The Breast Cancer Gene Breakdown
Bruce Watson has a great breakdown of some of the cost issues involved in making decisions like Angelina Jolie’s to have a preventative double mastectomy: On Tuesday, Angelina Jolie drew headlines with...
View ArticleDouble Mastectomies, Numbers Rise and So Do Costs
If Angelina Jolie’s recent announcement about her decision to have a double mastectomy has made you think about the procedure, you’re not alone: Approximately 100,000 women undergo mastectomies each...
View ArticleAngelina Jolie: Before You Rush Out To Get Tested…
We’re still mulling over the implications of Angelina Jolie’s stunning announcement this week, but one note. While we applaud her bravery in bringing so much attention to an important issue in women’s...
View ArticleCedars-Sinai Tops Lists for Hospital Pricing
Not sure if this is a list that any hospital wants to be at the top of: When Medicare disclosed average charges from thousands of U.S. hospitals for 100 common procedures last week, only one hospital...
View ArticleThe Oregon Health Experiment: Does It All Boil Down to An Air Conditioner?
When it comes to the healthcare debate, Governor John Kitzhber of Oregon loves to tell a story about an air conditioner: As it turns out, I have heard the air-conditioner story. Oregon Gov. John...
View ArticleHigh-Deductible Health Insurance: My Mama Told Me, You Better Shop Around…
And the high-deductible health insurance plan is all part of the new normal: When Maria and Vadim Brodsky’s then 7-year-old daughter needed an MRI two years ago to examine a tumor in her head, they...
View ArticleGenetic Testing: Dollars and Sense
Great op-ed by Professor David B. Agus of the University of Southern California in the The New York Times: Unlike routine tests for diabetes or high cholesterol, however, the BRCA gene evaluation —...
View ArticleObamacare: We Pay HOW Much More for Healthcare?
Interesting story in The New York Times this weekend, on how much the U.S. pays for some healthcare services compared to other countries. Warning: it’s not pretty: Deirdre Yapalater’s recent...
View ArticleStudy: Cancer Patients Reluctant To Ask About Costs of Treatments
If only. A new study finds that cancer patients are reluctant to ask about the costs of their treatment. Sadly, doctors aren’t really any better: Although more than half the participants said they...
View ArticleMedical Bills: Are We Really Better Off With the Mechanic?
Dr. Davis Liu has an interesting blog on the trend towards asking patients to “shop around” for their healthcare, comparing it to a recent visit to his mechanic: My car dealer service advisor returns....
View Article
