MARK ALEX PETERSON - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by MARK ALEX PETERSON
Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 2001
To rephrase a lyric by the Grateful Dead, what a short, strange trip it's been. Just six years ag... more To rephrase a lyric by the Grateful Dead, what a short, strange trip it's been. Just six years ago the combination of the apparent immediate fiscal crisis in the trust fund for Part A of Medicare, anticipation of the Baby Boom's approaching retirement, and the largely unexpected arrival of active, conservative Republican majorities in Congress shot fundamental restructuring of Medicare to the top of the nation's political and legislative agendas. That theme carried through the often contentious work of the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare, which in 1999 fell just one vote short of the supermajority required to recommend formally shifting from providing a package of defined benefits to giving checks to beneficiaries ("premium support") toward purchase of their choice of a qualified private health insurance plan in competition with "traditional Medicare." Many pages of this journal and others, as well as various special edited books, were devoted to assessments of the relative merits of different market-based models for Medicare. However, thanks to a continuing robust economy, the resulting welcome surge in revenues, and the surprisingly effective financial restraints imposed on Medicare provider payments by the bipartisan Balanced Budget Act of 1997, what looked like looming deficits for the health insurance trust fund starting as soon as next year has been pushed back more than two decades, according to the most recent report of the Medicare trustees (Board of Trustees 2000).
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, Apr 1, 2004
Years ago in a television advertisement for a major brand breakfast cereal, a group of kids eyed ... more Years ago in a television advertisement for a major brand breakfast cereal, a group of kids eyed the new concoction with considerable wariness. They then all looked at the youngest boy at the table and came to the same conclusion: "Let Mikey eat it!" In the long and unsuccessful search for universal health insurance coverage in the United States-a seemingly delectable proposition but potentially fraught with despairing complexity-we repeatedly hear, if only implicitly, a similar refrain: "Let the states do it!" After all, Mikey turned out to like his new cereal and downed it with gusto, soon followed by his previously skeptical friends and siblings. So, too, state efforts at insurance expansion? When President Bill Clinton's proposed Health Security Act and competing plans for comprehensive health care reform proved too much to swallow, advocates and observers turned their attention to the states, a few of which appeared to be well along in developing their own versions of reform. Alas, with the nationwide Republican electoral revolution of 1994 and changing economic tides, these efforts also proved unpalatable and were thwarted or rescinded (States-The Policy Crucible 1997). Perhaps the states could tinker with their laws governing the individual insurance market, transforming this residual category of insurance into a more effective opportunity for coverage. More Pop Tarts than a meal, even these plausibly more edible policy morsels failed to advance very far the objective of improving coverage (Individual Health Insurance Market 2000). More recently, Daniel Fox, the president of the Milbank Memorial
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, Jun 1, 1992
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, 1996
Oxford University Press eBooks, 2005
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, Oct 1, 1999
You have a very rare condition," the physician announces to his apprehensive peasant patient in t... more You have a very rare condition," the physician announces to his apprehensive peasant patient in the comic strip "The Wizard of Id." Looking alarmed, the patient inquires, "Oh my.. .. What's so rare about it?" To which the physician wryly responds, "It's covered by your HMO" (Parker and Hart 1999). Perhaps more surprising than the presence of modern medicine in the medieval kingdom of Id is this comic strip's use of managed care as a foil. After all, it is neither a political cartoon on the editorial page nor one of the more overtly political and policy-oriented strips, such as "Doonesbury." Or consider "Laugh Parade" in Parade Magazine, usually a forum for family and pet foibles. Two auto mechanics are about to work on a man supine on the garage rack, prepped for surgery. The fellow's wife confirms, "I checked your company's medical plan again, and these guys are authorized through your HMO" (Hoest and Reiner 1999). Similarly, last year in movie theaters across the nation, and, as Regina Herzlinger notes in her contribution to this issue, even at 35,000 feet, audiences applauded and cheered when Helen Hunt let loose a ferocious, expletive-laced commentary on HMOs in the film As Good As It Gets. Needless to say, the title of this quirky romantic comedy did not convey the Hunt character's view of the contemporary U.S. health care system, but her line about HMOs is likely to leave a more lasting impression than her ultimately optimistic liaison with the eccentric writer played by Jack Nicholson. Something about managed care has obviously penetrated deep into the American social fabric. The derision seen in
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, Oct 1, 2001
... 1. One could cite an extensive literature, but the main themes that follow can be found in Ar... more ... 1. One could cite an extensive literature, but the main themes that follow can be found in Arnold 1990; Bauer, Pool, and Dexter, 1972; Baumgartner and Leech 1998; Browne 1995; Hansen 1991; Hayes 1981; Hojnacki 1997; Hula 1999; Kollman 1998; Krehbiel 1991; Olson 1965 ...
