Big Changes Coming to Healthcare
Last week, the new Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Alex Azar, said, “Change is possible, change is necessary, and change is coming.” I hope so. Change is desperately needed. It remains to be seen if the federal government can make the changes needed and make them fast enough. The biggest barrier is Congress. HHS […]
Healthcare Cost
We hear a lot about high health insurance premiums. Some of the high premiums have to do with the inefficiency of the health insurance industry, as written here last week. The basic reason for high premiums, however, is the high cost of healthcare. If you have a Ferrari, your insurance will be higher than if […]
Corrupt Congress
Congress not only indirectly raised the cost of healthcare by not allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, but also in at least one case, it raised the cost of drugs through a pinpoint piece of legislation. The New York Times reported a provision buried in the “fiscal cliff” bill passed in January 2013 gave Amgen, […]
Disrupting Healthcare
The State of the Union topics about tax reform, jobs, immigration, and infrastructure are all important, but what about healthcare? Healthcare represents nearly 20% of our economy, people are going bankrupt or dying because of the cost of drugs, basic healthcare is unaffordable for millions, and we are the only developed country in the world […]
Hospitals Attack High Drug Prices
Intermountain Healthcare is a Utah-based, not-for-profit system of 22 hospitals, a Medical Group with more than 1,600 physicians and advanced practice clinicians at about 180 clinics. Generic drugs account for 85% of the drugs Intermountain’s hospitals and clinics administer. The generic drugs account for one-third of Intermountain’s cost. As is the case for all healthcare providers, the […]
