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Archive for the ‘Ethics’ Category

Recent news of note: Report: Debt Collectors Work In Emergency Rooms, Demand Payment Before Patients Receive Care Abbott To Pay $1.6 Billion To Settle Depakote Probes Discrepancies on Medical Bills Can Leave a Credit Stain American Pain Foundation Shuts Down as Senators Launch Investigation of Prescription Narcotics Insurers back FDA plan for new drug category [...]

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Those who have been following the saga of the leukemia wonder drug imatinib mesylate or Glivec (spelled Gleevec in North America to standardize pronunciation) may recall that it was said to be the first medicine for which a global price was set. At the time of its 2001 FDA approval, the worldwide price was US$2400/month, [...]

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Recent developments in Washington and neighboring Oregon are reminders of the clout and lobbying power of Big Pharma on the local level. Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen announced that he was working to implement a  discounted prescription drug program for Seattlites , a program of the National League of Cities.  At first glance this might [...]

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With almost nothing but a steady stream of dire news about public services in 2011 , and  the prospect of even more budget cuts facing us as the Washington State Legislature convenes work today, it is heartening to hear some good news. For the third year in a row, Washington has earned bonuses for enrolling [...]

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As the new year starts, some ome items of note from near and far: The breast implant scandal strips away the glossy euphemisms of cosmetic surgery S. Korea approves Asia’s first anti-leukemia drug Nicotine Gum and Skin Patch Face New Doubt No Benefits for Sick Job Seekers: After battling leukemia, man is denied unemployment benefits Opinion: [...]

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Moving forward Regence fined $100K for denying women coverage [Washington] State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has fined Regence BlueShield $100,000 for denying contraceptive coverage to 984 women. Regence had covered the women’s use of an IUD, or intrauterine contraceptive device, but not the removal of it. When the women wanted to remove the device because [...]

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Kudos to Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, who took action on behalf of consumers!   From the OIC  blog: Health insurance rate requests now public Individual and small employer health insurance rate requests are now public. See the complete filings received since July 1, as well as a summary for each request. Several health insurers filed rate [...]

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Recent news and commentary of note on US and global issues related to health and well-being: Medicare Part D Ups Patient Compliance, Reduces Hospital Costs Why do 70 dead in Norway rank higher than tens of thousands in Somalia? For-Profit Hospices Keep Patients Longer, Push Costs Up Where’s the Advocacy, Komen? Divided Appeals Court Rules That [...]

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Can We Afford Personalized Medicine? Special treatment for ‘high profile’ patients; exasperation for the rest of us Health Insurers Making Record Profits as Many Postpone Care People Who Donate Organs For Transplants Can Have Difficulty Getting Insurance Foundations, Conflicts Of Interest And Drugmakers Mission Crash: The Intolerable Policy Incoherence in US AIDS Policy, Global and [...]

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On tonight’s evening news, King 5 TV, our local CBS affiliated carried a story about a Microsoft worker who lost his job after being diagnosed with leukemia.  Duncan Sutherland came forward after after seeing another report the night before about  Ken Knightley, a Microsoft worker who is now being denied paid leave to undergo treatment [...]

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