Some mental health cost controls may increase employers long-term expenses
...s that provide separate, specialized mental health coverage were found to be less likely to return to work aft...the employer's perspective, adequate mental health coverage for employees can yield tangible benefits at the bottom line," said David Salkever, PhD, lead author...Trends in private Medicare+Choice plans provide warnings for Medicare debate
...er greatly in the level of drug benefits provided, coverage of brand names or generics, copayments, and method of determining drug costs that count toward benefit limits. Lesson #6: Medicare+Choice plan design can discourage enrollment by high-risk beneficiaries. Medicare+Choice plans have historically enr...U-M study: Physicians perceive health care cost savings line pockets of insurance companies
...ys to bring health insurance and prescription drug coverage to everyone, cost has been a central issue. "Health care spending is very rarely determined at a policy level. Instead, it's the doctors making one decision at a time for each patient they see," Ubel says. "Doctors still have a huge impact on health ...Patients lose access to neurological care, according to survey
...emium for professional medical liability insurance coverage in 2002 was $13,800, compared with $10,200 just a year earlier. The results indicate that neurologists and patients alike are facing a medical liability crisis. The current medical liability system could impact the practice of neurology, where some l...Graduation may be hazardous to your health
...oints to targeted policy options that could extend coverage to more young adults and help others keep it. Yo...d few are likely to be eligible for their parents' coverage or to have a job with benefits. Those previously insured under Medicaid or the Children's Health Ins...Public duped by media over vaccine, says report
..., 53% of those surveyed at the height of the media coverage assumed that because both sides of the debate rece...ll as the MMR controversy, it examines the media's coverage of climate change and genetics and illuminates the link between science, journalism and the public. ...Conference considers compensating organ donors
...., supplied additional support. Program: Media coverage is welcomed. For more information see http://ethics.bsd.uchicago.edu/transplant/program.html...Argentina's largest health system works to lower drug costs
...ther services, the NISSRP provides outpatient drug coverage and cancer treatment medications to its more than 3.3 million beneficiaries, including retired workers, pensioners with a disability such as a physical or mental disorder, war veterans, and the dependents of these beneficiaries. As rising prices for...Colonoscopy far more cost-effective against colon cancer than promising Cox II drugs, study predicts
...very 10 years for all participants, in addition to coverage of other tests for all, and coverage of more frequent colonoscopy for those with increased risk. But only a fraction of adults over 50 wh...Racial, economic disparities seen in kids' vision care
...eems to be a clear positive effect from Medicaid's coverage of vision services. "Medicaid covers more eye care...that many privately insured families lack specific coverage for basic eye care, making it an out-of-pocket health expense. This is supported by the finding that...Uninsured cancer patients receive less care
...n, the authors identify a disparity in health care coverage between Hispanics and cancer patients from all oth...group lacked coverage. Having health insurance coverage appeared to be the key to better treatment, however, as the authors identified no differences in hea...Women vets get less on-site specialty care at VA facilities
...ugh these arrangements did add up to comprehensive coverage for the veterans in most cases, they "may make it more difficult to obtain needed services, depending on their proximity, ease in making appointments and ability to communicate across VA and non-VA providers," according to Washington and colleagues. ...Health Affairs forum explores new hospital-tier insurance plans
...ion drugs, employers are asking insurers to design coverage products that give incentives to cost-conscious consumers to choose lower-cost facilities," Robinson says. "This will put indirect pressure on hospitals to moderate their prices." According to Jill M. Yegian, senior program officer with CHCF, "Tieri...In Health Affairs interview, Breaux outlines plan to cover uninsured
...and, Breaux outlined his recent proposal to extend coverage to all Americans -- including the 41 million unins...e that we don't discourage those who are providing coverage from continuing to do so, if it works for them. "Right now, we accept employer-sponsored insurance ...Breastfeeding rates unaffected by changes in hospital length of stay
... termed drive-through deliveries) passed a 48-hour coverage mandate. The short-stay program offered improved prenatal care, a postnatal home visit from a nurse specialist within 48 hours of discharge, and stepped-up breastfeeding assistance at health centers. The Massachusetts law establishing a 48 hour min...India launches commission to improve its economy through improved health care
...conomic Development. It finds that "extending the coverage of crucial health services to the world's poor could save millions of lives each year, reduce poverty, spur economic development, and promote global security. Improvements in health would translate into higher incomes, higher economic growth, and re...Occasional lack of health insurance results in less preventive care
...e with even short breaks in their health insurance coverage are less likely to seek crucial preventive care, a...earchers found that intermittent lack of insurance coverage resulted in lower use of clinical preventive services. Particularly lacking: cholesterol tests, pap ...Targeted smallpox vaccinations could be effective intervention against deliberate attack
...r before an introduction of smallpox, with vaccine coverage levels of 30, 50, or 80%, or after an epidemic begins, with 80% coverage within 10 days. In the targeted vaccination scenario, people in close contact with either 80% or 10...Medicare beneficiaries with multiple chronic conditions 99 times more likely to be hospitalized
...re age 65 or older and enrolled in fee-for-service coverage with both Medicare Part A and Part B. After adjusting for the influence of age, gender, and other factors, the researchers found that the rate of preventable hospital admissions for ambulatory care sensitive conditions among individuals increased wit...Trauma surgeon seeks change in law that discourages counseling of problem drinkers
...ents and health professionals by denying insurance coverage for treatment of injuries if it is discovered that...C drafted a new model law that prohibits denial of coverage for treatment of injuries or other medical conditions on the basis of intoxication, "over the vigoro...