than in lower-income regions.

Effects of spatial subsidies and habitat structure on the foraging ecology and size of geckos

USGS Publications Warehouse

Briggs, Amy A.; Young, Hillary S.; McCauley, Douglas J.; Hathaway, Stacie A.; Dirzo, Rodolfo; Fisher, Robert N.

2012-01-01

While it is well established that ecosystem subsidies—the addition of energy, nutrients, or materials across ecosystem boundaries—can affect consumer abundance, there is less information available on how subsidy levels may affect consumer diet, body condition, trophic position, and resource partitioning among consumer species. There is also little information on whether changes in vegetation structure commonly associated with spatial variation in subsidies may play an important role in driving consumer responses to subsidies. To address these knowledge gaps, we studied changes in abundance, diet, trophic position, size, and body condition of two congeneric gecko species (Lepidodactylus spp.) that coexist in palm dominated and native (hereafter dicot dominated) forests across the Central Pacific. These forests differ trongly both in the amount of marine subsidies that they receive from seabird guano and carcasses, and in the physical structure of the habitat. Contrary to other studies, we found that subsidy level had no impact on the abundance of either gecko species; it also did not have any apparent effects on resource partitioning between species. However, it did affect body size, dietary composition, and trophic position of both species. Geckos in subsidized, dicot forests were larger, had higher body condition and more diverse diets, and occupied a much higher trophic position than geckos found in palm dominated, low subsidy level forests. Both direct variation in subsidy levels and associated changes in habitat structure appear to play a role in driving these responses. These results suggest that variation in subsidy levels may drive important behavioral responses in predators, even when their numerical response is limited. Strong changes in trophic position of consumers also suggest that subsidies may drive increasingly complex food webs, with longer overall food chain length.

The Impact of Subsidies on the Ecological Sustainability and Future Profits from North Sea Fisheries

PubMed Central

Heymans, Johanna Jacomina; Mackinson, Steven; Sumaila, Ussif Rashid; Dyck, Andrew; Little, Alyson

2011-01-01

Background This study examines the impact of subsidies on the profitability and ecological stability of the North Sea fisheries over the past 20 years. It shows the negative impact that subsidies can have on both the biomass of important fish species and the possible profit from fisheries. The study includes subsidies in an ecosystem model of the North Sea and examines the possible effects of eliminating fishery subsidies. Methodology/Principal Findings Hindcast analysis between 1991 and 2003 indicates that subsidies reduced the profitability of the fishery even though gross revenue might have been high for specific fisheries sectors. Simulations seeking to maximise the total revenue between 2004 and 2010 suggest that this can be achieved by increasing the effort of Nephrops trawlers, beam trawlers, and the pelagic trawl-and-seine fleet, while reducing the effort of demersal trawlers. Simulations show that ecological stability can be realised by reducing the effort of the beam trawlers, Nephrops trawlers, pelagic- and demersal trawl-and-seine fleets. This analysis also shows that when subsidies are included, effort will always be higher for all fleets, because it effectively reduces the cost of fishing. Conclusions/Significance The study found that while removing subsidies might reduce the total catch and revenue, it increases the overall profitability of the fishery and the total biomass of commercially important species. For example, cod, haddock, herring and plaice biomass increased over the simulation when optimising for profit, and when optimising for ecological stability, the biomass for cod, plaice and sole also increased. When subsidies are eliminated, the study shows that rather than forcing those involved in the fishery into the red, fisheries become more profitable, despite a decrease in total revenue due to a loss of subsidies from the government. PMID:21637848

Remote Sensing Analysis of Malawi's Agricultural Inputs Subsidy and Climate Variability Impacts on Productivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galford, G. L.; Fiske, G. J.; Sedano, F.; Michelson, H.

2016-12-01

Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is characterized by smallholder production and low yields ( 1 ton ha-1 year-1 since records began in 1961) for staple food crops such as maize (Zea mays). Many years of low-input farming have depleted much of the region's agricultural land of critical soil carbon and nitrogen, further reducing yield potentials. Malawi is a 98,000 km2 subtropical nation with a short rainy season from November to May, with most rainfall occurring between December and mid-April. This short growing season supports the cultivation of one primary crop, maize. In Malawi, many smallholder farmers face annual nutrient deficits as nutrients removed as grain harvest and residues are beyond replenishment levels. As a result, Malawi has had stagnant maize yields averaging 1.2 ton ha-1 year-1 for decades. After multiple years of drought and widespread hunger in the early 2000s, Malawi introduced an agricultural input support program (fertilizer and seed subsidy) in time for the 2006 harvest that was designed to restore soil nutrients, improve maize production, and decrease dependence on food aid. Malawi's subsidy program targets 50-67% of smallholder farmers who cultivate half a hectare or less, yet collectively supply 80% of the country's maize. The country has achieved significant increases in crop yields (now 2 tons/ha/year) and, as our analysis shows, benefited from a new resilience against drought. We utilized Landsat time series to determine cropland extent from 2000-present and identify areas of marginal and/or intermittent production. We found a strong latitudinal gradient of precipitation variability from north to south in CHIRPS data. We used the precipitation variability to normalize trends in a productivity proxy derived from MODIS EVI. After normalization of productivity to precipitation variability, we found significant productivity trends correlated to subsidy distribution. This work was conducted with Google's Earth Engine, a cloud-based platform for data storage and analysis with unprecedented speed and efficient computing by making use of Google's computing infrastructure.

