New Data from AMA Journal Rekindles Calls for Healthcare Reform

The Journal of the AMA (JAMA) on March 21 released the most comprehensive study to date on U.S. healthcare spending. It confirms that Americans are spending too much, and getting too little. But it also gives us some new insights on what’s driving up costs. The study has been widely reported in mainstream media – … Continue reading New Data from AMA Journal Rekindles Calls for Healthcare Reform

Doctors Critique Oregon-Style Cost-Benefit Approach to Healthcare Reform . . . But Not So Fast!

Noted surgeon and social-medical commentator Atul Gawande MD hosted a video roundtable in 2014 entitled “Avoiding Low-Value Care.” His panel seemingly challenged the idea that low-value care can be avoided, which is the crux of the cost-benefit approach to healthcare reform. But on closer look Dr. Gawande and panel may actually, in fact, be validating … Continue reading Doctors Critique Oregon-Style Cost-Benefit Approach to Healthcare Reform . . . But Not So Fast!

Response to “Why Only Fixing U.S. Healthcare Will Not Make Us Healthier”

Behrouz Zand MD, MS blogs at Digital Antidote – The Collision of Medicine, Philosophy and Social Science. His post of January 16, 2018, is entitled “Why only fixing U.S. healthcare will not make us healthier.” Here is my response March 4, 2018: Dr. Zand: I echo the praise for your excellent essay. In support, I … Continue reading Response to “Why Only Fixing U.S. Healthcare Will Not Make Us Healthier”

W. Va. Settles Teacher Strike But Not the Problem of Healthcare Cost

  West Virginia teachers settled their strike March 6 when they reached agreement with the Governor and Legislature giving them a 5 percent pay raise. But according to State Senate president Mitch Carmichael and Craig Blair, Senate Finance Committee chair, at least some of the $110 million yearly cost of the contract would come from … Continue reading W. Va. Settles Teacher Strike But Not the Problem of Healthcare Cost

Genes, Cost-Effectiveness and Healthcare Reform – Dialog with Dr. Buchanan

This is a posting of my reply to British health economist Dr. Buchanan's Comment of February 17, 2018.  The original posts are: Medicines's future? The health economics of population-wide genomic screening (October 26, 2017) Cost-Effectiveness: From Genes to Healthcare System Reform (December 17, 2017) 2 thoughts on “Cost-Effectiveness: From Genes to Healthcare System Reform” (Reply, February … Continue reading Genes, Cost-Effectiveness and Healthcare Reform – Dialog with Dr. Buchanan