HHS To Acquire New Anthrax Therapeutic Treatment For Stockpile, USA
The Department of Salubrity and Kind Services (HHS) announced today it will purchase 20,000 treatment courses of ABthrax, an anthrax health-giving treatment, from Human Genome Sciences of Rockville, Md. for $165,205,217. Delivering is expected to off in 2009. Call of the terms of the bargain, bursting payment to Human Genome Sciences is contingent on the output receiving licensure from the Food and Psychedelic Management.
"This powerful addition to the Strategic National Stockpile will provide physicians a way to neutralize the deadly toxin anthrax bacteria produces," said Dr. Gerald Parker, HHS Acting Link Secretary as far as something Public Health Emergency Vigilance. "And we originate it is the toxin which accounted for the majority of anthrax-related deaths during the anthrax attacks of 2001."
The Subdivision of Homeland Security has definite that anthrax poses a threat to the U.S. population and the interagency Weapons of Bags Breakdown Medical Countermeasures Subcommittee has recommended that anthrax therapeutics be acquired to improve the nation's biodefense preparedness and comeback capabilities and protect civilians from a potentially lethal orientation to anthrax spores.
In September 2005, HHS awarded a base contract to Human Genome Sciences in compensation acquisition of a pint-sized amount of ABthrax, their antitoxin product, for outside guidance analysis and testing. The form contract included an selection to procure additional product following the testing and HHS is now exercising that option.
HHS' Task of Overt Health Emergency Preparedness, which oversees the advanced research and procurement efforts under the Project BioShield program through its Office of Research and Situation Coordination, manages the arrangement with Human Genome Sciences.
hhs.gov/news
New Clinical Trial For Patients With Asbestos-Associated Lung Cancer
The Mesothelioma Center within the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center is now recruiting patients for a clinical research study of a new targeted radiation and chemotherapy protocol respecting pleural mesothelioma, a cancer of the lung's lining that is almost in any case caused by previous exposure to asbestos.
The burgee treatment for pleural mesothelioma is currently surgery to wipe out the patient's lung -- a potentially debilitating consequence.
"Current surgical and chemotherapy treatments of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma are unsatisfactory, and organize not been shown to significantly prolong survival. In this study, we will examine whether a combination of chemotherapy and radiation targeted shortly at the lung's lining can mend outcomes while avoiding surgery," says Dr. Robert Taub, the study's principal investigator, director of the Mesothelioma Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia and professor of clinical remedy at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. "In addition, this approach has shown to have minimal toxic side effects compared to systemic chemotherapy."
"This fling is also notable because our center is the lone only nationwide that is sacrifice this conjectural therapy to care pleural mesothelioma," added Dr. Taub. "We are very focused on offering these patients the trounce treatment that medical technology can offer while simultaneously working to game reserve quality of life."
Researchers also prevent that the radiation treatment will work havoc upon the cancer cells on surface of the lung while niggardly other parts of the lung and surrounding vital tissues.
"Delivery of radiation remedy instantly into the pleural crater is a blueprint that has been employed since 1945. Today, direct injection of radioactive isotope P-32 may establish to be a critical and true belongings healing approach for selected mesothelioma patients," adds Dr. Rashid Fawwaz, study co-investigator, radiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia and professor of clinical radiology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
"Overall, it is hoped that this study command cut down the need for patients to endure radical surgery," states Dr. Joshua Sonett, inquiry co-investigator, chief of mixed thoracic surgery, surgical superintendent of the Lung Transplant Program and surgical helmsman of the High-Risk Lung Assessment Program at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia and professor of clinical surgery at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Participating patients will make very many rounds of targeted chemotherapy using the drugs cisplatin and doxorubicin via surgically implanted catheters. Some patients intent be randomly selected to receive additional systemic (intravenous) chemotherapy using the drugs cisplatin and pemetrexed. All patients will receive targeted radiotherapy using the P-32 radioisotope. Patients may elect to away with additional surgical treatment, including removal of the affected lung lining or lung. Subsequently, patients will be offered outpatient systemic chemotherapy with cisplatin and pemetrexed.
