Primary Care Providers Are the Key to Alzheimer’s Care
The Incidental Economist
by Katherine O'Malley
1d ago
As America’s population grows older and more patients are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and related dementias, the challenge of providing timely, effective, and comprehensive care grows. One of the key clinicians poised to play a major role in management and care for cognitive decline is the primary care provider (PCP). I have a new piece out in STAT News today looking at the role that PCPs will play in this growing crisis and ways that their training can be improved. Many PCPs don’t feel comfortable assessing cognition. A 2020 survey conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association found that 40% of PC ..read more
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Painful Truths the U.S. Can Learn from Global Healthcare
The Incidental Economist
by Tiffany Doherty
1d ago
The American healthcare debate is often a pendulum swinging between two extremes: maintaining the status quo and adopting a single-payer system. But what if we’re asking the wrong questions? What if the answers lie not in the extremes but in the nuanced experiences of other countries? We need to shift the conversation from what we’re against to what we’re for and, more important, what we’re willing to trade off to get there.    Thank to the Commonwealth Fund for supporting the production of this video.   The post Painful Truths the U.S. Can Learn from Global Healthcare first appeare ..read more
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HSR Call for Abstracts: The Role of Health Services Research in Advances in Cancer Prevention and Control
The Incidental Economist
by Austin Frakt
6d ago
Cross-posted from the Health Services Research website. Sponsored by: Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine Submission deadline for abstracts: Monday 17 June 2024 Health Services Research (HSR) and the Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine are partnering to publish a Special Issue on The Role of Health Services Research in Cancer Prevention and Control. The special issue will be edited by Kevin Schulman, MD, Roger Anderson, PhD, Xin Hu, PhD, and Asal Pilehvari, PhD. Paradigm shifts in cancer scre ..read more
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When Times Get Tough: Regional Economic Conditions and Preventable Hospitalizations Among Older Patients with Diabetes
The Incidental Economist
by Stuart Figueroa
1w ago
In times of economic uncertainty and decline, we all take steps to be more frugal. Clipping coupons, spending less on entertainment and dining, or swapping out a favorite brand name good for a generic alternative won’t hurt you. But sometimes the lengths one can go to save money will. When sick, some forego the doctor’s visit in favor of a cheap(er) over-the-counter remedy. Others ration an expensive prescription like insulin to make the supply last. Deferring health care comes with a cost though – often to those who are already vulnerable. For younger and healthy adults, putting off an overdu ..read more
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Ten Years Later: The HPV Vaccine is Still Incredible & Lifesaving
The Incidental Economist
by Tiffany Doherty
1w ago
We love some good vaccine data, and we were pretty excited to see a new, long-term study published this month on cervical cancer outcomes after the HPV vaccine.    The post Ten Years Later: The HPV Vaccine is Still Incredible & Lifesaving first appeared on The Incidental Economist ..read more
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Do Oreos Lower Cholesterol? No.
The Incidental Economist
by Tiffany Doherty
2w ago
According to a recent study, “Oreo Cookie Treatment” is better at lowering LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) than high-intensity therapy with cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins. ARE OREOS A HEALTH FOOD NOW?!    The post Do Oreos Lower Cholesterol? No. first appeared on The Incidental Economist ..read more
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Legal Sports Betting – Our Next Addiction Crisis?
The Incidental Economist
by Stuart Figueroa
3w ago
With the legalization of sports betting, we may be courting our next addiction crisis. Sports betting is not new but, in 2018, the Supreme Court lifted a longstanding prohibition that significantly limited gambling on sports. Since that decision, legal sports betting has been big business – approximately $220 billion in five years big. It’s no wonder that 38 states have since chosen to legalize it. Not everyone is thrilled by the pace of expansion, however – gambling disorder affects an estimated two million adults in the United States each year. In many states where sports betting is now lega ..read more
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Changes in Cost-Sharing Have Little Impact on VHA Reliance
The Incidental Economist
by Kristina Carvalho
3w ago
Most Veterans enrolled in health care coverage through Veterans Health Administration (VHA) have additional coverage through public programs like Traditional Medicare or private payers like Medicare Advantage or employer-sponsored insurance. In recent years, Veteran enrollment in Medicare Advantage in particular has grown significantly. Historically, it has been unclear how Medicare Advantage policy changes affect how dual-enrolled Veterans use VHA services. The Partnered Evidence-based Policy Resource Center (PEPReC) published a policy brief exploring whether recent changes in Medic ..read more
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Gender-Affirming Surgeries Reduce Suicides
The Incidental Economist
by Kristina Carvalho
3w ago
Suicide remains a leading cause of death among Veterans, and the risks are disproportionately higher for transgender Veterans. Gender-affirming surgeries are proven to significantly reduce suicide risk. While Veterans Health Administration offers several forms of gender-affirming care, initial surgeries are explicitly excluded. The Partnered Evidence-based Policy Resource Center (PEPReC) published a policy brief discussing the health impacts of gender-affirming surgery and suggests there is an urgent need to consider adding initial surgical options to the Veteran benefits package. Read the ful ..read more
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Will Massachusetts’ New Dental Insurance Law Benefit Patients?
The Incidental Economist
by Katherine O'Malley
1M ago
In 2022, 70% of Massachusetts voters supported a ballot question to make dental insurance coverage more transparent and more focused on the patient. Now that the law is enacted (as of January 1, 2024), most voters have forgotten what the details of the law are and how it is supposed to help. Will the dental insurance law save patients money at the dentist’s office, or will insurers increase costs to comply with the new legislation? I have a new piece looking at these questions in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette: The new Massachusetts dental insurance reform law will likely have wide-rangin ..read more
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