A net 15,000 health care jobs were created in October 2013, significantly below the two-year average of 21,000 jobs per month. For the first 10 months of 2013 we saw an average of 17,000 new health care jobs, compared with 26,000 over the same period in 2012. Due to moderately strong total employment growth of… Keep reading →
Managed Care
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) will release its analysis of the latest quality results in its State of Health Care Quality Report 2013. Findings include: Overuse of antibiotics still a problem In findings that echo and corroborate recent CDC warnings about overuse of antibiotics leading to antibiotic resistance, we see no progress on… Keep reading →
Historically Low Health Care Price Inflation Holds Health Spending Growth to 3.8% in August
By businesswireNational health care prices in August 2013 were 1.0% higher than in August 2012, down one-tenth from the July 2013 level and equal to the May 2013 rate, which was the all-time low in our series that extends back to January 1990. The 12-month moving average, at 1.5%, is a new low for our data…. Keep reading →
The Healthcare Trends Institute Announces Landmark Healthcare Benefit Trends Survey and Study
By businesswireAn unprecedented national survey regarding healthcare benefits, health insurance exchanges, and related topics will provide benchmarks for employers, and insights into adoption of new healthcare benefits options. The Healthcare Trends Institute, an educational platform for employers, consumers and other healthcare benefits stakeholders, will be surveying thousands of employers of all sizes across North America this… Keep reading →
Healthcare Trends Institute Introduces Tools to Help Users Understand Public Insurance Exchanges
By businesswireThis week marked the historic launch of the health insurance marketplaces (also known as “public insurance exchanges”). The Healthcare Trends Institute, an educational platform for employers, consumers and other healthcare benefits stakeholders, has developed two tools for understanding public exchanges: ReformWatch interactive map, and an infographic titled The State of the Exchanges. The ReformWatch interactive… Keep reading →
Almost 85 percent of the health plans offered in the Exchange Marketplaces launching October 1 are accredited by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), a strong presence confirming NCQA’s role as a leader in health care quality. “The overwhelming preference for NCQA Accreditation is a gratifying reminder that NCQA is the gold standard in… Keep reading →
The political showdown developing in Congress regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could bear negative implications for the U.S. healthcare industry, according to Fitch Ratings, especially if these debates dampen the early benefits of expanding health insurance coverage through the ACA. Fitch believes the implementation of the ACA’s health insurance expansion elements in early 2014… Keep reading →