Economic and policy instrument analyses in support of the scrap tire recycling program in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chang, Ni-Bin

2008-02-01

Understanding the cost-effectiveness and the role of economic and policy instruments, such as the combined product tax-recycling subsidy scheme or a tradable permit, for scrap tire recycling has been of crucial importance in a market-oriented environmental management system. Promoting product (tire) stewardship on one hand and improving incentive-based recycling policy on the other hand requires a comprehensive analysis of the interfaces and interactions in the nexus of economic impacts, environmental management, environmental valuation, and cost-benefit analysis. This paper presents an assessment of the interfaces and interactions between the implementation of policy instruments and its associated economic evaluation for sustaining a scrap tire recycling program in Taiwan during the era of the strong economic growth of the late 1990s. It begins with an introduction of the management of the co-evolution between technology metrics of scrap tire recycling and organizational changes for meeting the managerial goals island-wide during the 1990s. The database collected and used for such analysis covers 17 major tire recycling firms and 10 major tire manufacturers at that time. With estimates of scrap tire generation and possible scale of subsidy with respect to differing tire recycling technologies applied, economic analysis eventually leads to identify the associated levels of product tax with respect to various sizes of new tires. It particularly demonstrates a broad perspective of how an integrated econometric and engineering economic analysis can be conducted to assist in implementing policy instruments for scrap tire management. Research findings indicate that different subsidy settings for collection, processing, and end use of scrap tires should be configured to ameliorate the overall managerial effectiveness. Removing the existing boundaries between designated service districts could strengthen the competitiveness of scrap tires recycling industry, helping to reduce the required levels of product tax and subsidy. With such initial breakthroughs at hand to handle the complexity of scrap tire recycling technologies, there remains unique management and policy avenues left to explore if a multi-dimensional solution is to be successful in the long run.

Assessing policy effects on enrollment in early childhood education and care.

PubMed

Greenberg, Joy Pastan

2010-01-01

Although the number of children enrolled in early childhood education and care has risen dramatically over past decades, low-income children are less likely than their more affluent counterparts to participate. Public funding for early education can play an important role in increasing enrollment levels among low-income children. This study utilizes National Household Education Survey data for a 14-year period to examine the effects of public funding on the enrollment of low-income children in early childhood education and care. It also considers the effects of funding on the type of care they use. Results suggest that public funding, particularly child-care subsidies and prekindergarten funding, increases the likelihood that low-income children, even those under 3 years of age, will attend nonparental care, including center-based care. These findings indicate that public funding can help close the gap in enrollment between low- and higher-income children.

19 CFR 351.509 - Direct taxes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Direct taxes. 351.509 Section 351.509 Customs... Identification and Measurement of Countervailable Subsidies § 351.509 Direct taxes. (a) Benefit—(1) Exemption or remission of taxes. In the case of a program that provides for a full or partial exemption or remission of a...

The Real Costs of Federal Aid to Higher Education. Heritage Lectures. No. 984

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vedder, Richard

2007-01-01

New federal spending on student aid is unlikely to improve college access. The increase in access in higher education in America largely came before massive federal involvement in student financial aid programs. Evidence suggests that federal subsidies for student aid may be counterproductive. Modest provision of financial assistance serves to…

19 CFR 351.524 - Allocation of benefit to a particular time period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... the benefits are received if the total amount approved under the subsidy program is less than 0.5... renewable physical assets for the industry concerned as listed in the Internal Revenue Service's (“IRS... industry under investigation, subject to the requirement, in paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section, that the...

19 CFR 351.524 - Allocation of benefit to a particular time period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... the benefits are received if the total amount approved under the subsidy program is less than 0.5... renewable physical assets for the industry concerned as listed in the Internal Revenue Service's (“IRS... industry under investigation, subject to the requirement, in paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section, that the...

19 CFR 351.503 - Benefit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Benefit. 351.503 Section 351.503 Customs Duties... and Measurement of Countervailable Subsidies § 351.503 Benefit. (a) Specific rules. In the case of a government program for which a specific rule for the measurement of a benefit is contained in this subpart E...

19 CFR 351.503 - Benefit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Benefit. 351.503 Section 351.503 Customs Duties... and Measurement of Countervailable Subsidies § 351.503 Benefit. (a) Specific rules. In the case of a government program for which a specific rule for the measurement of a benefit is contained in this subpart E...

19 CFR 351.503 - Benefit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Benefit. 351.503 Section 351.503 Customs Duties... and Measurement of Countervailable Subsidies § 351.503 Benefit. (a) Specific rules. In the case of a government program for which a specific rule for the measurement of a benefit is contained in this subpart E...

19 CFR 351.503 - Benefit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Benefit. 351.503 Section 351.503 Customs Duties... and Measurement of Countervailable Subsidies § 351.503 Benefit. (a) Specific rules. In the case of a government program for which a specific rule for the measurement of a benefit is contained in this subpart E...

The Student-Loan System Needs a Major Overhaul

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hess, Frederick, M.; Squire, Juliet

2007-01-01

In September 2007, Congress voted to cut subsidies to lenders in the federal guaranteed-student-loan program and use much of the savings to increase student aid. Congress also passed other significant provisions, including modified repayment periods and loan forgiveness for certain students. Such legislation came on the heels of New York Attorney…

24 CFR 982.403 - Terminating HAP contract when unit is too small.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... Dwelling Unit: Housing Quality Standards, Subsidy Standards, Inspection and Maintenance § 982.403... change in family composition, the PHA must issue the family a new voucher, and the family and PHA must...-based certificate program. (2) The PHA must issue the family a new voucher, and the family and PHA must...

76 FR 54209 - Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products From the Republic of Korea: Preliminary Results of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-31

... description of the merchandise is dispositive. Subsidies Valuation Information A. Benchmarks for Short-Term Financing For those programs requiring the application of a won-denominated, short-term interest rate... Issues and Decision Memorandum (CORE from Korea 2006 Decision Memorandum) at ``Benchmarks for Short-Term...

