According to the National Federation for Independent Business, 64% of small businesses are continuing to see higher premiums in the wake of the reform law, even after benefit changes, and the increases affect investment and hiring.
According to Levin Associates health care M & A activity was up 16% in the third quarter of 2013 over the second quarter and 20% over the comparable period in 2012. The 267 transactions, however, had a 35% greater value than the prior year third quarter deals. Biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, long-term care and hospitals were very active sub-sectors.
A new CBO report finds that raising the Medicare eligibility age to 67 would only save around $2 billion a year for the next ten years, but that is because it assumes that Medicaid and subsidies under the reform law would have to pick up much of the cost for the 65 and 66 year olds who couldn't enroll. The real savings is actually over $60 billion in that period. Raising both the social security and Medicare eligibility age is inevitable and the right thing to do, as life expectancies and ability to work have both grown significantly since enactment of the laws.
http://www.cbo.gov/publication/44661
Nov012013
Research in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association found that about half of eprescribing alerts were ignored and about half of the ignored ones were inappropriate, but often not serious. Nonetheless this suggests a need for refining the alerts.
An article in the journal Surgery finds that assessing patients' health literacy before treatment increases patient satisfaction and that only about 20% of patients had adequate health literacy before the assessment and corrective action.
A study in Health Affair suggests that Medicare cuts in payments to hospitals leads to reductions in hospital beds and hospital use by beneficiaries, with uncertain effects on quality.
A viewpoint in the Journal of the American Medical Association reflects on how valuable shared decision-making can be in reducing medical spending, in light of limited research support for the notion and a limited understanding of how patients express preferences and whether patients really are inclined to choose less intensive treatments. Shared decision-making may be the right thing to do, but may not save money.
A study in the Journal Population Health Management suggests that over an eight year period a comprehensive wellness plan in a regional health insurer delivered a return of about 2 to 1 and saved $6 million.
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.
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.