http://www.joepaduda.com/ A weblog by Joseph Paduda en-us jpaduda@healthstrategyassoc.com 2010-02-08T07:21:30-05:00 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001734.html The recent demise of the health reform effort was killed in large part by Americans' overwhelming demand for more and more, while wanting to take less and less responsibility. Uwe Reinhardt's recent column describes the problem quite well. Americans want... 1734@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Health Policy 2010-02-08T07:21:30-05:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001742.html The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter - and closer. Yesterday's jobs report contained good news for the economy and for the workers comp industry - unemployment dropped 0.3% to 9.7%, a rate that is still... 1742@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Workers Comp 2010-02-06T07:21:26-05:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001741.html If ever there was a time to be writing about health reform, this is it. It's an even better time to be reading about health reform. Is health reform dead, or is it just snoozing, waiting for a Prince Charming... 1741@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Health Wonk Review 2010-02-04T12:38:40-05:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001739.html A TV ad featuring former Surgeon General C Everett Koop is but the latest example of the depths some will slither to in an effort to smear health reform and scare the crap out of senior citizens. These people are... 1739@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Health Policy 2010-02-03T07:53:37-05:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001738.html Recently NCCI released a white paper entitled "Medicare and Workers Compensation Medical Cost Containment". The report goes well beyond a discussion of the relationship between Medicare's physician and hospital reimbursement policies' impact on workers comp; not that it doesn't address... 1738@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Workers Comp 2010-02-02T07:28:02-05:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001737.html President Obama's recent visit to Baltimore to speak with (as he said, "not to, but with") the House Republican Conference was one of the best things to happen in politics in recent memory. Not that there's a long list. During... 1737@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Health Policy 2010-02-01T13:24:23-05:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001736.html Coventry's work comp division has recently gone thru some changes at the upper management levels. The overhaul has affected clinical ops, senior management, and sales, and according to insiders may not yet be complete. Chris Watson is now COO, moving... 1736@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Workers Comp 2010-01-29T11:21:11-05:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001735.html As industry insiders have known for almost a year, Average Wholesale Price as published by First DataBank, is going away. Triggered by a settlement in a lawsuit filed in Boston in 2006, as of March 2011 FDB will no longer... 1735@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Pharmacy, PBMs, and Pharma costs 2010-01-29T07:25:49-05:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001733.html That's the question Sandy Blunt, former CEO of North Dakota's state workers comp fund must be asking himself. Because the most serious charge against Blunt was based on Blunt authorizing sick leave for and not getting expenses repaid by an... 1733@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Workers Comp 2010-01-27T06:53:13-05:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001731.html To no one's surprise. work comp medical costs appear to be on their way up, and at a rate significantly higher than the medical CPI. First the what, then the why. The latest data from NCCI indicate comp medical inflation... 1731@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Workers Comp 2010-01-26T07:26:43-05:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001732.html If you're one of the 'it ain't over till the fat lady sings' crowd, well, she just did. With apologies to House Speaker Pelosi; (she may be many things but fat she is not) she's just finished her aria on... 1732@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Health Policy 2010-01-25T09:14:45-05:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001730.html A good friend and colleague has reviewed my 2010 work comp predictions and provided some incisive comment; he's a very knowledgeable, highly experienced, very well placed exec and his thoughts are well worth your consideration. Read them here.... 1730@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Workers Comp 2010-01-25T07:10:52-05:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001729.html It's great to have Jaan Sidorov back hosting Health Wonk Review; his Avatar theme works even for those of us who have yet to see the blockbuster. Health Wonk Review. This is just a great edition - thanks Jaan.... 1729@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Health Wonk Review 2010-01-21T11:00:33-05:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001728.html Health reform won't happen this year; ignore all the brave happy talk - there will be no bill that reforms the insurance markets, lowers costs, and/or expands coverage. You can't have insurance market reform - ending medical underwriting and risk... 1728@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Health Policy 2010-01-21T02:56:03-05:00 http://www.joepaduda.com/archives/001727.html Ten months of effort was blown away yesterday by an unprecedented electoral upset, a most unlikely end to health reform. Yes, I did mean to write 'end to health reform'. This afternoon the Senate Democratic caucus is meeting to figure... 1727@http://www.joepaduda.com/ Health Policy 2010-01-20T16:08:19-05:00