Its March and spring nears; our Potpourri blooms with nuggets of health care information, including comparative regulation of medical devices in the US and Europe, do physicians always truthful with…
Read More
The CMS program to reduce, or at least penalize hospitals for, unnecessary readmissions is in full swing this year. A new study looks at how Medicare Advantage plans do in…
Read More
One of the hot new concepts is use of "medical home" physician practices to improve quality and lower costs. A study from Health Affairs suggests that practices having medical home…
Read More
A survey of high-deductible health plan users finds that care is more likely to be deferred by enrollees in such plans as opposed to traditional ones, particularly low-income persons, but…
Read More
Placebo and nocebo effects are just part of the broader topic of how patient perceptions about their health, illnesses and treatments may affect outcomes. An article in Current Directions in…
Read More
Patient satisfaction surveys and scores are a large component in most pay-for-reporting, pay-for-performance and value-based purchasing programs, on the theory that patient satisfaction is linked to quality. A new study…
Read More
This week's Potpourri focuses on the cost of robotic surgery, the benefits of aspirin compared to more expensive drugs, the benefits of fitness club use, what states and specialties are…
Read More
The Massachusetts reform rolls on, with the state's residents generally still okay with the changes, although cost continues to be a problem. An article in Health Affairs sums up the…
Read More
Another excellent paper from the Congressional Budget Office is issued, this one on Medicare's demonstration projects on value-based payments to providers. Once again, the demonstrations had very mixed results, with…
Read More
Another zinger of a Potpourri, with nuggets on a GAO audit of NQF work, use of web tools for diabetes management, the Healthways well-being index, the problem with federal health…
Read More
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has engaged in a number of care management demonstrations over the years. The Congressional Budget Office adds its assessment to the body of…
Read More
Winter is getting long and tedious by now, but our Potpourri offers a welcome respite, with refreshing tidbits on hospital uncompensated care, teledermatology, Medicaid controls of antipsychotic use, Medicare cuts…
Read More
About 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.
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
Spotify
Overcast
PocketCasts
Radio Public
Stitcher
Anchor
RSS - Posts