 |
|
Women, blacks, Medicare recipients less likely to be evaluated for liver transplantation
August 31, 2009Patient race, gender and insurance status influence decisions about who will go on to receive liver transplants, according to a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study. Available online and published in the September issue of the American Journal of Transplantation, the study indicates that women, blacks and patients with Medicare who are in end-stage liver disease are less likely to be referred and evaluated for liver transplantation.
"There currently is no comprehensive oversight of liver disease patients as they go through evaluation, referral and are put on a waitlist for transplantation," said Cindy L. Bryce, Ph.D., study lead author and associate professor of medicine, University of Pittsburgh. "We know what happens once patients are selected for transplantation since they are closely monitored, but what happens prior to this point is fairly invisible. Ours is the first major study to look at whether everyone with liver-related conditions has a fair shot of being considered for transplantation, and points out that many patients are being excluded from this process."
The study, which followed 144,507 patients hospitalized in Pennsylvania with liver-related conditions, sought to determine whether any potential barriers exist at the referral and listing steps in the transplantation process. Dr. Bryce and colleagues found that 4,361 of these patients underwent transplant evaluation. Of these, 3,071 were waitlisted and 1,537 went on to transplantation. Patients were significantly less likely to undergo evaluation, waitlisting and eventual transplantation if they were women, black or covered by Medicare.
Disparities were especially apparent in the early stages of the process when evaluation and listing occurs - 61 percent of men were evaluated for transplantation compared to 39 percent of women; 73.8 percent of whites were evaluated compared to 8.6 percent of blacks; and 62 percent of patients with commercial insurance were evaluated compared to 4.7 percent with Medicare only.
"While our study was not designed to identify causes for these disparities, current practices for identifying and referring liver disease patients for transplantation should be made more transparent," said Dr. Bryce. "Although we face a worsening gap in the supply and demand for organs for liver transplantation, race, gender and insurance status should not be factors that preclude patients from being evaluated for transplantation."
University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
Disparities were especially apparent in the early stages of the process when evaluation and listing occurs - 61 percent of men were evaluated for transplantation compared to 39 percent of women; 73.8 percent of whites were evaluated compared to 8.6 percent of blacks; and 62 percent of patients with commercial insurance were evaluated compared to 4.7 percent with Medicare only.
"While our study was not designed to identify causes for these disparities, current practices for identifying and referring liver disease patients for transplantation should be made more transparent," said Dr. Bryce. "Although we face a worsening gap in the supply and demand for organs for liver transplantation, race, gender and insurance status should not be factors that preclude patients from being evaluated for transplantation."
University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences
Medicare Current Events and Medicare News RSSDispensing prescription drugs in 3-month supplies reduces drug costs by a third
Purchasing prescription drugs in a three-month supply rather than a one-month supply has long been regarded as a way to reduce the cost of drugs for patients and third-party payers. New research from the University of Chicago quantifies the savings for the first time.
African-Americans with colorectal cancer have poorer outcomes, lower survival rates
New research published in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that African-American patients with colorectal cancer are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced disease and are less likely to undergo surgical procedures compared with Caucasians, suggesting that improvements in screening and rates of operation may reduce differences in colorectal cancer outcomes for African-Americans.
Trimming US health care spending will require new approaches, study finds
Slowing the growth in U.S. health care spending will most likely require adoption of an array of strategies as well as an improved approach to moving promising strategies into widespread use, according to a new analysis by the RAND Corporation.
Drugs to treat anemia in cancer patients linked to thromboembolism
Medications frequently given to cancer patients to reduce their risk of anemia are associated with an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, according to new research led by Dawn Hershman, M.D, M.S., co-director of the breast cancer program at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center.
Neuroimaging provides insights into new treatment options for Alzheimer's disease
With about 35 million people around the world suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) by the year 2010 and an expectation that these numbers will double every twenty years with approximately 115 million cases by 2050, pressure on healthcare systems worldwide will be intense.
Higher carotid arterial stenting rates associated with poorer clinical outcomes
Among eligible Medicare beneficiaries, increased use of carotid arterial stenting (CAS) procedures to treat carotid stenosis-the narrowing of the carotid artery-is associated with higher rates of mortality and adverse clinical outcomes, including heart attack and stroke, according to researchers from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Women with chronic kidney disease more likely than men to go undiagnosed
Woman are at particular risk of their primary care physicians delaying diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a paper being presented at the American Society of Nephrology's 42nd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition in San Diego, California.
Residents play key role in CT colonography awareness and promoting the radiology specialty
Residents can serve a vital role in educating Congress, the medical community, and the general public regarding the efficacy of cutting-edge technologies like CT colonography (CTC) as well as the importance of radiologists' training and education and the role that radiologists serve in the provision of quality health care.
