What we get from >$3.4 Trillion/year in health care costs in the USA which is 43rd rank in the world in terms of life expectancy with > 18% of GDP? 60% false positives for mass screening (mammography and prostate cancer screen) 1 in 4 harmed in hospitals 12 M serious diagnostic errors 3 M withContinue reading “$3.4 Trillion/year in health care costs in the USA”
Category Archives: healthcare
$400 billion price tag for California single-payer bill
By Associated Press A California bill that would eliminate health insurance companies and provide government-funded health coverage for everyone in the state would cost $400 billion and require significant tax increases, legislative analysts said Monday. Much of the cost would be offset by existing state, federal and private spending on health coverage, the analysis found,Continue reading “$400 billion price tag for California single-payer bill”
Trump budget targets rural hospitals, minority health professional education
By Mara Lee Proposed cuts in President Donald Trump’s 2018 budget for HHS would hurt the supply pipeline for black and Hispanic healthcare professionals and reduce funding for rural hospitals. The budget proposal would eliminate funding for diversity initiatives in workforce development, which cost $83 million in fiscal year 2016 and had an $85 millionContinue reading “Trump budget targets rural hospitals, minority health professional education”
Trump budget would cut $636 billion from HHS agencies
By Mara Lee and Virgil Dickson As part of his $4 trillion budget for next year, President Donald Trump is proposing a $636 billion cut in federal funding for CMS programs over the next decade. Those cuts would make room for more spending on defense and border security. The budget also proposes deep cuts toContinue reading “Trump budget would cut $636 billion from HHS agencies”
What kind of health care can help reduce or prevent systemic health issues one person at a time?
The health consumer is connected to a system comprising of engaged health care team, health education, holistic healing ways and preventive health approaches, digitally connected for real time monitoring and use of latest health IT technologies, and approach to continuity of care that is patient focused. Health care team and system must identify systemic healthContinue reading “What kind of health care can help reduce or prevent systemic health issues one person at a time?”
How to reduce the 40 percent of the $3 trillion the U.S. spends on healthcare each year
Healthcare providers and insurers in the U.S. may be efficient and effective in their individual roles, but the system as a whole, hamstrung by regulation and dysfunctional fee-for-service economics, is not. By most estimates, about 40 percent of the $3 trillion the U.S. spends on healthcare each year could have been avoided. That represents anContinue reading “How to reduce the 40 percent of the $3 trillion the U.S. spends on healthcare each year”
Is Patient-Centered Care the Same As Person-Focused Care?
Barbara Starfield, MD, MPH Barbara Starfield, MD, MPH, is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. E-mail: Abstract Both patient-centered and person-focused care are important, but they are different. In contrast to patient-centered care (at least as described in the current literature withContinue reading “Is Patient-Centered Care the Same As Person-Focused Care?”
Consumerism Versus Managed Competition in health care
Managed Consumerism In Health Care This is the moment for a second generation of consumer-driven health policies and products. The shortcomings of HMOs, capitation, IDSs, and the other components of managed competition have opened the way for alternative approaches to using market mechanisms for improving the health care system.15 Consumerism appeals to the widespread andContinue reading “Consumerism Versus Managed Competition in health care”
Highest Average Expenses for Common Conditions
AHRQ Stats: Highest Average Expenses for Common Conditions For the nine most commonly treated conditions among U.S. adults in 2013, the highest average expenses per person were for the treatment of heart conditions ($3,794 per person), trauma-related disorders ($3,070) and diabetes ($2,565). (Source: AHRQ, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Statistical Brief #487: Expenditures for Commonly Treated Conditions among Adults Age 18Continue reading “Highest Average Expenses for Common Conditions”
Want to fight chronic disease? Stop subsidizing drug companies
By Merrill Goozner Healthcare systems have made great strides in recent years in learning how to use their medical records and claims data to identify patients at high risk of contracting chronic diseases such as diabetes. Unfortunately, under fee-for-service medicine, doing something with that information is rarely a smart move financially. Providers are reimbursed forContinue reading “Want to fight chronic disease? Stop subsidizing drug companies”
Employers to drop 7 million people from healthcare insurance under AHCA
AP reports Trump’s tax returns show no Russian money … except none of that is true As Trump fumes, rumors of Sean Spicer’s imminent demise continue NBC News reports Trump canceled trip to FBI because he was told he wouldn’t be welcomed Daily Kos is prepared to resist Trump every single day until he’s impeached.Continue reading “Employers to drop 7 million people from healthcare insurance under AHCA”
Blue Cross And Blue Shield Offer Customers Free ‘Lyft’ To Medical Care
The FDA got a new head honcho (a doc most recently at NEA) and is building a digital health unit with 13 new hires from across the private sector to boost internal expertise and streamline reviews. DC’s new IT council oddly doesn’t include HHS, an agency with one of the largest IT budgets around. The timing was especiallyContinue reading “Blue Cross And Blue Shield Offer Customers Free ‘Lyft’ To Medical Care”
Evening News: The Washington Post
House GOP narrowly passes bill to overhaul health-care system The GOP-backed American Health Care Act, which advanced with a vote of 217 to 213, still must be debated in the closely divided Senate, where formal debate isn’t expected to begin until June. The vote marks an achievement for President Trump, who has pledged to repealContinue reading “Evening News: The Washington Post”
Bill House Republicans passed today is same cruel bill they tried to pass weeks ago
Connie, The Republican Trumpcare bill isn’t a health care bill. A bill that strips health care away from millions of people in order to fund an enormous tax break for the rich is not a health care bill. Make no mistake: The bill that the House Republicans passed today is the same cruel bill theyContinue reading “Bill House Republicans passed today is same cruel bill they tried to pass weeks ago”