A recent study showed that eight out of 10 people go online for health information, but only 45% of those Web sites are accurate. So patients are increasingly turning to fellow patients for advice, information, support, or just a laugh through blogs.
A study that linked the heart drug Vytorin to excess cancer deaths has provoked controversy among heart specialists worried that the drug's risks may outweigh its benefits. The study, called SEAS, was designed to test whether Vytorin could prevent severe, age-related heart valve problems by reducing cholesterol. But lead investigator Terje Pedersen of Ulleval University Hospital reported that the study turned up a link to cancer. At that same session, Oxford University experts released a separate analysis comparing SEAS data with two other ongoing studies and concluded that the cancer link was not credible.
A group of Temple University doctors is notifying patients that it has reached an impasse in contract negotiations with Keystone Mercy Health Plan. The contract with Temple University Physicians expires Aug. 31, and "based on the expiration of these contracts, TUP can no longer provide primary care, specialty care or hospital outpatient testing at Temple University Health System facilities for patients covered by Keystone Mercy," the university said in a release. Temple University Physicians consists of faculty members from Temple's School of Medicine, and they provide most of the care at Temple University Health System hospitals.
A federal judge in New Jersey has approved a $255 million settlement to resolve a case that alleged Health Net Inc. has used an inadequate and unfair system of reimbursing claims of members who got care outside the insurer's network. In the settlement of three class-action lawsuits, Health Net will pay $215 million to patients who received low reimbursement for out-of-network claims. Plaintiffs in the class-action case received out-of-network care and then wound up paying more than they should have because Health Net used an "invalid" database provided by Ingenix to determine the reimbursement, said plaintiffs' attorney Barry Epstein.
Patients with autism, eating disorders, substance abuse problems, or post-traumatic stress disorder would have greater access to treatments under proposed legislation that passed in the Massachusetts Senate. The measure differs from a broader "mental health parity" bill that has passed in the House, which would require insurance plans to cover all mental health disorders the same as physical conditions and would allow any treatments medically needed.
Massachusetts has temporarily suspended the medical license of a plastic surgeon who allegedly performed two operations at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center while impaired and appeared to fall asleep during a patient's liposuction. The hospital fired Loren J. Borud, MD, after he was allowed to practice for six years while struggling with substance abuse problems. Borud had previously entered a monitoring agreement with Physician Health Services, a rehabilitation program run by the Massachusetts Medical Society. Kenneth Sands, MD, senior vice president of healthcare quality at Beth Israel, said Physician Health Services has a good reputation for helping doctors recover from addiction and closely monitors them after they return to work to make sure they do not drink or take drugs.