Articles tagged with Health Care Costs
Experts recommend developing and implementing evidence-based appropriateness criteria to prioritize patients most in need of elective procedures, such as joint replacement surgery. This could help combat increasing healthcare costs while enhancing access and quality, according to Weill Cornell researchers.
Socrates Analytics provides a cloud-based software program that collects, standardizes, analyzes, and reports on disparate hospital billing, administrative, and operating room data. This enables hospitals to interpret complex administrative data, view trends, outliers, and variability in care processes, ultimately improving efficiency ...
Researchers found that telestroke networks can increase patient recovery, improve function, and reduce disability. With a network, hospitals can make nearly $360,000 annually, with each spoke hospital generating over $100,000 in revenue.
A new study suggests that the University of Michigan Health System's (UMHS) approach to medical errors, known as the "Michigan Model," has helped reduce malpractice claims and costs. The model focuses on compensating patients quickly and fairly, supporting clinical staff, and reducing patient injuries by learning from experiences.
Average employer-sponsored family health insurance plan premiums increased by 62% between 2003 and 2011, rising to $15,022 per year. Employee payments for their share of health insurance premiums also rose by 74%, with deductibles more than doubling.
Consumers with individual insurance policies received $394 million in rebates, while insurers reduced overhead by $560 million. The Affordable Care Act's medical loss ratio provision led to improvements in administrative costs and medical loss ratios in the individual market.
The American College of Physicians recommends limiting upper endoscopy to patients with heartburn only when accompanied by serious symptoms or specific risk factors. The guideline aims to reduce unnecessary procedures and associated costs, while ensuring effective care for GERD patients.
The American College of Cardiology and European Society of Cardiology disagree on mandatory ECG screenings. The ACC suggests $69 billion over 20 years to save 4,813 lives, while experts like Antonio Pelliccia argue cultural and policy obstacles hinder widespread adoption.
A new study at the University of Cincinnati uses computer-based simulation modeling to estimate the operational disruption and lost opportunity costs of introducing HIV testing into emergency departments. The research aims to provide valuable guidance for hospitals and policymakers on implementing HIV screening programs.
The new system-on-a-chip enables integration of large components onto a single microchip, achieving significant improvements in power consumption. It cuts the size, weight, power consumption, and cost by about 10 times compared to conventional body data monitoring technologies.
A study suggests that limiting non-medically indicated caesareans and induced labor can reduce preterm births in high-income countries. Implementing evidence-based interventions could avert around 58,000 preterm births annually, saving $3 billion in economic costs.
A recent study proposes redirecting $750 billion in wasteful healthcare spending towards various initiatives, including businesses, education, infrastructure, and job retraining. The potential outcomes include reducing deficit, funding preschool programs, improving transportation projects, and promoting rural development.
A study published in Archives of Internal Medicine finds that per capita Medicare spending on the elderly has grown nearly three times faster in the US than in Canada since 1980. The authors attribute this difference to Canada's single-payer system, which includes fewer administrative costs and a greater emphasis on primary care.
A new report by the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute suggests that declining medical imaging use may be driving up hospital stays and medical costs in the US. This trend could have negative consequences on patient safety and access to care if not addressed through policy changes.
A simple-to-use risk score identifies low-risk STEMI patients, allowing early discharge and reducing hospital length of stay by a day. This strategy results in estimated savings of nearly $7,000 in total hospital costs.
A study by Rice University researchers found that states without Certificate of Need regulations for open-heart surgery experienced a 4% decrease in average patient care costs. The deregulation led to increased competition among hospitals, driving up the quality of care and resulting in cost savings.
Governor Romney's plan would increase uninsured in every state to 72 million, while the Affordable Care Act reduces it to 27 million; children and low- and middle-income Americans particularly affected
Cancer drugs are administered sequentially or in combination, creating a virtual monopoly for each drug. Value-based pricing is a potential solution to address the high cost of cancer therapy.
The first-ever estimate of cancer's economic burden in Europe reveals that cancers cost the European Union €124 billion each year, with lung cancer responsible for the highest overall burden. Caring for cancer patients also takes a toll on caregivers, who experience impairments in physical and mental health.
Researchers estimate that maximizing observation unit potential can result in significant cost savings, with an average annual saving of $4.6 million per hospital and up to $3.1 billion nationwide. This could be achieved by avoiding 2.4 million unnecessary inpatient admissions.
