Because of Obamacare, more Americans have healthcare insurance and therefore more people are able to pay for medical care when they receive it. As a result, there has been a $5.7 billion drop in uncompensated hospital care just in those states that, per Obamacare, expanded Medicaid eligibility:
Mammograms for breast cancer; the PSA blood test for prostate cancer; CT scans for lung cancer; and things like stool blood tests and colonoscopies for colon cancer. Each of these screening tests is designed to find cancers, or precancers, before they become symptomatic, the goal of early detection being to enable clinicians to eradicate growths…
Is medical marijuana legal in your state? That probably means less narcotic use and abuse: Something to keep in mind as we fight our opiate epidemic.
Here is a nice story from a NC news station explaining the turmoil in the exchanges, with Aetna pulling out of many markets. Worth a quick read. North Carolina consumers buying broadly subsidized health insurance policies on the online marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act will have fewer options after a major insurer pulls…
A couple weeks ago, I had the privilege of talking with government officials from across the state of North Carolina – mayors, city Council people, and the like – about the possible role that insights from behavioral science can play in helping them promote the well-being of their communities. Here is a really nice summary…
Cigarette smokers have rights. No one should be able to tell an adult that she can’t spend her hard earned money on cigarettes. But non-smokers have rights, too. Specifically, they shouldn’t have to pay to subsidize health care costs of people who choose to smoke. In fact, smokers hurt non-smokers by racking up health care…
Great picture from a NEJM article showing a continuing reduction in American tobacco consumption, a decline that accelerated during the Obama years. (Irony – Obama was a smoker during much of that time!) My question – What would this look like if you added in all the people using e-cigarettes?