Health Headlines for Thursday, August 17
A Start-Up Suggests a Fix to the Health Care Morass
New York Times
If you watched the drama in Washington last month, you may have come away with the impression that the American health care system is a hopeless mess.
Higher drug costs, uncertainty in DC contributing to higher insurance rates
Time Warner Cable News
Insurance rates for those in New York’s health care exchange will rise, with individual plans rising more than 14 percent on average, and small market plans increasing by more than 9 percent on average.
A day after Ulster lawmakers killed transgender rights measure, Cuomo acts to extend insurance protection
Daily Freeman News
Transgender individuals in New York state have new protections when it comes to health insurance coverage.
Insurer’s drug adherence programs show early promise
Politico
Teresa Torre thought she was being called to her pharmacist in Niagara Falls for a routine check-up. But when the long time-customer of Niagara Apothecary went in for a visit in May, she was astounded to learn that her pharmacist had a much larger plan in mind.
Express Scripts to limit opioids; doctors concerned
Albany Times Union
The nation’s largest pharmacy benefit manager will soon limit the number and strength of opioid drugs prescribed to first-time users as part of a wide-ranging effort to curb an epidemic affecting millions of Americans.
NYC businesses buy more time to post food calorie info
New York Post
The city’s Health Department agreed Wednesday to postpone imposing fines on businesses that don’t post calorie information while it fights a lawsuit by food industry groups.
Warren County turns down EMS proposals to aid rural towns
Post Star
Warren County leaders are “going back to the drawing board” to try to solve the problems plaguing emergency medical response in parts of the county.