Author Archive

  • The Federal Government “Supports” Employer Efforts at Improving Employee Health

    Why?  Well, of course - because studies have shown that anything employers can do to improve the health of their employees translates into lower Medicare costs in the future.  The American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine actually prepared a brief for the congressional "Wellness ...

  • Speaking of Hospital Costs and Surgery

    We just published a reference to an article in Becker's Hospital Review comparing medical versus surgical inpatient admissions and costs.  Soooo - we thought you might also be interested in a brief article published on the DallasNews web site about elective surgery volume (using data for Medicare p...

  • Some Hospital Data

    All benefits managers are out there searching daily for data that may help them better understand, negotiate, reduce health care spend.  With the implementation of the Hospital-Compare web site by CMS, and the continual call for pricing transparency, data are becoming more available (but still, obv...

  • The PCMH Model and Take Care

    It was announced yesterday (2/19/2014) by Walgreens that all Take Care managed employer-sponsored clinics are accredited by the AAAHC (The Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care) as patient-centered medical homes.  We have long supported this model for many reasons and it a positive m...

  • Harvard Business Review on the Problem with Wellness Programs Harvard Business Review on the Problem with Wellness Programs

    The HBR has a great article on the challenges and problems associated with wellness programs that is well worth reading.  It makes several important points about the approach that most firms are taking with respect to forcing wellness down the throats of employees and doing it with little reference...

  • NAWHC Survey of On-Site Programming NAWHC Survey of On-Site Programming

    The National Association of Worksite Health Centers has just launched a national survey of employers to determine and define the nature of the health care that is being provided (and planned!) for employees at the workplace. This is an important effort that will build upon other surveys conduct...

  • Exercise vs. Lipids? vs. Glycemic drugs? Who wins?

    You'll be surprised!  Pharmaceutical costs high?   Exercise compliance low?  Well, this study demonstrated that the value of exercise in reducing risk of death in people with chronic disease was as good, and sometimes better, than all those medications we see advertised on our televisions every ...

  • Random Data Random Data

    So, we've seen a bunch of statistics lately, all about healthcare, and we thought we would list some here, just for "fun" Per Beckers Hospital Review (11 Statistics on Average Hospital Costs Per Stay): Mean hospital cost per stay by age, 18-44 $7,400; 45-64 $12,500. (From the Agency for Health...

  • NPR Feature on Oregon Clinic

    Driving to and from work each day, or when I am out and about running errands, I tend to listen to NPR (when I'm not in the mood for Country!).  Seriously, however, I wanted to pass on a link to a recent interview from the ALL THINGS CONSIDERED program, by host, Audie Cornish.  This was about a he...

  • The Search for Quality and Pricing Guarantees Continues The Search for Quality and Pricing Guarantees Continues

    In a continued effort by large employers to assure quality healthcare for their employees, at a price that is transparent and guaranteed, Walmart and Lowe's recently chose four hospitals for joint replacements.  This was done not just to be able to predict the cost (with no out-of-pocket cost to th...

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