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Mass behavioral health plan is a good value

A statewide organization representing over 100 community-based mental health and substance abuse service providers, found that the MassHealth behavioral health carve-out provides efficient and effective mental health and substance abuse services and is of good taxpayer value to the Commonwealth.

13 Feb 2006

Chronic disease is becoming a major focus in health care

More funding, increased workforce resources and further reform of the health system are needed if the national chronic disease strategy is going to deliver better care to patients suffering from diseases such as diabetes, asthma and cancer, according to an international primary health expert.

7 Feb 2006

The Medicare Drug Benefit: A Prescription for Confusion

If many seniors are scratching their heads about the new Medicare prescription drug plan, so are the experts.

20 Nov 2005

Colorectal cancer screening rates remain low

Investigators failed to see improvement in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates among patients enrolled in a managed care health plan after testing the effectiveness of a CRC screening promotion program targeting the physician organizations (POs).

10 Oct 2005

Colorectal cancer screening rates are too low

An intervention program designed to promote screening for colorectal cancer – and thereby decrease the number of cancers diagnosed - failed to increase screening rates in the managed care setting, a University of California - Los Angeles study has found.

10 Oct 2005

Physical activity may reduce gastrointestinal symptoms in people who are obese

In a study published in the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, researchers found that a high body mass index (BMI) and lack of physical activity were associated with an increase in GI symptoms such as stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

3 Oct 2005

Patients with panic disorder have nearly double the risk for coronary heart disease,

...and those also diagnosed with depression are at almost three times the risk, according to new research.

27 Sep 2005

Separate studies produce conflicting results on race and gender disparities in U.S. health system

Two newly released studies in the U.S. have to some extent come to conflicting results. According to one study, by researchers at Emory University, attempts over the last decade to address race and gender disparities in the treatment of U.S. patients hospitalized for heart attacks, still in some respects raise cause for concern.

18 Aug 2005

Updated consumer guide explains dispute resolution process

The Kaiser Family Foundation and Consumers Union today released an updated guide to help consumers through the process of resolving disputes with their health plans.

4 Aug 2005

Doctors not responsible for patient gaps

Australian Medical Association (AMA) President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, said it was mischievous of the Australian Health Industry Association (AHIA) to be running around in the media this morning blaming doctors for private patients being confronted with high gap payments.

26 Jul 2005

Cedars-Sinai dumping hundreds of low income patients

The California Nurses Association has sharply criticized state officials for establishing a dangerous precedent in approving tax-supported revenue bonds for the state's largest private hospital, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center of Los Angeles, which is dumping hundreds of its Medi-Cal patients, denying them access to available and much needed medical care.

15 Jul 2005

Most perinatal strokes lead to neurologic disorders

Four of five newborn infants who experience a stroke around the time of birth will develop neurologic disorders such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or language delay, according to a study published online July 11, 2005, in the Annals of Neurology.

12 Jul 2005

Claritin's switch to OTC status meant fewer prescriptions

After the allergy drug Claritin became available without a prescription in 2002, insurance plans and consumers spent less on the prescription form of its main ingredient, loratadine, and all similar allergy drugs, according to a new report published in this month’s The American Journal of Managed Care.

10 Jun 2005

African-American and Hispanic patients with diabete are less likely to get eye exams

African-American and Hispanic patients with diabete are less likely than white patients to get eye exams, flu shots or cholesterol tests as part of their diabetes prevention care, according to a new review of recent studies in the latest issue of American Journal of Managed Care.

8 Jun 2005

Tort reform associated with increase in physician supply

States that enacted malpractice reforms had an increase in their overall supply of physicians, according to a study in the June 1 issue of JAMA.

25 May 2005

Within six months, one in three patients fail to take cardiovascular risk-lowering medications as prescribed

Therapy that includes medications to reduce high blood pressure and to lower lipid levels can reduce risk for heart disease, but within six months, more than a third of patients fail to take one or both medications as prescribed, according to a study in the May 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

23 May 2005

Older adults with diabetes in managed care networks have higher rates of untreated eye disease

Medicare beneficiaries at high risk for eye disease due to diabetes are more likely to have unrecognized and untreated eye disease if they are enrolled in managed care than if they have fee-for-service (FFS) health insurance, according to an article in the May issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.

9 May 2005

Managed care organizations evaluate trends in epilepsy to provide better care

Computer algorithms were used in a recent study to identify the prevalence and incidence of epilepsy, and epilepsy-related mortality of patients in a managed care organization (MCO).

26 Apr 2005

Competition in health care may not result in better quality

For several decades, competition within the health care industry has been touted as the way to curb rising prices by reducing inefficient practices and improving quality and safety. But a study of 341 HMOs suggests that more competition may not automatically solve price and quality-of-care problems as hoped for by legislators, regulators and employers.

7 Apr 2005

American social, cultural, and political-economic contexts govern the structure, efficiency, and operational nature of U.S. health care

Medical sociologists examine how American social, cultural, and political-economic contexts govern the structure, efficiency, and operational nature of U.S. health care delivery in a special issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior (JHSB), a scholarly publication of the American Sociological Association (ASA).

29 Mar 2005