In a somewhat alarming report, research in the journal Anesthesiology finds a high rate of medication problems in connection with surgeries. In 277 operations there were 3671 medication administrations and 193 medication errors or adverse drug events, of which 70 were judged to have the potential for harm. 153 were preventable and 99 were considered serious.
http://anesthesiology.pubs.asahq.org/article.aspx?articleid=2466532According to an Advisory Board survey, providers are requiring more upfront payment of cost-sharing amounts by patients, largely as a result of the growth of high-deductible plans.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/high-deductible-health-plans-propel-sweeping-change-in-how-providers-collect-for-care-300167851.htmlCMS released findings for the latest year of hospital value-based purchasing, indicating that based on 2014 performance, for 2016 payments 1800 hospitals will get some "bonus" reimbursement. Note, however, that the bonus is after everyone had their payment docked 1.75% to fund the program. Only a few hospitals will see an actual increase in payment from what the baseline would otherwise be. For the vast majority of hospitals, the net effect is very minor.
https://www.cms.gov/Newsroom/MediaReleaseDatabase/Fact-sheets/2015-Fact-sheets-items/2015-10-26.htmlIn a report indicating just how pathetic the controls in the reform law are for protecting Medicaid and the subsidy program from fraud, ten of ten fictitious people created by the Government Accounting Office were able to incorrectly obtain either Medicaid coverage or a public exchange subsidy. Your tax dollars at work.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-16-159TAlthough they attempt to hide it in a blizzard of other numbers, HHS revealed that the average premium on the federal exchanges for benchmark plans will go up by 7.5%. Yep, we are all enjoying that 10% premium reduction that the reform law was going to bring. And we all got 7.5% income increases for next year too.
You may have noticed that there soon will be none of the health insurance cooperatives established (and taxpayer-funded) under the reform law, as every week brings news of closures of more of them. Strangely, no boasting from the Administration about this latest indication of the great success of their health reform.
http://www.vaildaily.com/news/18720558-113/colorado-health-co-op-calling-it-quitsAbout 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.