Value-Based Reimbursement Reduces Costs 15.6%, Improves Quality

Value-based reimbursement models are moving the needle on quality and cost, a new analysis from Humana shows. In 2017, medical costs for patients attributed to primary care practices (PCPs) in Humana’s value-based reimbursement models for Medicare Advantage (MA) were 15.6 percent lower compared to Medicare fee-for-service, the insurer reported.

Medicaid Enrollees See Better Patient Experiences, Care Quality

Patients with chronic illness who are enrolled in the Medicaid program tend to have better patient experiences than those without insurance coverage, according to a new study from America’s Health Plans (AHIP).

Amazon Expands Catalog of HIPAA-eligible AI Services

Amazon continues to look for new ways to be relevant to healthcare workers. Amazon Web Services, the company’s cloud business, announced last week that three of its most popular services — Amazon Translate, Amazon Comprehend and Amazon Transcribe — are now HIPAA-eligible.

Designing a High-Value Approach to Chronic Care Management

Eighty percent of members’ health is determined by social factors such as housing, economic position, education and social connections, so called social determinants of health. But, most healthcare organizations struggle to use social determinants data to target members for focused intervention, a recent study found.

Keeping Human Stories at the Center of Health Care

Caring for the health and well-being of our fellow humans has always been viewed as a combination of art and science. With all the recent advances in technology, there is no doubt the health care industry as a whole gets an “A” in science. The tradeoff, however, is that we’ve become so focused on using the technology (as this HBR article points out) that we spend far less time listening to individual human stories. 

Report: More people are seeking out mental healthcare - if they can afford it

The stigmas around mental health are eroding, which is pushing more people to seek care—but cost and access remain significant barriers, according to a new survey. The National Council for Behavioral Health and Cohen Veterans Network surveyed 5,000 people and found that nearly six in 10 had sought mental health care for either themselves or a loved one.  However, 38% of adults have had to wait a week or more for an...

Report: More People Are Seeking out Mental Health Care—If They Can Afford It 

The National Council for Behavioral Health and Cohen Veterans Network surveyed 5,000 people and found that nearly six in 10 had sought mental health care for either themselves or a loved one. However, 38% of adults have had to wait a week or more for an appointment.

Remote Patient Monitoring Cuts Hospital Admissions, ER Visits, Report Finds

One-fourth of healthcare organizations say remote patient monitoring reduces emergency room visits and hospital readmissions, while 38% say the technology results in fewer inpatient admissions, according to a new KLAS Research report.

GAO: Rural Hospital Closures Increasing, South Hardest Hit

Hospitals across the U.S. are being battered by financial headwinds, and rural hospitals are vulnerable because they don't have capital or diversified services to fall back on when the going gets rough.

For-Profit Hospitals Show Higher Rates of Readmission

Readmission rates are a measure of cost and quality of services for American hospitals, and lowering them is an effective way to dually control the skyrocketing cost of healthcare and improve patient care.