MORE ARTICLES

Stay Connected!

Receive the latest updates in your inbox.

LATEST ARTICLES

Are Large-Scale School Turnarounds A Myth?

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

Tough editorial from the WSJ today, calling the “doubling down” on turnaround plans for schools, rather than simply focusing on creating more charters, a big mistake. Like its predecessor, the Obama Administration is focusing its education policy on fixing failed schools. Education Secretary Arne Duncan calls for a “dramatic overhaul” of “dropout factories, where 50, 60, 70 percent of students” don’t graduate. The intentions are good, but a new study shows that school turnarounds have a dismal record that doesn’t warrant more reform effort. “Much of the rhetoric on turnarounds is pie in the sky—more wishful thinking than a realistic assessment of what school reform can actually accomplish,” writes Tom Loveless of the Brookings Institution. “It can be done but […]

The Devil is in the Details

/0 Comments/in , /by

Anyone involved in the Massachusetts reform is probably being asked the same questions that I am being asked.  How does the federal reform differ from MA’s reform?  How will it affect what we’ve already put in place?  Why is there so much opposition, hasn’t the MA reform worked reasonably well?   The answers are not simple.   Unfortunately, one must review the 2000+ page bill and another 100+ pages of reconciliation language in order to prepare a comprehensive review.  And, even then, you’re only partially there.  Many details, which could have a material impact on MA and the nation as a whole, will need to be further detailed through the regulatory process during what will be a very lengthy implementation phase.  So, […]

Goldhill's Atlantic Article on Healthcare

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Thanks to all those who participated in last night’s Hewitt Healthcare Lecture by Dr. Jeffrey Flier, Dean of the Harvard Medical School. As promised, here’s a link to The Atlantic article by David Goldhill that Dr. Flier referenced in his lecture. We encourage you to give it a read and then share your thoughts with us in the comments.

2010 Hewitt Health Care Lecture

/in /by

Pioneer’s 2010 Hewitt Health Care Lecture featured Dr. Jeffrey Flier, Dean, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Flier provided a historical overview of health care reform, and outlined his concerns about the federal heath care law, the Affordable Care Act.

What Am I Missing?

/0 Comments/in , , /by

The Cerberus-Caritas tie-up is a mystery to me. You’ve got a deep pocketed investor with no discernible links to this industry, and a reputation for being tough-minded financial engineers, not operators. And the deal announcement suggests a interest in follow-on investments nationally in the sector. Meanwhile, you’ve got this weekend’s reforms on the federal level, a state government that seems to want to play an even larger role in this market, and Caritas’ portfolio of hospitals, most of whom play vital roles in their communities (that won’t react well to much cost-cutting). Cerberus must have something in mind. What is it? PS — Nice work by whomever is doing Caritas’ PR — the banner ads on the Globe article about […]