AP (02/28/06): Confusing Studies Don't Alter Advice
WASHINGTON - Forget the low-fat diet and toss out the calcium pills? Rethink estrogen in your 50s? Women might get that impression from a trio of confusing studies published this month. But look more closely: The research doesn't actually change current advice. It just shows how hard it is to find simple, one-size-fits-all answers in medicine. Read more.
AP (02/27/06): Alternative Remedies Fail Government Tests
CHICAGO - For years, millions of Americans have spent billions of dollars on alternative remedies with unproven effects. Now, rigorous science is starting to test those treatments and mostly finds them lacking.
Read more.
AP (02/21/06): Growing Numbers of Diseases Jump to Humans
ST. LOUIS - Humans risk being overrun by diseases from the animal world, according to researchers who have documented 38 illnesses that have made that jump over the past 25 years. Read more.
HIN (02/16/06): Interest in CDHP High; Growth Lags Behind Predictions
There's no question the consumer-directed health plan (CDHP) was the hottest health insurance product of 2005. In a year in which many large employers reduced the number of medical plans offered, the CDHP was the only type of medical plan to grow in prevalence. But a closer look at the results of a national probability survey conducted by Mercer Health & Benefits LLC shows that these plans remain concentrated among the largest employers and that predictions for their growth – even the predictions employers made in a prior Mercer survey – have been overly optimistic. Read more.
AP (02/14/06): McDonald's Fries Have Potential Allergens
CHICAGO - Not long after disclosing that its french fries contain more trans fat than thought, McDonald's Corp. said Monday that wheat and dairy ingredients are used to flavor the popular menu item — an acknowledgment it had not previously made. Read more.
HIN (02/09/06): Poor Emotional Health Is Barrier to Preventive Care in the Elderly
Poor emotional health, such as symptoms of depression and anxiety, may significantly reduce the likelihood that elderly patients will receive preventive health services, according to a recent study. Read more.
Commonwealth Fund Digest (02/07/06):
Rising Out-of-Pocket Spending for Medical Care: A Growing Strain on Family Budgets
Since the late 1990s, accelerated growth in health care spending has translated into increased burdens on family budgets. Families struggling with high OOP expenses are more likely than other families to report difficulties in obtaining needed care, and often have trouble paying their bills—increasing the possibility that they may face debt or bankruptcy or drop coverage altogether. Read more.
AP (02/02/06): Bush Administration Extending Emergency Rx Service
WASHINGTON - Anticipating fresh problems with the Medicare prescription drug plan, the Bush administration is telling private plans they need to provide an additional 60-day supply of medicine for emergency cases. The move will give beneficiaries more time to find alternative treatments when their plan won't cover a prescription. Read more.
AP (01/30/06): Religious Groups Get Chunk of AIDS Money
President Bush's $15 billion effort to fight AIDS has handed out nearly one-quarter of its grants to religious groups, and officials are aggressively pursuing new church partners that often emphasize disease prevention through abstinence and fidelity over condom use. Read more.
