Swamped these days, so here’s what I don’t have time to opine upon in any depth…
In eight years, “Health spending growth…is projected to average 5.8 percent—1.3 percentage points faster than growth in the gross domestic product—and to represent 20.1 percent of the total economy by 2025.” [emphasis added] HealthAffairs‘ article notes the main drivers will be changes to the economy, higher prices, and an aging population.
So, what are we going to do about this? When considering candidates’ health care platforms, it is always helpful to start from where we are today. To that end, Michael Joyner MD has an excellent briefing that builds on the HealthAffairs piece, with more info on what we spend, who spends it, and what we get for those dollars.
Spoiler alert – When you deduct estimated cost of unnecessary spending, US health care costs are about in line with other countries’.
Folks interested in what workers’ comp patients think of work comp should tune in to WCRI’s webinar on July 28. WCRI surveyed patients in 15 states and will report on their findings across a broad spectrum of issues; a written version of findings is also available.
And those interested in the financial future of work comp can check out Fitch’s report on same; hint today’s flush days are not likely to continue. (hat tip to WorkCompWire for the head’s up)
A troubling point:counterpoint discussion of opioids and chronic pain illustrates the biggest problem we face with this issue; to the general public, anecdote is often more powerful than data. David Deitz MD PhD provides the scientific background for why limiting opioid use is a critical public health issue, and why opioids aren’t particularly helpful for many chronic pain sufferers. The “counterpoint” is NOT a fact/research/science based expert, but one person who suffers from chronic pain.
This is not a terribly helpful way to educate folks about the issue and I would suggest ill-serves the public.
Mark Pew of PRIUM has a cogent perspective on California’s prescription monitoring program. He’s all in – and, quite correctly, suggests everyone else should be as well.
Finally, the pending sale of ExamWorks is generating controversy, with some stockholders not pleased by the price offered, the possible conflict of interest of some of the parties, and various other complaints. According to the NYTimes, opponents of the deal contend “lawyers at Paul Hastings, a law firm based in Los Angeles, were in cahoots with management and the investment banks to sell the company at a below-market price, something ExamWorks vigorously denies.”
Methinks they oughta be darn glad they’re getting 35 bucks a share.
Got to get back to work…
