The number of patient office visits to primary care physicians

fell by 0.7% in 2013, while visits to specialists increased by 4.9% overall and by 9.5% for seniors. Source: "IMS Health Study: Spending Growth Returns For U.S. Medicines," IMS Institute for Health Informatics Press Release, April 15, 2014, http://www.imshealth.com/portal/site/imshealth/menuitem.c76283e8bf81e98f53c753c71ad8c22a/vgnextoid=d58b8b5776165410VgnVCM10000076192ca2RCRD&vgnextchannel=ba11e590cb4dc310VgnVCM100000a48d2ca2RCRD&vgnextfmt=defau

Percent of Enrollees in Federal Marketplace That Paid First Month's Premium

Data provided by every insurance provider in the health care law's Federally Facilitated Marketplace (FFM) shows that, as of April 15, 2014, only 67 percent of individuals and families that had selected a health plan in the federally facilitated marketplace had paid their first month's premium and therefore completed the enrollment process. Of those who had paid their first month's premium: -Under 18: six percent; -Ages 18 to 25: 10 percent; -26 to 34: 15 percent; -35 to 44: 16 percent; -45 to 54: 23 percent; -55 to 64: 29 percent; -65 and older: 1 percent Source: United States House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce

American's Perspective on Health Insurance Situation After ACA

Nearly two-thirds (68%) of Americans are okay with a business adding a nominal surcharge to each bill in order to help pay for employees' health insurance, according to a new Bankrate.com report. Support for this practice is highest among 18-29 year olds (64%) and lowest among Americans ages 65 and older (39%). Overall, few Americans feel their health insurance situation has gotten better with the advent of Obamacare. In fact, only 13% of Americans say their health insurance situation has improved compared to one year ago. Americans reporting higher monthly healthcare spending outnumber those reporting lower spending by a ratio of greater than four-to-one. Americans who want to repeal Obamacare edge out those who want to keep it in place by a slight margin (45% vs. 44%). Fifty-one percent of 50-64 year olds (more than any other age group) say they would keep Obamacare rather than repeal it. This is an 11-point increase from the last time Bankrate asked this question in December 2013. Source: Bankrate.com

Rural and Urban Hospitals' Role in Providing Inpatient Care

In 2010, 12% of the 35 million U.S. hospitalizations were in rural hospitals. A higher percentage of inpatients in rural hospitals were aged 65 and over (51%) compared with inpatients in urban hospitals (37%). The average number of diagnoses for rural and urban inpatients was similar, as was the average length of stay. Sixty-four percent of rural hospital inpatients, compared with 38% of urban hospital inpatients, had no procedures performed while in the hospital. Following their hospitalization, a higher percentage of rural inpatients (7%) than urban inpatients (3%) were transferred to other short-term hospitals, and a higher percentage of rural (14%) than urban (11%) inpatients were discharged to long-term care institutions. Source: CDC/National Center for Health Statistics

Lengths of Stay for Patients Receiving Hospice Care in The U.S. in 2012

<7 Days - 35.5% 8-29 Days -27.0% 30-89 Days - 17.4% 90-179 Days - 8.8% 180+ Days -11.5% Source: Managed Care, March 2014 Data Source: National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization: NHPCO's Facts and Figures, 2013

Top 25 Most Expensive Markets for Long-Term Care Coverage

Market Nursing Home Private Room Annual Rate Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT $159,359 Anchorage, AK $156,950 New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ $155,180 Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY $155,180 Hartford, CT $154,118 Boston-Worcester-Lawrence, MA $146,372 Rochester, NY $141,244 San Diego, CA $135,554 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA $131,750 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA $130,283 Philadelphia-Wilmington-Atlantic City, PA-NJ-DE $129,239 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $127,130 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $126,932 Portland, ME $121,910 Honolulu, HI $121,154 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD $120,709 Sacramento-Yolo, CA $120,322 Boise, ID $118,475 Milwaukee-Racine, WI $118,005 Manchester-Nashua, NH $117,264 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL $116,931 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY $116,577 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA $115,165 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI $114,716 Portland-Salem, OR $111,909 Source: New York Life Insurance Company

The Cost of the Affordable Care Act

Survey found the top three ACA provisions that increased costs in 2013 were the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research (PCORI) fee, general ACA administrative costs, and explaining ACA provisions to participants. The survey also found the most common ways employers plan to deal with the increased costs due to the ACA are shifting costs to employees and increasing wellness and value-based health care initiatives. Source: American Health Policy Institute