Pfizer’s cancer drug,  Mylotarg, is no longer available after being on the U.S. market for the past 10 years. If you have a prescription drug plan, then now is the time to start looking into your health insurance carrier’s “formulary,” which is the list that includes drugs that are covered. You will need to consult with your doctor to find an appropriate alternative that is covered through your health plan.

Pfizer decided to remove the drug from the market because studies failed to prove that it has any effectiveness. Additionally, there were reported deaths from liver and lung complications linked to its use.

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In an effort to detect the HIV virus more quickly than ever before, the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved a test that would, if the results were positive, slow the spread of the disease early on when it was in its most infectious stage.

ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab

The test called ARCHITECT HIV Ag/Ab Combo assay was developed by Abbot Laboratories Inc. If successful, the test would be able to detect the presence of the virus with much more accuracy in the weeks immediately following its transmission. This would be a huge breakthrough for patients who are infected as it would allow for a much faster implementation of treatment efforts. It would also serve to stop the further spread of this deadly disease.

The test allows for proper detection of the HIV virus in an estimated 90% of infections considered to be acute or before the development of the antibodies associated with the disease. Currently the only U.S. testing available only detects the antibodies rather than the virus itself. The antibodies present with HIV show up weeks after the initial infection, which greatly diminishes the chance of successful treatment plan, and allows for a higher chance of spreading from person to person.

FDA Approval and Health Insurance Considerations

The test is also the first to ever be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to be used on women who are pregnant. The test would allow for quicker treatment of these women and help to prevent the spread of the virus to their unborn children. Now that the test is approved by the FDA, any woman with a proper individual or family health insurance plan could request it – especially if the plan has good coverage for diagnostic tests (you can request a quote from this site to find a plan that does).

Roughly 18,000 million people are tested annually in the United States for HIV, and approximately 56,000 are found to be infected with the virus.

photo credit: stevendepolo

There’s a new bill in the works in California, and it stands to force health insurance companies to cover programs that would help people who smoke to try and quit. Considering there are already bills that require California healthcare companies to cover things like in-vitro fertilization, and bone-density screening, it’s hard to believe that a bill such as SB 220 has taken this long to come to possible fruition.

Understanding the language of SB-220

There is much optimism that the bill will pass, complete with provisions for copays and OTC (Over-the-counter) medications such as nicotine gum and patches. It also includes provisions for group counseling, which is very effective for some individuals. The bill is designed to make it easier for Californians who smoke to kick the habit by making treatments available at little cost to those who wish to try.

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Struggling to make it through in the midst of an ever-worsening budget impasse over Medicare reimbursement, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) couldn’t wait any longer. CMS is now implementing a 21% cut in physician payments, which will affect an estimated 50 million claims. Claims that were held back since June 1 will be the first to feel the effects of the cuts.

In the late 1990’s the funding formula for Medicare reimbursements was first enacted in conjunction with the Balanced Budget Act. However, even at that time it was thought by some to be flawed. Today the formula is thought to be seriously flawed, and is growing more and more out of sync with its original intended purposes with each passing year.

Medicare Cuts Could Affect Quality of Care

Even though Medicare has instituted this drastic cut it too may stand to be on the losing side of the board as well, considering there are already a huge number of medical practices that currently do not take on Medicare’s elderly patient population.

Participating physicians will see a direct impact of the 21% cut with the average office visit now being reimbursed at about $8.00 less than what they were in 2007. Medicare may also feel the brunt of this unresolved state of affairs.

If a resolution is indeed reached, and the cuts reversed, they are looking at having to swallow about .30 cents per claim that is reprocessed. This translates out to a staggering potential of $15 million dollars for the first 50 million claims alone.

Only time will tell how it will all play out in the end, if there ever will be an end. In the meantime, there is no way for anyone, including physicians, patients and even Medicare to avoid the huge impact of this monumental move.

California has one of the highest rates of uninsured citizens in the country with more than 6.4 million people currently without health insurance coverage. That said, it stands to reason that any additional coverage at the federal level is a huge plus for not only the California government but for the residents as well.

Positive effects of health care reform in California

When it comes to California, the federal overhaul would help those who can afford health insurance but are currently unable to get it. It will assist those who aren’t able to obtain coverage by providing them with a means to acquire health care benefits. Additionally, the bill will also go a long way in tackling the desire to provide Californians with the preventative means to uncover unhealthy conditions in the early stages, where they can be addressed promptly, and thus help everyone get more affordable California health insurance. There is a downside of this bill, however; read below to learn what it is.

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There’s a lot to try to understand about the newest health care bill signed into law this past March. There are a lot of provisions in the act, and all of them will affect every American citizen in one way or another. The Class Act (Community Living Assistance Services and Supports program) is one of the provisions in the bill. Here’s a brief overview of the basic details of this act.

CLASS Act

The CLASS Act is a national, voluntary insurance program that is designed to provide cash benefits if you have a disability or some form of limitation in your ability to function. The idea is to provide a way for individuals who fall into this category a way to help pay for their long-term care services.

Eligibility Requirements for CLASS Act

The plan will mostly be offered by employers and paid for by employees. Self-employed individuals may also enroll in the plan. You may enroll in the act if you meet the following criteria.

