Consumer Directed Healthcare

Not sure I would say this is a solution to our healthcare problems! However, I am curious to see how well these kiosks will do.

ATLANTA, Ga., Oct. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — SoloHealth®, a consumer-driven healthcare technology company, announced today it has closed $8.2 million in a round led by healthcare IT industry veteran and founder of HBOC, Walter Huff. SoloHealth has so far raised nearly $13 million, including an undisclosed amount from Coinstar, Inc., owner of Redbox DVD kiosks, as well as a $1.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. The news comes as SoloHealth prepares for a nationwide rollout in 2012 of its next-generation health and wellness kiosks, the SoloHealth Station™, with the goal of replacing many of the 25,000 out-dated blood pressure machines found today in retail locations nationwide.

“We are excited and energized to announce this additional round of funding as we enter into a pivotal and opportunistic time in our business with the planned nationwide rollout of our award-winning SoloHealth Station,” said Bart Foster, CEO & Founder of SoloHealth. “We’ve had a tremendously positive response from all the audiences that the SoloHealth Station touches – consumers, retailers, health and wellness marketers, and the healthcare industry. We are quite bullish on our future and our ability to contribute towards a healthier, more efficient American healthcare system.”

“The current state of our healthcare system, political environment, technological advancements, and consumer mindset makes it quite literally a perfect time for the introduction of the SoloHealth Station to capitalize on the emerging market,” said Huff. “I see tremendous opportunity for SoloHealth to become a perennial gateway and platform as consumer’s look to take charge of their health and work towards a healthier America overall.”

Currently in select U.S. test markets and retail locations, SoloHealth’s next-generation, comprehensive SoloHealth Station will screen vision, blood pressure, weight, and body mass index, and provide an overall health assessment free of charge. It also gives consumers access to a database of local doctors. The company plans to provide highly personalized and interactive healthcare opportunities for consumers, advertisers and retailers by placing kiosks in high-traffic retail locations and connecting them to SoloHealth’s multi-platform ecosystem across retail, online/digital, mobile and emerging platforms.

SoloHealth executives also announced growth statistics, noting it had tripled its Atlanta workforce since January, adding jobs in IT, Sales, Finance, Operations, and HR. The company also plans to hire approximately 50 additional staff during next 18 months including a CFO, Marketing Director and Ad Sales executives, effective immediately.

ABOUT SOLOHEALTH: Based in Atlanta, Ga., SoloHealth® is a leader in self-service consumer healthcare, utilizing technology to develop and deploy interactive health screening kiosks, as well as other platforms, in an effort to empower consumers about their health through awareness, education and action. The award-winning company’s first offering was the EyeSite Vision kiosk, currently located in select retail outlets and markets nationwide. In summer 2010, the company received a $1.2 M grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to help enable innovation for self-service healthcare and prevention. In 2011, SoloHealth announced its next-generation kiosk, the SoloHealth Station, offering vision, blood pressure, weight, and body mass index; receive an overall health assessment; and access a database of local doctors. The company’s bilingual kiosks provide free health screenings and recommendations for follow-up care, which leads to prevention and lower health care costs. For more information, visit www.solohealth.com.

Popularity: 1% [?]

As the end of the year approaches, some people start to comtemplate making New Year’s resolutions. Diet, exercise, pick up a new hobby or maybe try to save more money. Well, now would be a good time to consider your HSA contribution limits as part of your savings plan.

Individuals enrolled in a High Deductible Health plan can increase their contribution limit. For individual plans, the HSA contribution limit is $3,100. For family plans, the HSA contribution limit is $6,250.

For 2012, a qualifying high deductible health plan that can be paired with an HSA is one with an annual deductible of at least $1,200 for individual coverage and $2,400 for family coverage, the same qualifications required in 2011. The qualifying health plans can’t have annual out-of-pocket expenses (besides premiums) for 2012 in excess of $6,050 for individual coverage and $12,100 for family coverage.

This new HSA contribution limits are effective for calendar year 2012.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Every three years, the Department of Health and Human Services updates its strategic plan, which describes its work to address complex, multifaceted, and ever-evolving health and human service issues. An agency strategic plan is one of three main elements required by the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 (Public Law 103-62). An agency’s strategic plan defines its missions, goals, and the means by which it will measure its progress in addressing specific national problems, needs, or challenges related to its mission over the course of at least five years.

For the period FY 2010—2015, HHS has 5 goals:

Goal 1: Transform Health Care

Goal 2: Advance Scientific Knowledge and Innovation

Goal 3: Advance the Health, Safety, and Well-Being of the American People

Goal 4: Increase Efficiency, Transparency, and Accountability of HHS Programs

Goal 5: Strengthen the Nation’s Health and Human Services Infrastructure and Workforce

HHS will seek to drive down costs, put more money in the hands of the American people, and ensure all Americans receive the health care services they need and deserve. These actions will increase transparency, eliminate waste, and put Americans back in charge of their health care.

To read more on each of the goals, you can visit:
http://www.hhs.gov/secretary/about/priorities/priorities.html

Popularity: 1% [?]