A new report from the Government Accounting Office gives details on the spread of Medicaid spending across all its beneficiaries, finding that, as for other payers, a relatively small set…
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An Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality brief details inpatient hospital use in 2011 and trends since 1997.
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Sherpaa, which plans to offer employers consultations with providers by phone and text for their employees, has raised $500,000 from Tumblr's founder and is working on finding additional capital.
http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2014/03/24/tumblr-founder-david-karp-invests-in-medical-treatment-startup-sherpaa/IMS, the provider of drug and health information and analytics, is looking to return to the public markets in a $7 billion IPO.
http://medcitynews.com/2014/03/ims-health-seeks-valuation-7-billion-ipo/?utm_source=MedCity+News+Subscribers&utm_campaign=5efd3d1501-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c05cce483a-5efd3d1501-67648197Apparently many people are still astounded that basic economic principles apply to health care. A study in the Annals of Emergency Medicine finds that ER use increased in Massachusetts after the implementation of reform. If something costs less, people will buy or use more of it. Simple as that.
http://www.annemergmed.com/webfiles/images/journals/ymem/YMEM5832_proof.pdfAccording to Mark Farrah Associates, growth in Medicare Prescription Drug Plans slowed for the current year, with a little under one million net new members. Of the roughly 52 million Medicare beneficiaries, about 39 million have Part D coverage either through a stand-alone PDP or Medicare Advantage coverage. UnitedHealth, CVS Caremark and Humana are the largest players.
http://www.markfarrah.com/healthcare-business-strategy/The Rand Corporation surveyed physicians on behalf of the American Medical Association to ascertain issues relating to job satisfaction, with quality of care and health information technology at the top…
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A Journal of the American Medical Association article summarizing a Cochrane review of home palliative care finds that it increases the likelihood of dying at home and having fewer symptoms…
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According to a study in the National Academy of Sciences venture capitalists are most likely to fund companies pitched by good-looking guys, and are about equally likely to fund companies of unattractive men and any woman. So the lessons are, find a good-looking guy to front for your business and if you are a vc, be aware of your own irrational tendencies!
http://www.pehub.com/2014/03/prime-health-collects-8-mln-from-longuvue-capital/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.