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Cancer Costs Double in 18 Years
The cost of treating cancer doubled over nearly 2 decades, and treatment has shifted to outpatient settings, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, cancer accounts for about 5% of overall health care spending, a percentage that hasn't changed since 1987 despite the advent of more expensive cancer drugs, according to the study, published in the journal Cancer. The researchers determined that the increase in cancer costs—to $48.1 billion in 2005—came largely from the growing number of cancer patients. The share paid by private insurance increased and that paid out-of-pocket by patients fell. Medicare continued to pay about one-third of total treatment costs, the study found.
Bonuses Risk Medical Disparities
Rewarding primary care physicians for providing better care to patients could widen medical disparities experienced by poorer people and minority groups, according to a RAND Corp. study. Published in the journal Health Affairs, the research suggests that the average-size medical practice serving a vulnerable population would receive $7,100 less annually because of existing gaps in quality of care. “If you don't watch where the money goes, pay-for-performance programs have the potential to make disparities worse,” lead author Dr. Mark Friedberg, an associate scientist at RAND, said in a statement.
Health Information Grants Set
Fifteen communities are splitting about $220 million in grant money from the Department of Health and Human Services to build their health information technology infrastructures and capabilities. The Beacon Community grants provide funding to “communities at the cutting edge of electronic health record adoption and health information exchange,” the HHS said. For example, Delta Health Alliance in Stoneville, Miss., received about $14 million to electronically link systems for care management, medication therapy, and patient education in diabetes, while the Indiana Health Information Exchange in Indianapolis, the largest health information exchange in the country, received about $16 million to improve cholesterol and blood sugar control in diabetic patients and to reduce hospital readmissions through telemonitoring. The program is intended to demonstrate the advantages of health information technology to other communities.
Doctors Still Poor on Food Advice
Only about half of obese adult Americans were told by their doctors to cut down on fatty foods in 2006, a number that hasn't changed significantly since 2002, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The problem is especially acute in minority populations, the AHRQ said. Obese Hispanic patients received advice on healthy eating from their physicians 42% of the time, while obese black adults received advice 45% of the time, compared with 52% for whites. Doctors also were less likely to tell poor obese adults and those who did not finish high school to improve their diets, regardless of race or ethnicity, when compared with higher-income and better-educated counterparts. Black and Hispanic adults have higher obesity rates than whites, as do poor adults and those with limited education, the study noted.
Blues Plan Rewards Primary Care
Pennsylvania-based Independence Blue Cross said it will invest an additional $47 million to supplement compensation to the 1,800 primary care physicians participating in its network in an effort to improve the quality of care. More than $33 million of the added investment will enhance an incentive program for “better care, not more care,” the health plan said. Independence will increase the base amount it pays primary care physicians by an average of 10% and will reward physicians who improve quality on measures such as cancer screenings, immunizations, and asthma management. With the new funds, primary care physicians can double their incentive earnings over 2009, according to Independence. Practices that meet some or all of the core requirements for a “patient-centered medical home” and physicians who provide effective care coordination will receive additional compensation, Independence said.
Doctors Asked to Find 'Bad Ads'
The Food and Drug Administration has launched a program to get health care providers to detect and report misleading drug ads. The “Bad Ad” program seeks to educate health care providers about their role in ensuring that prescription drug advertising is truthful and not misleading, the FDA said. Initially, FDA officials will meet with providers at selected medical conventions and will partner with a handful of medical groups to distribute educational materials. The agency said it will then expand its collaborations with medical societies. The FDA announcement encouraged health care professionals to report a potential violation in drug promotion by sending e-mails to
Cancer Costs Double in 18 Years
The cost of treating cancer doubled over nearly 2 decades, and treatment has shifted to outpatient settings, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, cancer accounts for about 5% of overall health care spending, a percentage that hasn't changed since 1987 despite the advent of more expensive cancer drugs, according to the study, published in the journal Cancer. The researchers determined that the increase in cancer costs—to $48.1 billion in 2005—came largely from the growing number of cancer patients. The share paid by private insurance increased and that paid out-of-pocket by patients fell. Medicare continued to pay about one-third of total treatment costs, the study found.
Bonuses Risk Medical Disparities
Rewarding primary care physicians for providing better care to patients could widen medical disparities experienced by poorer people and minority groups, according to a RAND Corp. study. Published in the journal Health Affairs, the research suggests that the average-size medical practice serving a vulnerable population would receive $7,100 less annually because of existing gaps in quality of care. “If you don't watch where the money goes, pay-for-performance programs have the potential to make disparities worse,” lead author Dr. Mark Friedberg, an associate scientist at RAND, said in a statement.
Health Information Grants Set
Fifteen communities are splitting about $220 million in grant money from the Department of Health and Human Services to build their health information technology infrastructures and capabilities. The Beacon Community grants provide funding to “communities at the cutting edge of electronic health record adoption and health information exchange,” the HHS said. For example, Delta Health Alliance in Stoneville, Miss., received about $14 million to electronically link systems for care management, medication therapy, and patient education in diabetes, while the Indiana Health Information Exchange in Indianapolis, the largest health information exchange in the country, received about $16 million to improve cholesterol and blood sugar control in diabetic patients and to reduce hospital readmissions through telemonitoring. The program is intended to demonstrate the advantages of health information technology to other communities.
