Senior Prescription Savings

REGINA (CP) - It is a rural area covered more by forest than pavement, but it is here - in Saskatchewan's sparsely inhabited north - where tuberculosis has hit hardest.

How changes in employer retiree health plans are affecting individuals is analyzed in this AARP Public Policy Institute Issue Paper by Richard W. Johnson of the Urban Institute. Health coverage and costs among early retirees and those on Medicare, and the role played by employer-sponsored retiree health benefits are examined. (67 pages)

The number of companies offering nationwide Medicare drug benefit to US seniors and disabled people will increase from 9 to 17, say officials. Several new regional companies will also offer coverage. Those who are satisfied with their current coverage will not have to do anything when the new period for open enrollment starts on November 15th.However, even if you are happy with your present coverage, it may not be a bad idea to compare what you have with what will be available. [click link for full article]

Workers at the USA's largest private-sector firms pay health insurance deductibles that are about half as expensive as those paid by workers at the smallest companies, according to a report by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Employees of companies with 1,000 or more workers paid $859, on average, to meet their deductible for family-plan coverage in 2004, compared with $1,779 paid by workers in firms with fewer than 10 employees, the report found. [click link for full article]

A USA Today editorial on Wednesday addresses FDA, Wal-Mart and the doughnut hole in the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Summaries of comments appear below.FDA: According to USA Today, a "troubling" recent [click link for full article]

A man's stereotypical self-image as the "strong, silent type" and the stigma of depression are major reasons why older men are less likely than women to be referred to studies of depression, to seek treatment for depression, and to recognize and express symptoms of depression, according to clinicians and recruiters interviewed for a new study from the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. [click link for full article]

Title: Bipolar Disorder (Mania)
Category: Diseases and Conditions
Created: 1/13/2003
Last Editorial Review: 9/29/2006

Title: Low Birth Weight Ups Risk of Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Category: Health News
Created: 9/29/2006 2:05:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 9/29/2006 2:04:42 AM

Title: Hypoglycemia & Diabetes: How Low Can You Go?
Category: Doctor's Views
Created: 2/5/2002 10:15:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 9/29/2006

Title: Higher Education Boosts Knee, Hip Replacement Rate
Category: Health News
Created: 9/29/2006 2:05:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 9/29/2006 2:04:41 AM