Unbiased Analysis of Today's Healthcare Issues
According to the USA Today, the influenza vaccine may receive a complete overhaul for the 2008-2009 flu season. All three flu viruses in this year’s vaccine should be swapped for others next year because of a dramatic change in the mix of circulating flu bugs… The decision launches a “time-critical, highly orchestrated” effort by public…
Google is everywhere. CNN reports that Google is venturing into health records biz. “Google Inc. will begin storing the medical records of a few thousand people as it tests a long-awaited health service that’s likely to raise more concerns about the volume of sensitive information entrusted to the Internet search leader. The pilot project to…
There is an interesting pair of blog posts by Ezra Klein and Andrew Sullivan. Mr. Klein advocates a more centralized health care system while Mr. Sullivan is opposed to expanding the government’s role in health care. Who do you agree with?
Michael Cannon of Cato-at-Liberty cites a study from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) that it is difficult for centrally planned medical care to eliminate local norms. “…the centrally budgeted VA system does not display much less geographic variation in spending than is exhibited in the unbudgeted Medicare program . . . . In addition to…
“In 1988, the first year for which data are available, there were fewer than 14,000 patients waiting for a kidney transplant and about 7,000 deceased-donor kidneys. Today, the waiting list has grown more than fivefold — an increase fueled partly by higher rates of diabetes — but the number of deceased-donor kidneys has only inched…
According to the Daily Mail (…obesity epidemic…) the NHS could give “vouchers to the overweight to spend on healthy food in supermarkets” or cash prizes to those who manage to lose weight. The UK could also mandate cooking classes in school and more time for physical education classes. The UK report on obesity states: “We…
There is a law which states that drug companies must sell drugs to Medicaid at their the lowest price. It turns out the Merck was selling drugs to hospitals at a steeper discount than what they were giving to Medicaid. Merck will pay $399 million for overcharging in Philadelphia and $250 million for overcharging in…
Merrill Goozner has an interesting post (“Unfair and Unbalanced Wonkery on Mandates“) arguing that insurance mandates aren’t good policy (I agree with him on this). For the record: I’m opposed to mandates for two reasons. First and foremost, they’re bad politics. Americans don’t like to be told to do anything. They especially don’t like unfunded…
According to the Telegraph newspaper (“Don’t treat the old…“), “Smokers, heavy drinkers, the obese and the elderly should be barred from receiving some operations, according to doctors, with most saying the health service cannot afford to provide free care to everyone.” Should you be denied coverage because of lifestyle choices or because you are ‘too…
According to the San Diego Union Tribune, yesterday PacifiCare was fined $3.5 million and the California Department of Managed Health Care is seeking up to $1.3 billion in additional penalties for “130,000 alleged claims-processing violations…in California between July 1, 2005, and May 31, 2007.” PacifiCare is the second largest HMO in San Diego and the…