The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released its annual report on quality of health care in the United States, covering the year 2012, finding both improvement and room for further gains.
Quality measurement and incentive programs have become the norm but a new Report from the Urban Institute points out serious defects and issues with the design and execution of most of these programs.
Medicare Advantage plans have been a source of controversy, but a new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research suggests that they have beneficial spillover effects across the health system.
Once more into the breach on geographic variation is spending, with the latest analysis examining case mix or patient health adjustments and finding that patient health accounts for 75-85% of the variation in spending, at least for Medicare beneficiaries.
The best way to understand health spending and its growth may be to examine the arc of spending over a typical life and to test the effect of better health behaviors or medical services delivery on that arc of spending. A report from the Society of Actuaries explores this approach.
Overuse of certain medical services is believed to be widespread and to contribute to excessive health spending growth. A review of the literature suggests that no particular organized system of care does a better job than others at reducing inappropriate service use.
A survey from the International Federation of Employee Benefit Plans examines employer attitudes toward their health plans and changes they may be making in light of the continuing implementation of health care reform.
Several articles in Health Affairs discuss what can be done to ensure that Medicare spending stays in control, including benefit design changes and greater cost-sharing by beneficiaries.
Self care and self-management of health have the potential to save costs, increase patient engagement and potentially improve outcomes. A study published in the British Journal of Medicine suggests that supported self-care may not achieve that potential.
A brief from the Employee Benefit Research Institute explores the extent to which companies appear to be switching employees to part-time status and what is happening with the health insurance for those part-time workers.
An analysis in Health Affairs examines factors behind the rise in health spending from 1987 to 2009, finding that a rise in treated disease prevalence and spending per treated case is responsible for most of the growth.
A survey by Accenture looks at use of health information technology in several countries, finding increased use by physicians, especially for clinical purposes.
The Deloitte Center for Health Solutions conducted a survey of about 613 physicians on health issues, finding many concerns.
Another study published in the Health Affairs health cost issue examines the financial implications of a slowdown in the growth rate of national health spending.
A survey published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that physicians and nurse practitioners have different perspectives on their respective value to and place in the health system.