Health care and social assistance to have largest share of total employment by 2024

The health care and social assistance industry is projected to increase its share of total wage and salary employment to 14.5 percent by 2024, up from 12.8 percent in 2014 and 10.8 percent in 2004. The share of employment represented by professional and business services is also projected to increase, rising from 12.3 percent in 2004 and 13.5 percent in 2014 to 13.9 percent in 2024.

The share of total wage and salary employment represented by manufacturing is projected to decline in the coming period, falling from 10.7 percent in 2004 and 8.6 percent in 2014 to 7.6 percent in 2024. The decline in manufacturing’s employment share is the largest of any industry sector for the 2014–24 period.

More from the the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

U.S. Women’s Use of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services; Recent Trends in Births and Fertility Rates

From Guttmacher Institute:

Seven in 10 U.S. women of reproductive age, some 43–45 million women, make at least one medical visit to obtain se
xual and reproductive health (SRH) services each year. Uninsured women are significantly less likely than either privately or Medicaid-insured women to receive SRH services. Approximately 25 million women receive contraceptive services annually.

The number of women having either a Pap test or pelvic exam each year fell from 41 million in 2002 to 39 million in 20
06–2010, consistent with recent changes in cervical cancer screening recommendations.

The number of women receiving STD testing, treatment or counseling each year doubled from 4.6 million in 1995 to 9.8 million in 2006–2010, reflecting both an increase in routine chlamydia screening now recommended for all sexually active women younger than age 25, as well as an increase in the reported incidence of chlamydia.

The number of women receiving any SRH service who went to a publicly funded clinic for that care rose from 7.3 million (17% of those receiving care) in 1995 to 10.2 million (23%) in 2006–2010, mirroring concurrent increases in the number of women in poverty and in need of publicly funded contraceptive services. Compared with women receiving services from private doctors, women going to publicly funded clinics received a wider range of SRH services and were more likely to have conversations about contraception during annual gynecologic visits.

From National Center for Health Statistics:

The provisional count of births in the United States for the 12-month period ending December 2012 was 3,958,000, essentially unchanged from the 3,953,593 births (preliminary total) for 2011. The trend in the number of births was down, having declined steadily from the historic high of 4,316,233 in 2007 through 2011 but slowing from 2010 to 2011, and is essentially flat from 2011 to 2012. The provisional fertility rate in the United States for 2012 was 63.2 births per 1,000 women aged 15–44, unchanged from the rate in 2011. Like the number of births, the trend in the fertility rate
was down, having declined steadily from the recent high of 69.3 in 2007 through 2010 but slowing from 2010 to 2011, and is unchanged from 2011 to 2012.

A whole lot of health-related data

From the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality

2010 Hospital Inpatient Stays File
2010 Prescribed Medicines File
Health Care Expenditures for the Five Most Common Conditions of Adults Ages 40 to 64, 2009
Preventive Health Care Utilization by Adult Residents of MSAs & Non-MSAs: Differences by Race/Ethnicity, 2009
Use & Expenses for Office-Based Physician Visits by Specialty, 2009: Estimates for the U.S. Civilian Noninstitutionalized Population


From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

2011 Imputed Family Income/Personal Earnings Files


From the National Center for Health Statistics

Wait Time for Treatment in Hospital Emergency Departments: 2009

Health and Insurance Status, Health Care Use, and Expenditures for Male Veterans, 2008

In 2008, there were 21.5 million veterans in the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population, of which 20.2 million were men, accounting for 18.1 percent of the adult male population. Based on data from the Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS-HC), this Statistical Brief compares the health status, use of health care services, insurance status, and health care expenditures for veterans to that for non-veterans in 2008. Because these measures vary greatly with age and the average age is substantially higher for veterans than non-veterans, estimates are shown separately for elderly (65 and older) and non-elderly (ages 18–64) men.

Matching Supply to Demand: Addressing the U.S. Primary Care Workforce Shortage

While there is little debate about a growing primary care workforce shortage in the United States, precise estimates of current and projected need vary. A secondary problem contributing to addressing capacity shortfalls is that the distribution of primary care practitioners often is mismatched with patient needs. For example, patients in rural areas or low-income patients—particularly the uninsured—may have greater problems accessing primary care services than well-insured, suburban residents. ... While existing, longer-term efforts to boost the primary care workforce are necessary, they may be insufficient for some time because a meaningful increase in practitioners will take decades. Rather, policy makers may want to consider ways to increase the productivity of primary care providers and accelerate primary care workforce expansion by, for example, examining how changes in state scope-of-practice policies might increase the supply of non-physician practitioners.

Full report [PDF]

Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality: recent statistics

Coverage in Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance for the Private Sector, 2000 and 2010 [PDF]

Trends in the Pharmaceutical Treatment of Children's Asthma, 1997 - 2008 [PDF]]


Readmissions for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, 2008 [PDF]

Also, from the Census Bureau: Health Insurance Coverage of Workers Aged 18 to 64, by Work Experience: 2008 and 2010 [PDF]

Clinical Trials

Some sources:

World Health Organization

IFPMA

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Children's Well Being

A number of reports released this month about children.

