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Health Bills Create Tension Over Abortion Coverage
The Associated Press reports: "Health care legislation before Congress would allow a new government-sponsored insurance plan to cover abortions, a decision that would affect millions of women and recast federal policy on the divisive issue. Federal funds for abortions are now restricted to cases involving rape, incest or danger to the health of the mother. Abortion opponents say those restrictions should carry over to any health insurance sold through a new marketplace envisioned under the legislation, an exchange where people would choose private coverage or the public plan. Abortion rights supporters say that would have the effect of denying coverage for abortion to millions of women who now have it through workplace insurance and are expected to join the exchange. Advocates on both sides are preparing for a renewed battle over abortion, which could jeopardize political support for President Barack Obama"s health care initiative aimed at covering nearly 50 million uninsured and restraining medical costs" (Alonso-Zaldivar, 8/5).
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Americans Who Say They Are In Excellent Health Enjoy More "Special" Birthday Celebrations
As the official sponsor of birthdays, the American Cancer Society announced new survey results that show people who say they are in excellent health enjoy better birthdays. The online survey of 2,002 U.S. adults, which demonstrated a strong link between health and attitudes about birthdays, revealed that people who say they are in excellent health are more likely to consider birthdays special and exciting events. In addition, people who say they are in excellent health are nearly twice as likely to love celebrating birthdays, generally consider them fun and feel more special on their birthday than people who say they are in poor health.
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Bill Fuels Debate Over Universal Screening For Postpartum Depression
A bill (HR 20, S 324) in Congress that would mandate funding for research, services and public education related to postpartum depression has sparked debate over whether all women should be screened for the condition, Time reports. The Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act, also known as the Mothers Act, passed the House and is before the Senate. The bill does not specifically include funding for PPD testing, though an earlier version did; regardless, critics say it would still lead to greater screening. According to Time, the issue at the center of the debate is whether PPD screening identifies actual cases "or simply contribute[s] to the potentially dangerous medicalization of motherhood." Ingrid Johnston-Robledo, director of women"s studies at the State University of New York, said that experts on both sides of the debate agree about increased support for women. "The problem with women"s reproductive health issues is that they tend to be ignored or exaggerated," Johnston-Robledo said. She added, "We need to find a way to come down in the middle: acknowledge women"s depression but not assume that all women who struggle with the transition to motherhood are depressed."Critics of the bill argue that mental health screenings are notorious for giving false positives. They also contend that increased testing is a bid by pharmaceutical companies to sell more medication to women who do not need it. Some psychologists argue that universal PPD screening would be misdirected because the greatest risk factor for the condition is previous depression, not giving birth. Paula Caplan, a clinical and research psychologist, said, "(We) should be addressing the social factors causing women to be upset after they give birth, not locating the problem within the women."Some proponents of PPD screening say it is not supposed to be used as a diagnostic tool but as a way to identify which patients require further evaluation. According to Time, studies suggest that PPD affects as many as one out of seven women who have recently given birth and that leaving it untreated exposes women and their infants to unwarranted risk. Katherine Wisner, a psychiatrist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, said, "Postpartum depression is not a benign, uncommon thing." She added, "We screen all infants for (the genetic disorder) phenylketonuria, which is extremely rare. Why don"t we screen women for this?" (Elton, Time, 7/20).
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Study Finds Workplace Health Care Significantly Increases Adherence To Medications, Potentially Saving Health Care Dollars

A new study shows that patients who use workplace primary care and pharmacy services have higher adherence rates to medications for chronic conditions, suggesting that by investing in integrated workplace health and pharmacy programs companies can realize health care savings while also improving patient outcomes. The findings, published in the current issue of the American Journal of Managed Care, show that overall adherence to medication was nearly 10 percent (9.72 percent) higher among patients treated in the workplace than those treated in the community. The authors of the study concluded that due to the negative impact on patients" health and significant costs associated with non-adherence, these results support the concept of workplace health as a means to save "not only health care dollars, but lives as well." "This study truly demonstrates the value of the workplace health care model in addressing medication adherence - one of the most challenging and costly obstacles faced by providers and payers of health care," said Dr. Sharon Frazee, an author of the study and vice president of health research for Take Care Health Systems. "Having care accessibly located at the worksite allows employees to build a trusted, face-to-face relationship with both their clinicians and pharmacists, providing an opportunity to engage in a dialogue about their condition and treatment plan, and ultimately, promote patient adherence through education and communication." Low rates of medication adherence are a growing issue for the country"s health, recently referred to as "America"s other drug problem" by The National Council on Patient Information and Education, and can potentially result in serious negative health outcomes for patients. In fact, a report by the World Health Organization stated that the magnitude of non-adherence and the scope of the pathology related to non-adherence are so alarming, that greater health benefits would result from improving adherence to existing treatments than by developing new medical therapies. Additionally, non-adherence takes an economic toll on national health care spending, currently costing an estimated $100 billion a year. Despite the existence of employer-sponsored workplace health programs for some time, this was the first study of its kind to examine the relationship between the use of employer health offerings at the worksite and adherence to medications. "The increased use of generic medications, along with increased adherence, decreases overall medication expense," said Allan Khoury, MD, Chief Medical Officer for Take Care Health Systems. "This leads to better health at a lower cost. This approach is an important lesson for all of American health care." The retrospective study looked at data from the health benefit-covered population from eight different locations of a large employer and included current employees, retirees and dependents. The findings for increased adherence were consistent regardless of medication type, number of days supplied or the location of the worksite. Medications used to treat diabetes, heart arrhythmia, hypertension, heart disease and thyroid disorders were included in the study. This study was the second study in a two-part series on the value of integrated workplace primary care and pharmacy services. Take Care Health Systems previously authored a study published in the April 2007 Journal for Health and Productivity illustrating that when doctors and pharmacists work closely together in a workplace primary care health center, prescribing practices favor older, first-line antibiotics that produce significant savings and provide important therapeutic benefits. The approach, studied at four onsite facilities of an existing Take Care Health Systems client, translated into an estimated potential $1.5 million in savings on antibiotic prescriptions for the host company over three years. Authors of the study published in the American Journal of Managed Care include: Bruce Sherman, MD, FCCP, FACOEM, director, health and productivity management, Employers Health Coalition of Ohio; and Take Care Health Systems" colleagues Sharon Glave Frazee, PhD, vice president of health research; Raymond Fabius, MD, CPE, FACPE, strategic advisor to the president; Rochelle Broome, MD FAAFP, regional medical director; James Manfred, RPh, vice president, pharmacy services; and Jeffery Davis, MBA, health informatics analyst. About Take Care Health Systems Take Care Health Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ: WAG) and part of Walgreens Health and Wellness division, is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and convenient care clinics in the country. TCHS is comprised of Take Care Consumer Solutions and Take Care Health Employer Solutions . Take Care Consumer Solutions manages Take Care Clinics at select Walgreens drugstores throughout the country. Patient care at each of the Take Care Clinics is provided by Take Care Health Services, an independently owned state professional corporation established in each market. Take Care Health Employer Solutions manages primary care, health and wellness, occupational health, pharmacy and fitness centers at large employer campuses. Combined, Take Care Health Systems manages more than 700 worksite and retail health care centers. Walgreens


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