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Kevin Roche

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 through Roche Consulting, LLC. Mr. Roche is available to assist health care companies through consulting arrangements and may be reached at khroche@healthy-skeptic.com.

Apr 14 2015

A research paper from UHC, the consortium of academic medical centers, finds that physician preference items, such as cardiac or orthopedic devices, are often used without regard to their actual quality or cost outcomes.  Customizing devices, waste and devices mismatched to patient characteristics were significant contributors to the problem.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/uhc-study-variations-in-use-of-physician-preference-items-affect-patient-outcomes-and-costs-300058774.html
Apr 13 2015

Accenture estimates that private insurance exchange membership doubled in 2015, to 6 million people, and will grow to 40 million in 2018.

http://www.accenture.com/us-en/Pages/insight-private-health-insurance-exchange-annual-enrollment.aspx
Apr 13 2015

A new study in JAMA Internal Medicine finds that functional impairment is linked to risk of more hospital readmissions among Medicare beneficiaries, but the current penalty program fails to take these very common circumstances into account.

http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleID=2107610&utm_source=Silverchair%20Information%20Systems&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ArchivesofInternalMedicine%3ANewIssue04%2F07%2F2015&utm_campaign=KHN%3A+Daily+Health+Policy+Report&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=17012651&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--86WArNUdcrUhK-q4IWxS8YUjNyYBua4BCp2kw--BYk2acxU_784_YgBDfD-0OR6kpCjIcrw1k1_k347HiXiim2CJfsw&_hsmi=17012651
Apr 11 2015

A private equity firm is acquiring Informatica for $5.3 billion.  Informatica has a health division which helps companies manage large amounts of data and build analytic tools.

http://www.information-management.com/news/Informatica-Acquired-Big-Data-Permira-CPPIB-10026761-1.html?utm_campaign=daily-apr%2011%202015&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&ET=informationmgmt%3Ae4171910%3A2050365a%3A&st=email
Apr 10 2015

An analysis conducted for AHIP by The Menges Group finds that states that keep their Medicaid medical and drug benefits in the same plan as opposed to separating them have lower total drug spending.  The savings were about 14.6% per prescription or over $2 billion.

http://www.ahip.org/News/Press-Room/2015/New-Report--Allowing-Medicaid-Plans-to-Manage-Pharmacy-Benefits-Leads-to-Cost-Savings-for-States.aspx
Apr 10 2015

UnitedHealth Group's Optum division has acquired MedExpress, the operator of over 140 urgent care centers, for an undisclosed price.

http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20150409/NEWS/150409897?utm_source=modernhealthcare&utm_medium=email&utm_content=externalURL&utm_campaign=hits
Apr 10 2015

Women's health, oh wait, make that "digital" health, company Maven has attracted $2.2 million in capital.

https://www.pehub.com/2015/04/maven-attracts-2-2-mln/
Apr 09 2015

Sharecare, founded by talk show host Dr. Oz, has raised an additional $25 million in capital, bringing the total to over $160 million, for development of health apps, with a focus on voice analysis.  And you think we aren't at a speculative investing top?

http://venturebeat.com/2015/04/08/sharecare-announces-20-million-investment-brings-total-funding-to-160-million/
Apr 08 2015

Apogee gets $2.5 million from investors for yet another gaming approach to helping chronic disease patients stick with care plans.

http://medcitynews.com/2015/04/ayogo-raises-2-5m-series-accelerate-sales-marketing-social-gaming-chronic-conditions/?utm_source=MedCity+News+Subscribers&utm_campaign=1abf84551b-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c05cce483a-1abf84551b-67677117
Apr 08 2015

Living got another $20 million in capital for its "digital" health business that helps people with chronic diseases.  I got a digit for you.

https://www.pehub.com/2015/04/livongo-health-rakes-in-20-mln-series-b/
Apr 08 2015

Novu obtained $20 million in financing for its business of engaging health care consumers in their health care.  Knowyu this, that is one crowded space with unproven ROI.

https://www.pehub.com/2015/04/novu-attracts-20-mln/
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