New Old Time Medicine

Health insurance providers are increasing their requirements for "preauthorization" for medicine prescriptions and diagnostic procedures. The burden placed on doctors' and their office employees is costly and time consuming, and not reimbursed to providers. The AMA recently conducted a survey of physicians regarding this, and comments can be found in this post on MEDPAGE_TODAY: https://www.medpagetoday.com/blogs/themethodsman/71849

"Shingles", the common term for "herpes zoster", is a painful debilitating disease with skin rash and blistering that appears in a bandlike pattern along an affected nerve. This virus also causes chickenpox in childen, but may remain dormant in the body and produce shingles at a later age So, anyone who had chickenpox in the past is susceptible to reactivation of the virus to cause shingles. There is a new vaccine that the CDC is nowrecommending that Shingrixa two-dose vacc...inebe given to people starting at age 50, a full 10 years earlier than its advice for getting Zostavax. The CDC also recommends that people who have already gotten Zostavax should now get Shingrix as well and that Shingrix is officially the preferred vaccine over Zostavax, a single-dose vaccine. Those who’ve had shingles, which occasionally recurs, should also receive Shingrix. https://www.consumerreports.org//new-shingles-vaccine-shi/

We all shouted "GO EAGLES!" ... and they did it... .https://www.washingtonpost.com//no-school-and-free-beer-/

Blizzard warnings! Office closed early today due to weather. Be careful out there if you MUST go out! https://www.vox.com//winter-storm-2018-bomb-cyclone-blizza

Direct pay primary care, sometimes called "boutique" or "concierge" practice is increasing in the USA, and large companies are being formed with variations of this model. These practices have shown a primary care physician who is able to spend more time with each patient can improve outcomes in health and longevity, as well as limit the need for unnecessary consultations, emergency room care and hospitalization. Unfortunately, not all disease can be prevented or controlled ea...sily, and insurance is still needed for access to inpatient care, specialist consultation, diagnostic tests and procedures, and medications. Larger corporations are now interested in the principles of care favored by direct primary care, and are aimed at being more patient centered, detail oriented and empathetic. The individual roles of caregivers, government and insurance carriers is changing rapidly. It is in the interest of patients to be aware of all the issues and to influence their political representatives personally to act in the interest of their constituents.