Geographic variation in health care spending is an ongoing controversial topic primarily because the most significant implication is that many physicians have practice patterns that unnecessarily raise costs and changing…
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This week's Potpourri focuses on the cost of robotic surgery, the benefits of aspirin compared to more expensive drugs, the benefits of fitness club use, what states and specialties are…
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CMS has issued its latest proposal rule on Medicaid drug pricing and rebates. The proposal doesn't clear up all areas of uncertainty and will add administrative costs for manufacturers. It…
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The Massachusetts reform rolls on, with the state's residents generally still okay with the changes, although cost continues to be a problem. An article in Health Affairs sums up the…
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The Government Accountability Office issues a report on use of implantable medical devices in hospitals, finding that they pay widely varying prices, suggesting that it is often too much, some…
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SureScripts, the network which facilitates e-prescribing, released results from a study which showed benefits from use of e-prescribing in terms of better fill rates on prescriptions and better ongoing adherence.
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Another Potpourri brimming with doses of useful information that you eagerly await each week, including Medicare special needs plans and patients with diabetes, health information technology venture capital funding and…
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Another excellent paper from the Congressional Budget Office is issued, this one on Medicare's demonstration projects on value-based payments to providers. Once again, the demonstrations had very mixed results, with…
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One creation of the federal reform law was the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute. The Institute has released a draft of its proposed priorities for research, available for comment by…
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A study on colorectal screening for women compared the effect of a web-based intervention and a print intervention. The most interesting finding, however, relates to how often people signed on…
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The Wall Street Journal published a special section devoted to big health care issues, with a pro and con format on questions ranging from should there be a health insurance…
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Another zinger of a Potpourri, with nuggets on a GAO audit of NQF work, use of web tools for diabetes management, the Healthways well-being index, the problem with federal health…
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Venture capital is critical to the formation and growth of small businesses and this is as true or more true for health care than it is for other industries. The…
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The American Hospital Association releases its Principles and Guidelines for Changes in Hospital Ownership, which recognize and attempt to ameliorate the public concerns about the effects of hospital consolidation or…
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has engaged in a number of care management demonstrations over the years. The Congressional Budget Office adds its assessment to the body of…
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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.
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