The fifth annual Music for Medicine benefit will take place on Wednesday, May 23 at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. Funds raised at last year’s event made it possible to provide more than $150,000 worth of medications for low-income or uninsured Polyclinic patients.
The move consolidates many of The Polyclinic’s services, allowing patients to obtain both primary and specialty care under one roof, says Polyclinic Executive Director Lloyd David.
Can you cut health spending without undermining the quality? A look at the cost to Medicare for patients treated at the nation’s top-ranked hospitals finds the costs run just about in the middle. Care a UW was even a bit cheaper.
Doctors assess patients’ breathing, heart rate and blood pressure routinely at office visits. Soon, they may be adding body mass index to that list too.
The group received 90 percent of its $5 million in funding in 2010 from the drug and medical-device industry, and its guides for patients, journalists and policymakers had played down the risks associated with opioid painkillers while exaggerating the benefits.
Selected articles on health: Care of the elderly falling on shoulders of the young. Why we’re losing the battle against obesity? Whither the AMA? The big profits of non-profit hospitals.
The Washington State Department of Health is advising consumers not to eat any fresh or frozen shellfish that comes from Korea: all fresh and frozen shellfish, and many products made from these shellfish, shipped from Korea to the United States may be contaminated.
Eliminating six major categories of waste (overtreatment, failures in care coordination and in execution of care processes, excess administrative costs and prices, and fraud and abuse) could free up at least one fifth of our nation’s total health care spending.
Rebranding? — The health reform law requires the establishment of insurance exchanges, where consumers will be able to shop for insurance plans that fit basic criteria. But federal officials think it might be clearer for consumers if they called the exchanges “marketplaces” instead.
Eric Feldman, M.D., former Chief of Cancer Care Services at Group Health, has been a practicing Medical Oncologist for over 30 years. He’ll share an insider’s perspective on how your doctor thinks, to help you best work with your Oncologist for optimal treatment outcomes.
Washington State Department of Health takes disciplinary actions against health care providers, including suspensions and revocations of licenses, certifications, or registrations of providers in the state — May 9th Update
Many plans have placed specialty drugs in a tier where, instead of a flat co-payment — $20, $50 or some other amount — patients must pay a percentage of the medications’ cost. For people who need specialty drugs, that can amount to tens of thousands of dollars annually.
LocalHealthGuide is a health news and information web service for Seattle and the Puget Sound Region. We are independent and unaffiliated with any hospital, medical association or insurer. If you have questions or if your group has an upcoming event that you would like us to cover, please let us know by going to our "Contact Us" page and dropping us a note. -- Michael McCarthy, Editor
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Seattle Times Health News
Some insurers deny ER coverage to people who have been drinking
Laws in more than half the states permit insurers to deny payment for medical services related to alcohol or drug use. Faced with the prospect of not getting paid for care, some ER personnel sidestep the problem by simply not testing patients’ blood or urine for alcohol.
Travel insurance can protect your wallet — and your health on vacation
Think your regular health insurance policy will cover you if you get into medical trouble overseas?
Don’t bet on it.
Out-of-network care is expensive — but a couple of new options help
A new database lets you find out the prevailing rates for medical procedures in your area, and the 2010 health-care reform law provides better protection when people receive out-of-network emergency care.
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