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Sick at work

Sick at work

A week of sick time may be enough if you get hit with the flu or a cold. But what happens when you have a chronic condition, such as Crohn’s disease, multiple sclerosis or diabetes, and the time off you need exceeds your number of sick days? What protections do you have if you require major surgery?

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Assisted living options grow, nursing home occupancy declines

Assisted living options grow, nursing home occupancy declines

As more options for assisted-living arrangements become available, nursing home occupancy is declining. Assisted-living options include a wide range of services including help with everyday tasks in homelike settings, but the shift has both positive and negative implications for seniors.

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Higher deductibles and co-pays squeeze the insured

Higher deductibles and co-pays squeeze the insured

“Deductibles have gone up. Co-pays have gone up. You see costing-sharing for out-of-network services have gone up . . . . Health care is just continuing to take a bigger bite out of take-home pay.”

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May 23, 2012 | By | Reply More
Lost in translation: Lack of trained interpreters can lead to medical errors

Lost in translation: Lack of trained interpreters can lead to medical errors

Interpreter services at hospitals and other medical settings are often inadequate, forcing family members, including children, to step in, or the task falls to medical staff members who may not speak the language well.

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May 22, 2012 | By | Reply More
Patients seek less care — but costs still rise as providers bump up prices

Patients seek less care — but costs still rise as providers bump up prices

Higher prices charged by hospitals, outpatient centers and other providers drove up health care spending at double the rate of inflation during the economic downturn– even as patients consumed less medical care overall

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May 22, 2012 | By | Reply More
Washington state disciplines health-care providers

Washington state disciplines health-care providers

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 21st Update

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May 21, 2012 | By | Reply More
People with asthma get the green light for exercise

People with asthma get the green light for exercise

Many people with asthma avoid exercise because they’re afraid it could trigger symptoms or even a full-blown asthma attack. But a new study finds that not only is it safe for people with asthma to exercise, but doing so could reduce their risk of asthma symptoms and attacks.

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Sick Americans question the cost and quality of their health care – Poll

Sick Americans question the cost and quality of their health care – Poll

mong people who’ve recently required a lot of care, significant proportions say their treatment was poorly managed, with nearly a third complaining of poor communication among their caregivers. One in eight believe they got the wrong diagnosis, treatment or test.

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May 21, 2012 | By | Reply More
New rules prompt drop in school vaccine exemptions

New rules prompt drop in school vaccine exemptions

The percentage of kindergarten students entering Washington schools without required immunizations dropped this school year to 4.5%, down from 6.0% for the 2010-2011 school year. Officials credit new rules making it more difficult to obtain exemptions

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May 18, 2012 | By | Reply More
State to receive $128 million to set up health insurance marketplace

State to receive $128 million to set up health insurance marketplace

Washington state will receive a $128 million grant from the federal government to develop and implement the state’s Health Benefit Exchange. The Exchange will create a new marketplace for individuals and small businesses to shop for and purchase private health insurance coverage

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May 18, 2012 | By | Reply More
What you should know about hepatitis

What you should know about hepatitis

More than 4 million Americans have viral hepatitis and an estimated 85,000 become infected each year. Some forms go away on their own, but others, like Hepatitis B and C, can go on to become chronic infections that can lead serious liver damage, cirrhosis, liver cancer, and even death. But most people with chronic hepatitis do not know they are infected.

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May 18, 2012 | By | Reply More
U.S. launches plan to prevent Alzheimer’s and improve care

U.S. launches plan to prevent Alzheimer’s and improve care

The Obama administration is moving forward with an ambitious agenda to improve the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and unlock a method to prevent it by 2025. The plan also sets up a wide-ranging effort to improve the care that Alzheimer’s patients receive and support families.

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May 16, 2012 | By | Reply More