Posts Tagged “Health Care Costs”
ShowHide 3rd Party PapersUrban Institute: In 2040, half of adults age 65 and older will spend at least 19 percent of their incomes on health care, up from 10 percent in 2010
MetLife Study: New Insights and Innovations for Reducing Health Care Costs for Employers
MA Attorney General: AGO releases this preliminary report based on its ongoing investigation of health care cost trends and cost drivers
CBO January 2010: The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2010 to 2020
ShowHide Commentary
CDC Health Status Report
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, March 2, 2010
The Centers for Disease Control issues a massive compendium of health facts and information called Health United States 2009. In addition to basic information regarding health care, it has some description and analysis of particular issues such as use of medical technology.
Tags: Devices, Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality
Maybe It’s the Providers that Are the Cause of Spending Increases.
by Kevin Roche on Monday, March 1, 2010
Two more studies suggest that provider price increases, particularly those of hospitals, are the cause for overall spending rises and notes that there is little competitive check on providers’ ability to raise prices. When are policy-makers going to start paying attention?
2010 Potpourri VII
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, February 27, 2010
The latest in our regular amalgamation of health care news items, including telehealth, how many people really die from not having health insurance, silent PPOs, progress in automating claims processing and more on individual insurance policy price hikes.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Telemedicine
Competition Leads to Lower Hospital Costs
by Kevin Roche on Friday, February 26, 2010
Research indicates that commercial health insurance, while it has geographic variation in spending, does not vary in the same way as Medicare. A primary factor explaining private health plan geographic spending variation appears to be the state of competition for hospital services in different locales.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Insurance, Hospital, Medicare
Sources of Medicare Spending Growth
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, February 24, 2010
A Health Affairs article examines changes in the composition of Medicare spending over the last two decades, finding that chronic disease is now the primary driver of that spending and that the nature of service demand has shifted from inpatient to outpatient and prescription drugs.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Medicare
More on Regional Spending Variation
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, February 23, 2010
The New England Journal of Medicine publishes dueling commentaries on geographic and provider spending variations. Having a clear understanding of whether there are providers who render more care with no better outcomes would help formulate reforms to change their behavior.
2009 Health Spending and Future Projections
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, February 10, 2010
The Office of Actuary at CMS provides its estimate of 2009 health spending and projections for future years. Partly due to the recession, health spending grew rapidly as a per cent of GDP. Healthy, or unhealthy, growth over the next decade is also projected.
Tags: Health Care Costs
Prices Not Major Contributor to Medicare Spending Variation
by Kevin Roche on Friday, February 5, 2010
New research published in Health Affairs finds that geographic variation in Medicare spending is not strongly driven by price variation. Utilization differences appear to be the major cause of that variation.
Tags: Health Care Costs
CBO Looks at Republican Budget Proposal
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, February 2, 2010
CBO analyzes a Republican proposal on federal spending, finding that the health care-related provisions would significantly reduce federal spending and national health expenditures, while increasing covered persons by an unspecified number.
Massachusetts Report on Provider Pricing Impact
by Kevin Roche on Monday, February 1, 2010
The Massachusetts Attorney General investigates and discovers that hospitals and some physicians have market power and consequently are able to demand high payments and those payments are the main cause of increases in the cost of health insurance, not utilization increases.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Hospital, Physicians
Variations in Hospital Payments in One State
by Kevin Roche on Friday, January 29, 2010
Rhode Island released a report on payments to hospitals from various sources and looked at factors accounting for significant differences in payment levels. The variation is likely entirely due to hospital bargaining power by large systems, which in turn is driving health insurance premium increases.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Hospital
More Breast Cancer Screening Controversy
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, January 28, 2010
The recommended schedule for mammography screenings to detect breast cancer is examined in a Cochrane report, which finds that the current recommendation probably leads to overdiagnosis and treatment and the women are not being properly presented with the overall risks and benefits.
Tags: Comparative Effectiveness, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Wellness and Prevention
Older Employees and Workers’ Compensation
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, January 27, 2010
While employees over 65 are a very small part of the work force, their numbers are growing and the recession likely will keep people working longer. These employees have some different characteristics in regard to workers’ compensation claims, according to a new NCCI report.
2010 Potpourri I
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, January 9, 2010
The tort lawyer lobby errand boys in Congress just don’t know when to stop. Even after Senator Rockefeller got his hand slapped for questioning CBOs analysis of potential savings from tort reform, Congressman Bruce Baley decided to go back for more. And sure enough, CBO gave him an even more detailed justification of the savings [...]
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Insurance, Malpractice, Medicare, Personalized Medicine, Telemedicine
National Health Spending in 2008
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, January 6, 2010
National health spending growth slowed in 2008, but still grew at a rate much faster than GDP, meaning health care continues to account for a greater share of total GDP. More alarming, the rate of federal spending on health care grew much faster than the overall spending increase.
Tags: Health Care Costs
New Year Potpourri
by Kevin Roche on Friday, January 1, 2010
Many thanks for your readership of the last year and here are a few health care predictions and observations about likely trends for 2010.
