Investigate IVF clinics? Will there be a debate over Medicare’s future? Is Obama’s ruling on contraception an attack on religion? School-based health centers: a nonpartisan solution?
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.
International surrogate-pregnancy business booms. What is Medicare anyway? Five ways to cut health-care costs. And playing Medicare ‘Whac-A-Mole’
Some companies are also penalizing employees who don’t give up cigarettes by hitting them with higher health insurance premiums.
Among the trends that drove down the state’s rankings this year were rises in the rates of obesity, diabetes, and smoking — and a decline in high school graduation rates.
Starting next fall, Medicare will begin penalizing hospitals if their readmission rates are higher than expected for three conditions: heart attacks, heart failure and pneumonia.
Federal officials are extending the Dec. 7 deadline for three days for some people who have had trouble enrolling in a Medicare prescription drug or private health plan because of the crush of last-minute sign-ups. Calls to Medicare’s toll-free information line, 800-633-4227 can be made until midnight tonight. “It is critical that people with Medicare who want to make a change in their coverage act today.”
Five tips to help you navigate Medicare: 1) You must sign up for Medicare when you turn 65. 2) Medicare is not free. 3) Medicare does not cover everything . . .
Finding a high-quality nursing home is a daunting task. Fortunately, there is information online that can help you learn about nursing home quality.
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
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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