The apparent mental health crisis in pets parallels a human one. Veterinary psychiatrists said the evidence is anecdotal but the increase in mood stabilizers mirrors the increase in humans and there are other parallels. However, it appears to be something of a chicken and egg dilemma. It’s not clear if pets are more depressed or if their owners just know more about the drugs available.
Author: Devon Herrick
Brookings: Out-of-Network Doctors Winning Arbitration Cases 75% of the Time, Boosting Fees
The No Surprises Act has a dispute resolution mechanism to decide compensation for physicians who treat patients with whom they have no network affiliation. After treating insured patients, physicians and other providers bill health insurers, who pay, decline to pay or pay a reduced fee. If a physician believes the fees paid are too low, they have the option of taking the case to an independent dispute resolution (IDR) board for a fee.
Oregon Recriminalizes Small Amounts of Hard Drugs, Admitting Decriminalization Failed
Measure 110 never worked well from the start. Last July I wrote state officials, advocates for drug reform laws and Oregon residents are left wondering whether Measure 110 needs small reforms, is merely experiencing growing pains or should be scrapped altogether. Also, one has to wonder if the tax revenue supporting treatment centers was supposed to mitigate the increase in drug use by making drug use less risky.
Emergency Room Violence is Increasingly Common
I often warn patients to avoid the emergency room (ER) at all costs – mostly because it will cost you a fortune. I also advise patients to avoid hospitals in general unless they are too sick to go anywhere else. Hospitals are the most expensive place to have medical care done that can be done elsewhere. It turns out, the ER is not just dangerous for patients financially, but also a dangerous place to work.