"Starting January 1, 2019, hospitals will be required to post their price lists online in an effort to increase price transparency and empower consumers to make informed choices about their care.
The mandate stems from the 2019 inpatient and long-term care hospital prospective payment system (IPPS/LTCH PPS) final rule, released in August, in which CMS included the requirement for hospitals to update their public price lists at least annually."
The FEHBlog hopes that this new transparency will encourage hospitals to rationalize their list prices. Health Payer Intelligence wisely observes that
The new rule offers an opportunity for health plans to share educational materials and strategies about how to shop for care, maximize the value of high-deductible plans and health savings accounts (HSAs), and develop better financial management skills.
Payers who successfully expand their role as a trusted resource for financial information and transparent, open discussion of the cost of care are likely to retain member loyalty in a highly competitive market.The Wall Street Journal reports on the short and long term health benefits of teatotalling for one month annually as long as you are not a heavy drinker. A British practice of engaging in a Dry January has crossed the pond to the U.S.
In a 2016 issue of BMJ, two experts debated its pros and cons. Ian Hamilton, an associate professor of addiction at the University of York, took the con side.
“I think it would be better if people had regular breaks, not binge breaks,” he says.
He also notes that an abrupt withdrawal from alcohol for excessive drinkers can be life-threatening.
“Over 800 people died of alcohol withdrawal in 2016,” says George Koob, director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the U.S. government’s National Institutes of Health. “If you’re a heavy drinker, you want to get medical help for detoxification, because it really can kill you.” Seizures or hypothermia are usually what kill people in these situations.
Still, moderate drinkers definitely benefit from consuming fewer calories when they drink less, Dr. Koob says. Alcohol itself is a significant source of calories; it also stimulates the appetite. Studies have found it causes people to eat more and to opt for unhealthy foods. “You tend to graze on chips and not necessarily carrots,” Dr. Koob says.The FEHBlog who is a moderate drinker plans to give Dry January a shot.
On Friday, the FEHBlog called attention to journalist Sam Quinones' blog post about the sale of illegal fentanyl on Craigslist in the Los Angeles metro area. The FEHBlog did so because he firmly believes that the appropriate health plan role at this stage of the opioid crisis is to focus on treatment of members suffering from opioid disorders, not policing physician prescription practices. Last Sunday's New York Times featured an illuminating article on the current controversy among opioid disorder treatment centers -- whether or not to supplement talk therapy with medications that take the edge of addiction.
Finally, Tenet Healthcare, a large nationwide healthcare system, announced today that it has entered into a new multiyear network contract with Cigna. Its immediately preceding Cigna contract was scheduled to terminate today.
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