6 ms·

I'm in the healthcare analytics industry. I see the private payers optimizing for the things you say they don't. It's simply more profitable to have a healthier

I'm in the healthcare analytics industry. I see the private payers optimizing for the things you say they don't. It's simply more profitable to have a healthier patient.

toomuchtodo 7y ago
https://www.axios.com/health-care-industry-on-track-massive-q2-profits-1533226387-dacec8f8-c9f5-406c-a49e-1103e3316c64.html https://www.axios.com/health-care-industry-on-track-massive-... (Health care industry on track for massive profits) https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2019/08/04/as-sanders-and-warren-attack-private-health-insurer-profits-soar/#478a4c08532b https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2019/08/04/as-sande... (As Sanders And Warren Attack, Health Insurer Profits Soar; "Take Humana, which last week said it made more than $1 billion in profits in the second quarter and raised its earnings and revenue forecast for the rest of the year thanks to growth of seniors signing up to Medicare Advantage plans. Cigna, too, which said it made more than $1 billion in the second-quarter, also increased its earnings forecast last week for the rest of the year. And the week before, Anthem, which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in 14 states, also reported more than $1 billion in profits in its second quarter and said its profits are ahead of expectations for the year due in part to the money its making off of government contracts with Medicare and Medicaid programs. Meanwhile, UnitedHealth Group's UnitedHealthcare health insurance unit reported last month $2.6 billion in earnings from operations in the second quarter and the parent company boosted its earnings forecast for 2019.") https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/05/top-health-insurers-profit-surge-29-percent-to-6-billion-dollars.html https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/05/top-health-insurers-profit-s... (As Obamacare twists in political winds, top insurers made $6 billion) https://www.gq.com/story/eat-the-health-care-ceos https://www.gq.com/story/eat-the-health-care-ceos (Last year, 62 CEOs of health-care companies made a combined total of $1.1 billion in compensation. That's according to a new report out from Axios, which coincidentally notes that CEO compensation eclipses what the Centers for Disease Control spent on chronic disease prevention by $157 million; The average CEO makes $18 million annually while one out of every five Americans is struggling with medical debt.) Those profits (which you mention they're optimizing for) are dollars that could be used to improve healthcare delivery. That's actual care someone could receive, instead of going to unnecessary middlemen and shareholders.
matt4077 7y ago
How long do US citizen stay with a single healthcare provider (/insurance)? If, say, only 50% are still with the same provider at age 50 as they were at age 30, there is a discount on the benefits of preventative measures compared to single-payer systems.
- thedaemon 7y ago
  As a US citizen I can say that we change Healthcare providers whenever our current employer changes our Healthcare provider option. This can be every single year.
mikelockz 7y ago
I would posit it's more profitable to have customers that pay for insurance monthly but don't actually utilize any resources or services. Not using health care seems to be what is encouraged with high deductibles and copays for visits.
x86_64Ubuntu 7y ago
Huh? So it's healthier to have patients that never see the doctor? I'm not sure there are many fields in which prevention per unit provides higher margin and revenues than repair and recovery.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]

I'm in the healthcare analytics industry. I see the private payers optimizing for the things you say they don't. It's simply more profitable to have a healthier patient.

toomuchtodo 7y ago

https://www.axios.com/health-care-industry-on-track-massive-q2-profits-1533226387-dacec8f8-c9f5-406c-a49e-1103e3316c64.html https://www.axios.com/health-care-industry-on-track-massive-... (Health care industry on track for massive profits) https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2019/08/04/as-sanders-and-warren-attack-private-health-insurer-profits-soar/#478a4c08532b https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2019/08/04/as-sande... (As Sanders And Warren Attack, Health Insurer Profits Soar; "Take Humana, which last week said it made more than $1 billion in profits in the second quarter and raised its earnings and revenue forecast for the rest of the year thanks to growth of seniors signing up to Medicare Advantage plans. Cigna, too, which said it made more than $1 billion in the second-quarter, also increased its earnings forecast last week for the rest of the year. And the week before, Anthem, which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in 14 states, also reported more than $1 billion in profits in its second quarter and said its profits are ahead of expectations for the year due in part to the money its making off of government contracts with Medicare and Medicaid programs. Meanwhile, UnitedHealth Group's UnitedHealthcare health insurance unit reported last month $2.6 billion in earnings from operations in the second quarter and the parent company boosted its earnings forecast for 2019.") https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/05/top-health-insurers-profit-surge-29-percent-to-6-billion-dollars.html https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/05/top-health-insurers-profit-s... (As Obamacare twists in political winds, top insurers made $6 billion) https://www.gq.com/story/eat-the-health-care-ceos https://www.gq.com/story/eat-the-health-care-ceos (Last year, 62 CEOs of health-care companies made a combined total of $1.1 billion in compensation. That's according to a new report out from Axios, which coincidentally notes that CEO compensation eclipses what the Centers for Disease Control spent on chronic disease prevention by $157 million; The average CEO makes $18 million annually while one out of every five Americans is struggling with medical debt.) Those profits (which you mention they're optimizing for) are dollars that could be used to improve healthcare delivery. That's actual care someone could receive, instead of going to unnecessary middlemen and shareholders.

matt4077 7y ago

How long do US citizen stay with a single healthcare provider (/insurance)? If, say, only 50% are still with the same provider at age 50 as they were at age 30, there is a discount on the benefits of preventative measures compared to single-payer systems.

thedaemon 7y ago
As a US citizen I can say that we change Healthcare providers whenever our current employer changes our Healthcare provider option. This can be every single year.

mikelockz 7y ago

I would posit it's more profitable to have customers that pay for insurance monthly but don't actually utilize any resources or services. Not using health care seems to be what is encouraged with high deductibles and copays for visits.

x86_64Ubuntu 7y ago

Huh? So it's healthier to have patients that never see the doctor? I'm not sure there are many fields in which prevention per unit provides higher margin and revenues than repair and recovery.

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]