Yet another approach to understanding the sources of geographic health spending variation in a paper from the NBER.
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Towers Watson gives us a perspective on employer health benefit trends.
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The FDA approved a significant number of new compounds in 2014, with the 41 novel medicines being second only to 1996's number. The bad news is that many of these drugs are specialty medications with very high price tags.
http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/01/01/pharmaceuticals-approvals-idINL6N0UE2C120150101The Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute issues its annual report on prescription drug benefit design, with specialty drugs getting much of the attention.
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Modernizing Medicine is getting up-to-date by making an innovative acquisition of Aesyntix Physician Network, adding revenue cycle services to its EHR.
http://medcitynews.com/2014/12/modernizing-medicine-expands-offerings-acquisition-aesyntix-health/?utm_source=MedCity+News+Subscribers&utm_campaign=02cb43fe40-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c05cce483a-02cb43fe40-67648197Looks like 2015 is going to be like 2014, sigh, a company called PocketDerm has raised $2.85 million for its tele-dermatology business that has patients send selfies of their skin conditions.
http://medcitynews.com/2014/12/teledermatology-company-uses-selfies-aid-diagnosis-raises-2-85m/?utm_source=MedCity+News+Subscribers&utm_campaign=02cb43fe40-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c05cce483a-02cb43fe40-67648197After yesterday's look in the rear view mirror at 2014, today we peer through the windshield at 2015 up ahead.
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2014 was dominated by health reform developments, but other trends were also important.
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McKinsey weighs in on what is happening with insurance premiums on the public exchanges in the second year of open enrollment.
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AMN Healthcare, which just in the last couple of weeks completed several acquisitions, is at it again, acquiring Avantas, a clinical labor management consultant, for up to $25 million.
http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20141226/NEWS/312269995/-staffing-powerhouse-amn-continues-expansion-with-avantas-dealAn article in the Harvard Business Review suggests that many hospital cost-cutting efforts may be misguided.
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