On we go into the New Year, already on our fourth Potpourri, this one rich with information on state Medicaid program issues; what makes for a successful wellness program; what…
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Whether the fear is justified or not, physicians and other providers are often motivated by avoiding malpractice claims. An essay in the NEJM discusses how EHRs and other health IT…
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CSC put out a report giving its vision of the future of health care, with a particular focus on how emerging technologies may reshape wellness, prevention, early disease detection, treatment…
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We have reported several times on geographic variation in health spending, primarily in regard to Medicare beneficiaries, MEdPAC released a new brief that focuses on variation in use as opposed…
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MedPAC weighs in unasked on some proposed changes to the Medicare Advantage program; objecting to CMS' intent to limit benefit design flexibility on home health care and to CMS's proposed…
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Once more into the Potpourri breach, this week covering CBO's scoring of a repeal of PPACA; a global wellness survey; Medicare's failure to use its data to identify abusive providers;…
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The initial report on 2009 national health expenditures is profiled in Health Affairs. The recession had a notable impact in slowing utilization and overall spending, particularly for consumers paying out-of-pocket,…
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An incredibly useful paper has been issued by the mHealth Regulatory Coalition on issues surrounding potential FDA regulation of communications technology used for health-related purposes. The paper provides background and…
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Cost-sharing by consumers is an issue of the greatest importance in an era of increasing premium share, high deductibles, and coinsurance. A new report looks at the potential health consequences…
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PWC gives its perspective on major trends for 2011 in a recently released report. The trends are what would be expected, but some useful consumer survey information is included.
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Off we go into 2011, with more snippets of health developments including the OIG's 2011 work plan; an international survey of internet usage for health purposes, physicians' understanding of patients'…
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The high prevalence of medications as the primary method of treatment especially for chronic diseases has led to focus on ensuring that patients take the drugs that are prescribed for…
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Venture capital funding has been in the doldrums since the recession began but has rebounded along with the recovery. Two new reports suggest that exits have improved, allowing a refresh…
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The Agency for HealthCare Research & Quality released a brief on hospitalizations among the elderly. This category of service accounts for a significant and growing portion of national health spending…
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The expansion in government encouraged HIT, particularly EMRs, has researchers busy trying to identify cost and quality effects. Another recent study suggests that the effect of EMRs on quality is…
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