Your Pharmacist – Bound and Gagged

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Your Pharmacist – Bound and Gagged

During the past 10 years or more, the costs of prescription drugs seem to have taken on an enlarging life of their own.  Gone are the days of no co-pay. Today even co-pays seem outrageous, yet pharmaceutical drug companies keep raising their prices and we, the patients, are responsible for their bazillion dollar paychecks, whether or not we can afford the drugs we need.

I’ll confess that I have a totally unbalanced sense of awe and loathing for Big Pharma (the ...

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21
JUN
0

drugs - cost and safety, health care and cost management, medical bills

A HUGE Step Forward for Patients: BCPA

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A HUGE Step Forward for Patients: BCPA

When you run into problems with the legal system, who do you call?  A lawyer, of course.

When you run into problems with your taxes, who do you call?  An accountant, of course.

If you have trouble with your hair, you call a hairdresser. If the wires or pipes in your house give out, you call a plumber or electrician….

Each of these service careers is represented by skilled professionals who have earned credentials through national certification programs. When you go in search ...

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27
MAY
1

health care and cost management, patient communication, patient safety, types of patient advocates, working with advocates and care managers

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Did You Get Something That Looks Like a Medicare Card in the Mail?

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Did You Get Something That Looks Like a Medicare Card in the Mail?

The envelope says its from Medicare. The card inside looks very official. It’s got your name on it, and a bunch of numbers and letters that don’t look at all familiar.

But – can you trust it? Is this new Medicare card for real?  Can you use it with your doctor and other medical needs?

Why on earth, after all these years, would they just send you a new Medicare card for no apparent reason?

The answers are yes, yes, yes…. and for ...

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20
MAR
3

doctor communication, follow the money, health insurance, medical bills, Medicare, the government and health care

Black Box Warnings May Save Your Life

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Black Box Warnings May Save Your Life

This often comes as a major surprise for patients: that when a prescription drug is known to be effective, and is approved by the FDA for some patients, that doesn’t mean it’s effective and safe for all patients.

It’s true that some people may be allergic, or the drug might have been prescribed to treat the wrong diagnosis, or the patient may not take the drug properly and over (or under) dose….

…But those situations are not what I’m addressing in this ...

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23
FEB
0

doctor communication, follow the money, health care and cost management, medical decision making, patient safety, the government and health care

No Diagnosis? It May Not Matter

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No Diagnosis? It May Not Matter

Years ago I watched a movie called Serendipity.  It starred Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack. It was a “romcom” – and adorable – and it occurs to me that it sets the stage for today’s post.

The story was about two young people who met in Bloomingdales while shopping, and through a series of events, they were attracted to each other, but never exchanged names. They then lost track of each other. Over the years they continued to ...

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23
JAN
0

diagnosis and misdiagnosis, follow the money, health care and cost management, medical bills, medical decision making, patient safety

5 Little Words Save Money on Healthcare

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5 Little Words Save Money on Healthcare

‘Tis the season of making health insurance choices, and the nexus of money and healthcare is on our minds. We’re focused on making sure we find a policy that covers us, but doesn’t over-cover us so we pay too much. It’s about those things that can be planned (the drugs we take, the regular medical appointments we keep). Plus an extra accounting for those things we may not plan for, but may have to deal with, like accidents, or grave ...

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20
NOV
0

follow the money, health care and cost management, health insurance, hospital care, medical bills, the government and health care

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OK, But What’s the Question?

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OK, But What’s the Question?

In my previous life as a speaker and writer on patient empowerment issues, I received email, even postal mail (meaning, yes, someone paid for a stamp!) from patients who were being challenged in some way by the healthcare system. Sometimes I would hear from 8 or 10 people in a week, 25, 30 or more a month.

Their stories were often sickening and terrifying. At the least they were frustrating to read (even more so to live through, I’m sure) and ...

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19
OCT
0

doctor communication, health care and cost management, medical decision making, patient communication

What Happens When You Go Home from the Hospital?

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What Happens When You Go Home from the Hospital?

Maybe you had surgery, or some sort of exploratory procedure. You might have been battling an infection, or maybe you were just there while they ran an assortment of tests. There are many reasons you might have been hospitalized.

And now it’s time to go home from the hospital.

Now what?

The thing is – during your stay in the hospital, there were people around to take care of you. Your nurses stopped by a few times each day, and would even arrive ...

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3
OCT
0

health care and cost management, hospital care, patient safety

Aging and Alone? Who Will Hold Your Hand Through Healthcare?

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Aging and Alone? Who Will Hold Your Hand Through Healthcare?

There are many names now being used to describe those of the baby-boomer generation who are aging and alone. “Elder Orphans” or “Solo Seniors” are two of them; describing the concept of someone who is older and has no family or younger friends to help them in time of medical crisis (or any other life-assisting event like moving, or shifting financial needs.)

  • Who can help them make end-of-life decisions?
  • Who can make decisions for them if they get sick?
  • Who can help them ...
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5
SEP
0

health care and cost management, hospital care, medical decision making, patient communication, working with advocates and care managers

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Those Elusive Test Results

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Those Elusive Test Results

I’m not sure how it happened, but over the years, my medical appointments and tests all seem to have ended up as summer scheduled dates. 

You know – all those annual or periodic things:  bloodwork, mammogram, bone density, dentist, optometrist…. I also check in with the dermatologist once a year (because I was that fair-skinned, freckled kid who, as a teenager, slathered on the baby oil at the pool – remember those days?)  And this year was, oh joy of joys ...

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28
AUG
0

doctor communication, health care and cost management, medical decision making, patient communication

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