Costs news and information

News
Reform Update: Feds stand firm; patients in certain plans will face higher out-of-pocket costs

By Ashok Selvam | August 07, 2013 | Basic Web

Groups seeking to protect patients with chronic conditions from an increase in out-of-pocket spending beyond the limits set in the reform law aren't happy with a response from the Labor Department.
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Vital Signs
ACOs could hurt competition, Health Affairs authors say

By Melanie Evans | August 06, 2013

Fledgling accountable care organizations have faced plenty of challenges. Now a group of economists and lawyers are calling for a close look at issues involving insurance, antitrust and other regulation to avoid “unintended consequences.”
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Vital Signs
UnitedHealth's patient engagement program sees health improvements, study says

By Joseph Conn | August 06, 2013

A patient engagement and reporting program linked to financial incentives yielded multiple improvements in health measures for employees of UnitedHealth Group, according to a study published in the August issue of Health Affairs.
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Vital Signs
Calif. hospital prices drop as CalPERS caps coverage for new knees, hips

By Melanie Evans | August 05, 2013

Joint replacement prices at the most costly California hospitals plunged by one-third after the state required its workers and retirees to pay out of pocket all costs above a “reference price” of $30,000 for orthopedic surgery, a new study said.
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Information
Study: Blue Cross avoided $155 million in costs in medical home project

By Jay Greene, Crain's Detroit Business | August 05, 2013

David Share, M.D., senior vice president of value partnerships with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, has been shepherding the Blues' patient-centered medical home project during the five years of its existence.
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News
Severity of readmission punishments doubling for hospitals

By Joe Carlson | August 05, 2013 | Basic Web

The number of hospitals facing financial penalties for failing to stop patients from returning to the hospital will remain steady next year, but the potential severity of the punishments is doubling.
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News
Supply chain decisions become more strategic as costs, outcomes are weighed

By Jaimy Lee | August 05, 2013 | Basic Web

The hospital supply chain is becoming more strategic and taking a more prominent role in guiding decisions that weigh clinical outcomes against the costs of medical supplies, devices and prescription drugs. But it still has a long way to go.
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Vital Signs
Mass. healthcare reform model satisfying most residents, survey shows

By Andis Robeznieks | August 05, 2013

Most Massachusetts residents are satisfied with their healthcare under the state's Obamacare-like system, and despite occasional long waits to see a physician, cost appears to be their main concern, according to a survey conducted by the Massachusetts Medical Society.
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Information
Legislation targets surprise hospital charges

By Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.) | August 05, 2013

With healthcare costs already strangling many families, a lawmaker wants to make sure Pennsylvania residents aren't surprised by controversial facility fees that have angered some residents.
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Information
In need of a new hip, but priced out of the U.S.

By New York Times | August 05, 2013

Michael Shopenn's artificial hip was made by a company based in Warsaw, Ind., a global center of joint manufacturing. But he had to fly to Europe to have it installed.
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