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Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase announced last week that they would be forming a new company aimed at reducing employee health care costs.. ...In announcing the new partnership, Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett called the costs of healthcare “a hungry tapeworm on the American economy.” He’s right. But, combined, these three companies employ about 1.1 million people. Even accounting for dependents, this new company will, at best, serve 1% of the population. I’m looking for a solution that would help the other 99%: Medicare for All. (Richard Master, 2/7)

I traveled across the country last year to listen to Americans discuss their concerns  about health care and the politics in Washington, and I became struck by how much we all have in common. Whether they are Democrats, Republicans, independents or none of the above, no Americans want to live in fear that a job change, a prior illness, the cost of their medication, the generosity of their insurance company or who wins next election will determine whether they have their access to affordable health care. (Andy Slavitt, 2/6)

Out of the gate, the new health care venture from Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase seems to be headed in the right direction — using new technology to provide their employees better value and health outcomes. That’s where things will start, but this could be a laboratory for a more sweeping transformation. The big picture: To bring lower costs and better care to their employees and others, these companies will need to do more than deploy a modern technology overlay. They will have to better align payments and outcomes in health care across the board. If they accelerate this process, we will all benefit. (Dan Mendelson, 2/6)

American health policy is stuck in a deep political rut. Now a bipartisan group of prominent healthcare, political and not-for-profit leaders have come together to try to build a public consensus for how to reform the system. (Harris Meyer, 2/6)

Only 39 percent of Americans can cover a $1,000 unexpected medical bill without incurring significant debt. Medical costs were the largest single contributor to increasing the number of people falling into poverty. With the Trump administration’s and Congress’ assaults on the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid, it’s about to get worse. (Malinda Markowitz, 2/6)