It’s hard to buy an at-home Covid-19 test in the US. At-home tests are sold out across the nation. Even if the at-home Covid tests were easily available, they are unaffordable to many people...
Diane Archer
Improve health, enlist lawyers to assist patients
It is likely news to many people, but lawyers can improve improve patients’ health. Kaiser Health News reports on “medical-legal partnerships,” which have been growing throughout...
Low-cost transport improves health for isolated older adults
Choe Sang-Hun reports for the New York Times on the value of low-cost transportation services for older adults in rural counties in South Korea. In these counties, taxis ferry people to town and to...
Coronavirus: Medicare Trust Fund has reserves until 2026
Every year, Trustees of the Medicare Trust Fund project when the Trust Fund will not have the money needed to pay full Medicare Part A inpatient benefits. Notwithstanding the coronavirus pandemic...
Who benefits if Congress lowers drug prices and how much?
Democrats in Congress are determined to bring down prices for at least some prescription drugs as part of the budget reconciliation bill. The question is how will it do so. Will members talk the talk...
Don’t let your supermarket choose your health plan
Nona Tepper reports for Modern Healthcare on a new health insurer strategy to enroll more Medicare Advantage members. Anthem is partnering with Kroger to offer Medicare Advantage plans in several...
Avoid opioids to treat dental pain
Teresa Carr writes for Consumer Reports on the best drugs to treat dental pain. Hint: Avoid opioids. Percocet, Oxycontin, Codeine, and Vicodin are highly addictive and, for the most part, not as good...
Vermont Medicare experiment improves health and lowers costs
Modern Healthcare reports on a Vermont Medicare experiment that has been found to improve patient health and reduce costs. The experiment relies on an all-payer model of health care or, put...
Coronavirus: Social Security stands on solid ground
Eric Kingson and Nancy Altman write for the Daily News on the Social Security Trustees Report, which confirms the solid ground upon which Social Security sits. Notwithstanding the pandemic, Social...
What will a new Medicare dental benefit cover?
The budget reconciliation bill working its way through Congress includes a Medicare dental benefit. If a dental benefit makes it into the final budget legislation, what will it cover? Margot Sanger...