A report from the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics looks at the effect of pharmacy deductibles on medication adherence.
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Massachusetts once again is trailblazing for the country, as its managed Medicaid program runs into big, but very predictable issues.
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Telepsychiatry provider 1DocWay was apparently one document away from being acquired by Genoa Healthcare, whose primary business is operating pharmacies in community mental health facilities.
http://medcitynews.com/2015/11/telepsychiatry-1docway-sold-genoa/?utm_source=MedCity+News+Subscribers&utm_campaign=8f29880df2-MCN+Daily+Email&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5092836c41-8f29880df2-408793005&rf=1Accenture issues a brief report touting the benefits of virtual health.
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Envision Healthcare is acquiring Questcare Medical for about $135 million, adding another large medical group to its stable of medical specialists and other capabilities.
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_29066306/envision-healthcare-grows-with-acquisition-of-questcare-medical?utm_campaign=KHN%3A+Daily+Health+Policy+Report&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=23438030&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9m3oquepf_WTsb4gF70Z9cyZUp5A5MHZzpcLjpg06JsCEpcjU-NSHHELs9EUzBjm9wPA_HNNbTWPoQGZLX9t6qOC_oOxP2TZ2o8k2V8XvyYkx6b0I&_hsmi=23438030A J.D. Powers survey asks Medicare Advantage enrollees about their satisfaction with MA plans.
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A survey from the American College of Emergency Physicians claims that more patients are using the ER due to narrow networks and high deductibles. This is a blatantly flawed survey (just read the question composition) designed solely for the purpose of pressuring health plans to pay ER doctors more. It is simply disgraceful for a profession like medicine to corrupt science in this way and it ignores the fact that larger networks and richer benefits raise premiums, which also hurts patients.
http://anesthesiology.pubs.asahq.org/article.aspx?articleid=2466532An analysis of a Colorado medical home demonstration finds mixed results, at best.
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In a somewhat complex transaction, MedAssets, the GPO and health system consulting firm, which had run into trouble by overpaying in acquisitions, is being bought by a PE firm, with its supply chain and data analytics business largely resold and combined with those of Novation, and the PE firm retaining its revenue cycle management services and combining them with Precyse.
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20151102005902/en/VHA-UHC-Alliance-NewCo-Acquire-MedAssets’-Spend-Clinical#.VjeHE6St4q8.mailtoIn a somewhat alarming report, research in the journal Anesthesiology finds a high rate of medication problems in connection with surgeries. In 277 operations there were 3671 medication administrations and 193 medication errors or adverse drug events, of which 70 were judged to have the potential for harm. 153 were preventable and 99 were considered serious.
http://anesthesiology.pubs.asahq.org/article.aspx?articleid=2466532About 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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