From the Annie E. Casey Foundation - 2011 Kids Count Data Book: National and State-By-State Data on Key Indicators of Child Well-Being

From the Census Bureau - A Child’s Day: 2009

From the National Center for Health Statistics - Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Children: National Health Interview Survey, 2010 [PDF]

From the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality - Hospital Stays for Children, 2009 [PDF]

Emergency Department Visits in Rural and Non-Rural Community Hospitals, 2008

From the http://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/reports/statbriefs/sb116.pdf Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality

Emergency departments (EDs) are an important consideration in today’s health policy dialogue. Previous studies note that annual ED visits have increased over time, while reimbursement for emergency care by insurers has steadily decreased. These challenges are magnified in rural areas, which typically have fewer health care resources, including medical staff, facilities, adequate financing, and modern technologies. More information is needed on the patient and hospital attributes of rural ED visits to further improve the emergency and overall care of rural patients.
This Statistical Brief presents data on the use of EDs in rural areas from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS). The information focuses on patient and hospital characteristics of rural and non-rural emergency department visits in the United States in 2008. Variations in the most frequently listed conditions for adults and children are also discussed.

2010 National Healthcare Quality & Disparities Reports

For the eighth year in a row, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has produced the National Healthcare Quality Report (NHQR) and the National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR). These reports measure trends in effectiveness of care, patient safety, timeliness of care, patient centeredness, and efficiency of care. New this year are chapters on care coordination, health system infrastructure. The reports present, in chart form, the latest available findings on quality of and access to health care.

The Social Life of Health Information, 2011

Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project (PDF)

From the overview:

The internet has changed people’s relationships with information. Our data consistently show that doctors, nurses, and other health professionals continue to be the first choice for most people with health concerns, but online resources, including advice from peers, are a significant source of health information in the U.S.

As broadband and mobile access spreads, more people have the ability – and increasingly, the habit – of sharing what they are doing or thinking. In health care this translates to people tracking their workout routines, posting reviews of their medical treatments, and raising awareness about certain health conditions.

These are not yet mainstream activities, but there are pockets of highly-engaged patients and caregivers who are taking an active role in tracking and sharing what they have learned.

The survey finds that, of the 74% of adults who use the internet:

•80% of internet users have looked online for information about any of 15 health topics such as a specific disease or treatment. This translates to 59% of all adults.
•34% of internet users, or 25% of adults, have read someone else’s commentary or experience about health or medical issues on an online news group, website, or blog.
•25% of internet users, or 19% of adults, have watched an online video about health or medical issues.
•24% of internet users, or 18% of adults, have consulted online reviews of particular drugs or medical treatments.
•18% of internet users, or 13% of adults, have gone online to find others who might have health concerns similar to theirs.
•16% of internet users, or 12% of adults, have consulted online rankings or reviews of doctors or other providers.
•15% of internet users, or 11% of adults, have consulted online rankings or reviews of hospitals or other medical facilities.

Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

From the Department of Health & Human Services:

This public use data file contains jobs-level data from the 2009 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS-HC). Released as an ASCII file with SAS and SPSS programming statements and in SAS transport format, this public use file provides information collected on a nationally representative sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States during the calendar year 2009. The file contains job-level information collected in Rounds 3-5 for the thirteenth Panel and Rounds 1-3 for the fourteenth Panel of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (i.e., the rounds for the MEPS panels covering calendar year 2009); it includes variables pertaining to household-reported jobs, including wages, hours, industry, and occupation.

Harvard University School of Public Health data

DiversityData.org: Updated Population Demographics and Diversity and Health Indicators Using 2010 Census Data.

In Case of Emergency: New Data on Medical Benefits

Most medical insurance plans provide coverage for emergency care, including visits to emergency rooms and transportation by ambulance, according to a recent study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics based on the National Compensation Survey (NCS). The study also found that emergency care coverage was subject to a variety of limits, including copayments and deductibles.

Personal Health Care Spending Differs by Gender, Age

http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/early/2010/12/07/hlthaff.2010.0216.full Pronounced Gender And Age Differences Are Evident In Personal Health Care Spending Per Person

The research of Health Affairs found significant variations in per person spending by gender across age groups, health services, and types of payers. For example, in 2004 per capita health care spending for females was 32 percent more than for males. Per capita differences were most pronounced among the working-age population, largely because of spending for maternity care. Except for children, total spending for and by females was greater than that for and by males, for most services and payers. The gender difference in total spending was most pronounced in the elderly, as a result of the longer life expectancy of women.

