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Are Medicare Prescription Benefits Too Stingy?
ByadminThe bill she received in the mail revealed a staggering figure — $9,225 for one infusion of Avastin, a chemotherapy drug. And she would need many more such infusions. Fortunately, the dollar amount is what medical experts call a “charge,” which in normal marketplaces refers to the amount a provider expects for the good or…
Would Better Risk Communication Reduce Fear of Flying?
ByadminWith so much recent news about airplane disasters, it’s easy to become frightened about flying. I wonder if a risk graphic like the following will do much to help? As reported on recently in The Economist, the risk graphic comes from a new iPhone app called Am I Going Down? I’m skeptical this will work….
Have Reimbursement Rules Taken the Joy Out of Being A Physician?
ByadminShe came to the urgent care center with a sprained ankle. The primary care provider gave her excellent care, expertly applying evidence-based evaluation guidelines to her situation, and, thereby, avoiding unnecessary x-rays. By all measures, the provider’s care was excellent, but the interaction still ended up reducing his salary. You see, that patient’s only medical…
Scheduled for Surgery? How about Some Unnecessary Tests!
ByadminSurgery can be risky. People with major cardiovascular or respiratory illnesses undergoing major surgeries, for example, are at risk for major surgical complications, even death. But healthy people receiving less intense interventions typically fly through with nary a concern. Nevertheless, perhaps worried about those few patients who suffer major complications, many physicians order a gaggle…
Puccini Was Dying Of Cancer—Hiding His Diagnosis Was A Grave Mistake
Byadmin2It would have been a difficult ending under the best of circumstances. Composing what would be his last opera, Giacomo Puccini was struggling to humanize Turandot, daughter of the Emperor and a woman of mesmerizing beauty. Early in the opera, she had cruelly disposed of a series of want-to-be suitors, beheading some and torturing others,…
Insurance Is So Complicated, Even Doctors Don’t Know What You’ll Have To Pay
Byadmin2Imagine your physician prescribed an expensive new drug for you. Concerned about its price, you ask what your out-of-pocket costs will be. To help your physician, you even pull out details of your insurance coverage. But even with this information in mind, don’t expect your physician to be able to estimate your costs. The complexity…

