FRIDAY, Feb. 15, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Insurance rules that limit access to the addiction treatment medication buprenorphine may be worsening the U.S. opioid epidemic, a new study suggests. “Buprenorphine is a safe and effective treatment that decreases deaths due to opioids and stops heroin and other opioid use. PeopleContinue Reading
TUESDAY, Feb. 12, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Millions of Americans with heart disease say they face financial strain because of their medical care, with some skipping meds or cutting back on basics like groceries. That’s the finding of a new national study of heart disease and stroke patients younger thanContinue Reading
THURSDAY, Jan. 3, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Many middle-aged folks nearing retirement have serious concerns about their health insurance coverage, a new survey shows. Nearly half of people aged 50 to 64 say they have little or no confidence they’ll be able to afford health coverage once they retire, accordingContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 5, 2018 (HealthDay News) — U.S. voters’ despair over poor health and premature deaths might have tipped the 2016 presidential election in Donald Trump’s favor, a new analysis argues. Counties that voted Republican more heavily had a 15 percent higher age-adjusted death rate than counties that voted heavilyContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — In a sign that the U.S. opioid epidemic is still not under control, a new report shows that prescriptions for the highly addictive painkillers haven’t declined in the last decade. After peaking in 2012-2013, opioid use and doses leveled off. But doses wereContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 1, 2018 (HealthDay News) — People who want to have weight-loss surgery are facing much longer wait times now than a decade ago, a new study finds. Among weight-loss surgery patients in Michigan, the typical wait time almost doubled between 2006 and 2016 — from 86 days, toContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, July 11, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Gaps in private insurance coverage are common among American adults with type 1 diabetes, raising their risk for health crises, a new study finds. “Type 1 diabetes requires intensive daily management in order to simply remain alive, so interruptions to care and coverageContinue Reading
FRIDAY, June 8, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Having health insurance is essential, especially for catastrophic situations. But it’s important to choose a plan carefully because your costs can go well beyond the monthly premium. Knowing key terms will help you calculate potential expenses more accurately. First is your deductible, theContinue Reading
TUESDAY, May 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Alec Smith was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes shortly before his 24th birthday. When he turned 26, he lost his health insurance. Less than a month later, he lost his life because he couldn’t afford the exorbitant price of his life-saving insulin. “AlecContinue Reading
TUESDAY, May 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Millions of U.S. seniors can now take part in a Medicare program designed to prevent prediabetes from progressing to type 2 diabetes. Almost half of Americans 65 and older have prediabetes, and many don’t know it. In addition to an increased risk ofContinue Reading
TUESDAY, May 15, 2018 (HealthDay News) — It’s no secret that money worries can lead to health issues, so reducing monthly bills is a great goal. But it’s also important to know that some so-called time-saving conveniences can actually cost you more. For instance, one study found that people whoContinue Reading
THURSDAY, March 29, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Medical care costs in the United States can be so overwhelming that Americans fear the cost of treatment more than the illness itself, a new poll shows. “It’s shocking and unacceptable that medical bills strike more fear in the hearts of Americans thanContinue Reading
WEDNESDAY, March 28, 2018 (HealthDay News) — Stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s disease may discourage Americans from learning about their risk and from joining clinical trials for potential new treatments, a small survey reveals. “We found that concerns about discrimination and overly harsh judgments about the severity of symptoms were most prevalent,”Continue Reading
MONDAY, March 19, 2018 (HealthDay News) — The scenario may sound familiar: Your doctor sends your prescription electronically to the pharmacy, and you go to pick it up. Only you can’t, because the insurance company requires “prior authorization” for that particular medication. Now you’re caught in the middle, as yourContinue Reading