Ever since news leaked out that Roe v. Wade would be overturned sales of pills to end a pregnancy increased from mail-order pharmacies abroad. In addition, women seeking abortions in nearby states that did not ban abortions also increased, resulting in only a very small decrease in overall abortions.
Category: Consumer-Driven Health Care
Friday Links
- India makes 60% of global vaccines and 20% of global generics. But how safe are they? (NYT)
- Some brokers use deceptive practice to sell Medicare Advantage plans to seniors. (NYT)
- When pulse oximeters give false reading, people die.
- Does Google discriminate against Republicans?
- Why does fentanyl kill so many people?
- Tyler Cowen defends Elon
Are purchasing alliances the way to lower health care costs?
A few years ago, I wrote about a novel experiment in California that used reference prices to encourage CalPERS beneficiaries to choose lower-cost, high-quality facilities when seeking joint replacement. One experiment capped the price CalPERS was willing to pay for joint replacement at $30,000. Patients could seek care at any provider, but they would be responsible for all charges above the reference price. In addition, CalPERS gave beneficiaries a list of high-quality hospitals that would perform the surgery for $30,000. The result after two years was that patients shifted to the lower-cost hospitals. High-cost hospitals began matching prices for CalPERS patients.
Steps to Scrutinize a Medical Bill
A Chicago physician took a nasty spill while skiing in Wisconsin, resulting in a trip to the emergency room on New Years Day. Then came the bill, which was a nasty surprise. The $10,563.49 in initial ER charges from a Froedtert South hospital in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, seemed high considering he basically got only an exam,…