The investigators beforehand led a incipient about that employed a similar protocol for patients with pleural mesothelioma as well as those with the more retractable sarcomatous disease. Completed in 2002, the study reported a median survival of 70 months, and a three-year survival of 67 percent (American Journal of Clinical Oncology, February 2008).
Patients aged 18 and older that have not had recent radiation therapy or chemotherapy, and cause not received prior Alimta chemotherapy, may be unwed for the current study. Those interested in enrolling should contact Dr. Robert Taub, Dr. Joshua Sonett or lessons coordinator Lilian Batista at (212) 305-6837.
The study is being conducted at the Mesothelioma Center within the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center.
Drs. Taub, Fawwaz and Sonett are joined by co-investigators Drs. Marker Ginsberg and Lyall Gorenstein -- both of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center.
From 1940 entirely 1979, approximately 28 million U.S. workers were exposed to asbestos at work. An estimated 3,000 people died of mesothelioma in the recently 1990s. It is unknown how asbestos causes the disease.
Columbia University Medical Center
Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in basic, pre-clinical and clinical research, in medical and fettle sciences education, and in patient attend to. The medical center trains future leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, nurses, dentists, and patrons health professionals at the College of Physicians & Surgeons, the Mailman School of Public Form, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions. Established in 1767, Columbia's College of Physicians & Surgeons was the first asylum in the fatherland to accede to the M.D. degree. Among the most selective medical schools in the realm, the dogma is home to the largest medical research undertaking in New York Aver and one of the largest in the United States. For more information, interest visit http://www.hiccc.columbia.edu.
Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center
The Herbert Irving Encompassing Cancer Center at Columbia University Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Facility encompasses pre-clinical and clinical research, treatment, prevention and training efforts in cancer. The Cancer Center was initially funded by the NCI in 1972 and became a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center in 1979. The designation recognizes the Center's collaborative environment and expertise in harnessing translational research to bridge scientific discovery to clinical presentation, with the ultimate object of successfully introducing novel diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive approaches to cancer. For more communication, inflict http://www.hiccc.columbia.edu.
NewYork-Presbyterian Medical centre
NewYork-Presbyterian Convalescent home, based in New York City, is the nation's largest not-for-profit, non-sectarian hospital, with 2,242 beds. The Hospital has nearly a million patient visits in a year, including more than 220,000 visits to its emergency departments -- more than any other area hospital. NewYork-Presbyterian provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of medicine at five serious centers: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Allen Pavilion and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division. Joke of the largest and most encyclopaedic health-care institutions in the world, the Hospital is committed to superiority in patient care, research, education and community service. It ranks sixth in U.S.News & World Report's guide to "America's Best Hospitals," ranks first on New York magazine's "Best Hospitals" appraise, has the greatest million of physicians listed in New York magazine's "Best Doctors" problem, and is included entirety Solucient's top 15 major teaching hospitals. The Hospital's mortality rates are among the lowest for heart attack and heart dud in the country, according to a 2007 U.S. Turn on of Health and Human Services (HHS) detail possible. The Infirmary has learned affiliations with two of the nation's leading medical colleges: Weill Cornell Medical College and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
View drug information on Alimta.
Illinois Rep. Schakowsky Introduces Bill To Encourage Federal Research Into, Authorize Funding for Microbicide Development
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Evil.) on Tuesday introduced a Diet tally that would encourage federal research into the occurrence of microbicides that could help prevent HIV infection among women, CQ HealthBeat reports (CQ HealthBeat, 9/21). Microbicides categorize a area of products -- such as gels, films, sponges and other products -- that could help avoid the sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases in women (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Piece, 8/16). The Microbicide Event Act would establish a federal delineate under which NIH, CDC and USAID would coordinate their microbicide up on and reveal activities and would create an NIH arm dedicated to microbicide research. The folding money also would OK federal funding for the research in fiscal year 2006-2007, with fastidious amounts to be worked away from with NIH (CQ HealthBeat, 9/21).
"Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can vista the entire Kaiser Daily Fettle Method Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Ways Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a lavish service of The Henry J. Kaiser Set Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Directors Proprietorship and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Demand for prescription hormones nosedives
Since a study showed hormone therapy increased the danger of boob cancer (and courage plague and other illnesses), prescription as a service to hormone supplements have dropped by 38% in the USA.
