Massachusetts Special Commission on Provider Price Reform has released its momentous report on how to address the surging health care costs in the state, which appear to be largely caused…
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Drug manufacturers have a new trick up their sleeve to get consumers to use their expensive branded products instead of cheaper alternatives--copay coupon programs. These programs significantly raise spending with…
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Research reported in Health Affairs examines the Mayo Clinic's experience after increasing cost-sharing for its employees. Reductions in the use of many discretionary services seem to have been sustained over…
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A significant trend affecting all of health care in the last decade is consumerism, specifically the effort to engage consumers in managing their health and health care and to make…
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Winter nears but our Potpourri will distract you from the cold breezes, providing compelling nuggets on prostate screening recommendations, consumer use of technology for health, insurer medical cost trends, what…
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From the Commonwealth Fund comes another in a series of reports bemoaning the woeful inadequacy of the American health system, especially compared to those in other developed countries. Whatever our…
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Specialty drugs have gotten the attention of all payers, with multiple efforts underway to manage the exploding costs associated with this category. A new paper from URAC summarizes the issues…
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Another brilliant Potpourri, with scintillating health care gems, including revising the FDA's 510(k) process, the essential benefits package for health exchanges, the future of Medicare Advantage, the lack of labor…
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Medicare/Medicaid dual eligibles are relatively poor, elderly or disabled persons who have very high health spending. A report from America's Health Insurance Plans discusses how care coordination programs can achieve…
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An Urban Institute report looks at the seemingly unsolvable problem of US health care spending growth, identifying four key potential causes and several solutions which might in total reduce spending…
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The Kaiser Foundation takes a look at the competitiveness of individual and small group health insurance markets on a state-by-state basis, finding that most are relatively concentrated. The report also…
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