October 2008

Out-of-pocket healthcare costs rose significantly between 2000 and 2004; these data provide a baseline for evaluating Medicare reform proposals that affect beneficiary spending.

Physicians recognized as high quality by Bridges to Excellence performed better than their peers on claimsbased quality measures and, in some cases, on resource use measures.

This study of financial implications of risk adjustment for Medicare payments to individuals with comorbidities and functional impairment demonstrates the importance of controlling for disability.

National survey reveals primary care physicians have low knowledge of consumer-directed health plans and limited readiness to engage patients on issues of cost and quality.

The effect of managed care on physician financial incentives to reduce services declined substantially from 2000-2001 to 2004-2005.

This retrospective study strongly suggests that splitting a 10-mg ezetimibe tablet yields a 5-mg dose that is clinically equivalent to the 10-mg dose.

Omission of radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery leads to poor outcomes. Geographic isolation and scarcity of healthcare specialists correlate with low adjuvant radiation therapy use.