Estimates suggest that prescriptions for the year 2003 were 57 million (USA), in 2001 they were 91 million. Of the 6 million American women who used the combined pills in 2001, 14,500 had heart murrain, breast cancer, pulsation and blood clots as a result of taking estrogen-progestin (that year).
The following year the number of nearly the same cases (heart disease, breast cancer, stroke and blood clots) fell to 6,500 (drop of 56%).
'A same large population uses these drugs and has been positively affected by the changes in practice that experience come about,' said Dr. Randall Stafford of Stanford University's Prevention Investigation Center, an author of the new analysis.
Some doctors say that hormones are quiescent appropriate proper for some women. They say that the health risks are somewhat small. Menopause symptoms such as heated flashes (flushes in UK), vaginal dryness and thinning bones can be relieved by hormone therapy.
Most studies which show a slight risk do not conclusion in such a huge change in prescribing figures. However, in the case of HRT it was probably anticipated to the massive publicity.
NHS Failing People With MS, UK
A report published by the Nobles College of Physicians (RCP) and the MS Rely on states the NHS is imperfection people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
The report identified that the estimated 85,000 people in the UK with MS are subject to a "postcode lottery", with access to basic services - including pain relief - a matter of geographical site.
The NHS is in addition in the absence of to implement 2003 National Association of Clinical Goodness (NICE) guidelines on the management of the fitness.
An audit of services revealed that only 36% of people with MS had access to neurological rehabilitation facilities and long delays mean 50% of patients are waiting more than 20 weeks to be diagnosed after a GP referral.
Simon Gillespie, chief executive of the MS Society said: "It's vital that health services are held to account and this latest audit confirms what our 40,000 members tell us - people with MS be in want of access to more and better be enamoured of.
"The NICE guideline sets out a estimable range of care and support on paper but it needs to be backed up in application."
Multiple Sclerosis Polite society
Marital Status Doesn’t Affect Lung Cancer Survival
Contrary to previous studies,
married patients with lung cancer do not fool longer survival, according to
analysis of an voluminous Mayo Clinic database in the December take exception of "The
Oncologist."
However, the results suggest some other potentially important
differences among patient subgroups -- including the possibility that
married patients receive a more aggressive course to lung cancer
treatment, write Dr. Aminah Jatoi and colleagues.
The researchers analyzed data on not quite 5,900 patients from a Mayo
Clinic database of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the
most common category of lung cancer. The database included information on a
wide drift of factors, including cancer produce, cancer treatment, and other
factors affecting prophecy.
The bookwork also included poop on marital rank: 76 percent of
the patients were married (average mature, 65 years), four percent single,
seven percent divorced, and twelve percent widowed (average age, 73 years).
The researchers analyzed the data to get if there was any relationship
between the patients' marital status at the immediately their cancer was diagnosed
and their survival outcomes.
Prime study found no significant differences in survival among the
unlike marital eminence groups. This remained true after order for
high-ranking prognostic factors, including age, tumor stage, and smoking. The
results were in contrast to previous studies suggesting that married
patients with lung cancer tended to hold longer survival.
However, exploratory analyses inaugurate some significant differences in
lung cancer treatment by marital status. Widowed and divorced patients
received less aggressive treatment for cancer, which in some cases seemed
to lead to shorter survival times. Survival was also shorter for patients
in certain subgroups -- suitable example, widowed patients with stage IA lung
cancer (the least advanced stage).
Some aspects of rank of life also differed among marital groups.
Divorced patients had greater financial concerns than patients in the other
groups, while married and widowed patients had greater spirituality and
more social support.
Smaller, less indeed-controlled studies have reported longer survival for
married patients with lung cancer. The extensive Mayo Clinic NSCLC database
provided an time to re-rate the relationship between marriage
and lung cancer survival.
The findings show no differences in survival based on marital significance.
"Nonetheless, marital importance at times appeared to have influenced whether
or not a patient received predetermined types of cancer analysis," the researchers
erase.
The subgroup analyses also suggest other differences in lung cancer
treatment and mark of life that are praiseworthy of what is more review, Dr.
