Archive for December 2010
Courant editorial critical of CT physician oversight
Authorities in CT are too lax in approving physicians to practice here, according to the Hartford Courant’s editorial page. The editorial was based on an article by the CT Health I-Team. The authors highlight numerous cases of disciplined doctors who’ve lost their license in neighboring states who are later approved to practice in CT. Hospital…
Read MoreWaterbury uninsured have a place to get care
Yesterday’s CT Mirror highlights Waterbury Project Access, a free health clinic program providing care to uninsured patients in the area. Because of the program Dennis Hayes, a truck driver with no coverage and $50,000 in medical bills from a heart attack, doesn’t have to ration his medications or doctor visits – keeping him working and…
Read MoreFactoid: Even wealthier Americans more likely to face barriers to health care than lower income consumers in most countries
It’s no surprise that low income Americans are almost twice as likely to encounter at least one barrier to accessing health care than the wealthy. But an analysis of an international comparison study finds that higher income Americans are more likely than even low income residents of seven out of ten industrialized countries to face…
Read MoreReading for the holiday break
The Wall Street Journal Blog has health care book recommendations for the end of the year promising ideas on how to fix a flawed system. Let us know what you think of them. Send us your suggestions for the Book Club. From the reading obsessed at CT Health Notes.
Read MoreIt’s official – 2010’s biggest lie of the year . . . .
PolitiFact, the Pulitzer-prize winning antidote to deliberate misinformation, has named the assertion that national health reform is a “government takeover” of health care as the biggest lie of the year. If only it were true — no public option, consumers required by law to purchase a costly product from private companies, reliance on weak state…
Read MoreNew estimates of savings needed for medical care in retirement
Too many people assume that Medicare will cover their medical costs after age 65 and fail to save. While Medicare does pay almost two thirds of seniors’ health costs, a new analysis by EBRI finds that an average American 65 year old man retiring this year without employer-sponsored premium assistance needs $109,000 in savings just…
Read MoreVote for the most influential health policy articles of 2010
For all the wonky types, RWJ is taking votes online for this year’s most influential research articles. You may have missed one or two (I did) so it’s also a chance to catch up.
Read MoreA constituent who made a difference
Eva Bunnell was a mother whose husband was about to lose his job because he was spending time with their daughter with complex medical problems when she spoke to Sen. Christopher Dodd. Out of that conversation came the Family and Medical Leave Act. Eva told that story to advocates assembled to honor Sen. Dodd’s service…
Read MoreCost cutting commission final proposals
The state Commission on Enhancing Agency Outcomes issued its final recommendations to save money in the state budget including over $145 million from health care spending. Proposals include more efficient Medicaid drug purchasing, drug recycling, preventing falls, and reducing the number of nursing home beds in the state and re-balancing long term care to emphasize…
Read MoreAlmost half of CT physicians are using electronic medical records
A new survey from the CDC finds that 48% of office-based physicians in CT are using some form of an electronic medical record/health record (EMR, EHR) this year, just under the national average (50.7%). State rates varied from 38% (KY) to 80% (MN). But only 10% of US physicians have fully functional EMRs; most are…
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