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What We're Reading: Privatizing VA Medical Care
What we're reading, December 29, 2016: President-elect Donald J. Trump considers privatizing veterans' medical care; a new task force to improve sharing of pregnancy status data; and medical marijuana legalization reduced traffic fatalities.
President-elect Donald J. Trump is considering a change to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that would allow veterans to see private doctors of their choosing. The New York Times reported that the plan would let veterans opt out of care at VA hospitals. At this time there are no details on the cost or how the change would affect the current VA system. President Barack Obama opposes such a privatization of the VA, as do some veterans groups.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) has formed a task force to better capture pregnancy status data in the fight against the Zika virus. The task force will address the capture of pregnancy status, sending and sharing pregnancy status, and the use of clinical decision support. Pregnancy status is central to a CDC Zika registry that provides monitoring of pregnant women and infant outcomes.
Some states that legalized medical marijuana have seen a reduction in the number of traffic fatalities. According to Reuters Health, the expected increase in the number of people killed in traffic accidents did not materialize—instead deaths dropped 11% on average. The study does not show the reason for the drop in traffic deaths, but some researchers suggest marijuana users are more aware of their impairment than drinkers. Currently, 28 states have legalized medical marijuana.
Beyond Insulin: The Impact of Next-Generation Diabetes Technology
April 17th 2024Experts explain how new diabetes technologies like continuous glucose monitors are transforming care beyond intensive insulin therapy, offering personalized insights and improving outcomes for patients of all treatment levels.
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Emily Goldberg Shares Insights as a Genetic Counselor for Breast Cancer Risk Screening
October 30th 2023On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Emily Goldberg, MS, CGC, a genetic counselor at JScreen, breaks down how genetic screening for breast cancer works and why it is so important to increase awareness and education around these screening tools available to patients who may be at risk for cancer.
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Study Suggests Walking 10K Steps Daily Improves QOL in Severe Hemophilia
April 12th 2024Among a small group of patients with severe hemophilia, researchers found that getting in more than 10,000 steps each day was linked to significant improvements in perceived physical health and quality of life (QOL).
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Examining Telehealth Uptake to Increase Equitable Care Access
January 26th 2023To mark the publication of The American Journal of Managed Care®’s 12th annual health IT issue, on this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Christopher M. Whaley, PhD, health care economist at the RAND Corporation, who focuses on health economics issues, including the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care delivery.
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What We’re Reading: Telehealth Debate; STD Rise Among Older Adults; PFAS Limits in Water
April 10th 2024Lawmakers are under pressure to decide the fate of COVID-era telehealth payment changes; the CDC reports an alarming increase in sexually transmitted disease (STD) cases among Americans 55 years and older; new regulations aim to reduce harmful exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals.”
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