Number of HMOs as of July 2008
Source: Healthleaders, Inc., Special Data Request, March 2009. (Kaiser Family Foundation)
Continue Reading April 28th, 2009
Waste-Reduction Strategies Can Improve Health Care Quality With Reduced Costs
Excerpt: “In ‘Imagining 16% to 12%: A vision for cost efficiency, improving health care quality, and covering the uninsured,’ [Milliman sets] forth ‘actuarial insights to help health care reformers develop better proposals’ while reducing health care’s share of the gross domestic product (GDP) from the current 16% to 12%. The Milliman team’s strategies support those of the Obama Administration to reduce costly waste in health care by relying more on evidence-based medicine, using comparative effectiveness evaluations of new and existing treatments to identify those that are the most cost effective, setting quality standards and measures, making providers accountable for outcomes, encouraging informed patient choice, and promoting electronic medical records, among other steps.” (Wolters Kluwer)
Continue Reading April 28th, 2009
Impact of Two Employer-Sponsored Population Health Management Programs on Medical Care Cost and Utilization (PDF)
8 pages. Excerpt: “Conclusions: Our results suggest that the programs did not reduce medical cost in their first year, despite a beneficial effect on hospital admissions. If we had been able to include program fees, it is likely that the overall cost would have increased significantly. Although this study had important limitations, the results suggest that a belief that these programs will save money may be too optimistic and better evaluation is needed.” (The American Journal of Managed Care)
Continue Reading April 28th, 2009
What do patients really want from you?
A national survey tracks patients’ consumer habits, from “content and compliant” to “sick and savvy.”
Continue Reading April 28th, 2009
What’s in a number? Cost variance figure drives policy and courts controversy
As Congress begins work on national health system reform legislation, the Dartmouth Atlas Project’s estimates of unnecessary health spending gain traction.
Continue Reading April 28th, 2009