FRIDAY, Oct. 1, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken up the U.S. opioid crisis in ways bad and good, increasing the risk of use and overdose but also spurring innovative approaches to treatment. The pandemic has definitely been linked to an increase in opioid use and overdoseContinue Reading

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Having a child in the hospital is distressing for families, and not knowing what that stay might cost can add to that stress, researchers say. A new study has found that three-quarters of U.S. families want to have conversations about the costs ofContinue Reading

FRIDAY, Sept. 17, 2021 (HealthDay News) — When the COVID-19 public health emergency ends, a new crisis in insurance coverage in the United States may begin. Fifteen million Americans who enrolled in Medicaid during the pandemic could lose their coverage when the emergency declaration ends, according to an analysis byContinue Reading

THURSDAY, Sept. 16, 2021 (HealthDay News) — The cost of providing hospital care for unvaccinated Americans has reached $5.7 billion in just three months, CBS News reported. Between June and August, about 287,000 people who were not vaccinated were hospitalized for COVID-19 in the United States, according to data fromContinue Reading

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 15, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Getting prior authorizations to see a specialist, dealing with errors on medical bills and even scheduling appointments can be a big hassle. That’s clear to anyone who has spent time on the phone handling issues with insurance companies or doctors’ offices. For someContinue Reading

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 15, 2021 (HealthDay News) — When Americans are eligible for Medicare at age 65, they see a significant drop in their out-of-pocket medical costs. Lowering the eligibility age would save even more, especially for people with the highest out-of-pocket costs, according to a new study. “Medicare really improvesContinue Reading

TUESDAY, Sept. 14, 2021 (HealthDay News) — U.S. approval of the Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm is already mired in controversy. Now a new study finds that most Alzheimer’s patients could not have taken part in clinical trials that led to the green light. In June, the U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationContinue Reading

MONDAY, Sept. 13, 2021 (HealthDay News) — With the expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare, fewer Americans are uninsured and more are getting their blood pressure and blood sugar under control, a new study finds. The gains are especially strong among Black and Hispanic patients, according to Boston University researchers. “OurContinue Reading

MONDAY, Sept. 13, 2021 (HealthDay News) — When Nancy Cappello was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer in 2003, she was stunned. How could this have happened? She went for her annual screening mammogram every year and was always told that all was fine. It wasn’t. Cappello had dense breasts, butContinue Reading

FRIDAY, Sept. 10, 2021 (HealthDay News) — While the cost of administering COVID-19 vaccines is nominal – and free to consumers in the United States – the cost of paying for hospitalizations for people who’ve contracted the virus is dramatically higher. The average financial cost of hospitalization for a COVID-19Continue Reading

FRIDAY, Sept. 10, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Tax-free health savings accounts can make it easier for Americans to pay for future health expenses, but most older adults aren’t using them. A new poll by Michigan Medicine-University of Michigan found that while nearly 1 in 5 people weren’t confident that theyContinue Reading

THURSDAY, Sept. 9, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Very few privately insured young children get recommended dental fluoride treatments at health wellness visits, even though insurance typically covers them, a new study finds. “Medical providers are not required to do this; it’s like a mammogram,” said lead author Kimberley Geissler, anContinue Reading