Category: Medicaid
Tens of millions of adults under 65 — both those with insurance and those without — saw their access to health care dramatically worsen over the past decade, a new study finds. The findings suggest more privately insured Americans are delaying treatment due to rising out-of-pocket costs, while safety net programs for the poor and uninsured are failing to keep up with demand for care.
Weekend Reading: Health-care reform and women’s health. Our drug shortage. The science of midwifery. How the Supreme Court will rule on health-care reform law?
Santorum once wanted more government involvement in health care, not less. Electronic health records and medical malpractice. Making the best of old age. Talking about AIDS and sex.
A Washington state survey of 53 hospitals found that during an 18-month period in 2008-09, residents made more than 23,000 visits to ERs for toothaches or other dental problems. Among the uninsured, patients with dental disorders were the most frequent ER visitors.
Preterm babies, those born before 39 weeks, are at increased risk for death, low birth weight, lung disorders, feeding problems and blood infections. More than 500,000 infants are born prematurely in the U.S. each year, an increase of 36 percent in the past two decades.
The latest casualty of the Great Recession may soon be the nation’s elderly. Cuts in government payments for patient care and less construction of new nursing homes are already taking a toll. Add to this the aging baby boom generation and you have a worst-case scenario.
Will it cover your needs? Can you pay for it? Can you afford not to have it?
Don’t buy if the out-of-pocket cost for the coverage would be more than you can afford. Policies differ greatly so know what you are buying. Shop around.
The much celebrated, and much maligned, public option may have died in Congress, but it’s alive and well in California.
Some companies are also penalizing employees who don’t give up cigarettes by hitting them with higher health insurance premiums.
Finding a high-quality nursing home is a daunting task. Fortunately, there is information online that can help you learn about nursing home quality.
Republicans blocked confirmation of President Obama’s appointee Dr. Donald M. Berwick. The current political climate on Capitol Hill may mean that Tavenner is just as likely to see her nomination stall
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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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.
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.
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