Americans Skip Health Care Because of Cost

One-third of American adults skipped health care because of high cost, according to a new 11-country survey from The Commonwealth Fund. Compared with ten other industrialized nations, the United States ranks last when it comes to health care related issues, including the ability to pay medical bills and having to deal with high out-of-pocket costs.

Americans have the most negative health care experiences

If high health care costs prevented you from going to see a doctor when you were sick, stopped you from following recommended medical advice, or caused you to not fill a prescription, you are not alone if you live in the United States. While 33 percent of US adults can make these claims, only 5 to 6 percent of adults in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom are faced with these problems.
Similarly, 20 percent of US adults had major problems paying their medical expenses, compared with only 9 percent in France, which was the next closest on the list of 11 countries. Even when they have health insurance, 35 percent of Americans still pay the highest out-of-pocket costs than the other ten nations.
The Commonwealth Fund 2010 International Health Policy Survey in Eleven Countries evaluated health care access and insurance experiences of 19,700 adults from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Of all these countries, “the US is the only country in the study where having health insurance doesn’t guarantee you access to health care or financial protection when you’re sick,” reported lead author Cathy Schoen, who is Commonwealth Fund senior vice president.
The United States also “won” regarding another issue: health insurance system complexity. Compared with other countries that have competitive health insurance markets, American adults were most likely (33%) to have major disputes with their insurance carriers, including spending a great deal of time with paperwork and having claims denied. Germany came in a distant second at 23 percent, with 20 percent of adults in the Netherlands making similar claims.
A few other findings from the survey include:

• Forty-six percent of American adults with below-average incomes who had health insurance skipped needed care because of costs compared with adults with above-average incomes
• Between 70 and 93 percent of adults in Switzerland, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom were most likely to get same-day or next-day access to doctors when sick compared with 57 percent of adults in the United States and Sweden
• Only 58 percent of American adults felt confident they would be able to pay for their health care needs, the lowest rate among the eleven countries.

Possible good news may come in the form of the Affordable Care Act, according to Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis. She also noted that “there are opportunities to learn from other countries” regarding their more successful health care service. However, the survey authors also noted that out-of-pocket costs will remain high for American adults compared with other countries, which may still force them to skip health care because of cost.

Tapeworm diet not recommended for New Year's Resolutions

It is that time of year again when we all look at the various areas of our lives that need to be worked on. One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is weight loss. Naturally, one will want to find a diet where eating anything you want and still lose weight is the most perfect answer. However, be careful. The latest fad seems to be the tapeworm diet. The tapeworm diet is not recommended for New Year’s resolutions.
The tapeworm diet includes injesting a parasite so that one can eat anything and as much as wanted. The tapeworm then takes nutrients and calories for itself. There are those who will say that if this is so, eating whatever calories one wants, the tapeworm will allow weight loss by utilizing these for its own growth. Do not forget that the parasite also take nutrients resulting in malnourishment. The tapeworm diet has more cons than pros.
The pros include almost guaranteed weight loss. However, it stops there. Here is a list of cons that should be highly considered: the parasite can be deadly and the tapeworm diet has been banned by the FDA, so even if you want a tapeworm, it is almost impossible to get one. Other cons include the need for medical intervention to get rid of the tapeworm and some dangerous side effects from the tapeworm. Finally, as with all diets, weight gain is guaranteed once the tapeworm is gone and eating is continued in the same manner.
According to Diets in Review, the tapeworm is not a diet. It is an extremely dangerous and desperate way to lose weight. When pondering how you will lose weight this year, be mindful of the best advice that is given by doctors and scientists alike: eat less and exercise more!
New Year’s resolutions do not have to be dangerous and desperate. The tapeworm diet has been considered to be just that. It is also illegal for anyone to import or sell a tapeworm in the United States, creating another factor in the ability to ingest the parasite. Eating a healthy diet and exercising more is a great way to start the new year!

Medical Journals Urge Health Workers to Support Climate Change Policy

Several medical journals have issued a call to action from health care professionals to support climate change policies that they say cannot be ignored for advancing public health. The link between climate change and the impact on poor heath cannot be ignored, and it's up to health care professionals to advocate for climate change policy that aligns with health policy..
Written by Robin Stott and Ian Roberts, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on behalf of the Climate and Health Council, and published simultaneously in the BMJ, the Lancet and the Finnish Medical Journal, the editorials warn climate policy and health policy must not be overlooked. Health care professionals must put human health at the forefront of climate change negotiation.