• If you are actively at work
• If you are 18 years or older
• If you are not living in a nursing home or a long-term care facility at the time of your enrollment.

You cannot be excluded from the plan if you have a pre-existing condition.

Benefits of the CLASS Act

Once you have paid into the plan for 5 years you are eligible to receive cash benefits if you have a functional impairment or disability that is expected to last more than 90 days, if you have a significant cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer’s or if you will need substantial assistance with at least 2 daily activities of daily living that is a direct result of your impairment.

Tax-exempt hospitals will be required to meet new requirements under health reform.

There has been so much back-and-forth debate about healthcare reform it can make your head spin. The Democrats say one thing, and it seems as if the Republicans claim the polar opposite. It doesn’t matter what piece of the reform is in question, it seems as if the two parties will never see eye-to-eye. In the midst of this ongoing debating (and sometimes arguing) the general public is more confused than ever about what the individual pieces of the health reform act mean. Here’s a brief look at how the health care reform will affect tax-exempt hospitals.

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Is Your Teen Equipped for Health care?

Adolescence is a unique time in the human life span. Between the ages of 10 and 19, biological changes occur at a greater rate than at any other time barring prenatal development and infancy.

Teenagers aren’t just slightly bigger children – and once the childhood stage of preschool vaccinations, childhood checkups, and summer camp physicals is over, they’re much less likely to get regular preventative medical care.

In fact, a new report suggests that many teens are slipping through cracks in the health care system simply by virtue of their age, and the existence of an “in-between” stage in the health care system that means teenagers aren’t being provided for.

For most teens, adolescence is a time of not only change, but also of boundary-pushing and risk-taking that can involve anything from smoking cigarettes, to experimenting with drugs, underage drinking, reckless driving, sexually transmitted diseases, or teenage pregnancy.

Just as important, habits that are formed during these teenage years are very often the habits that persist throughout adulthood. That tends to be true whether it’s work ethic, social behavior, or health-related habits.

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A few key points you should know about acupuncture

It almost seems like an oxymoron doesn’t it? Stick needles into your skin to ease pain. You’d think that sticking needles into your body would produce pain, but that’s not what happens. The art of acupuncture has been around for more than 4000 years. Though it is still not completely understood how it works, and many remain skeptical, those who have had acupuncture treatments will attest to its effectiveness. Scientists have recently made a correlation between a molecule called adenosine and the effects of acupuncture.

What is Adenosine

A team of scientist as the University of Rochester Medical Center identified the molecule, adenosine, as a major player in the pain-relieving effects of acupuncture. The report was published online in Nature Neuroscience, and indicated that scientists were able to triple the pain-relieving effects of acupuncture in mice by using a chemical which makes it harder for body tissue to remove adenosine.

How do I obtain acupuncture health insurance?

Acupuncture coverage generally falls under the larger category of alternative therapy coverage. This is a type of health insurance that offers benefits that are tailored to patients who are interested almost exclusively in alternative forms of health care (whether it is natural health remedies, chiropractic care, hypnosis, energy healing, homeopathy, and more). You can request a free quote for health insurance here, which will get you on the right track.

How Adenosine Works With Acupuncture

Adenosine is a natural compound that is known to regulate sleep, and has anti-inflammatory properties. Adenosine also acts as a natural painkiller by inhibiting nerve signals which signal the brain to feel pain. Adenosine dramatically increases the effects of acupuncture treatments by almost tripling the amount of adenosine in the muscles where acupuncture treatments are administered.

Research already shows that acupuncture creates signals in the brain that cause the body to produce the larger amounts of endorphins; another natural painkiller found in the body. This study shows has revealed the role of adenosine in acupuncture treatments.

For many people, acupuncture is a mainstay in their fight to relieve pain. Although it isn’t completely understood just how it works, thousands of people will attest that it does.

photo credit: sushiphotos

Who would have thought there were any dangers lurking in the fresh fruits and vegetable isle of your local supermarket? Whether organic or commercially grown, everyone agrees that fruits and vegetables are good for you. The more you eat the better, right? Well, this isn’t entirely true.

Pesticides in Your Fruits and Vegetables

It’s no secret that pesticides aren’t good for you, but did you know that the main source of pesticides found in the human body is a direct result of consuming fresh fruits and vegetables? It’s true. Organophosphate exposure mostly comes from consuming those otherwise healthy fruits and vegetables. Scientific study showed long ago that exposure to high levels of organophosphate is very harmful to your health, but new studies are indicting that even small amounts of pesticides (Levels that were once thought to be safe) can be extremely harmful; especially in child and teenagers.

Fruits and Vegetables and ADHD

A study published in the May 2010 edition of Pediatrics, suggested that low levels of pesticides were associated with a higher risk of developing Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in young children. The research comes from the University of Montreal and Harvard University. After testing the urine of 1,139 kids aging from 8 – 15, it was revealed that almost 95% of them had at least one of the chemical byproducts of pesticides in their systems. So what’s the answer?

Making Your Fruits and Vegetables Safe

For starters, you can change your diet to entirely organic. Although there is a higher cost involved with purchasing organic, the health benefits are remarkable. If your pocketbook can’t handle a diet that is entirely organic, the next best thing is to wash all your fruits and vegetables before consuming them.