If you’re bothered by bad breath, simple measures often can help. Bad breath often stems from food particles in the mouth, from dry mouth, or from a health problem. The June issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter offers tips to beat bad breath: Brush your teeth or use a mouthwash after you eat. Brushing...
Beating Bad Breath
Vermont Governor Signs Compromise Health Care Reform Legislation
Vermont Gov. James Douglas (R) on Thursday signed two bills into law that establish a new state-funded insurance program for the uninsured and require employers to pay assessments if they do not offer health care coverage to their workers, the Burlington Free Press reports (Remsen, Burlington Free Press,...
Tufts Senior VP Appointed By Romney Administration To Head Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority, USA
As expected, Jon Kingsdale, a senior vice president of policy development at Tufts Health Plan was appointed by the Romney administration as head of the Common Health Insurance Connector Authority, the Boston Globe reports (Krasner, Boston Globe, 5/26). Under the new Massachusetts law, the Connector...
States Seek To Reform Health Care Systems After Passage Of Massachusetts Law
The Wall Street Journal on Saturday examined how Massachusetts health care legislation signed by Gov. Mitt Romney (R) earlier this year “is drawing attention from politicians in other states,” who “say they are inspired by the bipartisan nature of the Massachusetts law.” The successful...
Pennsylvania Managed Care Companies Push For Higher Medicaid Reimbursements
Insurance companies operating managed care plans under Pennsylvania’s Medicaid program are objecting to a proposed payment increase that they say is too low to keep up with growing medical expenses, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Gov. Ed Rendell’s (D) fiscal year 2007 budget proposal...
San Francisco Chronicle Examines Use Of Pill-Splitting Programs By Health Insurers
The San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday examined how several large insurers are “encouraging patients to save money by splitting their pills in half.” Consumers can save on copayments by cutting pills in half because pharmaceutical companies typically charge the same price for a medication...
Washington Post Examines Concerns Over Potential Misuse Of Prescription Drugs Caused By Advertisements
The Washington Post on Tuesday examined concerns raised by critics about prescription drug advertisements “taking something that is within normal bounds and labeling it a disease needing pharmaceutical treatment.” The Post profiles recent GlaxoSmithKline ads for Requip, a medication approved...
Some Patient Groups Have Financial Ties To Pharmaceutical Companies
The Philadelphia Inquirer on Sunday examined how “many patient groups and drug companies maintain close, multimillion-dollar relationships while disclosing limited or no details about the ties.” According to the Inquirer, “such coziness raises questions about the impartiality of groups...
High-Deductible Health Plans Growing In Popularity Among Large Companies, USA
The Detroit Free Press on Tuesday examined health savings accounts and how many automakers and other large U.S. companies are offering employees the option of high-deductible health plans with HSAs. According to America’s Health Insurance Plans, 3.2 million U.S. employees have enrolled in high-deductible...
Knowledge Of Infection May Prevent Spread Of Herpes Virus
A new study suggests that the risk of transmitting the virus that causes most cases of genital herpes could be cut in half by more testing and informing sexual partners of infection. The study is published in the July 1 issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases, now available online. Until recently,...