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Medical economics news

Health

The Medicare Advantage influence machine

Federal officials resolved more than a decade ago to crack down on whopping government overpayments to private Medicare Advantage health insurance plans, which were siphoning off billions of tax dollars every year.

Diabetes

How Minnesota figures into the presidential politics of insulin prices

In June 2019, Lija Greenseid handed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz an empty vial of insulin that her 13-year-old daughter had painted gold.

Medical economics

Do MPH programs prepare graduates for employment in today's market?

Public health degree programs provide key competencies demanded by employers, but graduate employability could be improved by using more real-time data from employer job postings, according to a new study at Columbia University ...

Health

Big gaps seen in home medical test use by older adults

With a fresh wave of free COVID-19 rapid tests now shipping to households nationwide, and many other types of at-home medical tests now available on store shelves and websites, a new study looks at what older adults think ...

Pediatrics

Rural-urban differences seen in hospitals' pediatric services

Children with medical complexity (CMC) who reside in rural areas are significantly more likely to present to hospitals without dedicated pediatric services, according to a study published online Sept. 24 in JAMA Network Open.

Health

Medicare changes for 2025: What you need to know

Fall has arrived, and that means open enrollment for Medicare starts Oct. 15. There are several changes for 2024 that you should know before enrolling or updating your Medicare coverage. Even if you won't turn 65 for a few ...

Medical economics

What's at stake for health care reform in the US election?

While abortion and reproductive health care are in the spotlight during the 2024 United States presidential campaign, other health policy issues, including Medicare and Medicaid, have drawn less attention. Despite this low ...

Medical economics

The ambulance chased one patient into collections

In retrospect, Peggy Dula said, she shouldn't have taken the ambulance. She was the least injured of the three siblings who were in a car when it was struck by a pickup truck last September. Her daughter had even offered ...

Medical economics

Video vital for telehealth visits

Video telehealth visits are an increasingly important part of health care, and increasingly video connection during such visits is required for insurance coverage. Yet many patients do not achieve a video connection and convert ...

Health

High rates of avoidable deaths among most disadvantaged

A new study, looking at more than half a million adults in Scotland, has highlighted very high rates of premature mortality from avoidable causes of death amongst society's most disadvantaged.

Oncology & Cancer

Critical oncology trial data remains hidden

Despite a commitment from the pharmaceutical industry in 2014 to improve data transparency, more than half of the clinical trials that led to the United States Food and Drug Administration approving anticancer medicines over ...

Health

When will your medical care collapse?

A retirement wave, mass quarantine, or lack of interest to work in the countryside: There are numerous reasons why a more-than-average number of medical practices could be closing at the same time. The system usually can ...

Medications

9 out of 10 Americans live close to a community pharmacy

Almost 90% of the U.S. population lives within 5 miles of a community pharmacy, but more than half of Americans have to commute for more than 1 mile to reach a pharmacist. A new nationwide analysis published online in the ...

Medical economics

Parental leave does not impact residents' subsequent board scores

Taking extended leave during residency for parental or medical leave does not appear to impact subsequent board scores, according to a study published in the July issue of the American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.