What Role Do Specialist Referrals Play in Increasing Health Care Costs?

The New York Times reports on a new study from the Archives of Internal Medicine that examines referral patterns among primary care physicians. Continue reading

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Posted in: Cost Alert, Health Care Costs

Cost Spotlight: New Cancer Drugs

The Fiscal Times examines the rising cost of new cancer treatments and the impact on health care spending. Continue reading

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Posted in: Cost Alert, Health Care Costs

Forbes Columnists Wonders: Are We Just Playing Around Edge of Health Care Costs?

Dan Munro, a columnist for Forbes, examines the issue of health care costs in relation to the ACA.  He says that despite the implementation of ACA and all of the talk about various provisions that will supposedly bend the cost curve, Munro wonders if it’s enough.  Munro examines eight issues that he says shows costs are still the major issue in the health care arena. Of particular interest he writes about the MLR provision and whether it will really “bend” [...]

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Posted in: ACA, AHIP, AHIP Studies and Reports, Health Care Costs, Issue Alert

Cost Spotlight: Another example of self-referrals leading to higher health care spending

The Baltimore Sun’s Jay Hancock is a man on mission. His mission — shine a glowing spotlight on the practice of physician self-referrals and the impact on health care costs. Continue reading

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Posted in: Health Care Costs

Competition Improves Quality: The Case of Medicare Advantage

A new report released by the Heritage Foundation, “How Competition Improves Quality: The Case of Medicare Advantage,” reinforces recent studies and research by Niall Brennan and Mark Shepard and AHIP published in The American Journal of Managed Care that shows Medicare Advantage outperforming traditional Medicare fee-for-service on quality of care. Continue reading

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Posted in: AHIP Studies and Reports

THE FACTS: PREMIUMS AND UNDERLYING MEDICAL COSTS

This latest fact check provides important information on health care costs and premiums. The focus of the fact check is on three areas: premiums track directly with the underlying cost of care; the need to focus on all factor driving premium increases; provisions in the law that are driving up costs; and what health plans are doing to improve quality and safety. Continue reading

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Posted in: AHIP, Fact Check, Health Care Costs

Must See WebTV: Milliman Video on ESI – Common driver of increasing costs = Underlying cost of care

A new video from Milliman explores employer sponsored insurance and the impact of underlying medical costs on overall health care costs. Continue reading

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Posted in: Cost Alert, Fact Check, Health Care Costs, Must See TV

NHE Growth and Private Health Insurance Administrative Costs

Check out this interactive chart with new NHE data showing that from 1989-2010, on average, 3.9% of the annual growth in NHE was attributable to PHI administrative costs. In other words, on average, 96.1% of the annual growth in health spending from 1989-2010 came from areas other than PHI administrative costs. Continue reading

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Posted in: AHIP, AHIP Studies and Reports, Fact Check

Cost Spotlight: One Mother’s (and Editorial Writer’s) Look at Hospital Costs and Charges

The New York Daily News’ Beverly Weintraub, a Pulitzer Prize winning editorial writer, turns her sharp eye to the murky world of hospital bills. Weintraub describes how two trips to the emergency room with her son within two weeks pulled the curtain back on the how much hospitals charge for medical care. Continue reading

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Posted in: Cost Alert, Health Care Costs

MLR and Health Care Costs

AHIP’s Robert Zirkelbach was interviewed by NPR this morning about the medical loss ratio provision in the ACA. Zirkelbach pointed out that the MLR actually does nothing to lower medical costs and could lead to disruption in coverage for some people. Continue reading

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Posted in: ACA, AHIP, AHIP in the News, Health Care Costs, Issue Alert