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Depression May Increase Risk Of Alzheimer's Disease In People With Memory Problems
People with memory problems who are depressed are more likely to develop Alzheimer"s disease compared to people who are not depressed, according to a study published in the June 16, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. However, the research also shows that the popular Alzheimer"s drug donepezil may delay the progression to Alzheimer"s disease for depressed people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or memory problems.
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Survey: Illinois Seniors Delay Buying Prescription Drugs
Some seniors in Illinois are delaying buying prescription drugs because of the cost, according to the AARP. United Press International reports: "Twenty-one percent of AARP members surveyed in Illinois report not filling or delaying filling prescriptions due to cost, a survey indicated. Nearly one in five said they had to cut back on food and utilities to afford needed medications, the AARP survey of Illinois residents 50 and over indicated. The survey found 63 percent are concerned about affordability of their prescription drugs. Eighteen percent reported they took less than the prescribed amount to make the medicine last longer. The survey found women and Hispanics say they tend to be harder hit than the general 50-plus population by high drug costs. In the past year, prices for brand-name prescription drugs increased an average of 8.7 percent, while generic drug prices decreased by nearly 11 percent, Merri Dee, president for AARP in Illinois, said. Prices of specialty prescription drugs, used to treat conditions that tend to affect older populations such as cancer and rheumatoid arthritis, increased by 9.3 percent" (7/13).
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Migraine Sufferers Benefit From Forehead Lifts
Migraine headaches are a drain - not only on the estimated 30 million Americans who suffer from them, but on the economy, too. Because pain and other symptoms caused by migraine headaches can be quite severe, it is projected that nearly $13 billion is spent every year in headache treatment and loss of time from work, which no one can afford these days. But according to a new study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), there is hope for severe and frequent migraine sufferers who can"t find relief in conventional remedies.
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Washington State Drops Budget Provision That Would Have Cut Medicaid Pharmacy Payments

Washington state lawmakers this week eliminated a budgetary proposal that would have reduced Medicaid payment rates to pharmacies to the lowest levels in the country, the AP/Spokane Spokesman-Review reports. The provision would have reduced the payment rate from 86% to 80% of the average wholesale price of branded drugs. It had been approved by the state House and Gov. Chris Gregoire (D) and was intended to address the state"s $9.3 billion shortfall for the current fiscal year.The state"s Department of Social and Health Services moved to make the rate change on April 1, but pharmacy operators and a person living with HIV/AIDS brought a suit in federal court in Tacoma, Wash., and a judge blocked the change. According to the judge"s order, the plaintiffs likely could prove that their best interests had not been sufficiently considered and that the proposal would diminish the quality of Medicaid care in the state. Walgreen had stated that if the rate change occurred, 44 of its 111 stores in the state would no longer be able to fill Medicaid prescriptions. Other pharmacies made similar arguments. The state prepared an argument on behalf of the rate cut, but later decided against it.Along with eliminating the payment reduction, state legislators added a provision that a DSHS analysis is required before rates can be lowered in the next budget, as well as one placing a 2% cap on any future rate cuts. DSHS spokesperson Jim Stevenson said the agency had not started to analyze what would be required to get a rate cut approved, but added, "I think we"re at a stage where we"re going to have to do it soon if we want to get ready for July 1," the start of fiscal year 2010 (AP/Spokane Spokesman-Review, 5/13). Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. © 2009 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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