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Biomedical subjects

Paul Barr

Publications and source records attributed to Paul Barr.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Blessings from above. Large Catholic healthcare systems have seen their revenue, profits rebound. How will that affect spending on charity care?

The U.S. Catholic healthcare system is healthy financially, but providers are warily expecting cuts in federal reimbursement. Large systems have worked to become more efficient and profitable, and those efforts are paying off. "We are doing well. We've continued to improve our operating margins," says Kris Zimmer, left, an executive at SSM Health Care.

Catholicism↗
PubMed2005

Declassifying coverage. New guidance documents issued by the CMS may clarify the great unknown of Medicare coverage determination.

Heard of Section 731 of the Medicare Modernization Act? The provision, meant to clear up the generally murky and unwieldy Medicare reimbursement approval process, could quicken the national approval process for medical procedures and devices. The changes will create a more definable approach to OK'ing new technologies. "I like the idea of bringing more science to bear," says Richard Pico, left.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Stunted growth. Spending growth--dampened by Medicaid, Medicare--dropped for the first time in 7 years, but consumers still paid big bucks.

Healthcare spending growth dropped for the first time in seven years in 2003, but spending still hit a record amount--1.7 trillion dollars. Some observers say the numbers don't support any particular approach to fixing healthcare. And some say the continued absolute rise in costs, despite efforts to rein them in, shows that privatization isn't working. "I don't think you'll continue to see a decrease," said the Ochsner Clinic Foundation's Warner Thomas.

Cost Sharing↗