The study found that the number of total knee replacements increased by over two and a half times from 1991 to 2010, driven by an aging population and increased demand among older adults. The procedure is highly effective, allowing patients to remain active as they age, but also represents a major healthcare expense for Medicare.
Researchers found a short (7-day) course of amphotericin along with high-dose fluconazole for at least 2 weeks is the most cost-effective and least toxic treatment for cryptococcal meningitis. This regimen is significantly cheaper and less toxic than the current WHO-recommended treatment, which results in more deaths.
A study of 48 German families found that treatment for alcoholism significantly reduced family costs directly related to a family member's alcoholism. After twelve months of treatment, average costs attributable to alcoholism decreased from 20.2% to 4.3% of the total pre-tax family income.
A new study reveals that young cancer survivors frequently forego routine medical care because of financial constraints. Despite having health insurance, they face significant cost burdens, which can lead to unmet health needs.
A new study published in The Lancet suggests that replacing intravenous catheters only when clinically necessary is safe and could save millions. This policy change would prevent up to 6 million unnecessary catheter insertions and save about $60 million annually in health costs, according to the research.
A small subset of patients with open-angle glaucoma account for a large proportion of all glaucoma-related charges in the US. The costliest 5% of patients are responsible for 24% of total charges, with younger age and cataract surgery being significant risk factors.
The ACA's Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) is providing a temporary coverage option for people with pre-existing health conditions until the new state exchanges are implemented in 2014. State-run high-risk pools, while helpful as a stop-gap measure, are expensive to run and often unaffordable for those who need them.
The Great Recession has brought severe challenges to city and county governments, with budget shortfalls cited as a top problem by nearly half of surveyed local governments. Local government managers have responded by freezing positions, trimming benefits, and reducing service delivery levels.
Researchers found modest estimates of overall savings associated with the PGPD, but larger savings among dually eligible patients through reductions in hospitalizations. The study also revealed lower medical 30-day readmissions and significant variation in savings across participating organizations.
A new study found that people with mild asthma who take inhaled steroids only when symptoms occur have similar outcomes as those who use them daily. This could lead to reduced medication costs and more flexible treatment options.
A computer model developed by researchers can help healthcare clinics manage no-shows and last-minute cancellations by incorporating overbooking into the system. This approach has been shown to increase efficiency, bringing it back up to around 73% in some cases.
A study found that 25% of Medicare recipients spent more on out-of-pocket healthcare expenses than their total assets during the last five years of life. The average spending was $38,688, with the top quarter of participants spending $101,791.
A Lancet series examines the social, political, and economic issues surrounding universal health coverage. The evidence suggests that progress towards UHC leads to substantial improvements in population health, particularly for the poorest people. However, countries relying predominantly on out-of-pocket payments have not achieved UHC....
A new study finds that out-of-pocket spending on healthcare in the last five years of life can account for a significant proportion of an individual's household assets. More than three-quarters of households spent at least $10,000 on healthcare costs, with some individuals contributing as much as their total household assets.
A study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology found that non-invasive diagnostic imaging costs to Medicare Part B dropped significantly between 2006 and 2010. The decline was attributed to reimbursement cuts and increased education on scan utilization.
A new strategy for managing Medicare's costly dialysis program has been implemented, bundling total costs and discouraging lapses in quality. The changes aim to rein in health care costs, but concerns remain about the potential impact on patient treatment and overall healthcare expenditure.
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation's Patient Care Program aims to improve healthcare by engaging patients and their families, reducing costs, and increasing patient safety. The program focuses on eliminating all preventable harms to adult patients in acute-care settings and reconfiguring clinical processes, care teams, and technolog...
A University of Oregon team has developed a formula to refrigerate coal-plant emissions, reducing carbon dioxide by 90%, sulfur dioxide by 98%, mercury by 100% and other pollutants. The process would save society 38% through reduced health-care and climate-change costs.
A new study confirms ECG as a cost-effective method for detecting cardiac abnormalities in young athletes, preventing fatal events. The program's mean cost per athlete is €115, with most subsequent examinations being low-cost echocardiograms.
Researchers found clinically significant improvements in pain levels and functional capacity after acupuncture treatment for knee osteoarthritis. The service could save the NHS around £100,000 a year, with group acupuncture being popular among nurses and patients.
A study projects that declining male circumcision rates in the US may lead to increased healthcare costs and infection prevalence. Researchers found that reducing MC rates could result in higher estimated lifetime medical costs for men and women.