How to design a targeted agricultural subsidy system: efficiency or equity?

PubMed

Cong, Rong-Gang; Brady, Mark

2012-01-01

In this paper we appraise current agricultural subsidy policy in the EU. Several sources of its inefficiency are identified: it is inefficient for supporting farmers' incomes or guaranteeing food security, and irrational transfer payments decoupled from actual performance that may be negative for environmental protection, social cohesion, etc. Based on a simplified economic model, we prove that there is "reverse redistribution" in the current tax-subsidy system, which cannot be avoided. To find a possible way to distribute subsidies more efficiently and equitably, several alternative subsidy systems (the pure loan, the harvest tax and the income contingent loan) are presented and examined.

How to Design a Targeted Agricultural Subsidy System: Efficiency or Equity?

PubMed Central

Cong, Rong-Gang; Brady, Mark

2012-01-01

In this paper we appraise current agricultural subsidy policy in the EU. Several sources of its inefficiency are identified: it is inefficient for supporting farmers’ incomes or guaranteeing food security, and irrational transfer payments decoupled from actual performance that may be negative for environmental protection, social cohesion, etc. Based on a simplified economic model, we prove that there is “reverse redistribution” in the current tax-subsidy system, which cannot be avoided. To find a possible way to distribute subsidies more efficiently and equitably, several alternative subsidy systems (the pure loan, the harvest tax and the income contingent loan) are presented and examined. PMID:22876283

From DRGs to deregulation: New Jersey takes the road less traveled.

PubMed

Berliner, H S; Delgado, S

1993-01-01

Following a 1992 court ruling that declared New Jersey's system of financing uncompensated care unconstitutional, the state radically changed its 12-year-old hospital payment system that pioneered the use of diagnostic-related groups (DRGs). In its place, New Jersey lawmakers approved a package of reforms that lets hospitals set their own charges and collect bad debts, uses the state's unemployment insurance trust fund to pay for charity care, and reforms the individual and small group insurance markets. Immediate results of the law include new subsidies for inner-city hospitals, lower bond ratings, and hospital layoffs.

Planning future care services: Analyses of investments in Norwegian municipalities.

PubMed

Hagen, Terje P; Tingvold, Laila

2018-06-01

To analyse whether the Norwegian Central Government's goal of subsidizing 12,000 places in nursing homes or sheltered housing using an earmarked grant was reached and to determine towards which group of users the planned investments were targeted. Data from the investment plans at municipal level were provided by the Norwegian Housing Bank and linked to variables describing the municipalities' financial situation as well as variables describing the local needs for services provided by Statistics Norway. Using regression analyses we estimated the associations between municipal characteristics and planned investments in total and by type of care place. The Norwegian Central Government reached its goal of giving subsidies to 12,000 new or rebuilt places in nursing homes and sheltered housing. A total of 54% of the subsidies (6878 places) were given to places in nursing homes. About 7500 places were available by the end of the planning period and the rest were under construction. About 50% of the places were planned for user groups aged <67 years and 23% of the places for users aged <25 years. One-third of the places were planned for users with intellectual disabilities. Investments in nursing homes were correlated with the share of the population older than 80 years and investments in sheltered houses were correlated with the share of users with intellectual disabilities. Earmarked grants to municipalities can be adequate measures to affect local resource allocation and thereby stimulate investments in future care. With the current institutional setup the municipalities adapt investments to local needs.

Progress and challenges of the rural cooperative medical scheme in China

PubMed Central

Xu, Ke

2014-01-01

Abstract Problem During China’s transition to a market economy in the 1980s and 1990s, the rural population faced substantial barriers to accessing health care and encountered heavier financial burdens than urban residents in paying for necessary health services. Approach In 2003, China started to implement a rural cooperative medical scheme (RCMS), mainly through government subsidies. The scheme operates at the county level and offers a modest benefit package. Local setting In spite of rapid economic growth since the early 1980s, income disparities in China have increased, particularly between rural and urban populations. In response, the government has put greater emphasis on social development, including health system development. Examples are the prioritization of improved access to health services and the reduction of the burden of payment for necessary services. Relevant changes After 10 years of implementation, the RCMS now provides coverage to the entire rural population and has substantially improved access to health care. Yet despite a drop in out-of-pocket payments as a proportion of total health expenditure, paying for necessary services continues to cause financial hardship for many rural residents. Lessons learnt In its first decade, the RCMS made progress through political mobilization, government subsidies, the readiness of the health-care delivery system, and the availability of a monitoring and evaluation system. Further improving the RCMS will require a focus on cost containment, quality improvement and making the scheme portable. PMID:24940019

A new family programme in Zhejiang province.

PubMed

Xu, B

1994-04-01

Zhejiang Province in China has promoted a new family planning program since April 1993. The program stresses delayed marriage and childbearing, fewer and healthier births, modernization of family life, and prosperity through hard work. The people are receptive to the new program out of a desire for an improved standard of living. The objective is to build small, modern families who 1) practice deferred marriage and childbearing; 2) voluntarily practice family planning and have no unplanned births; 3) practice avoidance of consanguineous marriage, become sterilized if a carrier of a hereditary disease of chromosomal abnormality, and use premarital education and counseling and proper prenatal care; 4) uphold the laws and maintain discipline in action to avoid criminal behavior; 5) establish families that respect the old, care for children, and help their neighbors; 6) complete 9 years of compulsory education; and 7) create well being through hard work. The program is compatible with the strategy of the "three stresses" and an integrated approach. IEC and service provision are important components in program implementation. The target population are the masses and grassroots cadres, particularly those in the childbearing ages. IEC will be directed in different ways to different groups. Those aged 18-35 years will receive education. Face to face interaction with family planning workers and lectures will be directed to grassroots cadres. The mass media will be employed to reach the masses. The messages will include information and persuasion to adopt new families, accept family planning regulations, and learn about contraceptive use, healthy births and childrearing, education, health care, sex education, and income generation skills. Classes will be conducted for groups, such as teenagers, unmarried youth, pregnant women, and lactating women. Priority will be given to couples that accept the certificates for one child; favoritism will be granted for allocation of housing; acceptance in kindergartens and schools, employment, and military positions; and receipt of business licenses and poverty aide. Sterilization will be rewarded with longer paid leave and subsidies. Services will include contraceptive provision and follow-up, infertility treatment, gynecological check-ups, sex education, old age pensions, premarital counseling, and other quality services.

