Recent posts
Deny and delay: The practices fueling anger at U.S. health insurers
National data is hard to come by, but doctors say treatment increasingly is being delayed by demands for pre-authorization — or denied outright. The Washington PostDecember 16, 2024By Peter Whoriskey After a UnitedHealthcare executive was gunned down on a New York City sidewalk, an eruption of bitter online commentary celebrated the killer’s presumed motive: avenging... read more
America's Hidden Racial Divide: A Mysterious Gap in Psychosis Rates
Black Americans experience schizophrenia and related disorders at twice the rate of white Americans. It’s a disparity that has parallels in other cultures. The New York Times MagazineBy Daniel BergnerPublished Dec. 3, 2024 Updated Dec. 4, 2024 Earl Miller’s favorite book is “The Old Man and the Sea.” Growing up, whenever he moved, he made sure to pack... read more
What Doctors Like Me Know About Americans' Health Care Anger
The New York Times December 8, 2024 By Helen Ouyang I rushed around the patient as he lay motionless with his eyes closed in the emergency room. He was pale and sweaty, his T-shirt stained with vomit. You didn’t have to be a health-care worker to know that he was in a dire state. The... read more
Health Insurance For Millions Is Now Officially At Stake - Again
But whether Republicans can get these kinds of cuts through Congress is complicated. Huffington PostBy Jonathan CohnNovember 20, 2024 Everyone knew what Donald Trump and the Republicans had in mind for health care when they were about to take power eight years ago, because they had announced their intentions repeatedly — and loudly. Trump had spent the 2016 campaign... read more
Feeling lonely increased risk for all-cause dementia by 31 percent and cognitive impairment by 15 percent. The Washington PostMeeri KimNovember 14, 2024 Loneliness is a common — some would even say, universal — human experience. It can range from fleeting feelings of social isolation that may not have a negative effect on our health to persistent,... read more
Is Being Busy Good for People With A.D.H.D.?
New research suggests symptoms of the disorder may be less severe in those with a demanding schedule. The New York TimesBy Christina CaronNovember 13, 2024 In high school, Sophie Didier started falling behind. She found it difficult to concentrate on her schoolwork, felt restless in class and often got in trouble for talking too much.... read more
“Not Medically Necessary”: Inside the Company Helping America's Biggest Health Insurers Deny Coverage for Care
By T. Christian Miller, ProPublica; Patrick Rucker, The Capitol Forum; and David Armstrong, ProPublica Every day, patients across America crack open envelopes with bad news. Yet another health insurer has decided not to pay for a treatment that their doctor has recommended. Sometimes it’s a no for an MRI for a high school wrestler with a strained back.... read more
October 4, 2024 – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has seen an increase in illegal online pharmacies selling and shipping counterfeit pills made with fentanyl and methamphetamine to unsuspecting customers in the United States who believe they are purchasing real pharmaceutical drugs such as Oxycodone, Adderall, Xanax, and other drugs from legitimate pharmacies. As Americans... read more
Patients using Done or similar telehealth platforms may experience disruptions in care, health officials warned. New York Times By Dani Blum June 13, 2024 Tens of thousands of patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder nationwide could face disruptions to their care after two executives of a major telehealth company that distributed A.D.H.D. drugs were indicted... read more
Patient safety issues have increased since One Medical shifted care to a call center staffed by contractors, employees say. The Washington Post By Caroline O’Donovan June 15, 2024 Since Amazon acquired the primary-care service One Medical, elderly patients have been routed to a call center — staffed partly by contractors with limited training — that... read more