Jatoi and coauthors on. They conclude, "Thus, salubrity care providers should proceed to remain susceptible to the importance of human bonds as
they care someone is concerned patients with NSCLC."
The new article, entitled "Does Marital Status Results Survival and
Quality of Flair in Patients with Non-Uncomfortable Stall Lung Cancer? Observations
from the Mayo Clinic Lung Cancer Cohort," is elbow online at
http://theoncologist.alphamedpress.org and in publish in the December issue
of "The Oncologist."
About AlphaMed Press
AlphaMed Press publishes the internationally noted journals "Stem
Cells" and "The Oncologist." "Stem Cells," promptly in its 25th year, is the
oldest and one of the world's top-layer peer-reviewed monthly journals in
the tightly-paced area of stem cells and regenerative nostrum. "The
Oncologist," in its 12th year, is a premier become visible-reviewed monthly scrapbook
dedicated to physicians entrusted with the be enamoured of of cancer patients. Its
highly acclaimed CME program, "The Oncologist CME Online," has awarded more
than 32,800 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits(TM). View AlphaMed Press journals at
http://www.alphamedpress.org.
AlphaMed Press
http://www.alphamedpress.org
Compounds In Spinal Fluid Associated With Faster Decline Among Individuals With Mild Dementia
Levels of biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid of individuals with certainly kind dementia may be associated with the class at which their thinking, learning and memory skills fall, according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Decree effective treatments as regards Alzheimer's infirmity will likely depend on early identification of patients, according to background advice in the article. "Because there is a growing emphasis on enrolling individuals with less cognitive weakening into clinical trials of putative anti-Alzheimer's disease agents, methods are needed that will sort out individuals with mere demulcent dementia of the Alzheimer's classification who are more suitable to exhibit measurable cognitive shrink during the examine," the authors write.
Barbara J. Snider, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at Washington University Prepare of Medicine, St. Louis, studied 49 individuals with a diagnosis of very yielding dementia of the Alzheimer genus. Participants underwent a lumbar puncture to obtain a cross-section of cerebrospinal fluid, which was tested for several biomarkers associated with Alzheimer's affliction, including alpha-beta peptide 1-42 (Aβ42), tau and phosphorylated tau 181 (ptau 181). All the participants had at least solitary follow-up assessment an commonplace of 3.5 years later.
"The rate of dementia progression was significantly more rapid in individuals with demean baseline cerebrospinal fluid Aβ42 levels, higher tau or ptau 181 levels or high tau: Aβ42 ratios," the authors write.
"Although the number of participants in this observe was relatively small-scale, the results suggest that CSF biomarkers might be useful as memorandum criteria in support of clinical trials of infirmity-modifying therapies object of mild cognitive impairment and very meek dementia of the Alzheimer type," they be prolonged. "Limiting enrollment to individuals with CSF Aβ42 values below a certain cutoff projection might ameliorate the difficulties caused by lack of disorder progress in some individuals during the trial." In support of instance, if dementia progresses slowly among all patients in a bane, a larger number of participants would be needed to determine if the treatment was actual over a given time period.
"These findings are likely to have well-connected implications for reducing the loads of participants needed to direct an carry out in clinical trials for very mild dementia of the Alzheimer genus and mild cognitive impairment and, ultimately, to work for in making treatment decisions as more invasive and potentially venomous infection-modifying treatments for Alzheimer's disease evolve into available," they conclude.
Arch Neurol. 2009;66[5]:638-645.
Source
Archives of Neurology
Forearm support reduces pain linked to computer use
Providing forearm support is an operative way to prevent musculoskeletal disorders of the upper cadaver and helps reduce upper stiff wound associated with computer work, according to a study reported in the April 18 issue of the British Annual of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
The study shows that use of large arm boards significantly reduces neck and shoulder pain as well as hand, wrist and forearm pain. "Based on these outcomes, employers should consider providing employees who use computers with appropriate forearm support," said lead author Dr. David Rempel, director of the ergonomics program at San Francisco General Hospital and professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco.
Study findings also show that arm boards and ergonomics training provide the most protective effect with a statistically significant reduction in both neck and shoulder pain and right hand, wrist and forearm pain compared to the control group that did not receive forearm support. The boards reduced the risk of incidence of neck and shoulder disorders by nearly half.