the Aging is its failure to acknowledge that the "problems" of aging in the United States today a... more the Aging is its failure to acknowledge that the "problems" of aging in the United States today are essentially the product of earlier successes. Although laws preventing mandatory retirement rules preserve continued employment as an option for many elderly persons, more and more workers are retiring at a younger age, and fewer than was once the case are quitting work due to problems of health. Although Lammers does call for an increase in the eligibility age for Social Security benefits, most of his policy agenda items call for additional federal spending or regulation. But as he admits, the politically active middle-and upper-middle class retirees and the groups to which they belong are hardly likely to seek the federal programs and regulations that will be of the most benefit to the poorest and most frail among the elderly. As one alternative, perhaps a study of the causes of the successes mentioned previously might yield a more feasible policy agenda that might better meet the needs of the most deserving elderly.
Columbia University Press eBooks, Dec 31, 2000
American Behavioral Scientist, Jul 1, 1993
In the 1970s, Canada implemented its new health care financing system while the United States con... more In the 1970s, Canada implemented its new health care financing system while the United States considered reform but failed to act. Reform debate in the 1990s must be informed by the correct lessons of the 1970s and an understanding of the subsequent changes in American government. The different Canadian and U.S. experiences had more to do with prevailing institutional arrangements than enduring societal characteristics. Since then, U.S. institutions—reflecting the way private power is represented and public authority is organized—have been dramatically transformed. These changes, along with the election of a president committed to reform, create a policy environment more conducive to health care reform than was true in the 1970s. The medical, insurance, and business alliance opposed to reform has been disrupted and lacks the means to prevail. Achieving reform remains a major challenge, but there is now an opportunity for bold policy action.
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, Jun 1, 2000
Women with great bodies have a dirty little secret. Sure, they work out and eat well-but they als... more Women with great bodies have a dirty little secret. Sure, they work out and eat well-but they also sneakily burn hundreds more calories than everyone else. From the outside, they don't seem to be doing anything particularly strenuous. "You wouldn't believe how many straightforward ways there are to burn calories," says Lauren Slayton, director of foodtrainers. net. "But it's easy to miss the opportunities if you're not looking for them." Research has shown that swapping sedentary habits, such as watching television, for pretty much anything that doesn't involve sitting down can make a world of difference. "Most people don't realize that a little extra effort can yield great results," says Steven Wheelock, a trainer at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts. The experts we consulted explain how to take every opportunity to flex your muscles, boost your heart rate, and eat foods that yield maximum fullness for minimal calories. Just don't tell anyone. 1. Take vitamin D Women who were deficient in it lost weight more slowly in a study in the British Journal of Nutrition. Stephen Gullo, a weight-loss expert in New York City and author of "The Thin Commandments" (Rodale), recommends 2,000 milligrams daily. 2. Drink coffee Studies have found that caffeine increases the rate at which you burn calories, according to Susan B. Roberts, author of "The 'I' Diet" (Workman) and a professor of nutrition and psychiatry at Tufts University in Boston. 3. Sleep more Getting fewer than four hours of sleep over an extended period of time slows the metabolism. Experts recommend aiming for between seven and nine. 4. Do things by hand Wash your dishes, vacuum, or cook dinner. "We consider it a luxury to have tasks done for us, but doing some of these for yourself takes considerable energy," says Slayton. 5. Wear a basic pedometer "Every week, aim to take a few more steps than you did the last week," says Wheelock.
Palgrave Macmillan US eBooks, 2013
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, 1994
... In the now well-known and frequently recited history of our times, Senator Harris Wofford of ... more ... In the now well-known and frequently recited history of our times, Senator Harris Wofford of Pennsylvania astutely rode the rising tide of ... In addi-tion to the incumbent Gary Belkin, the new associate editors are Thomas Rice, UCLA, Mark Schlesinger, Yale University, and Ken ...
Oxford University Press eBooks, Apr 14, 2005
2017 APPAM Fall Research Conference, Nov 4, 2017
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, Oct 10, 2012
Interest groups & Advocacy, Feb 20, 2021
We discuss the background and context of the research that went into Jack Walker’s 1991 book, Mob... more We discuss the background and context of the research that went into Jack Walker’s 1991 book, Mobilizing Interest Groups in America . Jack was uniquely situated to devise this research project, but it was also his reaction to dominant political theories of the time. The 1960s posed a puzzle: Groups that had previously been silent were getting mobilized. And yet the most powerful theoretical perspectives either said this was impossible, or that it was unwelcome. Jack thought otherwise. We discuss the reception of the book in the field, its impact on later scholars, and we speculate on what the profession lost when Jack was killed prematurely, before his book was completed, in a automobile accident.
