December 2018 - The Health Care Blog

Health in 2 Point 00, Episode 61

On Episode 61 of Health in 2 Point 00, Jess and I are still in Tokyo—but this time we’re reporting from a famous whiskey bar. In this episode, Jess asks me about the most important takeaways from Health 2.0 Asia-Japan and the growing health tech...

Published Fri, Dec 07 2018 3:00 AM by THCB

Filed under: Health 2.0, Matthew Holt, Telemedicine, Fred Trotter, Data Security, Health in 2 Point 00, Jessica DaMassa, Health 2.0 Asia-Japan

Medicaid Expansion is Evidence the Health Policy Debate Defies Political Divides

By AMY LONG and JOE MOLLOY Among all the talk of waves and tides of the close midterm races around the country, there were tremendous results on election day for Medicaid expansion. Three states – Idaho, Nebraska, and Utah – passed ballot initiatives...

Published Wed, Dec 12 2018 7:04 AM by THCB

Filed under: Medicaid, Politics, Health policy, Medicaid Expansion, Midterm Elections, Toothpic, Amy Long, Joe Molloy

Health in 2 Point 00, Episode 62- AHIP in Nashville!

On Episode 62 of Health in 2 Point 00, Jess and I are reporting from Nashville—while enjoying some delicious barbecue. We’re in town for AHIP’s Consumer Experience & Digital Health Forum, where Jess did an amazing job as a moderator and I was on a...

Published Mon, Dec 17 2018 3:13 PM by THCB

Filed under: Matthew Holt, Tech, The Business of Health Care, digital health, Health in 2 Point 00, Jessica DaMassa, AHIP, health consumers, Start-Ups, Tivity Health, AHIP Consumer Experience & Digital Health Forum, Nutrisystem

CMS Should Boost the Signal on Social Determinants of Health

By HERB KUHN Historically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) stance on the influence that social determinants of health (SDOH) have on health outcomes has been equal parts signal and noise. In April 2016, the agency announced it...

Published Fri, Dec 21 2018 8:17 AM by THCB

Filed under: Hospitals, CMS, Health policy, Social Determinants of Health, HRRP, Herb Kuhn

Statistical Certainty: Less is More

By ANISH KOKA MD The day after NBC releases a story on a ‘ground-breaking’ observational study demonstrating caramel macchiatas reduce the risk of death, everyone expects physicians to be experts on the subject. The truth is that most of us hope John...

Published Wed, Dec 26 2018 8:05 AM by THCB

Filed under: Data, Health policy, Anish Koka, HRRP, statistics, data analysis, randomized controlled trials, Brian Nosek

Iowa Race Questions Logic of Significance of Health Policy Debate

By AMY LONG and JOE MOLLOY According to the Democrats, their success across the country in the midterm elections has largely been due to the party running on healthcare. Indeed, surveys such as the one conducted by Health Research Incorporated indicated...

Published Wed, Dec 05 2018 6:53 AM by THCB

Filed under: Politics, Health policy, Trump, Iowa, Midterm Elections, Toothpic

Where to Apply Artificial Intelligence in Health Care

By HANS DUVEFELT MD I have seen the light. I now, finally, see a clear role for artificial intelligence in health care. And, no, I don’t want it to replace me. I want it to complement me. I want AI to take over the mandated, mundane tasks of what...

Published Mon, Dec 10 2018 6:38 AM by THCB

Filed under: Physicians, Artificial intelligence, Hans Duvefelt, AI

Win, Lose, or Draw: Not all ACA Enrollees Gain from Increased Competition

By KATHERINE HEMPSTEAD PhD The 2019 ACA plan year is notable for the increase in insurer participation in the marketplace. Expansion and entry have been substantial, and the percent of counties with one insurer has declined from more than 50 percent to...

Published Thu, Dec 13 2018 6:16 AM by THCB

Filed under: Politics, ACA, Health insurance, Health policy, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, ACA Marketplace, health economics, Finance

What Does Congressional Gridlock Mean for the Rest of the Country?

By AMY LONG and JOE MOLLOY Often, a Congressional gridlock is essentially good. This is because the executive arm of government is forced to consider a bipartisan approach to issues if it’s to secure the approval of both Democrats and Republicans in Congress...

Published Tue, Dec 18 2018 10:13 AM by THCB

Filed under: Congress, Politics, Obamacare, Affordable Care Act, Health policy, Trump, Midterm Elections, Amy Long, Joe Molloy, Congressional gridlock

Health in 2 Point 00, Episode 63 Walgreens & Fedex partnership, Verily’s adherence program, & more!

Today on Health in 2 Point 00, Jess and I get festive for the holidays. In this episode, Jess asks me about Walgreens and its new partnership with FedEx for next day prescription delivery and with Verily to help patients with prescription adherence. She...

Published Fri, Dec 21 2018 9:11 AM by THCB

Filed under: Matthew Holt, FDA, Glen Tullman, Walgreens, Cerner, Health in 2 Point 00, Jessica DaMassa, Flatiron Health, Livongo, Verily, Zane Burke, Amy Abernethy, Pokitdoc, Jennifer Schneider, Atrium Health, Change Healthcare, FedEx

Is CareMore Health’s Population Health Management Model Disruptive?

By REBECCA FOGG Fueled by Americans’ urgent need for better chronic disease care and insurers’ march from fee-for-service to value-based payments, innovation in population health management is accelerating across the health care industry. But it’s hardly...

Published Thu, Dec 27 2018 8:01 AM by THCB

Filed under: Medicare, Patients, Medicaid, Population Health, disruptive innovation, Healthcare innovation, Rebecca Fogg, CareMore Health