Climate Change Already Affects Human Health

Dr. Roberts writing in the Lancet warns, “Climate change already affects human health, and, if no action is taken, problems such as malnutrition, deaths and injury due to extreme weather conditions, and change in geographical distribution of disease vectors will worsen.”
The Lancet, the British Medical Journal, and the Finnish Medical Journal are working together to highlight the importance of the effects of climate change on human health. Climate change policy is the topic of discussion at a high-level UN meeting Nov 29-Dec 10, 2010 in Cancun, Mexico.
Stott and Roberts say, "If the delegates at this conference think that obesity and climate change are unrelated, they would be wrong. The planet is getting hotter, its people are getting fatter, and the use of fossil fuel energy is the cause of both."
"We invite colleagues everywhere to join us in tackling this major public health scourge of the 21st century." Advocating for a low carbon economy can only have a positive impact on human health that "could be the next great public health advance”. They cite the benefits of more physical activity, a lower incidence of cancer, obesity, heart disease, diabetes and even depression. Eating less meat and switching to a low carbon diet and fewer cars would reduce food prices.
The Medical journals are asking health care professionals to take the Climate and Health Council pledge They say failure to radically reduce carbon emissions would mean “global catastrophe.” The medical journals are calling on health care professionals “to ensure that the links between climate policy and health policy are known and fully taken into account in all climate change negotiations."

Health Insurance Must Cover Autism Says Missouri Governor

Governor Jay Nixon is asking House members to follow the lead of the state Senate and pass a bill that requires health insurance coverage of autism. The Missouri House members turned down the bill earlier this year.
According to the Kansas City Star, Governor Nixon is pressing for a bill that guarantees health insurance providers “will cover the most effective treatments for autism” and that includes “substantial provisions that make real differences for real families.” Governor Nixon has been traveling around the state making his case, appearing at an autism clinic affiliated with the University of Missouri, Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, and an autism center in St. Louis.
According to a study called “Missouri Public Schools Autism Prevalence Report 1992 - 2003,” Missouri had 2,863 cases of autism in children in 2003. This is an underreported figure, however, because it does not include children who attend private schools or who are home taught, those who do not meet the eligibility criteria for the autism disability category, or those who are in regular education classes. Therefore the actual number of autistic children who would be covered by health insurance could be much higher.
This fall, Senators Scott Rupp (R-Wentzville) and Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Glendale) plan to introduce legislation. Senator Rupp introduced an autism health insurance bill that passed in the Missouri Senate in May, but the bill was prevented from reaching the floor of the House. Senator Schmitt has a child with an autism spectrum disorder.
Governor wants to see four elements in an autism health insurance bill: carriers must cover the diagnosis and treatment of autism, coverage must include specific therapies, and the minimum cap on benefits must not be less than $35,000 per year; no limit on doctor visits; and insurance carriers cannot refuse or terminate coverage because of an autism diagnosis. Health insurance companies claim that requiring coverage of autism will raise insurance premiums for all of their customers.
Representative Ron Richard (R-Joplin), who was largely responsible for preventing last year’s bill from reaching House vote, has changed his colors. This year, Rep. Richard created an independent Autism Spectrum Disorder Interim Committee that is charged with crafting a House version of the bill. The true test will take place this fall when the Missouri lawmakers return to once again hash out health insurance coverage legislation for autism.

SC Blue Cross Launches Affordable Group Health Insurance Plan

BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina last month introduced Blue SpectrumSM, a rebranding of the company’s health insurance plans that also adds less-costly affordable health insurance plans designed for groups and individuals seeking more options.
"With increasing health care costs forcing rising premium prices, some individuals and employers are either dropping their insurance or not picking it up to begin with," said BlueCross BlueShield Division President David Pankau. "With the introduction of a variety of new product designs, we are providing options that might help companies continue to provide health insurance coverage."
Blue Spectrum eventually will include several layers of health plan options for small group employers and individuals. Business BlueSM is a series of plans for groups of two to 50 employees, and Personal BlueSM plans accommodate individuals. Three group products are now available under Business Blue: Business BlueSM Complete, a full coverage plan; Business BlueSM HDHP; and a new plan called Business BlueSM Secure.
Business Blue Secure offers similar coverage but adds cost reduction factors that allow for a lower premium. It addresses the needs of employees who want a plan with good benefits, and it helps the employer in balancing coverage and costs.
Later this year, additional plans will be introduced under the Blue Spectrum portfolio, including the first new individual plans to be offered by BlueCross in over 10 years. The new plans include:
* Business BlueSM Basic and Personal BlueSM Basic, which offer the lowest premiums and meet basic insurance needs, such as access to health care without fear of large medical bills.
* An individual plan available for local chambers of commerce members called Personal True BlueSM, an addition to the existing group plans available to chamber members.
* Two high deductible health plan (HDHP) group plans called Business BlueSM HDHRA, designed to offer a health reimbursement account (HRA) option integrated with the HDHP.
All BlueCross members will benefit from BlueCross’ PPO network, the largest in the state, and the Blue Card Worldwide® network that allows in-network access to providers in other states served by other Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies.
Business Blue Complete, Business Blue Secure and Business Blue HDHP, all of which agents began quoting in May, are the first products launched under the overall group of Blue Spectrum plans. The rest will be available in the third and fourth quarters. All new and existing group and individuals will have transitioned to the new products or new product names by late 2009.
Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina and its family of companies include more than 20 subsidiaries involved in health insurance services, U.S. DoD health plan and Medicare contracts, and other insurance and employee benefits services.