OTC meds will need Rx for Health Flex Spending

I believe there are some really good aspects of the new health care bill. This is not one of them: Over-the-counter medications will require a prescription to buy them with flexible spending account funds next year under new health care reform regulations. "The health care reform law sharply restricts FSA reimbursements for OTC purchases such as nonprescription pain relievers, cold medicines, antacids and allergy medications." Insulin is specifically excluded from this ruling.

Specifically, "the IRS says OTC reimbursements require a prescription, which it defines as a 'written or electronic order for a medicine or drug that meets the legal requirements of a prescription in the state in which a medical expense is incurred and that is issued by an individual who is legally authorized to issue a prescription in that state,'" whatever THAT means.

Industrial College of the Armed Forces

The following student reports are based on fieldwork and core course studies that prepare graduates with analytic and historic perspectives on a variety of national resources and industry. Some 20 resource areas are the focus of inspection and provide a platform to think strategically about the needs of a nation. The reports are published annually. Copies may be downloaded from this website by clicking on the links in the industry study focus area.

The completed topics for 2010 include:
Agribusiness: All economic activity that supports farm production and the conversion of raw farm products to consumable goods.
Aircraft: All economic activity that supports the production of aircraft and subsidiary systems related to aircraft flight
Biotechnology: Activity that supports technological application using biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives, to make or modify products or processes for specific use.
Education: Activity that supports the process and systems of learning distributed to the individuals and to the nation at large.
Electronics: All economic activity that supports the production of components and systems that have the ability to control electron flow.
Energy: All activity that supports the production,distribution and use of materials that provide a fuel source for mechanisms to do work.
Environment: Study of activities,perspectives and behaviors which impact global resources and populations.
Health Care: All activity that supports the provision of services that impact or improve the well being of a population.
Information Technology: All economic activity that supports the production, distribution and systems that guide or direct data to users or clients.
Manufacturing: Study of the systems, processes and mechanisms used to assemble complex goods for sale or distribution in various marketplaces.
Privatized Military OPS: Economic activities of the private sector that support battlefield operations or services that maintain war fighter readiness.
Reconstruction and Vital Infrastructure: Activity that supports the development or redevelopment of structures that support national integrity and pathways to provide for the various needs of the population.
Shipbuilding: All economic activity that supports the production of vehicles designed to be used at sea for warfighting and other use.
Space: Study of systems, concepts and strategies that are related to using the area outside the physical boundary of the planet.
Strategic Materials: All economic activity that supports the production and conversion of common and rare earth materials for use in goods.
Transportation: All economic activity and systems that support the movement of goods from one area to another.

With the health reform law adopted, the questions begin

From the Rockefeller Institute of Government [info@rockinst.org]

Congress may have concluded its long journey to pass health reform legislation, but questions about the law's implementation are only just beginning. Two Institute experts offer commentary about some of the issues that New York and the nation now face.
A key feature of the newly enacted law is expansion of Medicaid, the government health insurance program for the poor. Courtney Burke, director of the Institute's Health Policy Research Center, points out that New York already spends more than any other state on Medicaid — a total of $51 billion under Governor David Paterson's proposed budget. But much needs to be done to ensure that New York gets the best value — and health care — for its dollar, she says in a commentary now on the Institute's Web site. Burke also contributed to the March 25 Huffington Post blog, with her thoughts on the ingredients needed for effective implementation of the new law at the state level.
Deputy Director Robert B. Ward, who heads the Institute's research on state and local finances, writes in a separate commentary that the new law presents all sorts of questions whose answers may not be revealed for years. Among them: How much will the expanded coverage provided by the new law ultimately cost federal, state and local governments? His observations are also available on the Institute's Web site.

New papers, presentations from Rockefeller Institute

Trends in state and local government finance, social welfare spending and gambling revenues to states are among the topics Rockefeller Institute researchers have explored in recent conference papers and presentations. The following papers and presentations are now available from the Rockefeller Institute Web site:
• The Decline of States in Financing the U.S. Safety Net: Retrenchment in State and Local Social Welfare Spending, by Thomas Gais, Lucy Dadayan and Suho Bae, presented at the “Reducing Poverty: Assessing Recent State Policy Innovations and Strategies” conference at Emory University, Nov. 19-20.
• State Budgets, Health Care, and Health Care Reform, presented by Donald J. Boyd to the National Academy of Public Administration, Nov. 19.
• Discussant comments on “Fiscal Sustainability Issues & Options,” presented by Donald J. Boyd at the National Tax Association Annual Meeting, Nov. 14.
• Trends in Gambling Revenue to the States, presented by Lucy Dadayan to Stop Predatory Gambling, Nov. 9.
• State Budget Gaps: Consequences for Policy, Now and in the Future, presented by Robert B. Ward to the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management Annual Research Conference, Nov. 5.

Community resource guide

The community resource guide is a guide to NYC community-based data, such as demographics, banking, crime, education, health, and housing programs/building information. It has info such as building code violations and maps of police precincts. Some of the sources are staewide or nationwide and would have broader applicability than just the five boroughs. There's info for the beginner or intended for veteran users.