Insight, analysis & opinion from Joe Paduda
Those who find problems should identify solutions as well. My post last week about the “pre-lash” against consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) identified a number of problems – but for all their warts, CDHPs, and particularly HSAs, do have a very important role to play in health care reform.
A backlash is what happens after something occurs. That being the case, a “pre-lash” is a “reaction” to something before it occurs. Awkward, but accurate when describing what’s happening with consumer-directed health care.
In a lesson for all those tempted to leverage their positions in the workers comp industry for ill purpose, I once again give you Tom Noe The latest? Rats as big as cats are scampering to safety, afraid they’ll be infected by his unsavory kind. (that’s not exactly what the article says, but as it does not indicate a direction of travel, and rats are great survivors, I made a guess…)
For humans, it’s better news. Convicted money launderer and swindler Noe is safely ensconced in solitary confinement in a Federal jail in Atlanta, where he is awaitnig transfer to another prison in Florida.
Bob Laszewski brings his own expertise in the health policy world to bear on this edition of HWR. It’s heavy on policy and research, all of it solid and some of it surprising.
The manufacturer of oxycontin agreed to pay $20 million in penalties for encouraging docs to prescribe the drug more often than approved by the FDA.
And that’s just for starters.
Richard Eskow of Sentinel Effect reports on the latest revelations about a bit of book-cooking at the VA. Seems the VA has been a bit, or perhaps more than a bit, overly positive about its record.
More troubling than boosterism is the allegation that the VA selectively reported results, and even fabricated conclusions to make the system appear better than it actually is.
As a fan of the VA, I’m concerned about two things.
Workers comp financials are getting better and better, although more and more that’s due to California.
I’m on a brief vacation mountain biking in Moab, Utah. A gorgeous place, great people, great riding. And upon return from a long and tiring but very fun ride this am, I open up the latest from Fierce Healthcare to read reports about not one, but two reimbursement scams and one piece on docs who don’t disclose when they make mistakes.
That just crushed the hard-earned buzz.
The folks over at Fierce Healthcare have posted their Hospital Innovation Awards. These aren’t the standard JCAHO-type plaques, but rather focus on creativity and novel solutions to common problems.
I’ve been engaged in a rather acrimonious email exchange with a gentleman who was upset that I edited one of his comments. To clarify, here is the comment policy for MCM (and the idea that I actually need to have a “policy” makes me crazy).