Todd Shryock is managing editor of Medical Economics.
70 million Americans feel unprepared to pay for health care costs next year
Inflation is the top reason that nearly one-third of Americans are concerned about covering unexpected health care needs
Lifetime health care expenses may top $700k for insured Americans
Survey shows respondents underestimated annual cost of care by 145%
Physician organizations oppose congressional scope expansion of non-physician providers
Legislation would vastly expand scope of practice for nurse practitioners and other non-physicians
American Telemedicine Association advocates on behalf of remote mental health
ATA co-wrote a letter to the Biden administration to try to protect remote access for clinically appropriate care
Consumer price index rises less than expected in October
Could be an indication that inflation is starting to cool
Vaccine confidence declined considerably during pandemic
Confidence in vaccines is lower post-pandemic across all demographic groups
Medicare looks to boost cooperation between primary care and specialists
Effort to bolster primary care is part of a larger plan to increase value-based care
Pandemic side effect: 22% of Americans got better health insurance
Poll shows that many received more regular health care thanks to the boost in insurance coverage
Unemployment rate up slightly in October
Notable job gains in health care helped boost non-farm employment by 261,000 in October
Hospitals, health systems, and providers having one of the most difficult financial years on record
Declining volume and revenue with increasing expenses mean many systems are ending the year in the red
Fed boosts interest rates another 0.75%
Increase marks the fourth consecutive three-quarter point boost
Medical office sector maintains high demand as other commercial real estate sectors struggle
Health care real estate is viewed as a stable asset among investors
Tired of being a physician? Run for congress
Survey shows that 64% of Americans would vote for their physicians if they were on the ballot
The training debate
As nurse practitioners gain more practice freedom, advocates for physician-led care debate the training differences
Unknown health care prices keep 35% of Americans from seeking care
80% of uninsured don’t know about financial assistance available from providers
Walmart opening 16 primary care health centers by fall 2023
All new locations will be in metro areas of Florida
National plan aims to boost health care worker wellbeing
Seven priority areas established to strengthen the health care workforce
Report: Burnout driving physicians from their jobs
Demand for docs is higher than ever, but physicians are fleeing burnout
Patients are leaving your practice because you provide a lousy experience
Lack of technology and poor experience with practice staff can drive patients to switch providers
Report: Employers to make mental health and wellbeing a top priority
Companies now offering designated mental health days to help employees
Survey: Patient experience partly driven by quality of scheduling options
Report shows providers embraced technology solutions, but patients have not
Global health care costs expected to increase 10% next year
Largest increase in 15 years driven by inflation and increased utilization, but North America expected to do better than most regions
Hospitals implement retention strategies to stave off staffing shortages
Almost all respondents report raising wages to boost retention, according to a Kaufmann Hall report
Hospitals continue to struggle with margins as costs rise
Report shows margins on patient operations are near zero
Medical care helps drive CPI up 0.4% in September
Over the last 12 months, the full CPI has increased 8.2%
Health insurance coverage is up, but many still uninsured or underinsured
Commonwealth Fund survey predicts the situation will worsen as pandemic measures expire
MGMA 2022: Study finds most respondents agree value-based care is better for patient care quality
The MGMA-Humana study shows that despite predictions to the contrary, not much practice revenue is tied to value-based care for most physicians
NYT: Medicare Advantage rife with fraud
Report from New York Times says most large insurers in the program have been accused of fraud
How to improve the prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage
Study looks at how prior auths help and hurt health care - and how they can be made better
Is the doctor’s office heading for extinction?
Survey shows that alternative sites for care are gaining popularity with consumers