A major medical group issued ethical guidelines that take the provocative position of urging doctors to consider cost-effectiveness when deciding how to treat their patients.
Last week the AP reported that at least 15 patients have died as a result of drug shortages, and all those involved believe shortages are the new normal.
Remember all those allegations from Republicans that the Affordable Care Act would inevitably lead to health care rationing? It turns out the same might be true of the House GOP budget plan for Medicare. At least that’s the conclusion of the Congressional Budget Office.
A new book details how doctors are under constant pressure to ration their patients’ care in order to please lawmakers, lawyers and insurance companies.
Patients would be scored on such factors as need for ventilation, likelihood of survival, years of expected life
Who should get a chance to survive when the number of severely ill people exceeds resources needed to treat them all?
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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