The current issue of Health Affairs carries several articles on specialty drugs, which have become the priority area for cost-control efforts for most health plans.
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Optum, the non-health plan business of UnitedHealth Group, is purchasing Alere Health, the division on Alere that provides wellness programs for employers and health plan enrollees, for a massive $600 million. The acquisitions which led to Alere Health had been ill-timed for Alere and outside its core business and the company is fighting off a hostile takeover.
Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that less physician competition results in higher prices, exactly as traditional economics would predict.
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A Medscape-sponsored survey of physicians explores their attitudes toward various payers and other matters.
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An Employee Benefits Research Institute survey finds that workers generally have a poor view of the health system, but are more satisfied with their own health plan.
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About 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.