JustCare

Tag: Data

  • The kiosk that takes your blood pressure is a tool to make money off of your personal data

    The kiosk that takes your blood pressure is a tool to make money off of your personal data

    Have you ever checked your weight or blood pressure at a health-screening kiosk?  These kiosks are popping up at major supermarkets and mega retail stores.  What you might not realize is that these kiosks are designed to collect lots of your personal information.  It’s valuable to health insurers and other health care companies.
    According to Kaiser Health News, SoloHealth owns these machines and will have 5000 of them in stores by the end of this year.   They take the names, email addresses and phone numbers of the people who use their kiosks and sell them to companies who want to market to you.  They also can sell your weight, age, and blood pressure information.If you’re not looking to gift your personal information to SoloHealth, it’s best to keep in mind that there’s no such thing as a free health kiosk screening.  For more information, click here.
  • People with Medicare are paying less for their drugs

    People with Medicare are paying less for their drugs

    People with Medicare are paying less for their drugs. The US Department of Health and Human Services just reported $11.5 billion dollars in prescription drug savings for 8.2 million older adults and people with disabilities since 2010.  Sylvia Burwell, HHS Secretary, credits the Affordable Care Act for these savings. People with Medicare are saving more and more on their prescription drugs since passage of the ACA.  The average savings is $1407 as a result of drug discounts for people without coverage in the Part D prescription drug “donut hole” and drug rebates.  For a state by state breakdown of savings, click here.
    Overall, drug savings are up $4.5 billion since last year.  Drug savings will continue to grow over the next six years until the donut hole closes in 2020.
  • Alzheimer’s Disease more prevalent among women and Hispanics

    Alzheimer’s Disease more prevalent among women and Hispanics

    A 2014 Alzheimer’s Association report finds that about two out of three people with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, are women.  In fact one out of six women over 60 get Alzheimer’s disease as compared to one out of eleven men. About five million Americans have Alzheimer’s disease, with the vast majority 75 and older.While more white Americans than African Americans and Hispanics have Alzheimer’s disease, older Hispanics and African Americans are more likely to have Alzheimer’s disease than white Americans.  Older African Americans are almost twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s than older white Americans, and older Hispanics are almost three times as likely to have Alzheimer’s than white Americans.
    Alzheimer’s disease is now the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and the fifth leading cause of death among older adults.
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  • New survey finds that health reform is helping millions of Americans get needed care

    New survey finds that health reform is helping millions of Americans get needed care

    Health reform is helping millions of Americans. As a result of health care reform, 15 percent of Americans lack health insurance today, down from 20 percent a year ago, according to a new survey by The Commonwealth Fund. Almost six million more young adults between 19 and 34 have insurance.  And, all in, nine and a half million more adults are now insured.

    Consumer satisfaction with their new health insurance coverage is also relatively high, with 78 percent either somewhat or very satisfied with their coverage.  Of those who are somewhat satisfied or very satisfied, 74 percent are Republicans and 85 percent are Democrats.  And, six out of ten people with new coverage have used it already to see a doctor or fill a prescription.

    Close to six out of ten people with new coverage (58 percent) say they are better off with their coverage than they were before.  And, 27 percent report no effect in their situation.  Only nine percent say they are worse off.

    Uninsurance varies by race and ethnicity.  Since last year, the percentage of uninsured White Americans dropped from 16 to 12 percent.  The percentage of uninsured Latinos dropped from 36 to 23 percent.  The percentage of uninsured African Americans dropped from 21 to 20 percent.

  • Americans are more satisfied with Medicare than with private insurance

    Americans are more satisfied with Medicare than with private insurance

    According to a new Gallup poll, people with government-provided health insurance, including people with Medicare and VA coverage, are more satisfied with their health care coverage than other Americans.  Almost four out of five people 65 and older are satisfied with their treatment by the health care system (79 percent of people with Medicare, Medicaid and VA coverage) as compared with about three out of five people between 18 and 45 (61-66 percent).
    More specifically, people without health insurance are the least satisfied with the health care system (36 percent). People with military or veterans coverage are the most satisfied (77 percent) and people with Medicare or Medicaid are the next most satisfied (76 percent).

    For this survey, Gallup was not able to separate out satisfaction rates for people newly insured in the health insurance exchanges.  They plan to do so in future polls as soon as practicable.

    The survey also does not speak to the reasons why people over 65 are more satisfied with the health care system than the rest of the population.  Joe Baker, president of the Medicare Rights Center, speculates it’s because Medicare and Medicaid coverage are easier to use than private insurance and in most cases provides better protection against financial risk.  “For sure, Congress can improve Medicare.  But, compared with the hassles of referrals and huge copays and deductibles with private insurance, Medicare is relatively simple.”

     

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