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Health insurance coverage for transgender people is cost-effective, study finds

A new analysis led by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggests that while most U.S. health insurance plans deny benefits to transgender men and women for medical care necessary to transition to the opposite sex, paying for sex reassignment surgery and hormones is actually cost-effective.

25 Nov 2015

Early childhood Medicaid exposure linked to adult health outcomes

Expanding publicly funded health insurance to low-income children could have long-term benefits for adult health, according to new research from the University of Maryland School of Public Health. Published in the Journal of Health Economics, the study found that exposure to Medicaid in early childhood, from conception through age 5, is associated with significant improvements in adult health (age 25 to 54).

24 Nov 2015

New UMD study explores why African American and Hispanic women have high rates of unintended pregnancy

A new study from the University of Maryland School of Public Health examined why African American and Hispanic women have higher rates of unintended pregnancy than White women. Researchers found that there were unique factors explaining the differences in unintended pregnancy between African Americans and Whites (respondent's mother's age at first birth, income, and health insurance status) and the differences between Hispanics and Whites (U.S. born status and educational level).

23 Nov 2015

Health experts urge lawmakers, regulators to close loopholes in Orphan Drug Act

Health experts at Johns Hopkins Medicine are calling on lawmakers and regulators to close loopholes in the Orphan Drug Act they claim give drug companies millions of dollars in unintended and misplaced subsidies and tax breaks and fuel skyrocketing medication costs.

20 Nov 2015

UPMC for You honored by MHPA Institute for Medicaid Innovation

UPMC for You, the Medical Assistance program of UPMC Health Plan, was honored by the Medicaid Health Plans of America Institute for Medicaid Innovation for demonstrating innovative and effective approaches to providing services that have improved the health of Medicaid enrollees, at MHPA's annual Best Practices Awards program held in Washington, D.C., earlier this month.

19 Nov 2015

Uninsured, low-income breast cancer patients less likely to continue hormonal therapy

A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment shows that breast cancer patients whose health insurance plans included prescription drug benefits were 10 percent more likely to start important hormonal therapy than patients who did not have prescription drug coverage.

19 Nov 2015

PSA screening for prostate cancer drops significantly in middle-aged men

PSA testing has dropped significantly in middle-aged men after a 2012 recommendation that all men should not be routinely screened for prostate cancer, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

17 Nov 2015

VHI publishes new report on efficiency and productivity of hospitals, nursing homes

Virginia Health Information has published its 2015 report on the efficiency and productivity of hospitals and nursing homes. The report boils down mountains of data into key indicators of efficiency and productivity. The report was designed to meet the needs of large employers and purchasers of care.

17 Nov 2015

Study: Safe spaces may play critical role in community-based HIV prevention efforts

The creation and sustainment of "safe spaces" may play a critical role in community-based HIV prevention efforts by providing social support and reducing environmental barriers for vulnerable populations, a new study from an Oregon State University researcher has found.

17 Nov 2015

Children in low-income families have greater access to preventive care under Medicaid, CHIP

Researchers have found that children in low-income families experience greater access to preventive medical and dental care under Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) than children covered by private insurance. However, for all types of insurance coverage, access to pediatric specialty care was a challenge.

17 Nov 2015

Obesity groups take aim at states that deny coverage of obesity treatment under affordable care act

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and groups including The Obesity Society (TOS) and Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics (AND), filed a complaint this month with U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) claiming the 27 states that deny coverage for bariatric surgery are in non-compliance with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and that their failure to comply is discriminatory against women and people with disabilities, and violates the ban against denying coverage based on health status or a pre-existing condition.

10 Nov 2015

Dusseldorf will be the meeting point for MEDICA and COMPAMED this week

In the coming week, from 16 to 19 November 2015, Düsseldorf will again become the central meeting point of the international health business. Then, for the first time on the new set of dates from Monday to Thursday (previously: Wednesday to Saturday), the world’s largest medical trade fair, MEDICA, and the international leading supplier specialist trade fair, COMPAMED taking place at the same time, are going to start.