According to the authors, musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, shoulders and arms are a common occupational health problem for individuals involved in computer-based customer service work. Specific disorders include wrist tendonitis, elbow tendonitis and muscle strain of the neck and upper back. These health problems account for a majority of lost work time in call centers and other computer-based jobs. "Extended hours of mouse or keyboard use and sustained awkward postures, such as wrist extension, are the most consistently observed risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders," Rempel added.
The one year, randomized study evaluated the effects of two workstation interventions on the musculoskeletal health of call center employees — a padded forearm support and a trackball. The forearm support is commonly called an arm board and attaches to the top front edge of the work surface. The trackball replaces a computer mouse and uses a large ball for cursor motion.
The researchers tested employees from two customer service center sites of a large health maintenance organization. Employees had to perform computer-based customer service work for a minimum of 20 hours per week in order to qualify for the study. For one year, 182 participants filled out a weekly questionnaire to assess pain level in their hands, wrists, arms, upper backs and shoulders. Participants were randomized into four groups, each receiving a different intervention — ergonomics training, training plus a trackball, training plus forearm support, or training with both a trackball and forearm support.
Outcome measures included weekly pain severity scores and diagnosis of a new musculoskeletal disorder in the upper extremities or the neck-shoulder region based on physical examination performed by a physician. The trackball intervention had no effect on right upper extremity disorders. "The trackball was difficult for some participants to use," said Rempel. "Employees with hand pain may want to try them, but they should stop if it is difficult to use."
The researchers also performed a return-on-investment calculation for the study to estimate the effects of ergonomic interventions on productivity and costs. Their calculations predicted a full return of armboard costs for employers within 10.6 months of purchase.
"Based on this study, it is in the best interest of the company and the employees to provide forearm supports and training," Rempel concluded. In the study, the authors also outline other ergonomic-specific tasks that employees who use computers can do to relieve pain on their own. They suggest employees take scheduled breaks, maintain an erect posture, adjust chair height so thighs are parallel to the floor, adjust arm support and work surface height so the forearms are parallel to the floor, adjust the mouse and keyboard location to minimize the reach, and adjust monitor height so that the center of the monitor is approximately 15 degrees below the visual horizon.
Co-authors of the study include Dr. Niklas Krause, Dr. Robert Goldberg, Mark Hudes, Ph.D., and Gary Urbiel Goldner, M.S., from the division of occupational and environmental medicine, UCSF; and Dr. Douglas Benner, of occupational health at Kaiser Permanente of Northern California.
The study was supported by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health. Rempel has done consulting work for Logitech Corp., which markets the trackball used in this study.
UCSF is a leading university that consistently defines health care worldwide by conducting advanced biomedical research, educating graduate students in the life sciences, and providing complex patient care.
http://www.ucsfhealth.org/
Vaccine candidate successful in blocking Simian version of HIV
Researchers would rather successfully blocked SIV, the simian variety of HIV, using a new technique that could help round to the development of an conspicuous HIV/AIDS vaccine, the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The team also included scientists from Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and the New England Primate Inspection Center in Boston.
Johnson and colleagues developed a genetically altered virus that carried the vaccine candidate and injected it into the muscles of monkeys. The vaccine prompted the muscles to produce a protein that is designed to bind to SIV and prevent it from infecting cells (Goldstein, Philadelphia Inquirer, 5/18). After treating nine monkeys with the vaccine candidate for one month, the researchers injected them with SIV. Six monkeys were not administered the vaccine candidate before being injected with SIV. None of the immunized monkeys developed AIDS, while three showed indications of SIV infection. Researchers detected high concentrations of the proteins in their blood one year later. All six non-immunized monkeys became infected with SIV, and four died during the trial (Schmid, AP/Austin American-Statesman, 5/18). The DNA used in the carrier virus can deliver DNA into the cells of both monkeys and humans, according to the Inquirer.