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, 1995
Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law, 2001
To rephrase a lyric by the Grateful Dead, what a short, strange trip it's been. Just six years ag... more To rephrase a lyric by the Grateful Dead, what a short, strange trip it's been. Just six years ago the combination of the apparent immediate fiscal crisis in the trust fund for Part A of Medicare, anticipation of the Baby Boom's approaching retirement, and the largely unexpected arrival of active, conservative Republican majorities in Congress shot fundamental restructuring of Medicare to the top of the nation's political and legislative agendas. That theme carried through the often contentious work of the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare, which in 1999 fell just one vote short of the supermajority required to recommend formally shifting from providing a package of defined benefits to giving checks to beneficiaries ("premium support") toward purchase of their choice of a qualified private health insurance plan in competition with "traditional Medicare." Many pages of this journal and others, as well as various special edited books, were devoted to assessments of the relative merits of different market-based models for Medicare. However, thanks to a continuing robust economy, the resulting welcome surge in revenues, and the surprisingly effective financial restraints imposed on Medicare provider payments by the bipartisan Balanced Budget Act of 1997, what looked like looming deficits for the health insurance trust fund starting as soon as next year has been pushed back more than two decades, according to the most recent report of the Medicare trustees (Board of Trustees 2000).
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, Apr 1, 2004
Years ago in a television advertisement for a major brand breakfast cereal, a group of kids eyed ... more Years ago in a television advertisement for a major brand breakfast cereal, a group of kids eyed the new concoction with considerable wariness. They then all looked at the youngest boy at the table and came to the same conclusion: "Let Mikey eat it!" In the long and unsuccessful search for universal health insurance coverage in the United States-a seemingly delectable proposition but potentially fraught with despairing complexity-we repeatedly hear, if only implicitly, a similar refrain: "Let the states do it!" After all, Mikey turned out to like his new cereal and downed it with gusto, soon followed by his previously skeptical friends and siblings. So, too, state efforts at insurance expansion? When President Bill Clinton's proposed Health Security Act and competing plans for comprehensive health care reform proved too much to swallow, advocates and observers turned their attention to the states, a few of which appeared to be well along in developing their own versions of reform. Alas, with the nationwide Republican electoral revolution of 1994 and changing economic tides, these efforts also proved unpalatable and were thwarted or rescinded (States-The Policy Crucible 1997). Perhaps the states could tinker with their laws governing the individual insurance market, transforming this residual category of insurance into a more effective opportunity for coverage. More Pop Tarts than a meal, even these plausibly more edible policy morsels failed to advance very far the objective of improving coverage (Individual Health Insurance Market 2000). More recently, Daniel Fox, the president of the Milbank Memorial
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, Jun 1, 1992
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, 1996
Oxford University Press eBooks, 2005
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, Oct 1, 1999
You have a very rare condition," the physician announces to his apprehensive peasant patient in t... more You have a very rare condition," the physician announces to his apprehensive peasant patient in the comic strip "The Wizard of Id." Looking alarmed, the patient inquires, "Oh my.. .. What's so rare about it?" To which the physician wryly responds, "It's covered by your HMO" (Parker and Hart 1999). Perhaps more surprising than the presence of modern medicine in the medieval kingdom of Id is this comic strip's use of managed care as a foil. After all, it is neither a political cartoon on the editorial page nor one of the more overtly political and policy-oriented strips, such as "Doonesbury." Or consider "Laugh Parade" in Parade Magazine, usually a forum for family and pet foibles. Two auto mechanics are about to work on a man supine on the garage rack, prepped for surgery. The fellow's wife confirms, "I checked your company's medical plan again, and these guys are authorized through your HMO" (Hoest and Reiner 1999). Similarly, last year in movie theaters across the nation, and, as Regina Herzlinger notes in her contribution to this issue, even at 35,000 feet, audiences applauded and cheered when Helen Hunt let loose a ferocious, expletive-laced commentary on HMOs in the film As Good As It Gets. Needless to say, the title of this quirky romantic comedy did not convey the Hunt character's view of the contemporary U.S. health care system, but her line about HMOs is likely to leave a more lasting impression than her ultimately optimistic liaison with the eccentric writer played by Jack Nicholson. Something about managed care has obviously penetrated deep into the American social fabric. The derision seen in
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, Oct 1, 2001
... 1. One could cite an extensive literature, but the main themes that follow can be found in Ar... more ... 1. One could cite an extensive literature, but the main themes that follow can be found in Arnold 1990; Bauer, Pool, and Dexter, 1972; Baumgartner and Leech 1998; Browne 1995; Hansen 1991; Hayes 1981; Hojnacki 1997; Hula 1999; Kollman 1998; Krehbiel 1991; Olson 1965 ...
