KEY TAKEAWAY: The tax bill approved by the Senate, but not read by anyone, is going to lead to a cut in health care. Millennials are going to need to take care of themselves if they hope to avoid wiping out retirement savings. This, in turn, could lead to the adoption of more mHealth interventions. Continue reading
The Office of the Actuary (OACT) in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reports that national health spending grew by 3.9% each year from 2009 to 2011, the lowest rate of growth since the federal government began keeping such statistics in 1960. Estimates from the Center for Sustainable Health Spending at the Altarum Institute suggest that the slowdown largely continued into 2012, with health spending growing by 4.3% last year. The Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research & Educational Trust Employer Health Benefits Survey shows similar moderation, with premiums in employer-sponsored health plans increasing by 4% in 2012. Continue reading