HHS issued the rules designed to force health plans to cover people who haven't yet paid their premiums (and who may never do so) after enrolling through the exchanges, transferring the burden of the defective enrollment process from the government to the plans.
For those of use who have been diligently taking our multivitamins every day, bad news, a series of studies suggest they have no benefit. Bad news for the multi-billion dollar multivitamin industry.
According to research published in the journal Healthcare, medical practices participating in the Physician Group Practice Demonstration, the forerunner of the ACO concept, had reduced cancer care costs of $721 per patient or 3.9% annually, all attributed to less inpatient care.
The Physicians Foundation has identified five key areas affecting doctors in 2014, including monopolization by payers and health systems, regulatory burdens, confusion due to health reform, and HIT not fulfilling its promise.
One reason hospital prices may rise is that the cost of supplies and equipment that they use can go up rapidly. The Modern Healthcare/ECRI Institute Technology Price Index finds for example that the average cost of surgical tables, a mundane item, is up about 16% in the last year.
https://www.ecri.org/Pages/PriceIndex.aspx
Dec172013
A study in the American Journal of Managed Care finds that electronic prescribing grew from 30% in 2007 to 56% in 2010, with primary care doctors being more likely to engage in it than specialists and urban doctors more frequent users than rural ones.
Startup Doctor on Demand has raised $3 million to grow its telehealth product to deal with non-emergency health issues, adding one more company to a crowded field.
According to a survey from Duke University and CFO Magazine, 20% of companies say they are likely to hire fewer workers, 10% may lay off employees and 40% will shift to more part-time personnel due to the reform law.
Carrick Capital Partners has made an additional investment in Accolade, a firm which provides software to assist in patient engagement and care management plans.
A Press Ganey analysis suggests that 15% of patients are at high risk of switching physicians, largely because they would not recommend the physician to others. The analysis highlights the need to focus on patient satisfaction and loyalty and basics such as listening well and being courteous can be key.
The Administration says more than 100,000 people enrolled through the exchanges in November, far, far short of projection and far, far short of anything approaching full enrollment of everyone who is supposed to enroll under the individual mandate. Better than October though!!
A recent Gallup poll suggests that 30% of adult Americans deferred health care services due to cost concerns, with the uninsured and younger people being the most likely to do so. Interestingly more say they put off care for a serious condition than a less significant one, but it is unclear how much necessary care is actually being delayed.
ZocDoc, which facilitates online health care appointments, released a report summarizing utilization of its services, finding that most physicians are highly rated after the visit and listing differences by gender and trends in appointments.
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.
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.
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