Honestmed
Monday, October 23, 2006
Competition Reduces Costs
"Choice and competition work in health care," but "most of us aren't lucky enough to have access to a market shaped by them," Robert Moffit, director of the Center for Health Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation, writes in a Washington Times opinion piece. For example, under the "consumer-driven" Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, members can select from 284 private health plans nationwide, and their premiums on average will increase by only 1.8% this year, Moffit writes. In addition, under the Medicare prescription drug benefit, beneficiaries can select from a number of private health plans to provide coverage, and "intense competition among plans" has reduced medication costs for beneficiaries, he writes. However, most U.S. residents "have never been near a competitive health care system" because employers in most cases offer few health plans or only one plan, according to Moffit. In response, he writes, some lawmakers have "come up with innovative ideas to introduce competition into the health care system." Sens. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) have introduced the Tax Equity and Affordability Act, which would provide tax credits to help individuals and families purchase health insurance, Moffit writes, adding that the tax credits "would enable them to buy the health plans of their choice." In addition, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) have introduced the Health Care Choice Act, which would allow U.S. residents to purchase health insurance in any state, regardless of their place of residence, to establish a "national market," Moffit writes. "Again, today, only federal workers and retirees have anything like a national market for health insurance," he writes, adding, "After the November elections, perhaps Congress will get serious and put the common good of millions of Americans over the special interest of a few who fear a genuine free market in health care" (Moffit, Washington Times, 10/19).
"Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
¶ 6:37 PM 0 comments
Competition In Health Care Industry Can Help Reduce Costs, Opinion Piece Says
23 Oct 2006"Choice and competition work in health care," but "most of us aren't lucky enough to have access to a market shaped by them," Robert Moffit, director of the Center for Health Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation, writes in a Washington Times opinion piece. For example, under the "consumer-driven" Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, members can select from 284 private health plans nationwide, and their premiums on average will increase by only 1.8% this year, Moffit writes. In addition, under the Medicare prescription drug benefit, beneficiaries can select from a number of private health plans to provide coverage, and "intense competition among plans" has reduced medication costs for beneficiaries, he writes. However, most U.S. residents "have never been near a competitive health care system" because employers in most cases offer few health plans or only one plan, according to Moffit. In response, he writes, some lawmakers have "come up with innovative ideas to introduce competition into the health care system." Sens. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) have introduced the Tax Equity and Affordability Act, which would provide tax credits to help individuals and families purchase health insurance, Moffit writes, adding that the tax credits "would enable them to buy the health plans of their choice." In addition, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) have introduced the Health Care Choice Act, which would allow U.S. residents to purchase health insurance in any state, regardless of their place of residence, to establish a "national market," Moffit writes. "Again, today, only federal workers and retirees have anything like a national market for health insurance," he writes, adding, "After the November elections, perhaps Congress will get serious and put the common good of millions of Americans over the special interest of a few who fear a genuine free market in health care" (Moffit, Washington Times, 10/19).
"Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=54615
Good Mothers
Women over 50 who give birth can be just as good as younger women when it comes to motherhood, say researchers from the University of California, at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicines. There is no evidence that women in their fifties experience higher levels of stress or experience greater health risks, compared to younger women who give birth.
The researchers examined data on 150 mothers who had received fertility treatment between 1992-2004. They gave birth in their thirties, forties and fifties.
The women were surveyed to determine their physical and mental functioning and parental stress. Their findings revealed that the women in their 50s were not less capable as parents - neither did they experience higher levels of stress than the other women.
The researchers suggest that public prejudice is the problem, not poor capacity on the part of older mothers. A large percentage of the older mothers in this study had younger partners.
Team leader, Dr Anne Steiner, said "The conclusion from this study, though it is limited and of small size, is that if we look from the perspective of stress and physical and mental functioning, it doesn't seem like we can restrict parenting based on these reasons."
Comment by the Editor of Medical News Today
The results of this research will be more convincing when larger studies are made over a longer period. The physical and mental strains of parenthood start during conception and continue for a very long time - at least 18 years and 9 months, almost two decades. If one compared two groups, for example, one thousand 55 year-old women who gave birth, to one thousand 30 year-old women who gave birth, and monitored them for 18 years, what would the difference be? Over those 18 years we would also have to find out how well their children thrived, compared to the younger mothers' children.
"Older Mothers: Physical Stress, Psychological Stress and Outcomes"
62nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine
Link Here
University of Southern California Fertility
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
¶ 12:43 PM 0 comments
Women Over 50 Make Good Mothers
23 Oct 2006Women over 50 who give birth can be just as good as younger women when it comes to motherhood, say researchers from the University of California, at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicines. There is no evidence that women in their fifties experience higher levels of stress or experience greater health risks, compared to younger women who give birth.
The researchers examined data on 150 mothers who had received fertility treatment between 1992-2004. They gave birth in their thirties, forties and fifties.
The women were surveyed to determine their physical and mental functioning and parental stress. Their findings revealed that the women in their 50s were not less capable as parents - neither did they experience higher levels of stress than the other women.
The researchers suggest that public prejudice is the problem, not poor capacity on the part of older mothers. A large percentage of the older mothers in this study had younger partners.
Team leader, Dr Anne Steiner, said "The conclusion from this study, though it is limited and of small size, is that if we look from the perspective of stress and physical and mental functioning, it doesn't seem like we can restrict parenting based on these reasons."
Comment by the Editor of Medical News Today
The results of this research will be more convincing when larger studies are made over a longer period. The physical and mental strains of parenthood start during conception and continue for a very long time - at least 18 years and 9 months, almost two decades. If one compared two groups, for example, one thousand 55 year-old women who gave birth, to one thousand 30 year-old women who gave birth, and monitored them for 18 years, what would the difference be? Over those 18 years we would also have to find out how well their children thrived, compared to the younger mothers' children.
"Older Mothers: Physical Stress, Psychological Stress and Outcomes"
62nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine
Link Here
University of Southern California Fertility
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today
Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=54835
