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.
The much celebrated, and much maligned, public option may have died in Congress, but it’s alive and well in California.
Some companies are also penalizing employees who don’t give up cigarettes by hitting them with higher health insurance premiums.
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
Will pot save healthcare reform? Shortage of key drugs threatens patients’ lives. What’s behind the attack on Planned Parenthood?
Federal funding for medical research, disease prevention and a host of public health initiatives could be sharply reduced if the congressional super committee fails to agree on a deficit-reduction package, triggering automatic cuts.
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.
Enrollment period expanded to seven weeks to give seniors and people with disabilities will have more time to compare plans.
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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