Volume IV, Issue 50
Dec. 11 , 2017
U.S. healthcare spending growth slowed in 2016
WH
According to Reuters, in a Dec 06 2017 article, "Growth in healthcare spending in the United States slowed in 2016 following two years of expansion under the Affordable Care Act, a government health agency reported on Wednesday."

WIM
Key Takeaways from the article include:
  • Health spending increased 4.3% in 2016; less than 2015 but more than the inflation rate of the overall economy (2%)
  • The cost of health as a share of the economy increased 0.2 points to 17.9 percent from 17.7 percent in 2015
  • The decline was driven by slower enrollment growth in health insurance programs, which in turn lead to decreased use of medical services
Statement by FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, on FDA ushering in new era of 3D printing of medical products
WH 
Posted Dec. 4 at FDA.gov, the commissioner states, "Once considered a futuristic technology on the distant horizon, 3D FDA Logo printing of medical devices, medications and human tissue is quickly becoming a promising reality."
 
WIM 
According to the statement, "The agency is the first in the world to provide a comprehensive technical framework to advise manufacturers creating medical products on 3D printers."
Universal healthcare and capitalism
WH
"Can universal healthcare and capitalism coexist?" inquires Catherine Cheng, MD in a 12/4/17 KevinMD post.

WIM
Dr. Cheng assures the reader that the answer is 'Yes' but the journey to coexistence will be difficult. This is a thoughtful analysis of our current flawed system that asks more questions than it answers. Nevertheless, it's worth reading.

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About Us
Florida Health Industry Week in Review is published every Monday by
FHIcommunications. 

Each Monday morning we share the top healthcare headlines of the previous week and summarize
What Happened (WH) and
Why It Matters (WIM).

To learn how you can join our team of editorial contributors, contact Jeffrey Herschler .

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