Extra payments to Medicare Advantage plans totaled $5.2 billion over fee-for-service costs in 2005
...educe costs for the program, Medicare Advantage in fact costs Medicare money because of the extra payments," said Biles, professor of health policy at George Washington University. "If traditional Medicare and private plans are ever to compete fairly, they need to compete on a level playing field, which ...Binghamton University researchers ready nanotechnology innovations for market
...n late 2005. NSC Technology takes advantage of the fact that nanomaterials react more sensitively to the presence of chemicals than the same materials at larger scale. Zhong's lab has created chips containing nanoparticles of different metals and metal oxides, each of which emits an electronic signal when...Adolescent smokers have a greater risk of developing alcohol-use disorders than nonsmokers
...ons were: Can this association be explained by the fact that smokers are heavier drinkers, or is there something else going on? In other words, do smokers appear to be more sensitive to the effects of alcohol?" The short answer appears to be yes . Researchers examined data from an aggregate of 2002 th...Autoimmune disease triggered if T cells miss a single protein early on
...eting a single eye protein called IRBP despite the fact that several eye-specific proteins were missing in the thymus of Aire knockout mice. The team then went on to show that IRBP was expressed in the thymus under the control of Aire and that knockout mice lacking the IRBP protein were protected from th...Tip sheet Annals of Internal Medicine, Nov. 21, 2006, issue
... for most caregiver support services, despite that fact that caregivers save these systems millions of dollars by keeping patients out of hospitals and caring for them at home; and 2) Medicare does not pay for team-based case management service for elderly persons with dementia, even though "this approach...Prescription opioids the predominant choice among illicit opioid users
... of these changes in usage patterns, including the fact that prescription opioids used by street drug users are obtained directly or indirectly (e.g., through friends or partners) from sources in the medical system. They suggest that adjustments may be required to opioid addiction treatment programs. In ...'Deserving Poor' or 'Greedy Geezers'? New book debunks aging crisis
...k offers a new aging policy framework based on the fact that the lives of Americans of all ages are inextricably linked with the fate of today's and tomorrow's elderly," say the authors. The authors analyze the impact of an aging nation on evolving private and public retirement policies, faltering emplo...Research into research can be improved
...ics tend to dismiss it out of hand, when in actual fact it is very useful. You just have to use it correctly and to develop the methods." One of the most common methodological failings is that instead of reviewing each individual article, bibliometricians simply assess the average quality of journals. F...Increased patient demand for prostate test has serious implications for cancer services
...d PSA tests on request. They did this despite the fact that the UK National Health Service Executive and the UK's National Screening Committee don't recommend routine screening for prostate cancer, in the absence of symptoms, using PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood tests. "Increased on-demand PSA t...New family health history projects focus on Alaska Native, Appalachian communities
... in which family history plays a major role. These fact sheets will be used this month in family history campaigns in hospitals across Minnesota and at the state health department. Additionally, Minnesota and Michigan have begun to incorporate family history risk assessment into their WISEWOMAN programs...RAND study finds vaccination of nursing home staff, residents, key to reducing flu outbreak
...5 influenza season, which was distinguished by the fact that the most common strain of the virus was not covered by the vaccine given that season. The average immunization rate was 78.4 percent for residents, and 40.8 percent for staff. More than a third of the nursing homes 102 of 301 reported an influ...Focus on opticians shows chain store pricing policies can save independents
... local markets are examined. This is linked to the fact that, without chain stores, the arrival of additional independent opticians leads to prices being forced down....American Thoracic Society publishes new statement on hepatotoxicity of antituberculosis therapy
...patitis. These questions are compounded by the fact that the incidence of DILI from non-tuberculous medications is on the rise. In recent years, it has become so prevalent that it has replaced viral hepatitis as the most apparent cause of liver failure. At the same time, however, the safety of taki...Phys ed class more effective when there's more talking
...students in the comparison group may be due to the fact that the weather improved, making it more conducive to exercising outdoors." Hortz and Petosa are continuing their collaboration, and are currently evaluating the program in about a half-dozen high schools this school year. "Physical activity sta...NC State start-up looks to turn 'lights out' on flu, other viruses
... Exposing a unique surface coating to light may in fact hold the key to protecting you from virtually all viruses and bacteria, including the feared avian flu. Laboratory testing of a novel, permanent nano-coating, developed in collaboration by researchers at North Carolina State University College of Te...Trying to control pain can be a double-edged sword, say scientists
...elf that makes their situation unbearable, but the fact that there is nothing they can do against it which makes them feel helpless," explains Dr Wiech. "Unfortunately, this feeling of uncontrollability in turn tends to worsen the pain. On the other hand, teaching persistent pain patients psychological co...Hormonal link to obesity may save lives
..."Fat was once thought to be a storage organ but in fact it is an active organ which secretes many hormones." "That could be one of the reasons why people who carry extra weight have an increased risk of getting cardiovascular disease." Dr Sullivan's research is looking particularly at the role the ho...Doctor urges health-care workers to be alert to suicide risk amongst cancer patients
...te among African-American males with cancer was in fact more in line with that of female cancer patients. "Many of the extremes of risk seen within the male cancer cohort were not as apparent among the females," said Dr Kendal. "Particularly with sites involving greatest risk for males, such as head and ...New study reveals postcode lottery for rheumatoid arthritis treatment
...re patients until the next financial year, and the fact that different primary care trusts had different f...o 25% for AS and 30% for PsA," said Dr Kay. "The fact that different funding organisations set different restrictions has led to variation of access for e...Study by Children's Hospital and Carnegie Mellon explains crucial deficit in children with autism
...nored other important characteristics, such as the fact that some things with legs are alive and move deliberately toward other objects. "I've never seen a single paper in which researchers studied these processes in children this young," Rakison said....