Friday, April 29, 2016
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Mom's Pre-Pregnancy Weight May Help Predict Child's Size
Mom's Pre-Pregnancy Weight May Help Predict Child's Size: Study also found six months of breast-feeding offered protection against excess pounds in child
Kids From Poorer Families May Have Worse Food Allergy Care
Kids From Poorer Families May Have Worse Food Allergy Care: Parents often have fewer dollars for medication, preventive measures, study finds
Spanking: More Harm Than Good?
Spanking: More Harm Than Good?: It can lead to psychological, learning problems in kids, analysis of 75 studies suggests
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Rates of Severe Obesity Among U.S. Kids Still Rising: Study
Rates of Severe Obesity Among U.S. Kids Still Rising: Study: Treatment for these 4.5 million children is urgently needed, researcher says
Skateboarding Mishaps Send 176 U.S. Kids to ERs Every Day
Skateboarding Mishaps Send 176 U.S. Kids to ERs Every Day: Protective gear is essential for preventing injuries, experts say
Monday, April 25, 2016
Turning Blue Temporarily Sometimes Normal for Babies, Doctors Say
Turning Blue Temporarily Sometimes Normal for Babies, Doctors Say: American Academy of Pediatrics refines guideline on what's called a 'brief resolved unexplained event'
Sunday, April 24, 2016
New Guidelines Issued on Breast, Genital Plastic Surgery for Teen Girls
New Guidelines Issued on Breast, Genital Plastic Surgery for Teen Girls: Leading ob/gyn group says growing interest in procedures prompted recommendations
Friday, April 22, 2016
Cow's Milk Allergy in Childhood May Lead to Weaker Bones: Study
Cow's Milk Allergy in Childhood May Lead to Weaker Bones: Study: But one expert contends that difference in bone density wasn't enough, on average, to worry about fractures
Heavy Pot Use in Teen Years Linked to Shortened Life
Heavy Pot Use in Teen Years Linked to Shortened Life: But Swedish study couldn't prove marijuana caused premature deaths
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Teen Moms May Ignore Advice for Helping Babies Sleep Safely
Teen Moms May Ignore Advice for Helping Babies Sleep Safely: Awareness of SIDS risk didn't spur young mothers to follow recommendations, study finds
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
Talk Therapy May Help Depressed Teens Who Shun Antidepressants
Talk Therapy May Help Depressed Teens Who Shun Antidepressants: Cognitive behavioral therapy can help boost mood without drugs, experts say
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
FDA Launches Ad Campaign Against Chewing Tobacco
FDA Launches Ad Campaign Against Chewing Tobacco: Health officials targeting rural teens with messages about health risks of smokeless tobacco products
U.S. Health Experts Debate Advice to Women Once Zika Virus Arrives
U.S. Health Experts Debate Advice to Women Once Zika Virus Arrives: At issue: should women be told to avoid getting pregnant during mosquito season
Monday, April 18, 2016
Toddlers' Sweet Tooth a Weight-Gain Danger, Study Confirms
Toddlers' Sweet Tooth a Weight-Gain Danger, Study Confirms: Tots who favored sugary snacks over salty ones tended to be heavier by age 3, researchers found
Health advocates score a major victory with folic acid
Health advocates score a major victory with folic acid: The Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that it would allow folic acid to be added to corn flour in order to prevent certain types of birth defects. The decision was a major victory for health advocates around the nation, who credit the additive with preventing some 1,300 birth defects per year. Judy Woodruff sits down with Dr. Jose Cordero of the University of Georgia for more.
Friday, April 15, 2016
Thursday, April 14, 2016
No Drop in Teen Use of Tobacco Products, CDC Says, and E-Cigs May Be Why
No Drop in Teen Use of Tobacco Products, CDC Says, and E-Cigs May Be Why: Electronic smoking devices have now eclipsed traditional cigarettes as most widely used product among kids
Obesity in Teens Seems to Raise Risk for Illness, Death in Middle Age
Obesity in Teens Seems to Raise Risk for Illness, Death in Middle Age: Health experts worry trend will only get worse, since teens followed in long-term study were thinner than kids today
Monday, April 11, 2016
Friday, April 8, 2016
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
AMA, Other Groups Wary as Medicare Creates Measures for Judging Doctors
AMA, Other Groups Wary as Medicare Creates Measures for Judging Doctors
By Kerry Young, CQ Roll Call; March 31, 2016
Health professional societies and consumer groups have asked Medicare to tread carefully while overhauling its system for paying doctors, raising concerns about an agency suggestion to include guidelines from a campaign that seeks to curb the use of often unneeded procedures and treatments.
Medicare officials are awaiting White House clearance of a draft rule designed to tie payments for doctors to judgments about the quality of care they provide. The Office of Management and Budget has been reviewing this proposal since March 25. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services rule would carry out the changes mandated in last year’s congressional overhaul of Medicare physician payments (PL 114-10).
CMS last year sought public comments on how to design a new payment. In a request for information, the agency raised myriad questions about how the so-called Merit-Based Incentive Payment System program for doctors could be designed.
CMS asked if there might be some benefit to weaving in new system measures from a 2012 initiative known as the Choosing Wisely program, which asked doctors to identify commonly used medical tests, treatments and procedures that may be unnecessary for many patients. More than 70 medical specialty societies have since released recommendations as part of the campaign.
The American Medical Association told CMS that it would “premature” to use the Choosing Wisely recommendations to attempt to judge how effectively doctors have prescribed treatments and ordered tests. This phrase was echoed in comments submitted to CMS by at least five other groups, including the American Psychiatric Association.
There’s been a trend toward a closer adherence to guidelines in deciding on which treatments may be appropriate for a patient, but these should not be regarded as “absolute recommendations,” the AMA told CMS. Exceptions must be allowed, argued James L. Madara, the AMA chief executive officer.
“Presented with the general Choosing Wisely guidelines, a physician or patient may conclude that a particular recommendation is not appropriate in a given circumstance,” Madara wrote.
As CMS seeks to curb the overuse of some treatments that provide may little benefit, it needs to make sure it doesn’t discourage doctors from getting their patients needed care, wrote David Certner, legislative counsel for the seniors' group AARP, in a comment. Still, AARP would “support efforts to reduce use of overused, low-value tests and procedures, reduce waste in the health care system, and improve quality and safety of care, such as the Choosing Wisely Campaign," Certner wrote. AARP says it has nearly 38 million members.
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Friday, April 1, 2016
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