West Virginia Health Report Identifies Possible Savings
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, December 31, 2009
States have often been leaders in experimenting with different methods of delivering and financing health care. West Virginia commissioned a report to identify methods by which it might reduce costs, while increasing coverage and not harming quality.
Drug Advertising and Prices
by Kevin Roche on Monday, December 7, 2009
The CBO looks at the characteristics of drug promotion spending and activity. Another study reveals that direct-to-consumer advertising for Plavix did not appear to increase the number of prescriptions but was correlated with a sharp rise in the price of the drug.
Tags: Drugs, Health Care Costs
MedPac Analysis Finds Less Geographic Spending Variation
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, December 3, 2009
One of the supposed sources for cost reduction is eliminating inappropriate geographic variation in medical care; variation that is unassociated with better outcomes. A MedPac report suggests variation, while significant, may be less of an issue than other analyses have found.
Senate Begins Health Reform Debate
by Kevin Roche on Monday, November 30, 2009
The Senate takes up its version of the health reform bill, creating an opportune moment to revisit what the goals of reform are and whether this bill will actually widen access, lower cost or improve quality. The answer is likely not.
Costs of End-of-Life Hospitalizations
by Kevin Roche on Monday, November 23, 2009
AHRQ issues a statistical brief examining the costs of end-of-life care. About one-third of American’s who die do so in a hospital, at an average cost two-and-a-half times greater than that for patients discharged alive.
Tags: End of Life, Health Care Costs
ECRI Advises Plans on Top Technologies for 2010
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, November 19, 2009
The ECRI Institute released a report advising payers on technologies to watch for in 2010, including genetic testing, imaging technologies, orthopedic devices and EHRs and PHRs. Most are very expensive but their comparative benefits or risks have not been proven in clinical trials.
Office of the Actuary Strikes Again
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, November 17, 2009
The CMS Office of the Actuary zings the House bill, finding it will likely increase total national health care spending, its proposed savings from cuts in payments to Medicare institutional providers are unlikely to be sustainable and may reduce beneficiaries’ access to services.
Few Innovations Lower Cost
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, November 12, 2009
A study reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine tried to find medical innovations that significantly lowered costs, with only minor reduction in quality or outcome. Very few were found, which is consistent with innovation, especially technologic innovation, being found to be a major health cost driver in other studies.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Medical Care
GAO Report on Medicare Use of Physician Profiling
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, November 5, 2009
The General Accounting Office gives its perspective on the viability of the per capita method of physician resource use profiling by Medicare and provides useful insight into the topic of variable physician practice patterns.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Physicians, Providers
Weekend Potpourri
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, October 24, 2009
A miscellany of interesting items for your weekend browsing pleasure.
Tags: Care Management, Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Telemedicine
More Variation in Spending Research
by Kevin Roche on Monday, October 19, 2009
A study reported in Circulation indicates that California teaching hospitals that utilize more resources in treating heart failure had lower rates of mortality. The study results call into question the methods and findings of some Dartmouth Atlas research. Another report looks at supply and variation in MRI usage.
Tags: Care Management, Health Care Costs, Hospital, Medical Care, Providers
Concentration in Children’s Health Spending
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, October 1, 2009
A review of what money is spent on which children for Medicaid and CHIPS yields insights on possible cost-saving and quality improvement opportunities.
Clinical Preventive Care Summary
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has published a review of the cost effects of clinical preventive care measures.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Medical Care, Wellness and Prevention
The Advantage of Medicare Advantage
by Kevin Roche on Friday, September 25, 2009
AHIP presents evidence on the value of Medicare Advantage plans in delivering more efficient and effective care.
Tags: Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Hospital
Are Our Health Costs High?
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, September 24, 2009
Researchers associated with the Dartmouth Atlas project reinforce their viewsg on high health costs in a NEJM Perspective.
The Health Care Version of NIMBY
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, September 17, 2009
Everybody says we need cost control and expanded access, but nobody wants to pony up.
Geographic Variation in Health Spending
by Kevin Roche on Monday, September 14, 2009
Geographic variation in health spending is hot, but the reasons for it are still murky.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Medical Care, Providers
Quality Improvement is Not Easy
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, August 27, 2009
A commentary on Medicare’s experience in attempting to improve the quality of heart failure care demonstrates just how hard it may be to get better outcomes and lower cost.
More Evidence of Continuing Cost Increases
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Aon has estimated that private insurers health costs will increase at over 10% next year.
And Now For Something Completely Different
by Kevin Roche on Saturday, August 22, 2009
An Op-ed suggests we spend too little on healthcare. That may depend on who is paying.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Medical Care
NEHI Study Estimates Cost of Medication Non-Compliance
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, August 19, 2009
A recent report from NEHI states that medication therapy non-compliance leads to $290 billion in avoidable medical costs every year.
