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Medicaid expansion improves early-stage cancer detection, research shows

The Affordable Care Act led to an increase in the number of cancer diagnoses -- particularly those at early stages -- in states where Medicaid was expanded, according to research from Indiana University.

21 Dec 2017

Rush University, Rush Copley Medical Center receive five-star rating for hospital quality

Rush University Medical Center and Rush Copley Medical Center each have received five stars, the highest possible rating, for hospital quality from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

21 Dec 2017

Constriction of blood vessels during mental stress more likely to affect women

In women with heart disease, constriction of peripheral vessels during mental stress affects the heart circulation more than men's, potentially raising women's risk of heart-related events and death, according to new research in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, an American Heart Association journal.

21 Dec 2017

Unmarried heart disease patients have higher risk of death

Compared to married heart disease patients, being unmarried was associated with a higher risk of dying, according to new research in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

20 Dec 2017

Researcher explores genitourinary health of sexually abused children

For years, scientists and clinicians have been documenting the significant psychological effects on child victims of sexual abuse, but what about the physical impact on their sexual health? Pascale Vézina-Gagnon, a Ph.D. student researcher at the Department of Psychology of Université de Montréal, has examined the issue as part of her doctoral thesis.

19 Dec 2017

No sweeteners added to tax bill to spread use of health savings accounts

The ongoing uncertainty about congressional changes to the health law — and their impact on insurance and the online marketplaces — continues to raise questions among consumers. Here are answers to recent queries.

19 Dec 2017

Children who experience abuse, adversity more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases in adulthood

Children and teens who are abused, witness violence, are bullied or face other adversities are more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases in adulthood, according to a new scientific statement by the American Heart Association published in the Association's journal Circulation.

18 Dec 2017

AGS continues to voice strong opposition to tax reform bill and its impact on older adults

The American Geriatrics Society continues to voice strong opposition to the Tax Cuts and Job Acts, the tax reform bill that could jeopardize care for millions of older adults and caregivers if it passes a Congressional vote planned for early next week.

15 Dec 2017

Consumers who froze their credit reports could hit a glitch enrolling in insurance

Some Americans who froze their credit reports following the big data breach this year at the credit-rating firm Equifax may be in for a surprise if they try to purchase insurance on the federal health law's marketplaces. That freeze could trigger a delay in the application process.

13 Dec 2017

Sign-up deadline is Friday, but some people may get extra time

Open enrollment on the federal health law's marketplace ends Friday, and most people who want a plan for next year need to meet the deadline.

12 Dec 2017

Patient satisfaction, good caregiver communication linked to reduced risk of hospital readmission

A survey of patients admitted to Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has found that patients reporting greater levels of satisfaction with their care and good communication with the health care providers were significantly less like to readmitted to the hospital in the 30 days after discharge.

11 Dec 2017

For marketplace customers who delay, auto-enrollment could be nasty wake-up

Shopping to update your coverage on the health insurance marketplace may be annoying — didn't you just do this last year? But letting the exchange automatically renew your coverage instead could be a big mistake.

8 Dec 2017

Churning, confusion and disruption — The dark side of marketplace coverage

Cyndee Weston can barely remember the last time she didn't have to switch health plans during an Affordable Care Act sign-up season. By her count, she has been on five plans in five years.

7 Dec 2017

Brokers tout mix-and-match coverage to avoid high-cost ACA plans

Health insurance a la carte? As the Affordable Care Act open-enrollment season moves into its final weeks, some consumers looking for lower-cost alternatives are considering a patchwork approach to health insurance. The products may secure some basic protection but leave patients on the hook for high medical bills.

7 Dec 2017

Health risks to farmworkers increase as workforce ages

That bag of frozen cauliflower sitting inside your freezer likely sprang to life in a vast field north of Salinas, Calif. A crew of men and women here use a machine to drop seedlings into the black soil. Another group follows behind, stooped over, tapping each new plant.

7 Dec 2017

Language barriers, aversion to credit stall coverage for some Vietnamese

Bích-Thu "Lisa" Pham has become a familiar face at this Vietnamese community center, setting out her Affordable Care Act insurance materials in a small office several afternoons each week.

5 Dec 2017

States — and 9m kids — ‘in a bind’ as Congress dawdles on CHIP funding

Last week, Colorado became the first state to notify families that children who receive health insurance through the Children’s Health Insurance Program are in danger of losing their coverage.

4 Dec 2017

Less than one-third of glaucoma patients talk to their doctor about medication costs, study finds

Less than one-third of patients with glaucoma talk to their doctor about the costs of medications needed to control their disease, reports a study in the December issue of Optometry and Vision Science, the official journal of the American Academy of Optometry.

4 Dec 2017

Whistleblower: Medicaid managed-care firm improperly denied care to thousands

In early October, an executive at one of the nation's largest physician-practice management firms handed her bosses the equivalent of a live grenade — a 20-page report that blew up the company and shook the world of managed care for poor patients across California.

1 Dec 2017