The 21st Century Cures Act went into effect in 2021. Among other things, the federal law requires that patients have access to their test results in a timely manner. In years past patients often had to play phone tag with their doctor’s office to view their own medical records and lab test results. Before the 21st Century Cures Act, patients often never knew the results of tests if the doctor did not consider them noteworthy.
Category: Doctors & Hospitals
Monday Links
- Why Trump pulled his CDC director nominee: “One source described a meeting with Senate staff members where Weldon did not know the authorities of the CDC director and was not able to articulate his vision or priorities for the agency.”
- Weldon blames Pharma. (InsideHealthPolicy—gated)
- Is hospital sepsis screening worthwhile?
- Trump is doubling down on price transparency.
- Questionable claim from Health Affairs: Poor nutrition in the US causes more than 600,000 deaths and an estimated $1.1 trillion in health care spending.
Would You See a Hologram Doctor?
Telemedicine is a way to see a doctor remotely. As an aside, I wonder if the people complaining that they are just as productive working remotely from home are the same ones who only want to see a doctor in person. Just a thought. In any case telemedicine has several small problems. Talking to a doctor on the phone is impersonal. Taking over Zoom allows you to see a face but not much else. Seeing a hologram is different.
Friday Links
- GAO: federal agencies improper payments from 2003 to 2024 total at least $2.8 trillion.
- Doctor visits per person per year: the US is among the lowest among all developed countries. Also, no increase under Obamacare.
- How DEI is affecting who gets to practice medicine.
- Paragon Institute: We estimate that the true amount of improper payments in Medicaid is twice as high as reported.”
- CBO: the10-year cost of a common Medicaid tax scam by state governments is more than $600 billion.