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Post by nubaka on Apr 21, 2009 13:36:49 GMT -5
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Post by Nubian Zuri* on Apr 21, 2009 15:14:21 GMT -5
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Post by Nubian Zuri* on Apr 23, 2009 18:32:31 GMT -5
Medicare Change May Impact Black Kidney Patients 04.21.09, 08:00 PM EDT Single payment plan for dialysis and meds could put many at disadvantage, study suggests WEDNESDAY, April 22 (HealthDay News) -- Black kidney patients may have more difficulty getting dialysis under a new Medicare payment policy, researchers warn. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will make a single payment to dialysis units to cover both dialysis and injectable medications. These services were previously reimbursed separately. Because black kidney patients more often experience anemia (low hemoglobin) than white patients, they're more likely to require more treatment with expensive erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs) to boost their hemoglobin levels, noted Dr. Areef Ishani, of the University of Minnesota. For example, an analysis of 12,000 dialysis patients revealed that black patients required an 11 percent higher average dose of ESAs over the first two months on dialysis than white patients do. Since Medicare will no longer reimburse dialysis centers for higher ESA doses, the new policy could create a "financial disincentive" for centers to accept black patients, said Ishani and colleagues. "The CMS has suggested that the new reimbursement scheme will adjust for a variety of factors. If race is not included as a payment adjuster, African-American patients could be disadvantaged by this policy change," the researchers concluded. The study was expected to be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology . More information The National Kidney Foundation has more about dialysis. mobile.forbes.com/device/article.php?CALL_URL=http://www.forbes.com/feeds/hscout/2009/04/22/hscout626290.html? |
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Post by Nubian Zuri* on Apr 27, 2009 7:46:40 GMT -5
US declares health emergency as world officials race to contain worrisome swine flu, panic
Mon 27 Apr 2009 12:39
LAURAN NEERGAARD
AP Medical Writer
People wearing surgical masks stand in line to enter the General Hospital in Mexico City, Friday, April 24, 2009. Federal health authorities closed schools Friday across this metropolis of 20 million after at least 16 people have died and more than 900 others fell ill from what health officials suspect is a strain of swine flu new to Mexico. (AP Photo/Dario Lopez-Mills)
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WASHINGTON (AP)
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