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.
Many veterans on Medicaid qualify for the more generous benefits offered by the VA. Washington state’s program has helped these vets obtain those benefits while a the same time helped reduced costs for the state’s cash-strapped Medicaid program. Two state officials explain how the program works.
Two years after the passage of the federal health law, more than 40 percent of people say they know little or nothing about how it will affect them. Now a new book in adult comic-strip for seeks to explain the ins and outs of the new legislation.
The recession had a lot to do with the trend: With fewer people insured, and private insurers generally picking up less of the cost, patients went to the doctor and hospital less.
The Seattle Times has launched an investigative series on Washington state’s policy towards the use of the pain killer methadone for the treatment of chronic pain. The paper argues the drug is dangerously unpredictable and responsible for the deaths of hundreds, particularly among the poor.
As health-care costs spiral ever upward, hospitals race to build free-standing emergency rooms and expand existing ERs. Hospitals say it makes business sense, but critics say the hospital arms race is too costly for businesses, government and families.
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
Judge rules decision to drop 11,000 people from the state’s Basic Health plan for the working poor because of their immigration status was unconstitutional.
What’s a person, exactly? Could Herman Cain get health insurance today? A new approach to caring for the elderly?
In black and Latino communities, more than one in four people rely on Medicaid, compared with fewer than one in eight whites.
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
Experts divided over recommendation to screen children for cholesterol
Some clinicians say universal screening is an important tool to help identify children who are genetically predisposed to high cholesterol and to pinpoint others who could benefit from treatment. Others express concerns that screening may do more harm than good.
People in state high-risk insurance plans often feel left behind
The federal health law set up new plans that are cheaper and more comprehensive than the older ones run by states but consumers need to go without insurance for six months to qualify.
Peeking in on your doctor’s notes
Although federal law guarantees patients the right to examine and get copies of their medical records, providers haven’t always made it easy to do so. But the movement to give patients direct access to their health information has picked up steam, and policymakers have encouraged it as a way to empower patients to help manage their health and their medical care.
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