Editors’ Top 5, Week of May 14, 2018

Each week our editors select the top 5 headlines in our industry from media outlets across the web.

Virtual Doctor Visits Are Getting More Popular, but Questions Remain About Who Pays

Tucked into the federal budget law Congress passed in February was a provision that significantly expands the use of telemedicine — long a hyped health-care reform and now poised to go mainstream within five to 10 years.
Keep reading this article from the Washington Post.

Fitbit Announces New Partnerships, Focus on Chronic Disease Management, Overall Health

Fitbit has announced a slew of new digital health apps and clock faces that were born out of partnerships with major players such as Dexcom, Humana, and Walgreens. The apps, which were built on Fitbit’s software development kit, are aimed at helping people manage chronic conditions and improving overall health.
Keep reading this article from MobiHealthNews.

5 Unintended Consequences of Addressing the Opioid Crisis

The crackdown on opioids is having unintended consequences. The push for fewer opioid prescriptions at lower doses and for shorter periods has increased suffering for some pain patients including those near the end of life. The emphasis on opioids has also overshadowed other forms of substance abuse that require attention.
Keep reading this article from Politico.

When Credit Scores Become Casualties of Health Care

While medical bills are a leading source of personal bankruptcy in the United States, a far more common problem is the widespread damage they do to people’s credit. Almost 40 percent of adults younger than 65 reported a lower credit score because of medical debt, according to the most recent Commonwealth Fund analysis, based on 2016 data.
Keep reading this article from Kaiser Health News.

Medicare Advantage Insurer Clover Health Bets on Homecare

Another insurer is betting on home health care as the key to better health outcomes and lower spending. Clover Health, a Medicare Advantage insurer that uses data analytics to care for its members, is rolling out a program to deliver in-home primary care to their sickest seniors in hopes of reducing emergency room visits and hospitalizations.
Keep reading this article from Modern Healthcare.

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