Soviet Economic Policy Towards Eastern Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-11-01

high. Without specifying the determinants of Soviet demand for "allegiance" in more detail, the model is not testable; we cannot predict how subsidy...trade inside (Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria). These countries are behaving as predicted by the model . If this hypothesis is true, the pattern of subsidies...also compares the sum of per capita subsidies by country between 1970 and 1982 with the sum of subsidies predicted by the model . Because of the poor

Tax subsidies for private health insurance - july 2009 update.

PubMed

Burman, Len; Khitatrakun, Surachai; Goodell, Sarah

2009-07-01

Tax subsides for employer-sponsored health insurance are the largest subsidy for private health insurance and support key mechanisms of the U.S. insurance system, but they overwhelmingly benefit high-wage employees. When employers purchase or provide insurance for their employees, their contributions to the premium are excluded from income and payroll taxes. This tax exclusion provided more than $100 billion in income and payroll tax subsidies in 2002. High-income workers benefit more from these subsidies than those with lower incomes because of their higher marginal tax rate. Applying the tax exclusion in their respective tax brackets means high-income families (those earning more than $200,000) receive a subsidy worth one-third of the premium, while the lowest income families receive a subsidy worth just 10 percent. Despite these issues, ESI is a successful mechanism in many ways, covering a significant majority of Americans and providing a good pooling mechanism.

Getting quantitative about consequences of cross-ecosystem resource subsidies on recipient consumers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Richardson, John S.; Wipfli, Mark S.

2016-01-01

Most studies of cross-ecosystem resource subsidies have demonstrated positive effects on recipient consumer populations, often with very large effect sizes. However, it is important to move beyond these initial addition–exclusion experiments to consider the quantitative consequences for populations across gradients in the rates and quality of resource inputs. In our introduction to this special issue, we describe at least four potential models that describe functional relationships between subsidy input rates and consumer responses, most of them asymptotic. Here we aim to advance our quantitative understanding of how subsidy inputs influence recipient consumers and their communities. In the papers following, fish were either the recipient consumers or the subsidy as carcasses of anadromous species. Advancing general, predictive models will enable us to further consider what other factors are potentially co-limiting (e.g., nutrients, other population interactions, physical habitat, etc.) and better integrate resource subsidies into consumer–resource, biophysical dynamics models.

Health insurance exchanges bring potential opportunities.

PubMed

Jacobs, M Orry; Eggbeer, Bill

2012-11-01

The introduction of the state health insurance exchanges, as provided for in the Affordable Care Act, has many strategic implications for healthcare providers: Unprecedented transparency; The "Walmart Effect", with patients playing a greater role as healthcare consumers; A rise in narrow networks spurred by low prices and narrow geographies; The potential end of the cross subsidy of Medicare and Medicaid by commercial plans; The possible end of not-for-profit status for hospitals

Nonnative trout impact an alpine-nesting bird by altering aquatic-insect subsidies.

PubMed

Epanchin, Peter N; Knapp, Roland A; Lawler, Sharon P

2010-08-01

Adjacent food webs may be linked by cross-boundary subsidies: more-productive donor systems can subsidize consumers in less-productive neighboring recipient systems. Introduced species are known to have direct effects on organisms within invaded communities. However, few studies have addressed the indirect effects of nonnative species in donor systems on organisms in recipient systems. We studied the direct role of introduced trout in altering a lake-derived resource subsidy and their indirect effects in altering a passerine bird's response to that subsidy. We compared the abundance of aquatic insects and foraging Gray-crowned Rosy-Finches (Leucosticte tephrocotis dawsoni, "Rosy-Finch") at fish-containing vs. fishless lakes in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California (USA). Introduced trout outcompeted Rosy-Finches for emerging aquatic insects (i.e., mayflies). Fish-containing lakes had 98% fewer mayflies than did fishless lakes. In lakes without fish, Rosy-Finches showed an aggregative response to emerging aquatic insects with 5.9 times more Rosy-Finches at fishless lakes than at fish-containing lakes. Therefore, the introduction of nonnative fish into the donor system reduced both the magnitude of the resource subsidy and the strength of cross-boundary trophic interactions. Importantly, the timing of the subsidy occurs when Rosy-Finches feed their young. If Rosy-Finches rely on aquatic-insect subsidies to fledge their young, reductions in the subsidy by introduced trout may have decreased Rosy-Finch abundances from historic levels. We recommend that terrestrial recipients of aquatic subsidies be included in conservation and restoration plans for ecosystems with alpine lakes.

Who benefited from the New Rural Cooperative Medical System in China? A case study on Anhui Province.

