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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.

May 14 2014

CarePayment, which helps patients finance the cost of medical bills, has received an additional $100 million in financing.

http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20140513/NEWS/305139925?AllowView=VDl3UXk1TzhDL2VCbkJiYkY0M3hlMGFvakVVZENPTT0=&utm_source=link-20140513-NEWS-305139925&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hits&utm_name=top
May 14 2014

In the slightly head-scratching acquisition department, Quintiles, a large contract research and drug and device services firm, is acquiring Encore Health Resources, which consults mostly with providers in regard to EHR implementation and other IT needs.  Quintiles says it will improve access to real-world data about drug use.

http://www.quintiles.com/library/press-releases/quintiles-announces-agreement-to-acquire-encore-health-resources/
May 14 2014

Teladoc, a provider of video and online provider visits, has acquired AmeriDoc, which also is a Telehealth provider.

http://drugstorenews.com/article/telehealth-provider-teladoc-accelerate-growth-ameridoc-acquisition
May 14 2014

The Advisory Board has acquired HealthPost, which provides software to allow patients to schedule appointments and tests, for $25 million.

http://medcitynews.com/2014/05/physician-appointment-scheduling-startup-healthpost-snapped-up-in-25m-deal/
May 14 2014

SolveBio has raised $2 million to develop its business of collecting and cleaning up genomic data to be used as a reference set for providers and developers.

http://medcitynews.com/2014/05/solvebio-scores-2m-clean-index-genomic-data-developers-can-focus-building-applications/?utm_source=MedCity+News+Subscribers&utm_campaign=82d4ef3360-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c05cce483a-82d4ef3360-67648197
May 12 2014

Altarum Institute's March health price report (which tracks only the price component of health spending growth) shows a muted year-over-year increase of only 1.1%, indicating that utilization is the primary cause of the overall 7% spending growth.

http://altarum.org/sites/default/files/uploaded-related-files/CSHS-Price-Brief_May%202014_0.pdf
May 12 2014

The latest Altarum health spending report shows that in March, growth was 7.1% year-over-year, continuing an acceleration over the last few months.

http://altarum.org/sites/default/files/uploaded-related-files/CSHS-Spending-Brief_May%202014.pdf
May 12 2014

mass ref

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Speaking of poor research (see today’s Commentary) a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine finds that Massachusetts’ health reform led to reduced mortality rates, a likely flawed study with untested correlates.  The more credible Oregon Medicaid lottery study finds no such effect on mortality.

May 12 2014

Magellan Rx Management has issued its fourth annual Medical Pharmacy Trend Report, which focuses on drugs paid under the medical benefit side of a health plan and finds continuing double-digit growth and the spread of various management techniques.

http://ir.magellanhealth.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=846118
May 08 2014

Onward Behavioral Health, which is owned by a PE firm, has been sold to Pyramid Healthcare, also owned by a PE firm and also in the behavioral health business.

http://www.pehub.com/2014/05/hpef-ii-sells-onward-behavioral-health/
May 08 2014

Google Ventures is leading a$130 million investment into Flatiron Health, an oncology data company, which will use the funding in part to acquire Altos Solutions, a provider of oncology EMRs.

http://www.pehub.com/2014/05/google-ventures-leads-flatiron-health-investment/