Insight, analysis & opinion from Joe Paduda
Most times I’m right, sometimes I’m not – at least that’s what I want to believe. I’ll let you be the judge – here’s how I did on my predictions for 2018. A lifetime ago here’s what I said would … Continue reading 2018 Predictions – how did I do?
Read More...Pharmacy costs are dropping, imaging is not an issue, physician expenses are growing modestly, and while PT payments are going up a bit, much of that is fee-schedule driven. The problem area – and it is a big one – … Continue reading Work comp payers – watch out for facility costs
Read More...Good to be back at work – and ready to opine on what 2018 holds for work comp. Here, in no particular order are my educated guesses, considered opinions, and wild-assed speculations. M&A – specifically big deals – will increase. … Continue reading Predictions for work comp in 2018
Read More...Is the Affordable Care Act lowering workers’ comp medical costs? Sure looks that way. Data from NCCI’s 2016 AIS and HSA clients suggested ACA’s impact was positive and sustained. Flat-to-declining total medical costs over a two-year period that coincided with … Continue reading More and stronger evidence that ACA is reducing workers’ comp costs
Read More...The hands of the Deathwatch Clock have been moving back for some time now, signaling that your reporter believes the chances for ACA repeal have steadily receded. The reason is clear – killing ACA would be politically devastating for Republicans, … Continue reading ACA Deathwatch: Further and further away
Read More...For those wondering why the GOP appears to be walking back its promise to “rip out Obamacare root and branch”, here’s why this is a whole lot harder than one might think. And why the political realities make this picture … Continue reading ACA Deathwatch: Hospitals, bankruptcy, and chicken-killing dogs
Read More...This is a special post-election edition of Health Wonk Review – we asked our contributors to share their thoughts about how the GOP’s sweep will affect health care, health reform, and the health care system. I’d like to profusely thank … Continue reading The election’s impact on health care – experts opine
Read More...OK folks, deep breath here. Let’s take a minute and discuss what’s really going on with the ACA. ACA – or the more-commonly-used-but-nonetheless-inaccurate-title Obamacare ≠ the Exchanges. I don’t know why pundits, pols, and regular people don’t understand this. Let’s … Continue reading ACA: the real story
Read More...Well, that didn’t take very long… Hard as it is to believe, Health Wonk Review has been around for a decade. Yup, since way back in the DSL days, before the birth of the iPhone, before the Great Recession, before health … Continue reading Health Wonk Review – The Tenth Anniversary Edition!
Read More...And this means higher costs for those getting treatment outside of their core networks, and especially for work comp payers. While Medicare reimbursement has remained pretty level, hospitals have been busy raising their list prices by more than 10 percent … Continue reading Hospital prices are up. Way up.
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