Medicare Category
Insured Americans: 51% on Prescription Medication
A recent study by Medco showed that 51 percent of American adults and children are taking one or more prescription drugs for a chronic condition, up from 47% in 2001. Predictions were made for a worst case scenario in the upcoming years as the problems of diabetes, heart disease and obesity are on the rise.
Non-profit Health Insurance, mmmmmmm
Establishing health insurance providers as non-profit entities is an interesting concept in today’s healthcare system. What would happen if the multitude of health insurance companies switched status from for profit to a non-profit status? Putting away multi-million dollar compensation packages for industry executives and replacing them with premium dividends and improved coverage for members, could it really happen?
States bribed by CMS to turn away Emergency Department Patients.
Bribing healthcare organizations to screen patients presenting to an emergency department is not the way to control healthcare costs. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is doing just that though. As part of a multi-million dollar incentive to the states it wants to divert patients with “non-emergency” medical problems away from local emergency departments and point them to other resources within the community. The goal is to decrease the cost associated with seeking care in that emergency department. This care is typically more expensive than care provided by clinics or a primary care provider.
