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What We're Reading: Concierge Nonprofit Hospitals; Kaiser Permanente Elderly Care Program; Health Care Not Among Top Voter Issues
Some nonprofit hospitals now offer concierge physician practices for high-paying patients; Kaiser Permanente partners with investment firms to launch Habitat Health; Gallup data shows a surprising decline in health care's priority ranking.
The Rise of Concierge Medicine in Nonprofit Hospitals
More nonprofit hospitals have adopted concierge medicine, charging annual fees of $2000 or more to grant affluent patients enhanced access to physicians, according to Kaiser Health News. Although critics have argued this exacerbates primary care shortages and inflates health care costs, hospitals have found financial incentives in attracting wealthy patients and securing referrals. With patients willing to pay for personalized care, concierge physician care has raised questions about health care equity and access for underserved populations.
Kaiser Permanente Backs Venture Habitat Health
Habitat Health, a joint venture between Kaiser Permanente, Town Hall Ventures, and New Enterprise Associates, will utilize the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) model to offer capitated payments from Medicare and Medicaid for elderly care at home, beginning its services in Sacramento and Los Angeles in 2025, according to Fierce Healthcare. Habitat Health aims to provide essential medical and social services, including primary care, transportation, meals, and physical therapy, offering an alternative to traditional nursing home-based care.
Rethinking the Impact of the Pandemic on National Concerns
Gallup polls revealed health care fell to the 16th-most important issue for Americans, marking a departure from recent trends, according to Forbes. Contrary to what the poll might suggest, health care is still a crucial issue post the COVID-9 pandemic. The shift underscored a deeper reconfiguration of societal priorities post-pandemic, with health care issues now intersecting with broader economic, social, and governmental challenges.
Diagnostic Oversights Limit Luspatercept Benefits in MDS
May 8th 2024Investigators of a retrospective study encourage colleagues to utilize molecular testing for patients with an established diagnosis of lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), to be sure they don’t miss out on treatments, like luspatercept, for which they qualify.
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CMS Medicare Final Rule: Advancing Benefits, Competition, and Consumer Protection
May 7th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Karen Iapoce, senior director of government products and programs at ZeOmega, about the recent CMS final rule on Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage.
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Tackling Health Inequality: The Power of Education and Experience
April 30th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our final episode of this limited series and our conversation with Janine Jelks-Seale, MSPPM, director of health equity at UPMC Health Plan.
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