Tags: Care Management, Drugs, Health Care Costs, Pharmaceutical
Looking at Hospital Input Costs
by Kevin Roche on Friday, August 14, 2009
One relatively unexplored method for reducing health spending is lowering providers’ input costs. A New York Times article examines one category of hospital costs.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Hospital, Providers
AHIP Survey Illustrates Physician Fee Issues
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Insurers have been under sharp attack for causing many of the problems reform is designed to address. One response has been to shift the responsibility for these problems to other components of the health system; in this case physicians’ fees.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Insurance, Physicians, Providers
Obesity, Obesity
by Kevin Roche on Monday, August 3, 2009
A new study shows increasing amounts of US health care spending are caused by obesity.
Tags: Chronic Disease, Consumers, Health Care Costs, Wellness and Prevention
Health Care, Small Business and Jobs
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Health care costs can limit small business growth, stunting a major source of new jobs.
Tags: Employers, Health Care Costs, Workplace
Fraud and Abuse–Are We Doing Enough to Stop It?
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, July 15, 2009
One of the most commonly identified areas for health cost savings is fraud and abuse, but has enough effort been devoted to stopping the practices?
Cost Sharing and Health Outcomes
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Patient cost sharing reduces utilization, but appears to limit use of appropriate as well as inappropriate care.
Tags: Consumers, Government, Health Care Costs, Incentives
Don’t Blame Drugs For Cost Issues
by Kevin Roche on Friday, July 10, 2009
The limiting of growth in drug spending is a health care success story.
Tags: Drugs, Health Care Costs, Pharmaceutical
More Innovation From the Private Sector
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, July 8, 2009
A Company mandates that its employees check their health status.
UnitedHealth Proposes Administrative Cost Savings
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, July 8, 2009
A new UnitedHealth Group report identifies $332 billion over ten years in administrative cost savings.
Tags: Administrative Costs, Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
Health Plan Medical Expenses Keep Rising
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, July 7, 2009
A consulting firm study indicates that medical expenses for commercial health plans continue to rise at a rate far above inflation.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Insurance, Payor
JAMA Commentary Gives Crux of Cost Control Issue
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, July 1, 2009
A recent JAMA commentary gives a concise summary of the cost control problems.
Tags: Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Medical Care
Study Looks At Part D Impact on Drug and Medical Spending
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, June 30, 2009
A study reported in the current issue of NEJM indicates that enrollment in Part D significantly increased drug spending for those persons who previously had no or a low level of drug coverage, but also led to a lower level of medical spending.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Insurance, Medicare, Pharmaceutical
Dumping on the CBO
by Kevin Roche on Friday, June 26, 2009
Unhappy with its projections, Democrats have beginning disparaging the CBO’s estimates on health reform.
Tags: CBO, Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform
Maybe We Should Focus on Cost Control First
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Reality appears to have hit the health reform train head-on in the form of the costs of expanding coverage. Maybe we should focus on getting costs under control and then coverage extensions would be affordable.
Tags: Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance, Legislation
Shared Decision Making
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Shared decision-making for preference-sensitive conditions has the potential to improve quality and control spending. States are exploring required use of the technique and it should be considered in federal reform efforts.
Tags: Care Management, Consumers, Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Health Insurance
More Required Reading from the CBO
by Kevin Roche on Monday, June 22, 2009
The CBO’s June 16th letter to Senator Conrad is an excellent summary of health reform and cost control ideas and implementation issues.
Tags: CBO, Comparative Effectiveness, Government, Health Care Costs, Health Care Reform, Health Insurance
One Reason Health Reform Will be Hard
by Kevin Roche on Tuesday, June 2, 2009
An interesting news report on Kaiser Health News gives an indication of why health reform that affects costs will be very difficult. The story details the fight in one New Jersey town over building a new hospital.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Medical Care
Room for Improvement in Preventing Hospital Admissions
by Kevin Roche on Friday, May 29, 2009
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (“AHRQ”) Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project released a report in April 2009 outlining hospitalizations that might have been preventable had the patients been receiving appropriate ambulatory care.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Hospital, Medical Care
Cost/Quality Relationship Unclear
by Kevin Roche on Wednesday, May 27, 2009
A study reported in Health Affairs, vol. 28, page 897 (May/June 2009), provides a further input to the question of the relationship, if any, between costs and quality in health care.
Tags: Health Care Costs, Health Care Quality, Hospital, Medical Care, Medicare
More Coverage = More Physician Visits = Less Cost?
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, May 21, 2009
A recent story in the Boston Globe raises intriguing questions about the effect of health coverage expansions on physician visits and other services and consequently, costs.
An Opportunity for Birthing Quality and Cost Improvement
by Kevin Roche on Thursday, May 21, 2009
The Los Angeles Times ran an article on May 17, 2009, regarding Cesarean births. Birth services are a microcosm of the problems in the broader health system.
Tags: Government, Health Care Costs, Hospital
ShowHide Headlines
Washington Post: Federal and state programs will pay slightly more than half the tab for health care purchased in the United States by 2012
Atul Gawande: The health-care bill has no master plan for curbing costs. Is that a bad thing?
Unions pressure Democrats on health insurance tax