Sec. Sebelius, GOP tussle over health reform at House hearing
President Obama’s top health official stuck to familiar talking points in a congressional hearing Thursday, defending the president’s agenda from attacks by a GOP congressmen.
Government report finds 92 percent of nursing homes employ convicts
Though most states require nursing homes to conduct criminal background checks for prospective hires, 92 percent employ at least one worker with a criminal conviction, according to a report released today by the inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Gilda’s Club March topics range from fertility to funerals
Gilda’s Club of Seattle hosts five, free evening talks this month on topics ranging from fertility to finances to funerals.
Northwest Kidney Centers names five new medical directors
The Seattle-based nonprofit that provides 80 percent of the dialysis care in King and Clallam counties.
Insurance Trade-Off: Reducing premiums by eliminating expensive doctors, hospitals
Consumers can get a hefty break on premiums if they agree to pay more out-of-pocket when they use certain high-cost providers in their network or if they cut those providers out of their network altogether
Helping patients understand their Treatment
Many patients cannot understand their health providers advice or the labels on their prescriptions, leading to higher rates of hospital readmission, expensive and unnecessary complications, and even death–all at an estimated annual cost of $238 billion.
What you can do to prevent a fall
More than one-third of adults over age 65 fall each year, and one-third of older adults who fall suffer moderate to serious injuries, including hip fractures and head trauma.
Obama to governors: Opt out of health law if you can do better
“Beginning in 2017, if you can come up with a better system for your state to provide coverage of the same quality and affordability as the Affordable Care Act, you can take that route instead,” Obama told the governors.
Higher death rates persist among poor Black Americans
“If you live in a high-poverty area, your risk of early death rises substantially,” one expert said. “In many cases your ZIP code is more important than your genetic code.”
Many Americans incorrectly believe health law has been repealed
A poll released Thursday found extensive public confusion about the health care law, with 22 percent of Americans incorrectly believing it has been repealed and another 26 percent unsure or unwilling to say.
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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