PubMed

Wang, Lidan; Wang, Anjue; FitzGerald, Gerry; Si, Lei; Jiang, Qicheng; Ye, Dongqing

2016-06-05

The goal of the New Rural Cooperative Medical System (NCMS) is to decrease the financial burden and improve the health of rural areas. The purpose of the present study is to determine how government subsidies vary between poorer and wealthier groups, especially in low-income regions in rural China. The distribution, amount, and equity of government subsidies delivered via NCMS to rural residents at different economic levels were assessed using benefit-incidence analysis, concentration index, Kakwani index, Gini index, Lorenz curve, and concentration curve. Household and health institution surveys were conducted in 2010, covering 9701 residents. Household socio-economic status, healthcare costs, out-of-pocket payments, and utilization information were collected in household interviews, and reimbursement policy was provided by institutional survey. The government subsidy concentration index was -0.055 for outpatients and 0.505 for inpatients; and the outpatient and inpatient subsidy Kakwani indexes were -0.376 and 0.184, respectively. The poorest 20 % of populations received 3.4 % of the total subsidy output; while the wealthiest 20 % received 54.3 %. The results showed that the distribution of outpatient subsidies was equitable, but the hospital subsidies disproportionally benefited wealthier people. Wealthier people benefited more than poorer people from the NCMS in terms of inpatient and total subsidies. For outpatients, the subsidies were unrelated to ability to pay. This contradicts the common belief that the NCMS does not exacerbate benefit inequity. Long-term policy is required to tackle this problem, specifically of redesign the NCMS reimbursement system.

77 FR 75641 - Public Housing Operating Subsidy-Appeals

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-21

... substitute actual project cost data. To appeal the amount of subsidy on any one of the permitted bases of... conditions; and (e) appeal to substitute actual project cost data. To appeal the amount of subsidy on any one...

Financial sustainability in savings and credit programmes.

PubMed

Havers, M

1996-05-01

This article provides a framework for determining, justifying, and improving financial sustainability of savings and credit programs. Credit programs have income from interest and fees. Income must pay for the cost of funds, loan write-offs, operating costs, and inflation. Reference is made to Otero and Rhyne's four levels of self-sufficiency in credit programs. The Grameen Bank is an example of Level 3 and most credit unions are level 4. Nongovernmental groups in the United Kingdom are level 1 or 2. Experience has shown that removal of subsidies did not affect the quality of services or shift benefits away from the poor. Success in serving poorer people better is attributed 1) to more money being available for lending under tighter management practices, 2) to greater openness to a variety of clients from removal of subsidy restrictions, 3) to a shift to higher interest rates that eliminate richer borrowers, and 4) to a shift to serious collection of loans which is a disincentive to more privileged borrowers. Percentages of loan loss, administration costs, cost of funds, and inflation are useful in measuring the sustainability of credit programs. Interest and fee income must also be measured. Fee repayment rates do not have a common definition of arrears, default, and write-off. A simple measure is the percentage of total costs covered by income. The World Bank recommends the Subsidy Dependence Index. Women tend to be better at repaying loans. Loan size should be related to borrowers' ability to handle the amount of the loan. Low and subsidized interest rates deter depositors and attract richer borrowers. Poorer borrowers are attracted by access to credit and not the cost of credit. Interest rates should be based on market rates. The loan payment should be no longer than necessary. Small groups of borrowers can guarantee each others loans. Group-based loan schemes work best. NGOs must project an image of being serious about loan collections and must take action immediately when a payment is missed. Good repayers should be rewarded with quick repeat loans.

An economy of scales: A selective review of obesity's economic causes, consequences, and solutions.

PubMed

Cawley, John

2015-09-01

This paper reviews the economic research on obesity, covering topics such as the measurement of, and trends in, obesity, the economic causes of obesity (e.g. the monetary price and time cost of food, food assistance programs, income, education, macroeconomic conditions, and peer effects), and the economic consequences of obesity (e.g. lower wages, a lower probability of employment, and higher medical care costs). It also examines the extent to which obesity imposes negative externalities, and economic interventions that could potentially internalize such externalities, such as food taxes, subsidies for school-based physical activity programs, and financial rewards for weight loss. It discusses other economic rationales for government intervention with respect to obesity, such as imperfect information, time inconsistent preferences, and irrational behavior. It concludes by proposing a research agenda for the field. Overall, the evidence suggests that there is no single dominant economic cause of obesity; a wide variety of factors may contribute a modest amount to the risk. There is consistent evidence regarding the economic consequences of obesity, which are lower wages and higher medical care costs that impose negative externalities through health insurance. Studies of economic approaches to preventing obesity, such as menu labeling, taxes on energy-dense foods, and financial rewards for weight loss find only modest effects on weight and thus a range of policies may be necessary to have a substantial effect on the prevalence of obesity. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Healthcare is primary

PubMed Central

Kumar, Raman

2015-01-01

India is undergoing a rapid transformation in terms of governance, administrative reforms, newer policy develoment, and social movements. India is also considered one of the most vibrant economies in the world. The current discourse in public space is dominated by issues such as economic development, security, corruption free governance, gender equity, and women safety. Healthcare though remains a pressing need of population; seems to have taken a backseat. In the era of decreasing subsidies and cautious investment in social sectors, the 2nd National Conference on Family Medicine and Primary Care 2015 (FMPC) brought a focus on “healthcare” in India. The theme of this conference was “Healthcare is Primary.” The conference participants discussed on the theme of why healthcare should be a national priority and why strong primary care should remain at the center of healthcare delivery system. The experts recommended that India needs to strengthen the “general health system” instead of focusing on disease based vertical programs. Public health system should have capacity and skill pool to be able to deliver person centered comprehensive health services to the community. Proactive implementation of policies towards human resource in health is the need of the hour. As the draft National Health Policy 2015 is being debated, “family medicine” (academic primary care), the unfinished agenda of National Health Policy 2002, remains a priority area of implementation. PMID:26985402

Health care financing in Asia: key issues and challenges.

