The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) includes provisions to force down the price of medications paid for by Medicaid, Medicare and consumers. The mechanisms to force down drug prices are convoluted as one would expect, as are the strategies by drug companies, drug plan managers and health insurers to prevent losing profits.
Author: Devon Herrick
Should Schools Shorten Medical Training to Expand Diversity, Equity and Inclusion?
I have met many doctors over the years and none of them appeared to be the type to purposely give anyone lower quality care due to race or ethnicity. The key word in my mind is purposely. Doctors are professionals who take their work seriously. Most of the racial bias in medicine is unintentional. I believe the key to reducing racial bias – or any other type of bias in medicine – is awareness. This is especially important in primary care.
Leprosy is on the Rise in the United States
Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae and the more recently discovered M. lepromatosis. It is a curable yet neglected tropical disease, entirely treatable with the right care, but nonetheless a disease that still occurs in more than 120 countries.
About 150 cases of leprosy are reported in the US each year. Unique strains of M. leprae have been detected in US patients, though most cases are people who have traveled from countries where leprosy is present or endemic.
How Long Do You Want to live… with Alzheimer’s?
Several close family members developed Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia before they died. They all required institutional care. Alzheimer’s is an insidious disease that robs the victims of the person they were. It robs them of the people they loved as they forget the names and faces of family and friends. It robs them of their dignity as they can no longer care for themselves and must be fed, bathed, clothed and toileted like a toddler. It sometimes robs them of their legacy, as their care is so costly they have to bankrupt themselves before qualifying for Medicaid coverage.