Wrist-worn step trackers accurate in predicting patient health outcomes

Researchers have found that steps measured through a step tracker worn on the wrist can be used to estimate exercise capacity and determine the health status of patients, rather than the standardized 6-minute walk distance test, which is usually conducted in a clinical setting.

* This article was originally published here

Blockbuster Medicare Innovations: AHIP panel recap

I enjoyed moderating the Blockbuster Medicare Innovations panel at the AHIP conference on Medicare, Medicaid and Dual Eligibles. In this video recap, I summarize the panelists’ key takeaways on supplemental benefits, home dialysis, and telemedicine.

Thanks to Dr. Michael Cantor of CareCentrix, Bruce Greenstein of LHC Group and Mary Hsieh PharmD MPH of Health Management Associates for doing a great job with it.

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By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.

The post Blockbuster Medicare Innovations: AHIP panel recap appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here

The Health Benefits At The Center Of The United Auto Workers Strike

A key issue in the contract dispute between General Motors and the United Auto Workers is health benefits. Workers have had famously great health plans, paying just 3% of costs.

* This article was originally published here

Discovery in gallium nitride a key enabler of energy efficient electronics

Gallium nitride, a semiconductor that revolutionized energy-efficient LED lighting, could also transform electronics and wireless communication, thanks to a new discovery.

* This article was originally published here

Pine Nut Pesto

This vegan Pine Nut Pesto Sauce is absolutely divine. The texture is like velvet. Rich and creamy, yet totally fragrant and bright. The flavors are basil, garlic, lemon, plant-based Parmesan and of course those nutty, buttery pine nuts. This is a super speedy sauce that will make any boring 'pasta night' into something to crave...Read more »

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* This article was originally published here

Interview: Sam Schacher

Hey guys! I am so excited to be chatting with Sam Schacher today as my first interview in my HHL Healthy Happy Leaders Interview Series. This is a reboot to my popular Veggie Girl Power Interview Series, featuring inspiring names like Marilu Henner, Heather Mills, Portia de Rossi and more. HHL Interviews. These interviews feature inspiring leaders who are making a difference for animals, people and the planet. Sam Schacher of Daily Blast Live! Sam is a mother, and the host and managing editor of Daily Blast LIVE (a Nationally syndicated television show, that is also LIVE on FaceBook and YouTube). She is also the co-owner of Biren & Co. candles. And fun fact, we just happen to go to the same high school. Let's chat!... Read more »

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* This article was originally published here

Asian Style Sauteed Veggies with Tempeh

Quick and easy to make, these Asian Style Sauteed Veggies with Tempeh explode with flavor, while allowing the vegetables to truly shine and express their beautiful nature.

Sometimes the best dishes are those that get dictated by the content of your fridge! This Asian Style Sauteed Veggies with Tempeh would be one of those dishes... I was feeling particularly uninspired that day, and was way overdue for a trip to the grocery store. But, I had a bunch of vegetables in the fridge that really needed to be used up, and I most definitely didn't want to throw them away. I hate throwing away food.

When that happens, I usually end up making a huge salad, but this time I was in the mood for something warm and comforting. So, I took everything out and started cooking, taking notes — and pictures — as I went along, just like I used to do back when I started blogging years ago. Just in case the dish would turn out really great and worthy of sharing with you, you know. 

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* This article was originally published here

Leukemia drug shows promise for treating a childhood brain cancer

Researchers describe a new use of leukemia drug, nilotinib, to treat a subtype of medulloblastoma, a deadly pediatric brain cancer.

* This article was originally published here

How Trump can win on healthcare

It should be easy for the Democrats to beat President Trump on healthcare. After all, he never followed through on his promise to “take care of everyone” or to unveil a “phenomenal” plan. Moreover, his sabotage of Obamacare, attacks on Planned Parenthood, and stress introduced by his tweets have caused additional damage.

However, leading Democrats including Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren insist on shooting themselves in the foot by touting Medicare for All. The critics are right: it would be expensive, complex, disruptive and represent a government takeover of the healthcare system. A new Kaiser Family Foundation poll shows that most people don’t even believe their wages will rise if employers save a bundle on health care, as they would under Medicare for All.

Meanwhile, Trump has competent people in his administration in healthcare (unlike other areas) and they’ve worked hard on productive areas such as Medicare Advantage, kidney care, transparency, and vaping.

As a result, Trump can win on healthcare even without a signature TrumpCare program.

Democrats would be wise to nominate someone who espouses building on Obamacare, not replacing it with Medicare for All. Michael Bennet is my pick, but he isn’t getting traction. Joe Biden is the best of the current frontrunners and as Obama’s Vice President is best placed to cement the Obamacare legacy.