9 Nov 2015

Main barriers to health coverage lie in perceived cost and knowledge gap, U-M study finds

If you need health care in rural Michigan, and you don't have insurance or money, you can turn to a free clinic -- like the one University of Michigan medical students run each Saturday in the tiny town of Pinckney. Fewer people need this kind of help these days, because of new insurance options made possible by the Affordable Care Act.

6 Nov 2015

Three out of four consumers not covered for evidence-based obesity treatment services

In one of the largest studies ever conducted to better understand insurance coverage of obesity treatments, researchers found that three out of four consumers report that they are not covered for necessary, evidence-based obesity treatment services, including access to a registered dietician (72% not covered), medical weight management (77% not covered), bariatric surgery (76% not covered) or FDA-approved obesity drugs (84% not covered).

5 Nov 2015

New UCLA study looks at primary care medical home in reducing childrens' repeat visits to hospitals

It's a question of major importance to parents, health policy makers and health care professionals — and a focus of national health care quality improvement initiatives. What keeps children from being readmitted to hospitals in the weeks after they're discharged? Previous research on the subject has focused on the role that hospitals play in the equation. But a new study by doctors at UCLA looked at five factors revolving around the primary physician's office.

4 Nov 2015

WSU researcher to lead $2.5 million study on impact of Affordable Care Act in people with disabilities

A Washington State University researcher will lead a $2.5 million examination of the federal Affordable Care Act's impact on what may be the largest group in need of its services: people with disabilities.

3 Nov 2015

Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital offers Halloween safety tips

Each year Halloween provides an opportunity for families to get together, get creative with costumes, get outside and, most importantly, have fun.

31 Oct 2015

Covered California kicks off advertising campaign to encourage enrollment in affordable health insurance

Kicking off a 38-stop bus tour of hospitals, clinics and storefronts where Californians can enroll in affordable health insurance, Covered California began spotlighting iconic buildings and hundreds of enrollment locations across the state today.

31 Oct 2015

Study assesses abdominoplasty complication rates, risk factors

Abdominoplasty—sometimes called "tummy tuck"—has a higher risk of major complications than other cosmetic plastic surgery procedures, reports a study in the November issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

31 Oct 2015

Many nonprofit hospitals have room to improve charity care and emergency care policies

If you don't have health insurance, or your insurance coverage still leaves you with big bills, hospitals are supposed to let you know if you qualify for free or reduced-price care, and to charge you fairly even if you don't.

29 Oct 2015

Health Insurance News and Research

Health insurance coverage for transgender people is cost-effective, study finds

Early childhood Medicaid exposure linked to adult health outcomes

New UMD study explores why African American and Hispanic women have high rates of unintended pregnancy

Health experts urge lawmakers, regulators to close loopholes in Orphan Drug Act

UPMC for You honored by MHPA Institute for Medicaid Innovation

Uninsured, low-income breast cancer patients less likely to continue hormonal therapy

PSA screening for prostate cancer drops significantly in middle-aged men

VHI publishes new report on efficiency and productivity of hospitals, nursing homes

Study: Safe spaces may play critical role in community-based HIV prevention efforts

Children in low-income families have greater access to preventive care under Medicaid, CHIP

Obesity groups take aim at states that deny coverage of obesity treatment under affordable care act

Dusseldorf will be the meeting point for MEDICA and COMPAMED this week

Main barriers to health coverage lie in perceived cost and knowledge gap, U-M study finds

Three out of four consumers not covered for evidence-based obesity treatment services

New UCLA study looks at primary care medical home in reducing childrens' repeat visits to hospitals

WSU researcher to lead $2.5 million study on impact of Affordable Care Act in people with disabilities

Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital offers Halloween safety tips

Covered California kicks off advertising campaign to encourage enrollment in affordable health insurance

Study assesses abdominoplasty complication rates, risk factors

Many nonprofit hospitals have room to improve charity care and emergency care policies

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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