Once again people are shocked, just shocked, when the response to a government regulation is to try to minimize the consequences. The Wall Street Journal finds a relationship between hospitals showing significant declines in readmissions and increased use of observation stays at those hospitals. Guess what, readmissions are penalized but being "readmitted" for "observation" doesn't count.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/medicare-rules-reshape-hospital-admissions-1449024342A Congressional Budget Office working paper highlights expenditure expectations related to various cohorts of Medicare beneficiaries.
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A report from PriceWaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institute recommends a "makeover" for primary care.
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According to a report from AHRQ, from 2010 to 2014 there was a 17% decrease in hospital acquired conditions, but reporting and other concerns make this analysis suspect.
http://www.ahrq.gov/professionals/quality-patient-safety/pfp/interimhacrate2014.html?utm_source=HHSPressRelease65&utm_medium=HHSPressRelease&utm_term=HAC&utm_content=65&utm_campaign=CUSP4CAUTI2015CMS for some period paid some Medicare Advantage plans double bonuses as a quality incentive. A study in Health Services Research finds that these bonuses cost Medicare $3.4 billion but did nothing to improve quality.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1475-6773.12409/abstract;jsessionid=C7261126601D8F545A645479848583AB.f01t01The Food and Drug Administration has noted serious concerns about use of laboratory developed tests.
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Leavitt Partners publishes an assessment of the Medicare hospital value-based purchasing program.
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Two vendors serving the smaller and rural hospital EHR markets, CPSI and HealthLand, are merging, with CPSI buying HealthLand for $250 million.
http://medcitynews.com/2015/11/cpsi-post-acute-ehr-healthland/?utm_source=MedCity+News+Subscribers&utm_campaign=a1851d12e3-MCN+Daily+Email&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5092836c41-a1851d12e3-408793005Have a wonderful Thanksgiving. It is a troubled world, as it always is, but hopefully each of you has a relaxing and comforting time with family and friends.
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Even after the coverage expansions stemming from the reform law, we can't emphasize enough the problems that health care costs create for low and middle-income families, a fact underlined by…
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A brief from the Commonwealth Fund weighs in on the likely consequences of further health plan consolidation.
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PatientPop has added $10 million in financing for its software platform to help physician practices attract and retain patients.
http://medcitynews.com/2015/11/physician-practice-growth/?utm_source=MedCity+News+Subscribers&utm_campaign=841aaefade-MCN+Daily+Email&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5092836c41-841aaefade-408793005About this Blog
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 khroche@healthy-skeptic.com.
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