Archive for the ‘Health Insurance’ Category

The World Health Organization and the Multiple Sclerosis International Federation unveiled the results of the most comprehensive survey of multiple sclerosis (MS) undertaken to date that involved more than 100 countries. Results of the survey are available to the public in the form of the Atlas of MS. The exact cause of multiple sclerosis is unknown, nor is there a cure. The results of the study show that more than 1.3 million worldwide are affected with the neurological disorder, and at least twice as many women than men have it. There is also a higher risk of MS the further North or South of the equator you live. Read more.

The US Department for Health and Human Services (HHS) is now making death rates for pneumonia, heart attack, and heart failure at US hospitals available online at their Hospital Compare website. The website was launched in 2005 in hopes that hospitals will improve quality of care if they are able to compare themselves with other hospitals. According to HHS, the mortality rates have been adjusted to take into account how sick each patient is. Is this information helpful to patients? Some believe that death rates don’t necessarily measure the quality of care hospitals provide. However, most agree that giving the public more information on hospital performance is, in general, a good thing. Full story.

The New York Times reports on a trend resulting from skyrocketing US health care costs - couples considering marriage, divorce, or delaying divorce for the sake of health benefits. According to a poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a health policy research group, 7% of respondents stated that someone in their family has married in order to obtain health insurance. The foundation cautions against a literal interpretation of the results, but stresses that the results are of interest because Americans “are making major life decisions on the basis of health care concerns.” Full story.

A European study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has shown that eating oily fish reduces the risk of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the major cause of blindness and poor vision in adults in Western countries. Those who consistently ate oily fish at least once a week are 50% less likely to have wet AMD. The common nutrient that are found in oily fish are the omega-3 fatty acids. Researchers emphasize that they are not endorsing omega-3 supplements since this study only investigated consumption of dietary fish. Full story.

According to new CDC data the average wait time at US hospital emergency rooms have increased from 38 minutes to nearly one hour over the past decade. At the same time the number of emergency departments have dropped, which further exacerbates the problem. Emergency departments are often forced to shut down due to poor reimbursement for the services they provide. At the same time more and more patients are using the ER as their primary care facility for a variety of reasons - delaying care due to increased health care costs, difficulty in getting appointments to see their physicians in a timely manner, and lack of health insurance. The results are troubling, but not surprising. Full story.

As the US celebrates the Fourth of July holiday, we are reminded once again about fireworks safety. Despite annual reminders of the hazards of fireworks, the number of injuries sustained from them remain largely unchanged over the years (9,000-10,000 annually). Last year, approximately 6,400 were injured by fireworks on July 4th alone. Sadly, children under the age of 15 account for 36% of those injured. For children under the age of 5, one-third of the injuries were from sparklers, which can burn up to 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit! The best way to prevent injuries from fireworks is to not use them. However, if fireworks continue to be a rite during the passage of the July Fourth holiday, here are some safety tips from the National Council on Fireworks Safety :

• Use fireworks outdoors only.
• ALWAYS have water nearby (a hose or buckets of water).
• Only kids older than 12 years of age should be allowed to handle sparklers.
• Use common sense - pay careful attention when you are around fireworks, even if you are only a spectator.

Full story .

A survey of 225 major US employers revealed that more are offering formal health and wellness programs than ever. And incentives for employees to join and complete these programs have increased as well. The values for incentives averaged between $100 to $300 and were paid out in cash bonuses, gift cards, or a reduction in health care premiums. More than three-quarters of big U.S. employers offer formal health and wellness programs, which aim to prevent disease, while more than half have disease management programs. All this has been attributed, in part, to rising health care costs. Full story.

There are many factors that dictate where we choose to live. But, have you considered the cost of health care when picking a future home? Medical insurance and health care costs differ tremendously from region to region. For example, the average annual premium for one type of Medicare supplement policy in 2007 ranged from $3,700 in New York to as little as $1,200 in Phoenix. Differences in costs are see among all aspects of health care - from home care workers to drug prices. Where to find more information? See insurance company websites or consumer sites such as ConsumerReports.org/health. Full story.