TOP STORY
After five straight years of historically low increases, U.S. healthcare spending grew by 5.3 percent, to an astounding $3 trillion, in 2014. That works out to $9,523 for every person in the nation, and represents 17.5 percent of GDP, according to a CMS analysis. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that 88.8 percent of Americans had health insurance last year, the highest insured rate since 1987. — Health Affairs (Opens in a new window)
So it looks like someone in the U.S. military was worried about Theranos’ lack of FDA compliance back in 2012, when a high-ranking general wanted to test Theranos’ applications in the battlefield. The company’s military ally was Marine Gen. James Mattis, who later joined Theranos’ board of directors. – The Washington Post (Opens in a new window)
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The Human Algorithm: What AI Can’t Replace in Pharma Engagement (Opens in a new window)
At a time when AI is reshaping pharma, Reverba Global CEO Cheryl Lubbert explained in an interview why empathy, context, and ethics still require a human touch.
LIFE SCIENCES
Abcodia’s ROCA Test for early detection of ovarian cancer is now available in five U.S. states. — PR Newswire (Opens in a new window)
GHO Capital has acquired British drug development services company Quotient Clinical. — PE Hub (Opens in a new window)
Velicept Therapeutics has landed a $21 million Series B investment. — PE Hub (Opens in a new window)
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The Top 5 Home Care Franchise Opportunities in the U.S. (Opens in a new window)
The home care industry is booming. As Baby Boomers age and more families seek in-home solutions for loved ones, demand for home care services is at an all-time high.
What healthcare stocks are billionaires buying? Which ones are they selling? — Forbes (Opens in a new window)
Tianyin Pharmaceutical, of China, faces delisting from the New York Stock Exchange. — PR Newswire (Opens in a new window)
Heart researcher Anna Ahimastos has had a letter retracted by the New England Journal of Medicine because an investigation found that she fabricated patient records. It’s her sixth article retraction, and two more are in the works. — Retraction Watch (Opens in a new window)
PAYERS-PROVIDERS
New CPT codes can help primary care physicians increase income for wellness and care management. — MedPageToday (Opens in a new window)
CenterPoint Behavioral Health System in St. Louis has new investors and a new CEO. — St. Louis Business Journal (Opens in a new window)
Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin’s health plan might just get in on the Obamacare insurance exchange action for 2017. — Milwaukee Business Journal (Opens in a new window)
The two pediatric hospitals in Philadelphia are teaming up to help sexually abused children. — Philadelphia Business Journal (Opens in a new window)
TECHNOLOGY
Investors fleeing pharma stocks seem to be flocking to medical devices. — MassDevice (Opens in a new window)
American Well will offer telehealth services in communities served by the 198 hospitals of Community Health Systems in 29 states, though the rollout will be slow. — PR Newswire (Opens in a new window)
Health IT company Indegene has acquired the SmartCare population health analytics platform from database firm Vantage Point. — Business Wire (Opens in a new window)
Following the huge RSNA confab in Chicago? Here’s a roundup of the tweet stream from Wednesday. — EMR and HIPAA (Opens in a new window)
DrChrono has launched an iPad-specific app for medical billing and business intelligence. — Healthcare IT News (Opens in a new window)
POLITICS
Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case about healthcare price transparency. — Marketplace (Opens in a new window)
Get your pitchforks ready! Florida insurance regulators want to hear from the public about the proposed Aetna-Humana and Anthem-Cigna mergers. — Tampa Bay Business Journal (Opens in a new window)
Medicaid patients with end-stage renal disease are less likely than others to be informed of treatment options such as home dialysis or transplantation. — PR Newswire (Opens in a new window)
A LITTLE BIT EXTRA
Spain, which has the 10th oldest population in the world, saw deaths surpass births in the first half of the year. That could have major socioeconomic implications for the country. — Reuters (Opens in a new window)
Images: Health Affairs, Flickr user Peasap (Opens in a new window)