A recent report highlights gaps in mortality rates between rural and urban Americans; debt relief does not improve mental health or credit scores, researchers find; worries about sun gazing effects surge.
Widening Rural-Urban Mortality Gap Raises Concerns Among Health Experts
A report from the Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service revealed a widening gap in mortality rates between rural and urban Americans aged 25 to 54 years, with rural residents experiencing significantly higher rates of death from natural causes, such as chronic diseases and cancer, according to Kaiser Health News. The analysis underscored the need for stronger policies focused on rural health, as access and quality of health care services in rural areas continue to decline. Experts emphasized the importance of addressing systemic inequities and advocating for initiatives like Medicaid expansion to improve health care access and outcomes in rural communities.
Study Reveals Limited Impact of Paying Off Medical Debt on Debtors' Lives
A recent study published by economists challenged the effectiveness of RIP Medical Debt's approach to addressing health care–related debt, suggesting that debt relief may not significantly improve the lives of those affected, according to The New York Times. Despite the nonprofit group’s efforts in eliminating over $11 billion in medical debt since 2014, the study found that beneficiaries experienced minimal improvements in mental health and credit scores, with debt relief having little impact on their access to medical care or financial stability. While the findings underscored the complexity of addressing medical debt, advocates argued that major donations focusing on individual cities could potentially enhance the effectiveness of debt relief initiatives in the future.
Concerns Rise Over Eye Health After Total Solar Eclipse
Following the recent total solar eclipse in several US communities, Google searches about "hurt eyes" spiked, reflecting concerns about potential eye damage from viewing the eclipse without proper protection, according to NBC News. While experts acknowledged the risk of eye injury from gazing at the sun, they emphasized that cases of long-term damage are rare. However, symptoms such as blind spots, blurry vision, or floaters warrant immediate medical attention, as they could indicate solar retinopathy, a condition associated with retina damage from solar exposure. Eye specialists advised prompt evaluation for any vision-related symptoms following solar eclipse viewing and cautioned against prolonged sun gazing without protective eyewear.
Initiating BP Medication Linked to Higher Fall, Fracture Risks in Nursing Home Residents
May 2nd 2024Among over 60,000 nursing home residents who initiated antihypertensive medication, rates of excess fractures due to falls per 100 person-years were as high as 5 among certain patient groups, such as those with dementia and high blood pressure (BP).
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Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Navigating Health Literacy, Social Determinants, and Discrimination in National Health Plans
February 13th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the February 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on how health plans can screen for health literacy, social determinants of health, and perceived health care discrimination.
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Industry Experts Tackle Specialty Drug Access Challenges for Employer Benefit Plans
May 2nd 2024Representatives from ICON plc and Symphony Health joined forces at AXS24 to discuss the challenges of managing high-cost specialty drugs and how they influence self-funded employer benefit plan design and employee access to specialty medications.
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Diving Deep Into Specialty Pharmacy: Insights and Forecasts From IQVIA’s Doug Long
May 1st 2024Doug Long, MBA, vice president of industry relations at IQVIA, covered a bevy of stakeholder investment–related topics in his presentation at AXS24 on trends in specialty pharmacy, chief among them challenges facing the industry, obesity medications, generics and biosimilars, new product launches, and the outlook for the US market.
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