All Posts By

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.

Dec 30 2013

A study published in the Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy finds that statin users who have a copay are less likely to be adherent to their prescription and that those who have no copay on other drugs are less likely to adhere to their statin prescription than to the non-copay drugs.

http://www.amcp.org/JMCP/2014/January/17494/1033.html
Dec 26 2013

According to an article in Modern Physician, disenchantment with EHRs among physicians has reached the point where there is concern that many will drop out of the government's meaningful use program.

http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20131221/MAGAZINE/312219936/1135?AllowView=VXQ0UnpwQzRDUGFmL1I3TkErT1lBajNja0U4VkNPUmNFQk1EQWc9PQ==
Dec 26 2013

According to a survey from Buck Consultants, once consumers are enrolled in a plan with a health savings account, they engage in more health conscious behaviors.

https://www.buckconsultants.com/portals/0/publications/press-releases/2013/NR-Buck-Consultants-BenefitWallet-HSASurvey-2013-1211.pdf
Dec 26 2013

And yet another mobile app patient engagement and care management tool company has raised some initial capital, this time it is 1EQ getting $1.1 million.

http://mobihealthnews.com/28293/patient-engagement-tool-1eq-raises-1-1m-announces-pilots/
Dec 24 2013

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

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Wishing all of you a delightful Christmas Eve and a very Merry Christmas and a great holiday time!!  Whatever your religious persuasion or lack thereof, this is a special time of year to reflect on the blessings in our lives, to enjoy the presence of loved ones and to show compassion to the less fortunate.  The very best to all of you and thank you for reading.

Dec 24 2013

Welcome news, since there is such a shortage of health app companies, here is a new one, My Own Med, which has raised $1.3 million.

http://www.pehub.com/2013/12/health-platform-my-own-med-attracts-1-3-mln/
Dec 23 2013

Weight loss company Retrofit has gained a few more pounds, errr, dollars, $5 million to be exact, for expanding its business.

http://www.pehub.com/2013/12/cambia-health-solutions-and-dfj-lead-5-mln-round-for-retrofit/
Dec 23 2013

A report from the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission strongly opposes further hospital and physician group practice consolidation on the grounds that it will raise prices.

http://www.mass.gov/anf/docs/hpc/hpc-preliminary-review-of-phs-ssh-harbor-12-18-2013.pdf
Dec 23 2013

A company called Health:ELT is seeking to raise an additional $2.5 million for its tools to aid Medicaid programs, plans and enrollees in managing care and health.  The company says it already had $5 million invested from its founders.

http://medcitynews.com/2013/12/health-firm-raising-2-5m-digital-tools-help-mcos-manage-engage-medicaid-patients/?utm_source=MedCity+News+Subscribers&utm_campaign=0aafd0b951-RSS_Daily+Top+Stories&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c05cce483a-0aafd0b951-67648197
Dec 20 2013

Christmas present or lump of coal?  The administration has announced it will allow persons whose insurance was cancelled because it didn't comply with standards under the reform law to not comply with the individual mandate next year or to comply by buying a bare-bones policy.  Cold comfort for millions who were happy with the health insurance they had.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/20/us-usa-healthcare-cancellations-idUSBRE9BJ05N20131220?utm_campaign=KHN%253A%2520Daily%2520Health%2520Policy%2520Report&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=11474193&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_fEy7T-sdXMESZJ7sCC6NLQ9ob7Qkur0LlFmIqg9mzB3hFZQzfkmznphnfAVB8UID8y4ZQB5t89oFMigP-GrqgS11hDw&_hsmi=11474193
Dec 20 2013

According to an Ipsos poll, 72% of Americans prefer to be cared for by a doctor instead of a nurse practitioner, and a similar number would prefer that a loved one receive care from a physician.

http://ipsos-na.com/news-polls/pressrelease.aspx?id=6361
Dec 20 2013

According to a report from a CitiBank analyst, hospital admissions are the weakest in a decade, due to a change in the Medicare observation stay rules and confusion over the health care rollout.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/17/us-hospitals-admissions-idUSBRE9BG18J20131217?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews