Kaiser Health News ran an article about private equity taking over health care. The lead anecdote was about a small child taken to a dental clinic that caters to Medicaid patients. The 2-years old died days after a dentist performed root canals and put six crowns on baby teeth on the toddler.
Category: Consumer-Driven Health Care
Monday Links
- Just how bad will this flu season be?
- The generic share of total prescriptions dispensed in the US increased from 14% when the Hatch-Waxman legislation was passed in 1984 to 42% by 2000 and 92% today.
- The Sahel is a semi-arid region along the southern edge of the Sahara desert, where the population is near Malthusian equilibrium.
- Does walking produce good ideas. HT: Tyler
- What can you do with your FSA? Yes, on an emotional support cat. No, on a knee replacement for the cat. No, on sex toys.
Health Care and Reproductive Rights were on the Ballot Across the Country
Inflation and the economy was the top single most important issue among voters, with just over half (51%) saying it was their top concern. Abortion and reproductive rights ranked second, with roughly one-fourth saying it was their top concern. This was even higher for women under age 50, one-third of which said it was their top concern. Reproductive rights was a ballot initiative in numerous states.
More Dentists Report Patients Showing Up High on Weed
I’m not particularly scared of the dentist but dental work can be a source of anxiety. Novocain shots are painful and a dentists’ drill reverberating through your skull is not pleasant despite your jaw being numb. Back when I was an accountant I worked a block from Baylor Dental College, which I used for some dental care. Much of the work was done by an instructor, while the student watched. At one point prior to a procedure, the student thought my blood pressure too high and insisted I get it checked by my primary care physician. My doctor said it was fine and told me it’s quite common for patients’ blood pressure to rise while in a medical office where practitioners often wear white coats. That was the first time I heard about what he called “white coat syndrome.”