PubMed

Kwon, Soonman

2011-09-01

This article examines the major elements of health care financing such as financial risk protection, resource generation, resource pooling, and purchasing and payment; provides key lessons; and discusses the challenges for health care financing systems of Asian countries. With the exception of Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, most health care systems of Asia provide very limited financial risk protection. The role of public prepaid schemes such as tax and social health insurance is minimal, and out-of-pocket payment is a major source of financing. The large informal sector is a major challenge to the extension of population coverage in many low-income countries of Asia, which must seek the optimal mix of tax subsidy and health insurance for universal coverage. Implementation of effective payment systems to control the behavior of health care providers is also a key factor in the success of health care financing reform in Asia.

Alternatives to the ACA's Affordability Firewall.

PubMed

Nowak, Sarah A; Saltzman, Evan; Cordova, Amado

2016-05-09

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was designed to increase health insurance coverage while limiting the disruption to individuals with existing sources of insurance coverage, particularly those with employer-sponsored insurance (ESI). To limit disruption to those with coverage, the ACA implements the employer mandate, which requires firms with more than 50 employees to offer health insurance or face penalties, and the individual "affordability firewall," which limits subsidies to individuals lacking access to alternative sources of coverage that are "affordable." This article examines the policy impacts of the affordability firewall and investigates two potential modifications. Option 1, which is the "entire family" scenario, involves allowing an exception to the firewall for anyone in a family where the family ESI premium contribution exceeds 9.5 percent of the worker's household income. In Option 2, the "dependents only" scenario, only dependents (and not the worker) become eligible for Marketplace subsidies when the ESI premium contribution exceeds 9.5 percent of the worker's household income. Relative to the ACA, RAND researchers estimate that nongroup enrollment will increase by 4.1 million for Option 1 and by 1.4 million for Option 2. However, the number without insurance only declines by 1.5 million in Option 1 and 0.7 million in Option 2. The difference between the increase in nongroup enrollment and the decrease in uninsurance is primarily due to ESI crowd-out, which is more pronounced for Option 1. Researchers also estimated that about 1.3 million families who have ESI and unsubsidized nongroup coverage under current ACA policy would receive Marketplace subsidies under the alternative affordability firewall scenarios. For these families, health insurance coverage would become substantially more affordable; these families' risk of spending at least 20 percent of income on health care would drop by more than two thirds. We additionally estimated that federal spending will increase by $8.9 billion and $3.9 billion for Options 1 and 2, respectively, relative to the ACA.

Analysis on Dissemination Conditions of Photovoltaics in Japan by Using Energy System Model MARKAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Endo, Eiichi; Ichinohe, Masayuki

The national target for PV capacity in Japan is 4. 82, GW in 2010, and several PV Roadmaps until 2030 are also described. To achieve the target, several support programs, such as subsidization to capital cost, Green Credit by the Green Power Certification System, buy-back under the Renewable Portfolio Standard low, have been already introduced. Carbon tax is still under consideration, but there are several analyses about possible carbon tax. The purpose of this paper is to analyze PV system sales price and subsidy through buy-back which make photovoltaics cost-competitive with other energy technologies and make the target for PV capacity achievable by 2030 in Japan under an expected carbon tax. For the analysis energy system of Japan is modeled by using MARKAL. Based on the results of analysis, under 6000, JPY/t-C carbon tax, photovoltaics needs subsidy for a while even if we taking both fuel savings and Green Credit into account. For attaining the national target for PV capacity in 2010, photovoltaics needs more expensive buy-back than that in present, but after 2010 necessary buy-back decreases gradually. If 120, JPY/W PV system sales price is attained by 2030, photovoltaics becomes cost-competitive without any supports. Subsidy through buy-back becomes almost unnecessary in 2030, if we can reduce it less than 170, JPY/W. The total necessary buy-back meets peak in 2025. It is much more than ongoing subsidy to capital cost of PV systems, but annual revenue from the assumed carbon tax can finance the annual total necessary buy-back. This means if photovoltaics can attain the targeted PV system sales price, we should support it for a while by spending carbon tax revenue effectively and efficiently.

Older adults challenged financially when adult children move home.

PubMed

Wallace, Steven P; Padilla-Frausto, D Imelda

2014-02-01

This policy brief looks at the financial burdens imposed on older Californians when adult children return home, often due to a crisis not of their own making, to live with their parents. The findings show that on average in California, the amount of money that older adults need in order to maintain a minimally decent standard of living while supporting one adult child in their home increases their expenses by a minimum of 50 percent. Low-income older adults are usually on fixed incomes, so helping an adult child can provide the child with a critical safety net but at the cost of the parents' own financial well-being. Policy approaches to assisting this vulnerable population of older adults include implementing reforms to increase Supplemental Security Income (SSI), improving the availability of affordable housing, assuring that all eligible nonelderly adults obtain health insurance through health care reform's expansion of Medi-Cal and subsidies, and increasing food assistance through SNAP and senior meal programs.

Improving financial access to health care in the Kisantu district in the Democratic Republic of Congo: acting upon complexity.

