By Dan Gorenstein, July 29th, 2015:  When it comes to healthcare, it’s generally understood we have a spending problem. Namely, we spend too much. A new report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services suggests expenditures are picking back up after a recent historic slowdown. But even with the uptick, these numbers suggest the nation is making progress. Cornell economist Sean Nicholson says he can see some good news tucked into this economic forecast.

by Tami Luhby, July 28, 2015: After years of historically slow growth, health care spending is once again on the rise -- and it's expected to continue to accelerate over the next decade. Thanks in large part to the expansion of coverage under Obamacare, health care spending in the U.S. is projected to have hit $3.1 trillion, or $9,695 per person, last year. That's an increase of 5.5%, according to federal estimates released Tuesday. It's the first time the rate would exceed 5% since 2007.

We'd like to formally welcome our newest member of the Department, Assistant Professor Michael Richards! We've developed the "Five Questions" interview to help us get to know Michael and the rest of our new incoming faculty members.   Five Questions with Michael Richards   Department: What drew you to the Department of Health Policy at Vanderbilt?

From healthaffairs.org:  As Medicaid marks its 50th year in existence, and enrollment surpasses 70 million people, the July 2015 issue of Health Affairs includes a collection of papers focused on how the program is shaped by and has reshaped care delivery. You are invited to join us on Wednesday, July 8, 2015, at a forum featuring authors from the new issue at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Panels will cover primary care, complex populations, payment, and coverage.

Stephen Patrick, M.D., MPH, assistant professor of Pediatrics and Health Policy in the Division of Neonatology with the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, recently testified before congress about the rise in neonatal abstinence syndrome. Speaking before the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, Patrick said that the condition — which now accounts for an estimated $1.5 billion in annual health care expenditures — is tied to the growing number of prescription opioids being used in the United States.

One of our newest incoming faculty members, Gilbert Gonzales, was recently published in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) - click below for the full research letter! Abstract:

A new study led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center investigators found new diagnoses of prostate cancer in the U.S. declined 28 percent in the year following the draft recommendation from the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) against routine PSA screening for men. The new research, led by first author Daniel Barocas, M.D., MPH, assistant professor of urological surgery and medicine, was posted online in the June 15 issue of The Journal of Urology in advance of publication.

by Matt Batcheldor | Monday, Jun. 22, 2015 New Vanderbilt-led research shows hospitals are doing a better job of using antibiotics less commonly associated with antibiotic resistance to treat children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Dr. Carlos Grijalva is quoted.