The High Cost Of Sex: Insurers Often Don’t Pay For Drugs To Treat Problems
Medicare and many private insurers view prescribing drugs to improve sexual function as a lifestyle issue that’s not medically necessary to pay for.
The Measles Success Story In California Is Showing Signs of Fading
California’s highly touted gains in vaccinating school children against measles stalled last year, possibly related to an increase in the number of students who have been exempted from vaccinations on medical grounds.
Discharged, Dismissed: ERs Often Miss Chance To Set Overdose Survivors On ‘Better Path’
Only a small percentage of people who survived an opioid overdose received in the next year some form of drug abuse treatment, according to an analysis of West Virginia Medicaid claims data. Experts say the findings underscore a national disconnect.
Two Crises In One: As Drug Use Rises, So Does Syphilis
A significant portion of syphilis transmission in heterosexuals occurs among people who use drugs, particularly methamphetamine, a new report shows. Public health officials warn that you can’t treat one problem without addressing the other.
Glimpsing The Future At Gargantuan Health Tech Showcase
Innovations to help consumers manage their health were on display at the nation’s largest health technology conference that attracted more than 40,000 health industry professionals to Orlando.
Can California Beat The Federal Government In Lowering Drug Prices?
Unwilling to wait for federal action, California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he has a plan that could extract discounts from drugmakers and save the state money — one he hopes other states can join.
Seniors Aging In Place Turn To Devices And Helpers, But Unmet Needs Are Common
A new study examines how seniors with deteriorating strength and other physical functions deal with such challenges as taking a shower or getting dressed in the morning.
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Many Californians Say They Wouldn’t Have Purchased Insurance If Not For Tax Penalty
A Health Affairs study shows 19 percent of Californians who bought individual health care plans would not have done so if they didn’t face a tax penalty. The study, published in January in the journal Health Affairs, stems from a 2017 survey in which researchers at Harvard University Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital asked more than 3,000 Californians who had bought individual health care plans: “Would you have purchased health insurance coverage this year if there was no penalty?”
Nineteen percent said they would not have, and a disproportionately large number of those were in population groups most likely to be uninsured before the law took effect.
