Headlines – Page 365 – Healthy Skeptic

Jan 24 2013

quest

By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

Laboratory company Quest reported disappointed earnings in its most recent quarter and projected a tough 2013, largely due to reimbursement pressures.

Jan 24 2013

mhealth

By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

Over $900 million was invested in firms categorized as being in “mobile” health in 2012, although the rate of investment slowed significantly in the second half of the year. Unclear why this level of investment is occurring in a field which has demonstrated no value in either lowering cost or improving quality.

Jan 24 2013

mptc

By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

An article in a specialty journal argues that physicians and others have exaggerated the malpractice problem and threat, which would be news to most doctors and researchers.

Jan 23 2013

adhd

By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

A study by Kaiser shows a dramatic rise in diagnosis for ADHD in California over the last 9 years, which likely reflects overdiagnosis and subsequent overtreatment.

Jan 23 2013

drx

By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

Connecture, a health care IT firm, has acquired DRx, the old Destination Rx, which provides the engine to help Medicare beneficiaries select a Part D plan and other services. Terms were not announced.

Jan 23 2013

wllpt

By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

Wellpoint reported earnings that were up significantly from last year, when it incurred a Medicare-related hit, with modest member growth before acquisitions and a projection of flat earnings for 2013.

Jan 22 2013

herc

By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

An audit by the Office of Inspector General found errors on almost 75% of Medicare Herceptin claims, mostly overcharging for an already very expensive drug.

Jan 22 2013

mel dec

By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

An article in JAMA Dermatology reveals that most mobile phone apps designed to aid in melanoma detection are unreliable.

Jan 22 2013

aet

By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

Aetna has reached an agreement to sell its Medicaid business in Missouri, covering about 100,000 persons, to Wellcare.

Jan 17 2013

overuse

By Kevin Roche Headlines No Comments

Research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine suggests that underuse of appropriate care has been reduced in the last ten years but that overuse of inappropriate care has not, which has obvious implications for health spending.