All GLG News Analyses Filed Under: Healthcare Services

     The apparent abandonment of American Healthways DM by CMS is a big deal.  DM is one of the very few promising techniques available to curve costs, and yes, even improve wellness by preventing onset of disease attack.  The premise of limiting "admissions" is what...

the proposal by Blue Cross of Mass is nothing more than shifting risk to the physicians who to date have never had proper access to the financial costs of this risk. When a fixed dollar amount is tied to a patient in any capitation program, it must be tied into a true cost based on the cost of that...

Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that “Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is stepping into the lucrative pharmacy-benefits arena…” In the absence of specific details from Wal-Mart, I’ll use the economics of today’s pharmacy industry to speculate on Wal-Mart’s possible future direction.  As I explain,...

The large employers have begun to coalesce around the notion that changes in the health care system may need to come from them.  This may ultimately drive the reform needed to correct the inefficiencies inappropriate utilization issues in the current system. It also points to the recognition...

Medicare has announced the end of the Medicare Health Support Phase I pilots.  None of the pilots to date has met requirements for cost or clinical improvements. Phase II was not discussed. Can the current DM model of a highly telephonic approach demonstrate improvements and continue to sell?

The status quo will be maintained during the election year.  But, what will happen to the funding for physicians and hospitals after the election?   Healthcare and defense are the two largest components of the Federal budget.  Congress will likely act to gain budget reductions in both...

Workplace wellness programs—which focus on illness prevention and chronic disease management through self-maintenance—are one key ingredient for healthcare cost control. Healthier employees tend to be happier, more motivated and more focused, which benefit their employers through reduced healthcare-related...

Retainer fees for physicians would decrease the do more get paid more paradigm that insurers complain about.

1. A system that pays solely fee for service encourages overutilization. 2. A system that pays solely capitation encourages underutilization. 3. A system that gives incentives for certain kinds of behavior encourages that behavior. 4. Medicine is more art than science. No one knows if encouaraging certain...

I work as both an ER physician and a Family Physician in a clinic and something needs to be done so that I do not need to see patients in the ER for problems that could easily be handled in the less expensive clinic.  Other countries have better health plans because patients have an incentive to...