Baby Boomers Will Spur 18% Rise in Healthcare Costs by 2050

Baby boomers will contribute to an 18% increase in healthcare costs by 2050, according to a study conducted by Minnesota-based insurer HealthPartners. The study, published in Health Services Research, found that costs are not projected to increase uniformly across major categories of medical practice.
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—Source: KaiserNetwork.org, Published March 6, 2007

Healthcare a Key Issue in 2008 Race

When many people shop for a car, they do their homework and compare prices, but a Bay Area company is offering comparison shopping for something closer to the heart -- surgery. Vimo, a company based in Mountain View, offers comparison shopping. Read More ...

—Source: Washington Post, Published March 5, 2007

Over-the-Counter Heartburn Drug as Effective as Prescription Drugs

A widely available nonprescription drug -- Prilosec OTC -- is as effective a treatment for heartburn and acid reflux disease as prescription drugs costing almost 10 times more, according to an analysis from Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs, a public education project of Consumers Union. "Many people with heartburn and acid reflux could save $1,000 to $2,000 a year by taking an over-the-counter drug that's just as effective as high-priced prescription drugs," said Gail Shearer, director of the Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs project. "These are dramatic savings, and illustrate why consumers should talk to their doctors about identifying effective, lower-cost medicines," Shearer added.

The over-the-counter drug Prilosec costs $19 to $26 a month on average nationwide, and can be even cheaper at large discount stores. In contrast, the drug Nexium -- heavily advertised to both consumers and doctors -- costs $181 to $193 a month on average, depending on dose. Similarly, Prevacid costs $131 to $186 a month. Both these medicines may cost somewhat less at large discount stores. Even people with insurance coverage could save money by choosing Prilosec OTC if their insurers cover the drug or offer coupons for it, the report says. Generally, insurers do not pay for nonprescription drugs, but many have chosen to help enrollees pay for Prilosec OTC. Prilosec OTC, Nexium, and Prevacid are three of the five drugs in a class called Proton Pump Inhibitors, or PPIs. PPIs are among the most widely prescribed drugs in the U.S.

— Source: ConsumerReports.org

Survey: Patients and Doctors Disagree On Some Essential Issues

Patients and doctors disagree on some essential issues according to three new surveys conducted by Consumer Reports National Research Center. The survey of 39,090 patients and 335 primary-care physicians revealed discrepancies between doctors’ and patients’
perceptions of following medical advice, the role of prescription drug ads in the exam room, and the value of online research of medical conditions.


Among the survey’s key findings:

1. Following doctor’s orders.
   
   Patients almost unanimously said they “completely” or “mostly” followed their doctor’s advice. But 59 percent of doctors said their patients often failed to adhere to the prescribed course of treatment. This nonadherence from patients ranked first among troublesome patient behaviors CR asked doctors about.
2. Ignoring drug ads.
   
   Forty percent of doctors said that advertising directly to consumers did not serve the public interest. However, 78 percent of doctors surveyed said that patients asked them at least occasionally to prescribe drugs they have seen advertised on television, and 67 percent said they sometimes did so. However, 54 percent of the doctors surveyed said they sometimes declined to prescribe requested medications.
3. Getting the right information.
   
   Almost 40 percent of patients researched their medical conditions online. But 41 percent of doctors surveyed said their patients often showed up poorly informed because of bad information found online. In total, 39,090 patients were surveyed about their doctor visits in two parts. Consumer Reports asked 25,184 respondents to its 2006 Annual Questionnaire about visiting the doctor for treatment of their most bothersome illness.
   
   During the summer of 2006, 13,906 online subscribers were polled about preventive-care visits. (CR acknowledges that its subscribers might not be representative of the population as a whole). Consumer Reports also questioned a random sample of 335 primary-care physicians about how things look from the other side of the table.
   
   Consumer Reports’ survey results also reveal that doctors think the health-care system works much better for drug and health-insurance companies than for primary-care doctors and their patients. CR notes that the pharmaceutical industry spends billions of dollars marketing prescription drugs directly to patients; and wining and dining doctors so they’ll prescribe them.
4. Knowing the side effects.
   
