Headlines – Page 348 – Healthy Skeptic

May 30 2013

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By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

A Milliman study suggests that individual insurance premiums will rise significantly as a result of the reform law in states that have allowed flexible underwriting but will not rise as dramatically in states that already restrict rating practices, largely because rates are already very high in those states. So the reform law will make everyone pay high premiums, increasing incentives to just pay the penalty.

May 28 2013

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By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

The FDA is seeking to know why a maker of an iPhone app to make diagnostic assessments of urine has not sought regulatory approval.

May 28 2013

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By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

Premiums for insurance sold on California’s health insurance exchange appear to be lower than expected, although many consumers will still see increases, in some cases substantial ones.

May 28 2013

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By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

A New York Times article reports that many employers are beginning to cut back on benefits in their health plans to avoid the looming “cadillac plan” tax in the health reform law. Consumers, as usual, are the losers.

May 23 2013

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By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

UnitedHealth Group, Aetna and Cigna have all decided not to participate in California’s health insurance exchange, limiting the possibility of additional competition in California’s highly concentrated small group and individual market.

May 23 2013

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By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

ConsultingMD received $10 million dollars in a financing round led by Venrock, with the proceeds going toward expansion of its online network linking consumers to doctors.

May 23 2013

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By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

A survey from the American Action Forum suggests that only about 65% of younger Americans would not buy health insurance if premiums rose as much as 20%, but it is unclear that they understand whether or not they would be eligible for subsidies.

May 22 2013

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By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

In an apparent bit of good news regarding reform implementation, it appears that premiums for plans sold on the insurance exchange in Washington State may go down from current rates, but Washington already is a highly regulated individual insurance market.

May 22 2013

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By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

According to survey research published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, hospital ER workers spend an astounding amount of their work time on Facebook, and actually spend more time on it when the ER is busier. Think there might be an opportunity for productivity improvement there?

May 20 2013

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By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

Quest Labs has purchased the lab capabilities of Concentra, owned by Humana, and secured an exclusive contract to provide lab services for its clinics.