Health Insurance News and Research

RSS

Adolescents with arthritis need more information when transitioning to adult care

Helping adolescents with arthritis develop the skills and secure resources to assure that their health care needs are met as they transition to adulthood is an important issue in the U.S. In general, the frequency of which young people with special health care needs receive transition services is low and, to date, no studies have examined this frequency.

7 Jan 2009

Social and economic burden of insomnia is high

A study in the Jan. 1 issue of the journal Sleep indicates that the indirect costs of untreated insomnia are significantly greater than the direct costs associated with its treatment.

1 Jan 2009

More private patients in public Australian hospital beds

According to a new report more Australian privately insured patients used the public hospital system last year than previously and there are concerns that encouraging people to take out private health insurance is doing little to reduce the burden on the public health system.

30 Dec 2008

Probiotics found to be effective in stopping diarrhea resulting from antibiotics

Up to one in five people on antibiotics stop taking their full course of antibiotic therapy due to diarrhea.

17 Dec 2008

Women mostly satisfied with egg donation; some claim problems

Two-thirds of women who donated eggs to fertility clinics reported satisfaction with the process, but 16 percent complained of subsequent physical symptoms and 20 percent reported lasting psychological effects, according to the first study to examine the long-term effects of donation.

17 Dec 2008

Promiscuity fears pose barrier to cervical cancer vaccinations

The public's concerns about costs and increased promiscuity among teenagers appear to be hindering use of a vaccine against the human papilloma virus (HPV) to prevent life-threatening diseases, according to a study by researchers at Yale School of Public Health.

17 Dec 2008

Nearly one-fifth of all Californians under age 65 lack health insurance

Nearly one-fifth of all Californians under age 65 were without health insurance for all or some of 2007, according to a policy brief released today by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.

15 Dec 2008

Still wide racial disparities in colorectal cancer rates

An American Cancer Society reports says despite unprecedented progress in reducing incidence and death rates from colorectal cancer, the gap between blacks and whites continues to grow.

15 Dec 2008

New Georgia initiative to improve rural hospitals

Seven rural Georgia hospitals will participate in a new initiative designed to help increase their capacity to serve patients, improve the quality of their services and reduce costs.

12 Dec 2008

Reforms needed in adolescent health care

Current health services for adolescents are fragmented and poorly designed to meet the health needs of all of the nation's adolescents, says a new report from the National Research Council and Institute of Medicine.

10 Dec 2008

United States can learn from Dutch healthcare system

The United States can learn from the Dutch Health Insurance System model, according to an article by Pauline V. Rosenau, Ph.D., in the December issue of the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law.

8 Dec 2008

America's Health Insurance Plans to release health care reform proposal

America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) will release a new comprehensive health care reform proposal that offers solutions to contain rising health care costs, enhance portability, provide affordable coverage options for small businesses, protect against medical bankruptcy, and more.

1 Dec 2008

Children of farm workers less likely to have health cover

Children of farm workers are three times as likely as all other children and almost twice as likely as other poor children to be uninsured, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

1 Dec 2008

AARP report finds value of unpaid family caregiving in Illinois hits over $17 billion

With the economy continuing it's downward turn, family caregivers are stepping up to the plate to help loved ones in need.

26 Nov 2008

New plan to tackle off-label prescribing

Physicians and policy-makers know that drugs are frequently prescribed to treat certain diseases despite a lack of FDA approval - a practice known as off-label prescribing.

24 Nov 2008

Diabetes cost U.S. estimated $217.5 billion in 2007

According to findings from a National Diabetes Economic Barometer study, undiagnosed, pre-diabetes and diabetes cost the United States an estimated $217.5 billion in 2007 due to higher medical expenditures and lost productivity.

18 Nov 2008

Lower socioeconomic status decreases chances of early detection and survival of colorectal cancer

An abstract presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's Seventh Annual International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research shows that lower socioeconomic status reduced the chance of early stage diagnosis and survival of colorectal cancer in Colorado.

18 Nov 2008

Cost of health insurance rises 33% with state pricing rule

New research shows that the cost of health insurance for a typical family increases about $100 per month when state governments limit price adjustments based on factors like age, health or risky behaviors such as smoking.

17 Nov 2008

Sports fans may engage in riskier health related behaviors than non-sports fans

Ball park hot dogs may be putting sports fans at elevated health risk, researchers at UALR -- the University of Arkansas at Little Rock -- said in research presented last week.

16 Nov 2008

New legislation addresses Massachusetts primary care crisis

Massachusetts has taken an important step towards addressing its primary care provider shortage. Recently passed legislation (Chapter 305), championed by Senate President Therese Murray, addresses issues of access, quality and transparency in health care. The recognition of nurse practitioners as primary care providers is vital to this legislation and will immediately and dramatically increase the number of providers available to residents.

10 Nov 2008