   Among patients who received prescriptions from their doctors, 31 percent reported that their doctor didn’t adequately explain possible side effects, so Consumer Reports recommends that patients should ask questions about drugs prescribed during the visit. Also, nine percent of patients said their doctor did not review their other prescriptions to check for potentially harmful interactions with the newly prescribed drug, and for consumers to weigh in on what they think of them.
5. Requesting prescription drugs.
   
   According to the survey, patients most frequently ask about advertised drugs for acid reflux, impotence, allergies, and insomnia – mainstays of the television ad lineup. Only seven percent of patients admitted to asking for advertised drugs for their most bothersome conditions.
6. Knowing the cost.
   
   Two-thirds of patients reported that doctors never brought up the costs of treatments and tests. How to Prepare and Make the Most of a Doctor’s Appointment Based on these and other findings from this survey, Consumer Reports developed a guide for what patients should do before, during, and after doctor visits – and how to find a doctor in the first place.
   
   Consumer Reports advises patients to avoid picking a doctor at random from their health plan’s list or out of the phone book. Survey results revealed that people who found their physicians through someone they trusted, such as a friend, family member, or another doctor, were more satisfied with their care. For more information on checking up on a doctor’s qualifications, visit www.vimo.com/doctor.
   
   

   — Source: ConsumerReports.org

   
   

Study Finds Bush Health Care Plan Offers Benefits to Uninsured

President George W. Bush's health care plan has reaped controversial responses from lawmakers and other groups. But a study released by the Lewin Group, a national health care and human services consulting firm, found that Bush's plan would save families money and reduce the number of uninsured. The major tax reductions under the Bush health care plan would go to families with incomes above $50,000 and would also increase the U.S. budget deficit by $61.8 billion in the first year, though the increase in the deficit would decline over the following decade.

"The President's proposal is designed to eliminate the incentives that encourage increased health care spending," said Lewin Group vice president John Sheils. "And it achieves that goal - health spending could be reduced by about $24.5 billion in 2009." According to Sheils, families would save an average of $732 in taxes, premiums and out of pocket spending. "Although the plan cuts costs for certain families, about 70 percent of the reduction in taxes would go to families with incomes above $50,000. Only 20 percent would go to currently uninsured people," Sheils added. One key aspect of the plan is the number of uninsured who would be covered under this new plan. The study shows that the President's proposal would reduce the number of uninsured - projected to be 48.4 million people in 2009 - by about 9.2 million people. One unintended consequence would force about 2.3 million workers and dependents to become uninsured, when they would lose employer coverage.

— Source: The Lewin Group

AvMed Health Plans to Offer Online Personal Health Records

An electronic personal health record system that allows patients to better manage their healthcare needs will soon be unveiled to all AvMed Health Plans' members in Florida. AvMed is offering the personal health record system, known as iHealth, to members this Spring. AvMed is partnering with Medem Inc. of San Francisco, the developer of iHealth, to provide this state-of-the-art benefit to members. The creation of electronic personal health records for all Americans is a healthcare priority of President Bush, healthcare policy leaders and Congress. With the introduction of iHealth, AvMed is ensuring its members are at the forefront of this national movement.

"The iHealth system will help our members to save time and money, and will enable them to better manage their healthcare needs," said Doug Cueny, AvMed's President and CEO. AvMed will introduce the iHealth system this Spring. Members will be able to access the iHealth system through AvMed's website. Through iHealth, members can create confidential, comprehensive personal health records for themselves and their families. Members control these records, which can be accessed at any time, and can choose to share them with their doctors, pharmacists, health plans or other systems. The value of iHealth is that members will ultimately be able to provide their doctors with their complete medical history instantly, which eliminates time wasted sending paper files by mail or having to repeatedly recite information to a doctor or his staff.

— Source: Avmed Health Plans