PubMed

Stasse, Stéphanie; Vita, Dany; Kimfuta, Jacques; da Silveira, Valèria Campos; Bossyns, Paul; Criel, Bart

2015-01-01

Comzmercialization of health care has contributed to widen inequities between the rich and the poor, especially in settings with suboptimal regulatory frameworks of the health sector. Poorly regulated fee-for-service payment systems generate inequity and initiate a vicious circle in which access to quality health care gradually deteriorates. Although the abolition of user fees is high on the international health policy agenda, the sudden removal of user fees may have disrupting effects on the health system and may not be affordable or sustainable in resource-constrained countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo. Between 2008 and 2011, the Belgian development aid agency (BTC) launched a set of reforms in the Kisantu district, in the province of Bas Congo, through an action-research process deemed appropriate for the implementation of change within open complex systems such as the Kisantu local health system. Moreover, the entire process contributed to strengthen the stewardship capacity of the Kisantu district management team. The reforms mainly comprised the rationalization of resources and the regulation of health services financing. Flat fees per episode of disease were introduced as an alternative to fee-for-service payments by patients. A financial subsidy from BTC allowed to reduce the height of the flat fees. The provision of the subsidy was made conditional upon a range of measures to rationalize the use of resources. The results in terms of enhancing people access to quality health care were immediate and substantial. The Kisantu experience demonstrates that a systems approach is essential in addressing complex problems. It provides useful lessons for other districts in the country.

Improving financial access to health care in the Kisantu district in the Democratic Republic of Congo: acting upon complexity

PubMed Central

Stasse, Stéphanie; Vita, Dany; Kimfuta, Jacques; da Silveira, Valèria Campos; Bossyns, Paul; Criel, Bart

2015-01-01

Background Comzmercialization of health care has contributed to widen inequities between the rich and the poor, especially in settings with suboptimal regulatory frameworks of the health sector. Poorly regulated fee-for-service payment systems generate inequity and initiate a vicious circle in which access to quality health care gradually deteriorates. Although the abolition of user fees is high on the international health policy agenda, the sudden removal of user fees may have disrupting effects on the health system and may not be affordable or sustainable in resource-constrained countries, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo. Methods and Results Between 2008 and 2011, the Belgian development aid agency (BTC) launched a set of reforms in the Kisantu district, in the province of Bas Congo, through an action-research process deemed appropriate for the implementation of change within open complex systems such as the Kisantu local health system. Moreover, the entire process contributed to strengthen the stewardship capacity of the Kisantu district management team. The reforms mainly comprised the rationalization of resources and the regulation of health services financing. Flat fees per episode of disease were introduced as an alternative to fee-for-service payments by patients. A financial subsidy from BTC allowed to reduce the height of the flat fees. The provision of the subsidy was made conditional upon a range of measures to rationalize the use of resources. Conclusions The results in terms of enhancing people access to quality health care were immediate and substantial. The Kisantu experience demonstrates that a systems approach is essential in addressing complex problems. It provides useful lessons for other districts in the country. PMID:25563450

Valuing the Benefits of the Education Provided by Public Universities: A Case Study of Minnesota

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damon, Amy; Glewwe, Paul

2011-01-01

This study estimates the value of the private and public benefits that accrue to Minnesota residents from state government subsidies to higher education. In 2005, the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system received $832 million from Minnesota's state government to support educational programs. These…

Effects of biological control agents and exotic plant invasion on deer mouse populations

Treesearch

Yvette K. Ortega; Dean E. Pearson; Kevin S. McKelvey

2004-01-01

Exotic insects are commonly introduced as biological control agents to reduce densities of invasive exotic plants. Although current biocontrol programs for weeds take precautions to minimize ecological risks, little attention is paid to the potential nontarget effects of introduced food subsidies on native consumers. Previous research demonstrated that two gall flies (...

JPRS Report, Science & Technology, Europe, Economic Competitiveness.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-08-09

in the form of proportional subsidies for research contracts concluded with large companies. For contracts concluded with small - and medium ...special programs to help small - and medium -sized enterprises (SME’s) that carry out research work , and to foster the growth of an innovative SME base...process of being developed. MEDIA DUEMILA: In the past, the EEC relied on

19 CFR 351.524 - Allocation of benefit to a particular time period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... the benefits are received if the total amount approved under the subsidy program is less than 0.5... assets for the industry concerned as listed in the Internal Revenue Service's (“IRS”) 1977 Class Life... do not reasonably reflect the company-specific AUL or the country-wide AUL for the industry under...

Transforming and Improving American Education: A Memo to President-elect Obama. No. 7

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lips, Dan; Marshall, Jennifer A.

2008-01-01

The authors of this memo to President-elect Barack Obama state that many in Congress are now proposing that the federal government intervene to address a range of problems in education by creating new programs and federal subsidies, including public school infrastructure and construction, funding for runaway college tuition costs, and the costs of…

78 FR 9020 - Wireline Competition Bureau Seeks Further Comment on Specific Issues Related to the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-07

... adjust the Remote Areas Fund usage allowance requirement to reflect consumer behavior, and if so, how... files, audio format), send an email to [email protected] or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau... issues relating to the implementation of the Remote Areas Fund as a portable consumer subsidy program, as...

77 FR 58512 - Corrosion-Resistant Carbon Steel Flat Products From the Republic of Korea: Preliminary Results of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-21

... 2006 Decision Memorandum) at ``Benchmarks for Short-Term Financing.'' B. Benchmark for Long-Term Loans.... Subsidies Valuation Information A. Benchmarks for Short-Term Financing For those programs requiring the application of a won-denominated, short-term interest rate benchmark, in accordance with 19 CFR 351.505(a)(2...

Straight Talk on Student Loans. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.10.04

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shireman, Robert

2004-01-01

The federal government provides student loans for college and graduate school in two ways: by guaranteeing bank loans, and by lending directly to students. In the guaranteed loan program, banks lend students money and profit from the interest payments while the government guarantees the loans against default and makes subsidy payments to the…

76 FR 65179 - Certain Welded Carbon Steel Standard Pipe From Turkey: Extension of Time for Preliminary Results...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-20

... Standard Pipe From Turkey: Extension of Time for Preliminary Results of Countervailing Duty Administrative... carbon steel standard pipe from Turkey covering the period of review January 1, 2010, through December 31... Republic of Turkey. There are 14 programs under review in addition to several newly alleged subsidies...

