Category Archives: Health Care: Health Insurance
Empowering patients: a new white paper for healthcare executives
CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–To give structure to the patient empowerment discussion and help organizations rationally evaluate investments, Emmi Solutions has released a new white paper titled The Patient Empowerment Framework. Created from the healthcare organization’s perspective, this framework is designed to guide … Continue reading
HHS: Health reform provides more than 45 million women access to preventive health care services
Under the Affordable Care Act, 45.1 million women – including 20.4 million women with private health insurance and 24.7 million women with Medicare – can receive recommended preventive services with no cost-sharing, new data released today by Department of Health … Continue reading
Modern medicine’s dehumanization
“Anyone who has been admitted into a hospital or undergone a procedure, even if cared for in the most appropriate way, can feel as though they were treated like an animal or object,” says Harvard University psychologist and physician Omar … Continue reading
Posted in Health Care, Health Care: Costs, Health Care: Disparities, Health Care: Ethics, Health Care: Health Insurance, Health Care: Hospitals, Health Care: Literacy, Health Care: Medical Errors, Health Care: Reform, Health Care: Retail Clinics, Health Care: Social Media, Health Care: Technology
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Alcohol use drives healthcare costs higher, outcomes lower
According to the results of a new study published in the March 2012 issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, patients who score highest on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test–Consumption (AUDIT-C) experience longer postoperative hospital stays … Continue reading
Posted in Alcohol, Alcoholism, Health Care: Costs, Health Care: Disparities, Health Care: Health Insurance, Health Care: Literacy
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Aetna adopts motivational interviewing to get clients healthier
HARTFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Engaging people in disease management and healthy living programs is historically challenging for health plans. And historically, disease management programs have followed more of the push rather than the pull model of coaching. Taking a different approach to … Continue reading
Posted in Health Care, Health Care: Costs, Health Care: Health Insurance
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Medical technology use up considerably: HHS’s Sebelius
Today, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the number of hospitals using health information technology (IT) has more than doubled in the last two years. She also announced new data showing nearly 2,000 hospitals and … Continue reading
Defensive orthopedic care ALONE costs US 2 billion annually: Vanderbilt study
Newswise — Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers estimate that U.S. orthopaedic surgeons create approximately $2 billion per year in unnecessary health care costs associated with orthopaedic care due to the practice of defensive medicine. Defensive medicine is the practice of … Continue reading
Posted in Health Care, Health Care: Costs, Health Care: Ethics, Health Care: Health Insurance, Health Care: Hospitals, Health Care: Medical Errors, Health Care: Medical Errors: Hospital Caused Infections, Health Care: Medical Errors: Hospital Readmissions, Health Care: Reform, Science Updates
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Health insurance refunds, lower premiums threatened by new bill proposed by Landrieu: Consumers Union
New legislation introduced today would jeopardize nearly $900 million in estimated health insurance refunds or lower premiums for consumers. The bill (S.2068), authored by Senator Landrieu of Louisiana, guts a key protection for consumers that purchase health insurance on their … Continue reading
Posted in Health Care: Health Insurance, Health Care: Reform, Science Updates
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HHS: Health reform law saves 2.1 billion dollars for 3.6 million Americans with Medicare
Nearly 3.6 million people with Medicare saved $2.1 billion on their prescription drugs in 2011 thanks to the Affordable Care Act according to data issued today by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Savings for people with Medicare … Continue reading
Posted in Health Care, Health Care: Costs, Health Care: Health Insurance, Health Care: Reform
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How electronic health records may benefit diabetes patients: new study
Health Serv Res. 2012 Jan 17. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2011.01370.x. [Epub ahead of print] The Effectiveness of Implementing an Electronic Health Record on Diabetes Care and Outcomes. Herrin J, da Graca B, Nicewander D, Fullerton C, Aponte P, Stanek G, Cowling T, … Continue reading
For type 2 diabetics not on insulin, there is little benefit from self monitoring glucose after one year : new study
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Jan 18;1:CD005060. Self-monitoring of blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are not using insulin. Malanda UL, Welschen LM, Riphagen II, Dekker JM, Nijpels G, Bot SD. Source Department of General Practice, … Continue reading
Posted in Diabetes, Health Care, Health Care: Costs, Health Care: Health Insurance, Health Care: Home Health Care, Health Care: Literacy, Health Care: Reform
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Patient-centered research agenda is PCORI goal; public comments sought
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) today released for public comment a first draft of its National Priorities for Research and Research Agenda, which will be used to guide funding announcements for comparative clinical … Continue reading
Posted in Health Care: Costs, Health Care: Health Insurance, Health Care: Reform
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Aetna says they’re shifting their brand to consumer engagement in health care and empowering them to live healthier lives
HARTFORD, Conn., January 18, 2012 — Today Aetna (NYSE: AET) unveiled a refreshed brand promise as the company continues its evolution from an insurance carrier to a health solutions company. The most visible element of Aetna’s refreshed brand is a vibrant new look and … Continue reading
Posted in Health Care, Health Care: Costs, Health Care: Health Insurance
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Docs skip 46 percent of recommended tests on annual exams: VCU study
Newswise — RICHMOND, Va. – (Jan. 19, 2012) – More than 20 percent of U.S. adults receive periodic health examinations (PHE) each year, yet new research shows that patients who have an annual routine visit to their doctor may not … Continue reading
Posted in Health Care, Health Care: Costs, Health Care: Disparities, Health Care: Ethics, Health Care: Health Insurance, Health Care: Hospitals, Health Care: Literacy, Health Care: Medical Errors, Health Care: Medicare, Health Care: Reform, Health Care: Retail Clinics, Health Care: Technology
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NFC-enabled cell phones are poised to disrupt health care
The first major conference to cover this transformative paradigm shift is the MIT Enterprise Forum: Cambridge on Monday, February 6, 6:00 – 8:00PM at MIT’s EG&G Education Center, Room 34-101, 50 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA 02139. Gentag founder John Peeters … Continue reading
Posted in Health Care, Health Care: Concierge Medicine, Health Care: Costs, Health Care: Electronic Health Records, Health Care: Health Insurance, Health Care: Medical Devices, Health Care: Technology, Mobile Health, Mobile Health: Chip Based, Mobile Health: Diagnostics, Mobile Health: NFC, Mobile Health: RFID, Mobile Health: Sensors, Mobile Health: Telemedicine
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