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The Early Hours After the SCOTUS Decision
ByadminSee my local TV interview in the early hours after the SCOTUS decision on the individual mandate
And see some of my quotes from local and national reporters at the links below:
The Herald Sun
Triangle Business Journal
Washington PostHow to Stop Breast Cancer Surgeons from Overtreating Their Patients
ByadminA study shows that a medication causes more harms than benefits, and physicians like me keep prescribing the pill anyway, either because we don’t learn about the study, don’t believe the study or are simply stuck in our ways. Even professionals have a hard time breaking bad habits. So what do you think happened when…
Two Pictures Summarizing Health Care Spending in the US
ByadminNPR’s Planet Money published two excellent graphs this week, comparing health care spending in the US now versus the 70s and 90s. For example, here’s what they reveal about hospital versus non-hospital spending: In other words, hospitals have a shrinking proportion of the health care dollar, but not one that is shrinking very much. Despite…
Obamacare Hasn’t Killed Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
ByadminSome people worried that the ACA would kill employer-sponsored health insurance, by giving employers an “out” – by letting them shift insurance to the exchanges. The ACA set up financial incentives, to reduce such shifting. And so far, it looks like it’s working: Still quite early, of course. I’ll keep my eyes open for further…
Healthcare for the Uninsured Is Wasteful (For a Surprising Reason)
ByadminShutterstock American physicians dole out lots of unnecessary medical care to their patients. They prescribe things like antibiotics for people with viral infections, order expensive CT scans for patients with transitory back pain, and obtain screening EKGs for people with no signs or symptoms of heart disease. Some critics even accuse physicians of ordering such…
Millions To Be Made On…Generic Drugs?
ByadminIt is well accepted among health economics wonks that the lion’s share of pharmaceutical company profits come when these companies hold exclusive rights to their products. Once their blockbuster pills go “generic,” competitors enter the marketplace and profits plummet. Consider captopril, a groundbreaking heart failure medication introduced in the early 80s by Bristol-Myers Squibb under…