A study by Johns Hopkins Medicine warns that declining US infant male circumcision rates could lead to significant healthcare costs. The researchers estimate that each uncircumcised male would incur $313 more in illness-related expenses, totaling $4.4 billion over the next decade.
Researchers found that despite similar survival rates, trauma patients in the western United States face higher treatment costs than those in the northeastern region. Analysis of national patient records revealed significant regional differences in care costs, with the west spending up to 35% more on liver injury treatments.
Researchers analyzed medical group practices providing care for over 133,000 diabetic patients and found a significant reduction in healthcare costs with improved quality of care. The study suggests that investing in quality care can lead to cost savings without compromising patient outcomes.
A new legal analysis warns that some states may delay or refuse to participate in the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, leaving millions of impoverished children and adults at risk for lack of coverage. The expansion could create new jobs and provide a much-needed boost to thousands of communities affected by poverty.
A recent study published in Health Care Management Review found that mandatory individual insurance coverage in Massachusetts led to a significant near-term drop in hospital productivity. The results raise concerns about the potential impact of universal health insurance coverage on US hospital productivity and overall healthcare costs.
A study found that incorporating CT angiography into the initial evaluation of low-risk patients with chest pain reduced hospital stay time by half and decreased costs without increasing the risk of missed diagnosis. The use of CCTA also led to fewer adverse clinical events, but future studies are needed to confirm its effectiveness.
A Northwestern University study reveals that farmers and ranchers with major limb amputations struggle with durable, affordable, and adaptable prosthetics. These limitations hinder their ability to perform farm tasks, making traditional prosthetic solutions unsuitable for their unique needs.
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch will study hospital readmissions for high-volume, high-cost patients receiving post-acute inpatient rehabilitation services. The goal is to identify factors associated with readmissions and improve discharge planning.
A survey of all 24 Scottish intensive care units found that a quarter of admissions were alcohol related, particularly among men and younger people. Patients with alcohol problems required longer ventilation times and had higher estimated annual costs.
Researchers at the University of Iowa found that police officers working evening or night shifts were more likely to get less restful sleep, leading to chronic fatigue and health issues. The study recommends practices to ensure proper sleep, such as adjusting court appearances and partnering with nurses.
The study analyzed over 1.5 million PCI procedures and found that drug-eluting stent use varies significantly among physicians, even among patients at low risk of restenosis. A reduction in DES use could lead to substantial cost savings while preserving clinical benefit.
A new study found that using drug-eluting stents has little relation to patients' predicted risk of restenosis. Reducing unnecessary usage could significantly cut US health costs and prevent complications. The authors suggest incorporating assessment of restenosis risk into regular practice for better-informed decisions.
A study of 1.2 million veterans found that the federal government spent an estimated $13 billion in six years on duplicate Medicare Advantage payments for care provided by both the VA and private health facilities. The study suggests policymakers consider measures to identify and eliminate redundant expenditures.
A new study found that the federal government made $13 billion in duplicative payments to provide health-care services to veterans enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. The researchers analyzed over 1 million veteran records and found that 61% used both VA and Medicare Advantage coverage.
A study published in JAMA found that community health centers with higher patient-centered medical home ratings had higher operating costs. The study analyzed data from 1,009 federally funded health centers and found that a 10-point higher total PCMH score was associated with a $2.26 higher operating cost per patient per month.
A new study finds that patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) have higher per-patient operating costs, with additional expenses for personnel, technology, and quality improvement measures. The PCMH model aims to improve care quality and reduce wasteful spending, but its financial sustainability is threatened by these increased costs.
The High Value Healthcare Collaborative will use the grant to implement shared decision making for patients facing hip, knee or spine surgery and for those with diabetes or congestive heart failure. The project aims to reduce utilization and costs by $64 million over three years through patient engagement and activation.
RAND Corporation researchers suggest that existing administrative data may be unable to detect the effects of health IT. To accurately gauge impact, new measurement tools are needed. Health IT can lead to greater convenience, access and quality while lowering costs if it supports teamwork, care coordination and innovative approaches.
A cost-effectiveness analysis found that improving quality of care for sick children in district hospitals in Kenya is affordable and effective, with a significant increase in care quality and low additional costs. The intervention was estimated to be approximately $3.6 million annually, or 0.6% of the annual child health budget.