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200 Percent Increase In Cardiovascular Medication In Canada
A new study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) reports that the number of prescriptions in Canada for cardiovascular medications has been increasing over the last ten years. There has been a 200 percent increase in costs. Overall costs of cardiovascular medications exceeded $5 billion in 2006. And statins accounted for nearly 40 percent of the expenditure.

After Myocardial Infarction Fatigue Is Common
Half of all patients who undergo myocardial infarction are experiencing onerous fatigue four months after the infarction. The patients who are most fatigued are those who perceive the infarction as a sign of chronic illness, those who experience the illness as difficult to control, and those who believe that the illness has a large impact on their life. These are the conclusions of a thesis presented at the Sahlgrenska Academy.
News of the day
Obama Leaves Door Open To Tax On Health Benefits
"President Barack Obama on Wednesday rejected the idea of fully taxing Americans" employer-provided health insurance benefits, but suggested he might be persuaded to tax so-called Cadillac coverage ... in the interest of a compromise with Congress," McClatchy/The Star-Telegram reports. The President, speaking at a "town hall-style event" taped at the White House and aired on ABC News, "said he would prefer to pay for expanded coverage by eliminating some deductions for higher-earning taxpayers but that "there"s going to have to be some compromise." The President "said he understands Americans" trepidation about changing the system: "They know that they"re living with the devil, but the devil they know they think may be better than the devil they don"t." He said any reform would be phased in, not happen overnight" (Talev and Lightman, 6/24).
Endocrinology

California Cuts Back On Kids Insurance While New Hampshire Expands

California cuts back on health insurance for children, while New Hampshire expands state insurance to young adults. Meanwhile, a regional health commission in Missouri hopes to help the uninsured, and an Iowa report concludes that minorities face discrimination in the health care system. "Hundreds of thousands of California kids won"t be able to get health insurance because the state is freezing enrollment for the Healthy Families program," Capital Public Radio reports. "Nearly one million low-income kids are enrolled in Healthy Familes. Officials say in the next year more than 350,000 kids will not get coverage. California is the first state in the country to put kids on a waiting list" (Weiss, 7/17). In New Hampshire, "Gov. John Lynch signed a bill yesterday that will allow young adults to purchase low-cost health insurance from a state plan originally designed for low-income children," the Concord Monitor reports. "But it may be as long as a year before any adults are able to sign up, the program"s president said yesterday. And it"s likely to be more expensive than first described. ... The legislation is the first of its kind in the country and was designed to offer insurance options for adults younger than 26 who can"t buy insurance through their families or employers. Under the law, the state"s Healthy Kids plan can expand to offer insurance to young adults who earn less than $43,000 a year. Adults are required to pay the full cost of their premiums, so the plan will not cost the state or federal governments any money" (Sanger-Katz, 7/17). In Missouri, "nearly 40,000 people in Greene County are uninsured. Local health officials say the number keeps growing as more people are paying higher amounts to continue coverage after they lose their jobs," KSPR reports. "A newly formed non profit Springfield-Greene County Regional Health Commission will combine the efforts of 17 local agencies to analyze the issues. With overloaded emergency rooms, clinics turning clients away, and a shortage of primary care doctors, health leaders say it"s time to tackle these issues on the local level," (Rittman, 7/16). Meanwhile, "a report from the Iowa Citizen Action Network concludes the current health care system is discriminating against minorities," Radio Iowa reports. "State Senator Jack Hatch, a Democrat from Des Moines who is leading a White House group of state legislators working on health care reform, says a government-run "public option" is crucial if minorities are to get insurance coverage" (Henderson, 7/16). This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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