Miscellaneous

• Antidepressants and Big Pharma

  Dan Frith | January 22, 2008 9:30 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  Big Pharma is at it again! Do you or a family member take a doctor prescribed antidepressant? We are talking about Zoloft, Serzone, Wellbutrin, Paxil, Effexor, Celexa, Lexapro, and Prozac among others. It appears the pharmaceutical industry has been misleading not only consumers but also the doctors who prescribe these drugs!The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has concluded that the...

• CAFFEINE CAUSED MISCARRIAGES

  Lauren Ellerman | January 21, 2008 3:11 PM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  Caffeine Increases Risk of Miscarriage, Study Finds Its all over the news - I suggest a quick glance at the Washington Post Article - "Caffeine consumption by pregnant women can significantly increase the risk of miscarriage, according to new research. The study, involving more than 1,000 pregnant California women, provides the most convincing evidence to date of such a link, the researchers...

• Medicare Rarely Pays for Nursing Home Care

  Dan Frith | January 19, 2008 6:39 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  We hear comments all the time from elders who believe that Medicare will pay for nursing home care. These same people are shocked to learn the reality is far different than what they assumed to be true!Medicare's coverage of nursing home care is quite limited. Medicare covers up to 100 days of "skilled nursing care" per illness, but there are a number of requirements that must be met before the...

• Health Insurers to Stop Paying for Medical Errors

  Dan Frith | January 18, 2008 6:48 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  Medicare announced last summer that it would no longer pay for the extra cost of treating bedsores (decubitus ulcers), falls and six other preventable injuries and infections that occur when a patient is in the hospital. These changes start in October of this year. Next year Medicare will extend its "no pay" program to hospital acquired infections (think MRSA), blood clots in legs and lungs,...

• Consumer Protection Agencies Are Failing Us

  Dan Frith | January 17, 2008 6:42 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  Whether you are a Republican, Democrat, or Independent, I hope we call all agree that our federal government has the obligation to make sure our products and foods are safe. If you disagree, please stop reading right here as what I am about to write will surely make you mad!Effective consumer protection in America has been lacking at both the federal and state levels for years. Don't believe...

• ER Problems - not surprised

  Lauren Ellerman | January 15, 2008 3:47 PM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  Been to the Emergency Room lately? Was it an actual emergency? How long did you wait?Article in Houston Chronical today, claims Wait times at the ER are ticking upward. Researchers say patient care is at risk as crowding causes many to just leave."Emergency room wait times across the country increased 36 percent between 1997 and 2004, according to a Harvard study published today. And anecdotal...

• Insurance Companies Overcharge Customers and Underpay Claims

  Dan Frith | January 12, 2008 6:32 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  This news should not come as a surprise to our readers. The Consumer Federation of America's insurance director, J. Robert Hunter, said insurance companies have enjoyed robust profits and contained losses largely by "methodically overcharging consumers, cutting back on coverage, underpaying claims and getting taxpayers to pick up some of the tab for risks the insurers should cover." A study...

• Big Pharma is Being Bad Once Again

  Dan Frith | January 11, 2008 9:54 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  Two former sales representatives for Amgen Inc. are suing the biotech company, alleging it pushed its sales force to search doctor's confidential medical records for potential patients to boost sales of a drug used to treat psoriasis. The two former representatives, who are seeking lost pay, punitive damages and other compensation, allege they objected to superiors and refused to go along with...

• $2 TRILLION DOLLARS for Health Care in 2006

  Lauren Ellerman | January 08, 2008 9:15 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  NPR reported this morning from the journal Health Affairs."For the first time ever, the total spent on health care topped $2 trillion.""Health spending in the U.S. accelerated slightly," he says. "It picked up in growth to 6.7 percent in 2006. That's up two-tenths of a percentage point from 2005."That's not much of an increase in growth if you're an economist, especially when you consider it's...

• Government Report Highlights Problems With Older Drivers

  Dan Frith | January 07, 2008 8:20 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  We all know an elderly person whose driving skills have diminished with age - some to the point that their driving presents a danger to themselves and others. Now Congress has gotten interested in the topic.The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recently issued a report entitled, "Older Driver Safety: Knowledge Sharing Should Help States Prepare for Increase in Older Driver Population"...