The current uptick in ‘medical inflation’ in private sector health industry is worth a separate post. The Standard and Poor Healthcare Economic Indices can be found here. Lifted from a note from Run 75441 on the link I sent on healthcare reform. Recently, Matt Stoller claimed Obama had a 61 vote majority in the Senate and […]
by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt Health Care Thoughts: Human Capital Edition In the past six weeks I have talked to and with health care executives and practitioners from at least 40 states. All of the conversations have been interesting to say the least. What I hear from the hospital and (integrated) health system levels is the […]
Uwe E. Reinhardt offers his viewpoint on trends in US health spending. Following are excerpts from two articles in the NYT’s Economix concerning the costs of our system and how they are apportioned in the big picture, and the impact on family budgets. Reading the charts is actually important. There are trends in our health care […]
by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt Health Care Thoughts: Small Business, Obamacare, Tax Credits I am still struggling to get my arms around whether or not small businesses will dump employees into health exchanges rather than continue health care coverage. And still looking at related issues. So what to make of the AP tax credit story […]
by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt Health Care Thoughts: Notes from the Conference World So in the past 10 days I have spoken to and with health care executives from 40 + states about their current view of the health care world. A few observations: Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), a keystone of Obamacare, are being viewed […]
by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt Health Care Thoughts: Counterproductive Regulations? Depakote (divalproex sodium) is an anti-seizure medication approved by the FDA to treat epilepsy, migraines. and bipolar mania. Many physicians and long-term care nurses (including my favorite nurse) are absolutely convinced Depakote is effective in mitigating the impacts of agitated dementia. Depakote has also proved useful […]
by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt Health Care Thoughts: Employer PPACA Options, More Analysis One of the more suspenseful issues of PPACA (aka Obamacare) is the question of employer conduct in 2014 and after. Question is, will employers drop health insurance and punt workers into the state exchange system? Some new perspectives have been added […]
by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt Health care thoughts: Cross-conflicting regulations health facility edition The most recent regulatory question I had trouble answering. The situation is as follows (the state will remain nameless): State nursing home inspectors: certain antibiotics cannot be administered for certain conditions without a three day lab culture being done first; if the […]
by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt Health care thoughts: Cross-conflicting regulations, employer confusion Most of you will be familiar with the medication drowsiness warnings to the effect of “don’t operate machinery or heavy equipment, etc. etc.” This is from FDA regs. (www.FDA.gov.) OSHA has extensive guidance about employee safety with manufacturing machinery, heavy equipment and driving […]
by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt Health Care Thoughts: Physicians “Rationing” Health Care Nine physician panels have recommended less testing of patients presenting with various conditions and diseases and less treatment for some diagnosis. For Details: New York Times Much of this is low hanging fruit, such as using less antibiotics for sinusitis. Some of this […]