Doctors Still Poor on Food Advice
Only about half of obese adult Americans were told by their doctors to cut down on fatty foods in 2006, a number that hasn't changed significantly since 2002, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The problem is especially acute in minority populations, the AHRQ said. Obese Hispanic patients received advice on healthy eating from their physicians 42% of the time, while obese black adults received advice 45% of the time, compared with 52% for whites. Doctors also were less likely to tell poor obese adults and those who did not finish high school to improve their diets, regardless of race or ethnicity, when compared with higher-income and better-educated counterparts. Black and Hispanic adults have higher obesity rates than whites, as do poor adults and those with limited education, the study noted.
Blues Plan Rewards Primary Care
Pennsylvania-based Independence Blue Cross said it will invest an additional $47 million to supplement compensation to the 1,800 primary care physicians participating in its network in an effort to improve the quality of care. More than $33 million of the added investment will enhance an incentive program for “better care, not more care,” the health plan said. Independence will increase the base amount it pays primary care physicians by an average of 10% and will reward physicians who improve quality on measures such as cancer screenings, immunizations, and asthma management. With the new funds, primary care physicians can double their incentive earnings over 2009, according to Independence. Practices that meet some or all of the core requirements for a “patient-centered medical home” and physicians who provide effective care coordination will receive additional compensation, Independence said.
Doctors Asked to Find 'Bad Ads'
The Food and Drug Administration has launched a program to get health care providers to detect and report misleading drug ads. The “Bad Ad” program seeks to educate health care providers about their role in ensuring that prescription drug advertising is truthful and not misleading, the FDA said. Initially, FDA officials will meet with providers at selected medical conventions and will partner with a handful of medical groups to distribute educational materials. The agency said it will then expand its collaborations with medical societies. The FDA announcement encouraged health care professionals to report a potential violation in drug promotion by sending e-mails to
Cancer Costs Double in 18 Years
The cost of treating cancer doubled over nearly 2 decades, and treatment has shifted to outpatient settings, according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, cancer accounts for about 5% of overall health care spending, a percentage that hasn't changed since 1987 despite the advent of more expensive cancer drugs, according to the study, published in the journal Cancer. The researchers determined that the increase in cancer costs—to $48.1 billion in 2005—came largely from the growing number of cancer patients. The share paid by private insurance increased and that paid out-of-pocket by patients fell. Medicare continued to pay about one-third of total treatment costs, the study found.
Bonuses Risk Medical Disparities
Rewarding primary care physicians for providing better care to patients could widen medical disparities experienced by poorer people and minority groups, according to a RAND Corp. study. Published in the journal Health Affairs, the research suggests that the average-size medical practice serving a vulnerable population would receive $7,100 less annually because of existing gaps in quality of care. “If you don't watch where the money goes, pay-for-performance programs have the potential to make disparities worse,” lead author Dr. Mark Friedberg, an associate scientist at RAND, said in a statement.
Health Information Grants Set
Fifteen communities are splitting about $220 million in grant money from the Department of Health and Human Services to build their health information technology infrastructures and capabilities. The Beacon Community grants provide funding to “communities at the cutting edge of electronic health record adoption and health information exchange,” the HHS said. For example, Delta Health Alliance in Stoneville, Miss., received about $14 million to electronically link systems for care management, medication therapy, and patient education in diabetes, while the Indiana Health Information Exchange in Indianapolis, the largest health information exchange in the country, received about $16 million to improve cholesterol and blood sugar control in diabetic patients and to reduce hospital readmissions through telemonitoring. The program is intended to demonstrate the advantages of health information technology to other communities.
Doctors Still Poor on Food Advice
Only about half of obese adult Americans were told by their doctors to cut down on fatty foods in 2006, a number that hasn't changed significantly since 2002, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The problem is especially acute in minority populations, the AHRQ said. Obese Hispanic patients received advice on healthy eating from their physicians 42% of the time, while obese black adults received advice 45% of the time, compared with 52% for whites. Doctors also were less likely to tell poor obese adults and those who did not finish high school to improve their diets, regardless of race or ethnicity, when compared with higher-income and better-educated counterparts. Black and Hispanic adults have higher obesity rates than whites, as do poor adults and those with limited education, the study noted.
Blues Plan Rewards Primary Care
Pennsylvania-based Independence Blue Cross said it will invest an additional $47 million to supplement compensation to the 1,800 primary care physicians participating in its network in an effort to improve the quality of care. More than $33 million of the added investment will enhance an incentive program for “better care, not more care,” the health plan said. Independence will increase the base amount it pays primary care physicians by an average of 10% and will reward physicians who improve quality on measures such as cancer screenings, immunizations, and asthma management. With the new funds, primary care physicians can double their incentive earnings over 2009, according to Independence. Practices that meet some or all of the core requirements for a “patient-centered medical home” and physicians who provide effective care coordination will receive additional compensation, Independence said.
Doctors Asked to Find 'Bad Ads'
The Food and Drug Administration has launched a program to get health care providers to detect and report misleading drug ads. The “Bad Ad” program seeks to educate health care providers about their role in ensuring that prescription drug advertising is truthful and not misleading, the FDA said. Initially, FDA officials will meet with providers at selected medical conventions and will partner with a handful of medical groups to distribute educational materials. The agency said it will then expand its collaborations with medical societies. The FDA announcement encouraged health care professionals to report a potential violation in drug promotion by sending e-mails to