- Germany spends almost two thirds of government revenue on social welfare. For the US, it’s more than half.
- How Medicare Advantage risk adjustment actually works.
- “Seventy-nine percent of Americans say housing costs are “too high” or “way too high.” Sixty-two percent say it’s become harder to find housing they can afford. But only 24 percent think building more housing in their community would lower costs.” (NYT)
- “Mothers who received doula care had a nearly 50 percent lower risk of cesarean sections, which can lead to infections, blood clots and potentially dangerous bleeding. Mothers receiving the care also had a 29 percent lower risk of preterm birth and were 46 percent more likely to attend a postpartum checkup.”
Saturday Links
- Theories about why people are down on the economy.
- Should you feed a cold and starve a fever? No. (NYT)
- How many Americans are really poor?
- 100 years of mortgage crises.
- Playing outside is good for kids.
- Mississippi’s economically disadvantaged fourth graders now post the highest reading scores in the nation.
Biohackers are Taking Medicine into Their Own Hands: Should You?
People mostly do not question the requirement that their doctors must authorize prescription drug therapies. This is slowly changing, however. Patients increasingly turn to telemedicine websites, whose presence seems to consist of little more than web-based questionnaires.
Friday Links
- Of nearly 1,000 people diagnosed with lung cancer, 65% would not have qualified for screening under today’s U.S. Preventive Services Task Force criteria.
- Congress seems ready to extend hospitals at home under Medicare.
- Can listening to music prevent dementia?
- A “p factor,” is claimed to be a common factor in various forms of mental illness, analogous to the “g factor” for general intelligence.
- Nine of the 10 most expensive cities are in blue states.
- Thoughts on Thanksgiving and turkeys.