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By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.

 

The post How Trump can win on healthcare appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here

No Bake Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies

These No Bake Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies are as easy to make as they are delicious to eat, and good for your body! A truly guilt-free little treat for the peanut butter lover in you!

Surely by now, you all know just how big a fan of peanut butter and chocolate I really am... I mean, just the words alone are enough to get me all excited! 

And since I'm all for a little something sweet to eat after supper, well then I guess it'll come as no surprise that I came up with yet another quick little peanut butter chocolate dessert. Cuz seriously, nothing finishes a meal quite like peanut butter and chocolate. Right? Right! 

If you are a fan like me, then you will totally agree that these little guys truly are the bomb! Man, you won't believe the amount of peanut butter flavor that they pack under their hood! They're a bit like the interior of a Wunderbar, only they are a lot less sweet, and MUCH better for your health! In fact, those cookies are so good for you, you can eat them practically guilt free! 

And the best part is they are really quick and easy to make: about 20 minutes and a few simple ingredients are all you'll need, and you won’t even be making a mess in the kitchen.  

I'm telling you, there's absolutely nothing not to love about them... except maybe the fact that you can't — or very hardly — eat just one! 

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The post No Bake Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies appeared first on The Healthy Foodie.

* This article was originally published here

Electric tech could help reverse baldness

Reversing baldness could someday be as easy as wearing a hat, thanks to a noninvasive, low-cost hair-growth-stimulating technology.

* This article was originally published here

5-Minute Cashew Queso

Ready in just 5 minutes, this cashew queso is an irresistibly cheesy dip that can be enjoyed not only with tortilla chips, but with just about anything Mexican... or not! Try it with nachos, tortillas, enchiladas, burritos, or even pasta, sandwiches, burgers, and more. It's so good that you'll want to put it on everything...

I remember when I was younger, much younger, I used to be a big fan of that shady orange stuff that can be bought in jars at the grocery — or even convenience — store and that's questionably labeled as "queso"... To be honest, I never even dared look at the ingredients, but I'm pretty sure that it doesn't even contain one single healthy element. 

This cashew queso, though, is made with nothing BUT good stuff... and it's much tastier than its dubious counterpart, if you ask me! Of course, this cheesy dip is spectacular served with corn tortilla chips, but it's soooo irresistibly delicious, you'll probably end up using it on everything. I even put some in a tomato sandwich the other day, instead of mayonnaise! BOOM! Talk about taking a boring tomato sandwich to the next level! continue reading

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* This article was originally published here

It's Not Just Insulin: Diabetes Patients Struggle To Get Crucial Supplies

Type 1 diabetes can be well managed with insulin if blood sugar is consistently monitored. But insurance rules can make it hard for patients to get the medical supplies their doctors say they need.

(Image credit: Allison Zaucha for NPR)

* This article was originally published here

Stroke patients relearning how to walk with peculiar shoe

Clinical trials have been completed on a therapeutic shoe engineered to improve stroke recovery. They've proven successful, allowing for the patented product to hit the market by the end of the year.

* This article was originally published here

Immune response depends on mathematics of narrow escapes

The way immune cells pick friends from foes can be described by a classic maths puzzle known as the 'narrow escape problem'.

* This article was originally published here

New way to target cancer's diversity and evolution

Scientists have revealed close-up details of a vital molecule involved in the mix and match of genetic information within cells -- opening up the potential to target proteins of this family to combat cancer's diversity and evolution.

* This article was originally published here

Air Ambulances Woo Rural Consumers With Memberships That May Leave Them Hanging

State regulators and even one medevac company have raised doubts about prepaid subscriptions and promised benefits offered by air ambulance companies. Gaps in coverage can be a problem.

(Image credit: Sarah Jane Tribble/Kaiser Health News)

* This article was originally published here

Air ambulance reality warp in Wyoming

How much for a ride?

From reading (Why Red Wyoming Seeks The Regulatory Approach To Air Ambulance Costs) it appears that the laws of economics have been repealed and that the state’s rugged individuals have gone soft on us. But really, it’s just another take on the absurdity of the air ambulance business.

I had to laugh at this passage:

The air ambulance industry has grown steadily in the U.S. from about 1,100 aircraft in 2007 to more than 1,400 in 2018. During that same time, the fleet in Wyoming has grown from three aircraft to 14. [A]n oversupply of helicopters and planes is driving up prices because air bases have high fixed overhead costs. [C]ompanies must pay for aircraft, staffing and technology… before they fly a single patient.

But with the supply of aircraft outpacing demand, each air ambulance is flying fewer patients… So, companies have raised their prices to cover their fixed costs and to seek healthy returns for their investors.