Johnson said that the results of the trials were so encouraging that he plans to request approval from FDA to begin clinical trials in humans, the Inquirer reports. However, he said that there is "no guarantee that things that work in monkeys will work in humans," adding that an HIV/AIDS vaccine could be 10 years away (Philadelphia Inquirer, 5/18). Recent HIV/AIDS vaccine failures prompted the researchers to try a different route that involved "bypassing the natural immune system that was the target of all previous HIV and SIV vaccines candidates," Johnson said. "Some years ago I came to the conclusion that HIV was different from other viruses ... and we might not ever be able to use traditional approaches," he added (AP/Austin American-Statesman, 5/18).
Peggy Johnson -- head of the HIV Vaccine Research Branch at NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which helped fund the study -- said, "As a concept, I think this is very promising." She added, "We need to make the genes as humanized as possible so that the human body doesn't react to that." According to Peggy Johnson, tests will be needed to prove that the vaccine candidate can protect against sexually acquired HIV (Fox, Reuters, 5/17). Beatrice Hahn, an HIV/AIDS researcher with the University of Alabama-Birmingham, said that the study's findings indicate that there is "a light at the end of the tunnel," adding, "It shows thinking outside the box is a good idea and can yield results, and we need perhaps more of these nonconventional approaches" (AP/Austin American-Statesman, 5/18).
Hildegund Ertl, a virus expert at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia, said, "It is a very innovative approach but currently, in my mind, still far from clinical use." Ertl added that because most people have been exposed to adeno-associated viruses through cold viruses, they would be "likely to mount an immune response" to the vaccine. According to Phillip Johnson, most people have not been exposed to the strain of the adeno-associated virus that the researchers used as the carrier. He added that they "will be certainly looking at that as part of our Phase I testing in humans" (Philadelphia Inquirer, 5/18).
This article is republished with kind permission from our friends at The Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery of in-depth coverage of health policy developments, debates and discussions. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for Kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Copyright 2009 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Health Care Providers, Financial Companies Offer Medical Credit Cards
Health sadness providers in states such as Texas and North Carolina are pairing with financial institutions to offer medical attribute cards to patients to prove profitable their medical bills, the Boston Globe reports. Medical reliability cards can reduce the need for invoice chrestomathy repayment for doctors and hospitals, but the cards' potentially high absorb rates can cause financial difficulties for low- and middle-income patients, according to the Globule. Citibank's Citi Haleness Card is offered to patients by way of participating form care providers. The greetings card offers monthly payments as shaky as $10 and includes a no-interest choice on account of patients who pay down their medical accountability quickly owing to higher monthly payments. Patients who do not heed the terms of that devise profit more than 20% in annual interest on their equilibrium. Convalescent home gyve Conviction, in partnership with UnitedHealth Place, has implemented a pilot program in Texas that offers a plumb b in agreement of probity to employees to help address their escalating medical debts. Under the program, workers' copayments in the interest of healthfulness care services are paid as a consequence automatic payroll deductions. Article of faith spokesperson Steven Campanini said the company hopes the credit program will help originate "the rising miserable indebted that is generated at a sanatorium from patients who are not paying their portion of the medical account." Meanwhile, a growing issue of U.S. residents are using household credit cards to slacken off on d See in place of medical services. A survey released model week found that 20% of ignoble- and midst-return households with medical debt on customary had $3,700 more in credit card debt than households without medical debt. "The health anxiety safety net is made of plastic -- it's called 'credit cards' for many people," according to Mark Rukavina, director of Access Project, which conducted the survey. He added, "It's a pretty frightening prospect" (Rowland, Boston Planet, 1/22).
Opinion
"It's one thing to reach for your Visa or MasterCard to pay for a Barbie doll or flat-screen TV," but it is "way different to pull out the plastic because you've just learned you have cancer or heart disease," columnist Bob Herbert writes in a New York Times opinion piece. For low- and middle-income people, using high-interest credit cards to pay for needed medical services can be "the final push into bankruptcy" and "only adds to the trauma of serious illness," according to Herbert. He states that the U.S. health care system and the "American way of debt" are both in need of reform, concluding, "At the very least, in the short term, we need to protect financially vulnerable patients from a credit card universe in which there are no legal limits on fees or interest, and where the abuse of customers is the norm" (Herbert, New York Times, 1/22).
"Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.