the Aging is its failure to acknowledge that the "problems" of aging in the United States today a... more the Aging is its failure to acknowledge that the "problems" of aging in the United States today are essentially the product of earlier successes. Although laws preventing mandatory retirement rules preserve continued employment as an option for many elderly persons, more and more workers are retiring at a younger age, and fewer than was once the case are quitting work due to problems of health. Although Lammers does call for an increase in the eligibility age for Social Security benefits, most of his policy agenda items call for additional federal spending or regulation. But as he admits, the politically active middle-and upper-middle class retirees and the groups to which they belong are hardly likely to seek the federal programs and regulations that will be of the most benefit to the poorest and most frail among the elderly. As one alternative, perhaps a study of the causes of the successes mentioned previously might yield a more feasible policy agenda that might better meet the needs of the most deserving elderly.
Columbia University Press eBooks, Dec 31, 2000
American Behavioral Scientist, Jul 1, 1993
In the 1970s, Canada implemented its new health care financing system while the United States con... more In the 1970s, Canada implemented its new health care financing system while the United States considered reform but failed to act. Reform debate in the 1990s must be informed by the correct lessons of the 1970s and an understanding of the subsequent changes in American government. The different Canadian and U.S. experiences had more to do with prevailing institutional arrangements than enduring societal characteristics. Since then, U.S. institutions—reflecting the way private power is represented and public authority is organized—have been dramatically transformed. These changes, along with the election of a president committed to reform, create a policy environment more conducive to health care reform than was true in the 1970s. The medical, insurance, and business alliance opposed to reform has been disrupted and lacks the means to prevail. Achieving reform remains a major challenge, but there is now an opportunity for bold policy action.
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, Jun 1, 2000
Women with great bodies have a dirty little secret. Sure, they work out and eat well-but they als... more Women with great bodies have a dirty little secret. Sure, they work out and eat well-but they also sneakily burn hundreds more calories than everyone else. From the outside, they don't seem to be doing anything particularly strenuous. "You wouldn't believe how many straightforward ways there are to burn calories," says Lauren Slayton, director of foodtrainers. net. "But it's easy to miss the opportunities if you're not looking for them." Research has shown that swapping sedentary habits, such as watching television, for pretty much anything that doesn't involve sitting down can make a world of difference. "Most people don't realize that a little extra effort can yield great results," says Steven Wheelock, a trainer at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, Massachusetts. The experts we consulted explain how to take every opportunity to flex your muscles, boost your heart rate, and eat foods that yield maximum fullness for minimal calories. Just don't tell anyone. 1. Take vitamin D Women who were deficient in it lost weight more slowly in a study in the British Journal of Nutrition. Stephen Gullo, a weight-loss expert in New York City and author of "The Thin Commandments" (Rodale), recommends 2,000 milligrams daily. 2. Drink coffee Studies have found that caffeine increases the rate at which you burn calories, according to Susan B. Roberts, author of "The 'I' Diet" (Workman) and a professor of nutrition and psychiatry at Tufts University in Boston. 3. Sleep more Getting fewer than four hours of sleep over an extended period of time slows the metabolism. Experts recommend aiming for between seven and nine. 4. Do things by hand Wash your dishes, vacuum, or cook dinner. "We consider it a luxury to have tasks done for us, but doing some of these for yourself takes considerable energy," says Slayton. 5. Wear a basic pedometer "Every week, aim to take a few more steps than you did the last week," says Wheelock.
Palgrave Macmillan US eBooks, 2013
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, 1994
... In the now well-known and frequently recited history of our times, Senator Harris Wofford of ... more ... In the now well-known and frequently recited history of our times, Senator Harris Wofford of Pennsylvania astutely rode the rising tide of ... In addi-tion to the incumbent Gary Belkin, the new associate editors are Thomas Rice, UCLA, Mark Schlesinger, Yale University, and Ken ...
Oxford University Press eBooks, Apr 14, 2005
2017 APPAM Fall Research Conference, Nov 4, 2017
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, Oct 10, 2012
Interest groups & Advocacy, Feb 20, 2021
We discuss the background and context of the research that went into Jack Walker’s 1991 book, Mob... more We discuss the background and context of the research that went into Jack Walker’s 1991 book, Mobilizing Interest Groups in America . Jack was uniquely situated to devise this research project, but it was also his reaction to dominant political theories of the time. The 1960s posed a puzzle: Groups that had previously been silent were getting mobilized. And yet the most powerful theoretical perspectives either said this was impossible, or that it was unwelcome. Jack thought otherwise. We discuss the reception of the book in the field, its impact on later scholars, and we speculate on what the profession lost when Jack was killed prematurely, before his book was completed, in a automobile accident.
Journal of Health Politics Policy and Law, 1995