75 FR 45472 - Certain Magnesia Carbon Bricks From the People's Republic of China: Final Affirmative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-02

... the programs covered by this investigation, and the methodologies used to calculate the subsidy rates... determination with the final determinations in the companion AD investigations of MCBs from the PRC and Mexico...\\ The Petitioner in the instant investigation is Resco Products Inc. On January 22, 2010, the GOC filed...

14 CFR 271.3 - Carrier subsidy need.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS GUIDELINES FOR SUBSIDIZING AIR CARRIERS PROVIDING ESSENTIAL AIR TRANSPORTATION § 271.3 Carrier subsidy need. In establishing the subsidy for an air carrier providing essential air service at an...

Premium subsidies and social health insurance: substitutes or complements?

PubMed

Kifmann, Mathias; Roeder, Kerstin

2011-12-01

Premium subsidies have been advocated as an alternative to social health insurance. These subsidies are paid if expenditure on health insurance exceeds a given share of income. In this paper, we examine whether this approach is superior to social health insurance from a welfare perspective. We show that the results crucially depend on the correlation of health and productivity. For a positive correlation, we find that combining premium subsidies with social health insurance is the optimal policy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reducing the Deficit: Spending and Revenue Options. A Report to the Senate and House Committees on the Budget. Part 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-01

Loan Program 132 NDD-03 Reduce Funding for Research Supported by the National Institutes of Health 134 NDD-04 Reduce Subsidies Provided by the...faster pace under Strategy II but more slowly than under the Administra- tion’s plan. Both strategies would slow production and research and...develop- ment of many programs, but Strategy I probably would result in the cancel- lation or delay of a greater number of procurement and research

Contributions of detrital subsidies to aboveground spiders during secondary succession, revealed by radiocarbon and stable isotope signatures.

PubMed

Haraguchi, Takashi F; Uchida, Masao; Shibata, Yasuyuki; Tayasu, Ichiro

2013-04-01

Prey subsidies originating from detritus add nutrients and energy to arboreal communities. Measurement of this subsidy is required in the understanding of how food web dynamics respond to changes in surrounding environments. Shrub spiders are one of the key predators involved in food web coupling. We evaluate the effects of potential changes in prey availabilities during secondary succession on the contribution of subsidy from detrital food webs to shrub spiders and how different spider feeding guilds used the subsidy of prey from detrital food webs. We measured the relative importance of the subsidy for the spider feeding guilds, using the ratios of stable isotopes of C (δ(13)C), and N (δ(15)N) and C isotope discrimination (Δ(14)C). Diet age was calculated from Δ(14)C values, because old diet ages of spiders indicate that the spiders consume prey from detrital food sources. Dominant aerial prey (Diptera) had a distinctively old diet age compared with arboreal prey, which indicates that aerial prey were subsidized from detrital food webs. Sit-and-wait spiders tended to have an older diet age than active hunting spiders, which indicates that sit-and-wait spiders depended more on subsidies. Diet age varied only slightly for spiders in stands of different ages, indicating that rates at which spiders use grazing and detrital prey are probably determined more by foraging strategies and not by stand age. A dominance of sit-and-wait predators will lead to higher detrital subsidy inputs in shrub habitats. This study highlights the effect of shrub spider community structure (feeding guild composition) on the volume of the subsidy received from the detrital food web.

Experimental analysis of the effect of taxes and subsides on calories purchased in an on-line supermarket.

PubMed

Epstein, Leonard H; Finkelstein, Eric; Raynor, Hollie; Nederkoorn, Chantal; Fletcher, Kelly D; Jankowiak, Noelle; Paluch, Rocco A

2015-12-01

Taxes and subsidies are a public health approach to improving nutrient quality of food purchases. While taxes or subsidies influence purchasing, it is unclear whether they influence total energy or overall diet quality of foods purchased. Using a within subjects design, selected low nutrient dense foods (e.g. sweetened beverages, candy, salty snacks) were taxed, and fruits and vegetables and bottled water were subsidized by 12.5% or 25% in comparison to a usual price condition for 199 female shoppers in an experimental store. Results showed taxes reduced calories purchased of taxed foods (coefficient = -6.61, CI = -11.94 to -1.28) and subsidies increased calories purchased of subsidized foods (coefficient = 13.74, CI = 8.51 to 18.97). However, no overall effect was observed on total calories purchased. Both taxes and subsidies were associated with a reduction in calories purchased for grains (taxes: coefficient = -6.58, CI = -11.91 to -1.24, subsidies: coefficient = -12.86, CI = -18.08 to -7.63) and subsidies were associated with a reduction in calories purchased for miscellaneous foods (coefficient = -7.40, CI = -12.62 to -2.17) (mostly fats, oils and sugars). Subsidies improved the nutrient quality of foods purchased (coefficient = 0.14, CI = 0.07 to 0.21). These results suggest that taxes and subsidies can influence energy purchased for products taxed or subsidized, but not total energy purchased. However, the improvement in nutrient quality with subsidies indicates that pricing can shift nutritional quality of foods purchased. Research is needed to evaluate if differential pricing strategies based on nutrient quality are associated with reduction in calories and improvement in nutrient quality of foods purchased. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

75 FR 41874 - Quality Control for Rental Assistance Subsidy Determinations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-19

... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5376-N-68] Quality Control for Rental Assistance Subsidy Determinations AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information Officer, HUD. ACTION: Notice... lists the following information: Title of Proposal: Quality Control for Rental Assistance Subsidy...