Two articles in Health Affairs examine the likelihood that by not incorporating socioeconomic factors, the Medicare readmission penalties are hurting hospitals that serve large numbers of low-income patients.
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We know medical spending tends to grow rapidly in the United States--what is happening in the rest of the world? A Towers Watson survey attempts to answer that question.
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The IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics issued a report on cancer care facts and trends.
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A study published in Health Affairs examines the effects of the recession on hospital finances, finding that the weak stayed weak but largely survived.
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A survey for Enroll America, funded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, explores why some people did and did not enroll on the exchanges in its initial open enrollment period.
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The latest Mark Farrah Associates report on health plan enrollments reveals that most large insurers continue to show growth.
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Truven Health Analytics' report on employer health plan cost trends shows that in 2013 spending moderated due to lower hospital and drug costs.
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Sun Life and Aegis Medical issue surveys providing a picture of the current reinsurance environment, which is gaining in importance as more employers self-fund.
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The Kaiser Family Foundation sponsored focus groups to learn what factors were important to Medicare beneficiaries in choosing insurance plans, including Medicare Supplements, Medicare Advantage and Part D.
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The 2014 Milliman Medical Index release reveals continued above GDP and personal income growth in the costs of health care for the average family.
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The 2014 bSwift benefits survey looks at trends in health benefits, with a focus on wellness, defined contribution and automation.
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Many employers are self-funded for their health benefit plans. Most of these employers also have reinsurance or stop-loss coverage for those plans and Milliman describes current characteristics of that reinsurance.
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A draft report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality assesses the current state of public reporting of health care cost measures.
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The Altarum Institute's briefs on health spending growth and price growth through March 2014 provide a timely glimpse into important trends that may affect premium pricing for 2015.
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The United States is not the only country experimenting with pay-for-performance. England has had a large program for physicians for a decade and a New England Journal of Medicine commentary…
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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.