Insight, analysis & opinion from Joe Paduda
Kudos to NCCI for devoting an hour at their annual issues symposium to a discussion of medical care and cost drivers provided by the Mayo Clinic’s Douglas Wood MD. Woods noted – “If the entire country could achieve [quality improvement … Continue reading Affordable Care and Workers’ Comp – a miss
Read More...It has long been known that medical care delivery can vary dramatically from state to state, and even within a state. Jack Wennberg and his colleagues at Dartmouth have reported deep and long on the issue, with the initial revelation … Continue reading Medical care variation among states – what’s the status and do guidelines help?
Read More...It has long been known that there’s wide variation in the type, quantity, and outcomes of medical care across providers. A new report – research done by Dartmouth, and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – looks at variations … Continue reading Variation in hospital results – how to use the data
Read More...Actually, it was. Faithful readers will note the delay in this biweek’s publication of HWR, a delay that was not an oversight but intentional; like many of you I’ve been waiting breathlessly for news of the Supreme Court’s pending decision … Continue reading Health Wonk Review isn’t waiting for the Supremes…
Read More...Yesterday I discussed the ongoing debate about potential changes to California’s work comp fee schedule. In case my position was too subtle, I’ve got grave reservations about using RBRVS (Medicare) as the basis for a work comp physician fee schedule. … Continue reading California Work Comp – Part Two – the hospitals…and what to do about them
Read More...Over the next few weeks, I’m going to be writing extensively about the death spiral of the American health insurance system, a fate as certain as it is unthinkable. As enrollment in private insurance plans declines, and the Medicaid population … Continue reading Hospitals’ strategy – survival thru cost shifting
Read More...There are definitely more than ten, but here’s my list. 10. A federal death panel will decide who gets care and who gets ‘suicide-d’. This has been debunked almost as many times as it’s been ‘bunked’, Section 1233 of America’s … Continue reading Top ten misconceptions about health reform
Read More...A third of US health care dollars are spent on treatments (see the Dartmouth Atlas) that are questionable/doubtful/could have been avoided if the chronic condition was addressed. That’s $7 trillion over ten years, and if we could snap our fingers … Continue reading Paying providers – the root of the problem – and the solution
Read More...Hospitals have agreed to accept cuts in reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid totaling $100 billion over the next ten years, with most of the reductions coming several years from now. Another $55 billion or so will be saved from several … Continue reading Hospitals agree to reduce their costs – sort of
Read More...From most Democrats in DC, the reform discussion to date has focused on expanding coverage, and to hell with the financial consequences. On the R side of the aisle, the chorus has wailed endlessly, uselessly, and moronically, about ‘government run … Continue reading Cost control under health reform – finally a real proposal
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