Imagine if there were three gas stations in a town and then there were 14. Would prices go up or down? [Hint: Down.]

But healthcare doesn’t work like that, somehow. Ambulances in general and air ambulances in particular are great examples of why not. In particular, you can’t really refuse to be transported by ambulance and if you have private insurance the ambulance companies can stay out of network and stick you –the consumer– with the bill.

In this case, Wyoming is doing the right thing in trying to socialize the industry by pushing everything into Medicaid.  The legislature would be wise to use this as an opportunity to reconsider its opposition to Medicaid expansion, which it has rejected in the past, even it added a hard hearted and counterproductive work requirement.

I first covered the topic in March 2005, the first week I started writing this blog. What I wrote then (Air ambulances: costly, dangerous, slow?) is still worth recalling:

According to today’s Wall St. Journal, not only are air ambulances liable to crash (a crew member who worked 20 hours/week for 20 years would have a 40% chance of being killed), they are often slower than ground ambulances, and are used to transport patients who aren’t that sick.

Of course, there are situations where air ambulances make sense, such as in rural areas. On the other hand, even speedy air ambulances can’t do much about the 10-20 hours waits I mentioned in yesterday’s post on Mass General.

• After 9-year-old Tyler Herman fell and broke his jaw in the wilds of Arizona, doctors at a community hospital decided the boy should fly to Phoenix to undergo plastic surgery for a gash on his face. During the flight he was well enough to sit up and remark on the scenery. Upon arriving in Phoenix, he waited nearly 20 hours to undergo surgery. “We could have driven him there in four hours,” says Sharon Herman, the boy’s mother. Her insurance didn’t cover air transport, leaving the Hermans with a bill for $25,000.

Wyoming is a rural state, and the picture that air ambulances conjure up is people being rescued from car crashes or heart attacks in remote areas. Of course that’s the story the owners of air ambulance services want you to believe.  Here’s what the lobbyist in Wyoming says about it:

“How many of these 4,000 people a year [flown by air ambulance] are you willing to tell, ‘Sorry, we decided as a legislature you’re going to have to take ground ambulance?’” Mincer said during a June hearing on the proposal.

Sure enough, in Wyoming the situation now is like it was in Arizona a decade and a half ago. “On-scene trauma responses,” represent just a small portion of the flights. In this case, supply creates its own demand and in many cases a ground ambulance would be a better option.

It’s tempting –but too easy– to place all the blame on private equity investors for the problem. State and federal government, health plans, physicians and even consumers have the power to make it stop.

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By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.

The post Air ambulance reality warp in Wyoming appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here

My 12 Feel-Good Food Patterns

Humans are natural pattern recognizers, says science. Well since I mainly write about food and culture and wellness and life, but mostly food, I wanted to share My 12 Feel-Good Food Patterns that I have recognized in my own life -- and a few I'd like to drop....Read more »

This is a summary, images and full post available on HHL website!

* This article was originally published here

Buffalo Tofu Skewers

If you are a fan of Buffalo Chicken, then you will be all over these Buffalo Tofu Skewers. Their flavor and texture is so similar to that of chicken, it's almost scary... they will totally win over even the toughest of tofu non-enthusiasts!

I almost gave up on these guys like 250 while elaborating this recipe... guess I was having one of those days where nothing seemed to be working for me. Thank goodness I persevered though, as these skewers are probably one of the best things I've eaten since switching to a vegan diet. To be completely honest, I'd been sort of craving my Buffalo Chicken Skewers — although just the Buffalo part, NOT the chicken — and was wanting really hard to find a decent, cruelty-free replacement for them. 

Mission accomplished! These buffalo tofu skewers have a texture that's even better than that of chicken if you ask me... it's totally chewy and firm yet strangely moist and juicy. As for flavor, well, — just like the originals — these skewers are not for the faint of heart: they do pack some serious heat! But their intense fire comes loaded with so much flavor that it renders the heat more than bearable, even for those whose taste buds are a tad delicate…

Although if you are really, truly super sensitive to heat, you might want to proceed with care... but if you are a fan of heat, you are in for a serious treat! 

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The post Buffalo Tofu Skewers appeared first on The Healthy Foodie.

* This article was originally published here

Genetic mutation linked to flu-related heart complications

For the first time, research in mice has shown a link between a genetic mutation, flu and heart irregularities that researchers say might one day improve the care of flu patients.

* This article was originally published here

Deep magnet stimulation shown to improve symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder

Researchers have found that focusing powerful non-invasive magnet stimulation on a specific brain area can improve the symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This opens the way to treat the large minority of sufferers who do not respond to conventional treatment.

