Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Bundled Payments Led To Savings For Patients And Employers, Study Finds
Modern Healthcare: Bundled Payments Reduce Surgery Costs By 10.7%
Bundled payments helped cut costs for several surgery types by more than 10%, with those savings passed on to employers and patients, a new study found. Joint replacement, spinal fusion and gastrointestinal surgeries were on average $4,229 less when providers charged a set price compared to prior payment models, according to a RAND Corp. analysis of 2,372 procedures covered by self-insured employers between 2016 and 2020. The study, which used data from Carrum Health, was published in Health Affairs on Monday. (Kacik, 3/1)
Bloomberg: Employers Cut Health Costs With Incentives For Patients, Doctors
Employers can cut their health-care expenses by paying top medical providers a flat rate for a bundle of related services while offering incentives to the patients who use them, a study suggests. The study, published Monday in the journal Health Affairs, found that employers using a flat-rate approach run by Carrum Health saved about 11% overall on procedures including joint replacements, spinal fusions and bariatric surgeries. The average prices when people used Carrum providers were between 6% to 41% lower compared with other providers. (Tozzi, 3/1)
In other health care industry updates —
Roll Call: Masks Stack Up In US Warehouses As Nurses Reuse N95 Respirators
U.S. manufacturers say they have enough high filtration respirators like N95s in their warehouses for every American adult, and they are calling on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to revise guidance that discourages the general public from getting them. (Kopp, 3/1)
Stat: 5 People Steering Amazon's Sprawling Efforts In Health Care
Its spinout Haven may have shuttered, but Amazon’s appetite for health care disruption has only grown. While the company officially ended its ambitious endeavor with JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway at the end of last month, it has been steadily building a health empire of its own. (Brodwin, 3/2)
The Washington Post: Women And Girls Over 13 Can Now Be Screened For Anxiety As Part Of A Routine Checkup
On Jan. 1, women and girls in the United States became eligible for an additional check on their health. Now, starting at 13, they can be screened for anxiety as part of a routine checkup or physical with a primary care doctor or OB/GYN as a preventive service under the Affordable Care Act. “This is a real breakthrough because we’re now saying that the mental health conditions that women suffer from are extremely important and they need to be screened for,” said Maureen Sayres Van Niel, a psychiatrist and the president of the women’s caucus of the American Psychiatric Association. (3/1)
Albuquerque Journal: Sandia Radiation Expert To Lead National Group
Sandia National Laboratories’ Charles Potter, a certified health physicist, recently was elected president of the American Academy of Health Physics, the professional support group for certified health physicists and the certification process. Potter, previously the organization’s parliamentarian for three years, is an internationally recognized expert on the measurement and impact of radiation on humans, according to a news release. He’s now vice chairman of a committee that develops standards for radiation protection and participates in working groups focused on measuring external radiation exposure through inhalation or ingestion, and monitoring dose exposure for large groups after an adverse event. (3/1)
