For a long time, we’ve been critical of Americans’ love of dietary supplements, and often write about the dangers they pose, and that they’re a waste of money. Now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has measured this harm in real terms. Last week CDC researchers published a study in the New England….
Continue ReadingArchives for October 2015
What About Health Savings Accounts?
In this health insurance enrollment period, are you thinking about signing up for a health savings account (HSA)? Courtesy of KaiserHealthNews.org (KHN) here’s some information that might help you decide. Q: Last year, my wife and I opened a health savings account. Since then, my account has been moved twice, and we have no choice….
Continue ReadingOlder Americans Are Not Getting Vaccinated
A couple of years ago, we blogged that although the childhood vaccinations were very much on the minds of parents, adults weren’t too good about getting themselves vaccinated. That’s still the case, and it’s still a problem. For example, about 3 in 4 U.S. residents older than 60, according to federal data crunched by KaiserHealthNews.org….
Continue ReadingExpense of Computer-Assisted Mammography Not Justified
Lots of mammography labs promote the latest technology to detect suspicious images on breast scans, but according to a recent study, the computer-assisted diagnosis is no better at screening for breast cancer. But it is more expensive. As reported recently by the Associated Press (AP), the study published in JAMA Internal Medicine followed nearly 324,000….
Continue ReadingHow Effective Is the Flu Vaccine, Really?
Government officials typically say the flu shot is about 50-60 percent effective in preventing influenza. We’ve used that number ourselves, as recently as this month in the usual annual promo for flu vaccines. But health care researchers who count actual patients say it’s far, far less effective, more in the range of 1-3 percent. What’s the….
Continue ReadingThe Connection Between Sleep and Heart Health
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Sleep is not an indulgence; the right amount is critical for your health. Yet another study confirms this truth by showing a link between insufficient sleep and a higher risk of heart disease. NPR analyzed research published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology indicating….
Continue ReadingThe Darker Side of Workplace Wellness Programs
Corporate wellness programs aren’t new, but their popularity is growing as companies seek ways to minimize spending on health care. But a lot of people within and outside of the health-care system question many of these programs in terms of their real health value, their financial benefit and their potential to invade employee privacy. One….
Continue ReadingTake Your Medicine As Intended
Research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that 2 or 3 in 10 prescriptions are never filled, and half of all patients don’t follow their drug instructions, even if doing so is necessary to keep them alive. There’s a proper way to take medicine, whether it’s a prescription or over-the-counter remedy; all meds….
Continue ReadingComparison Shopping for Medicare Drug Coverage
For many people, autumn is the season for enrollment in a medical insurance plan. Everyone, whether you’re 25 or 85, whether you’re covered through an employer plan, a state insurance exchange, private insurance or Medicare, should review their current coverage and compare it with the available options. Insurance companies rewrite some parts of their plans….
Continue ReadingYep, There’s a Billing Code for That
If you think you’re waiting even longer at your doctor’s office these days, you might be right. And it might be due to the overhaul of the medical billing code system that requires providers to enter an alphanumeric descriptor/diagnosis for every problem they treat. As of this month, doctors, hospitals and health insurers must use….
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