The New England Journal of Medicine contains an article on the relative review process and outcomes for the FDA, Health Canada, and the European Medicines Agency, with the surprising finding that the FDA is faster than its corresponding agencies.
Pay-for-performance programs have enough problems demonstrating that they actually work to improve outcomes and now the Government Accounting Office has identified another potential problem for these initiatives–the federal fraud and abuse regulations.
Massachusetts Special Commission on Provider Price Reform has released its momentous report on how to address the surging health care costs in the state, which appear to be largely caused by “excessive” provider prices and price increases. Someday regulators might learn that the more you regulate, the more you regulate.
Another brilliant Potpourri, with scintillating health care gems, including revising the FDA’s 510(k) process, the essential benefits package for health exchanges, the future of Medicare Advantage, the lack of labor productivity in health care, variation in elective procedure rates and the OIG’s work plan.
A Kaiser Family Foundation report surveys state managed care Medicaid programs, finding a surge in utilization of health plans and addition of eligibility categories to the plans. A great variety of features are used in different states, but the trend toward more managed care is clear.
Deloitte issues the results of a global and a United States consumer survey on perceptions of health and health care system. Most Americans have a gloomy outlook, but so do the citizens of most of the surveyed countries.
A study of the VHA’s care for chronic disease patients finds generally good compliance with treatment recommendations, but not necessarily the best patient outcomes, reflecting the complexity of improving quality.
Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Programs provide coverage for a very substantial portion of the nation’s children. The GAO issues a report on the adequacy of some aspects of the care they receive.
A review article of high quality studies on the VHA’s telemedicine initiatives suggests that those interventions had positive health outcomes and may also lower overall health care utilization and cost.
A positively presidential set of health care data points for your edification in today’s Potpourri, including examining correlations between hospital volume, quality and costs, improving quality program adherence, creating good insurance markets, the physician gender pay gap, the effects of the health reform law, and potential inconsistencies in HHS’ HIT incentive programs.
Off we go into 2011, with more snippets of health developments including the OIG’s 2011 work plan; an international survey of internet usage for health purposes, physicians’ understanding of patients’ belief systems, medical tourism and care management for persons with multiple chronic conditions.
There was a big change in the balance of power between the parties in this week’s midterm election but that change may or may not have a significant effect on the health reform law. Changes in government at the state level may have more of a near-term effect.
The Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration spend a lot of money on health care and health information technology, sometimes earning kudos. But there are a lot of problems. The GAO puts out a report on DOD’s Electronic Health Record Initiative, which should make the agency blush with shame.
The Healthy Skeptic is a website about the health care system, and is written by Kevin Roche, who has many years of experience working in the health industry. Mr. Roche is available to assist health care companies through consulting arrangements through Roche Consulting, LLC and may be reached at [email protected].
© 2024 Healthy Skeptic.
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