* This article was originally published here

Cinnamon Soy Latte

A foamy, sweet, but not too sweet, Cinnamon Soy Latte is my favorite drink for lazy weekend mornings. This is my technique + recipe for getting a super foamy latte that is accented with lovely hints of cinnamon, caramel and of course espresso. Grab a big mug!..Read more »

This is a summary, images and full post available on HHL website!

* This article was originally published here

Trump Administration Is In Court To Block Nation's First Supervised Injection Site

Efforts to combat Philadelphia's opioid crisis with a supervised injection site could be stymied by a portion of federal law meant to protect neighborhoods during the crack epidemic of the 1980s.

(Image credit: Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)

* This article was originally published here

Gut bacteria may be linked to high blood pressure and depression

A study of human gut bacteria -- known as the gut microbiome -- suggests that high blood pressure with depression may be a completely different disease than high blood pressure without depression. The gut may be targeted someday to prevent, diagnose and selectively treat different forms of high blood pressure with or without depression.

* This article was originally published here

Genome mining reveals novel production pathway for promising malaria treatment

Researchers are exploring the relationship between microbial natural products and the gene clusters that enable their production. By learning to recognize what genes lead to what types of products, they hope to use genome sequencing to speed discovery of new natural products that may have key therapeutic properties.

* This article was originally published here

Cabbage Vegetable Soup

Packed with all kinds of wholesome vegetables happily swimming in a tasty tomato broth, this Cabbage Vegetable Soup is a bowl of warming comfort that you can eat to your heart's content, knowing that you are doing your body nothing but good!

I can't believe it's already September... it hit me when I last went grocery shopping and noticed this stand filled with all kinds of beautiful, big, rock solid, super crisp green and red cabbages, going for a ridiculously low price. Yep. This could only mean one thing: fall is definitely right around the corner. 

Oh well! To be honest, it kind of made me happy 'cuz I'd been craving soup for days; so upon spotting them, I immediately decided that I was going to make cabbage soup... or more precisely, cabbage and vegetable soup. 

Man ô man is this stuff good. Even if you're not a fan of cabbage, this soup is packed with so much flavor, and it's so crazy comforting, that you will more than probably go for seconds, and even thirds. But the good thing is: this soup also happens to be so good for your overall health, so full of vitamins and other good wholesome stuff, and so very low in calories to boot, that you could go as far as eating the whole pot to yourself without having to feel guilty in the least. 

Although you might feel a tiny bit guilty about how, erm... windy, things might get that night, if you were to have this entire pot to yourself!  

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The post Cabbage Vegetable Soup appeared first on The Healthy Foodie.

* This article was originally published here

Bacteria in pneumonia attack using bleaching agent

Research shows that bacteria use hydrogen peroxide to weaken the immune system and cause pneumonia. Hydrogen peroxide is also known as a bleaching agent that is used to whiten teeth or hair, as a stain remover, as well as for cleaning surfaces and disinfecting wounds.

* This article was originally published here

5 'Old School' Veggie Burgers for Labor Day Weekend

Alright, I'm absolutely giddy that vegan 'meat' has gone viral. I'm super excited that you can find vegan Whoppers and plant-based taco filling and even vegan KFC! I feel like vegan has taken some huge leaps and bounds into mainstream lately, and a big part of that is courtesy of fake meat products like the Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger. Hooray! If you love 'em, I'm happy for you. But I'll be totally honest, they just are not my thing. Maybe it's because I've just never been a beef fan, and maybe they just taste too real for me. But when it comes to burgers, I definitely prefer something vintage. Give me mashed beans, rice, mushrooms, all those things in a slightly mushy, hand-packed patty. And with that, here are my 5 'Old School'...

This is a summary, images and full post available on HHL website!

* This article was originally published here

#CareTalk August 2019: Reimportation scares Canada

 

In this edition of #CareTalk, CareCentrix CEO John Driscoll and I have a little fun at the expense of our neighbors to the North. Will Canada build a wall along its Southern border to keep out US patients?

Overview:

(0:43) Are Canadians right to worry that Americans are going to clean out their pharmacies, leaving nothing for the locals?

(1:43) What are “authorized generics” and are they a good idea?

(3:22) Are skilled nursing facilities a piggybank for accountable care organizations?

(5:05) Should everyone be screened for drug use?

(6:40) A Montana man was stuck with a $500,000 dialysis bill. Would you have paid it?

(7:16) What should happen to the person who manipulated the Novartis gene therapy data?

(7:39) Is Tom Brady too old to play in the NFL?

The post #CareTalk August 2019: Reimportation scares Canada appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here