Older Patients with Dementia at Increased Risk for Flu Mortality
An epidemiological study on pneumonia and influenza (P&I) in adults age 65 and over reports that patients with dementia are diagnosed with flu less frequently, have shorter hospital stays, and have a fifty percent higher rate of death than those without dementia.
New data: Hospital imaging centers poised to pull back, hitting patients hardest in rural areas
Survivors and patients with cancers and heart disease, along with patient advocate organizations and physicians, today urged policymakers to enhance early diagnosis of deadly diseases by preserving access to advanced imaging, such as MRI and CT scans, in final health care reform legislation.
More Medicare Current Events and Medicare News Articles
 |
Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions: Get the Most Out of Your Retirement & Medical Benefits by Joseph Matthews Attorney (Author), Dorothy Matthews Berman (Author) Get the most out of your retirement benefits, and navigate the Social Security and Medicare systems with confidence! Everyone wants to get the highest possible retirement and pension income - not to mention the best medical coverage. Turn to the completely updated 14th edition of Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions to discover the benefits you're entitled to and how to claim them as easily as possible. Social Security benefits Find all the latest information and instructions you need to get your retirement and disability benefits, dependents and survivors benefits, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Medicare & Medicaid Learn the nuts and bolts of both programs, plus how to qualify and apply for them. Understand Medicare... |
 |
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Social Security and Medicare, 2nd Edition by MBA, Lita Epstein (Author) Get it while you can … Complex, ever-changing, and controversial, the future of our current system of Social Security and Medicare is uncertain. This indispensable guide explains the proposed changes and current status of these important social programs. Completely revised to incorporate changes to compensation scales and survivor benefits, and with an expanded section on Medicare and the new drug programs, this book is the most up-to-date overview of Social Security and Medicare currently available. • Revised and updated with the latest 2006 statistics on income scales and cost of living; such Social Security Benefits as survivor benefits and disability payments; tax codes; and more |
 |
The Social Security and Medicare Handbook: What You Need to Know Explained Simply by V.R. Leonard (Author) The Social Security and Medicare Handbook includes the provisions of the Social Security Act, regulations issued under the Act, and recent case decisions (rulings). It is a readable, easy to understand resource for the extremely complex Social Security and Medicare programs and services. Here in this new, groundbreaking, and exhaustively researched book you will learn an overview of the Social Security and Medicare system, how Social Security benefits are currently computed, how to become insured, and how to file a claim. You also will learn about retirement and auxiliary benefits, survivor benefits, disability benefits and protection, evaluating disability, cash benefit rates, employees, employer responsibilities, special coverage provisions, state and local employment, earnings... |
 |
Medicare Explained 2009 by Cch Editorial Staff (Author) |
 |
Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage For Dummies by Patricia Barry (Author) Confused about Medicare’s drug coverage? You’re not alone. Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage For Dummies explains Part D in plain English and shows you how to find the best deal among numerous drug-coverage plan options. Whether you’re new to Medicare or already in the program, you’ll navigate the system with more ease and confidence, avoid pitfalls and scams, and have plenty of help choosing the plan that’s right for you. This easy-to-understand, consumer-friendly guide helps you find out whether Part D affects any drug coverage you already have and weigh the consequences of going without coverage. You’ll find ways to compare plans, identify the one that covers your drugs at the least cost, and make sure you sign up at the right time. And you’ll learn how to... |
 |
Medicare For The Clueless: The Complete Guide to This Federal Program (The Clueless Guides) by Joan H. Conklin (Author) |
 |
Medicare: A Policy Primer by Marilyn Moon (Author) For some, Medicare is a model of what national health insurance could be in the United States. Despite its low administrative costs and significant contributions to the well-being of America’s oldest and most disabled citizens, some critics assail the program as being out of sync with the needs of many senior citizens, while others often refer to it as "unsustainable" because of its high costs. Physicians and hospital administrators endlessly criticize and debate Medicare, but rely upon it for a substantial share of their revenues. In Medicare: A Policy Primer, Marilyn Moon explains what Medicare is, how it works, and where is it headed. She examines the problems facing the program and which reform options hold the most promise. She also examines the history of Medicare and how the... |
 |
Social Security, Medicare & Government Pensions: Get the Most Out of Your Retirement & Medical Pensions by Joseph L. Matthews (Author), Dorothy Matthews-Berman (Author) Get the most out of the new Medicare drug coverage! Everyone wants to get the highest possible retirement and pension income --not to mention the best medical coverage. This book is your guide to finding retirement benefits, figuring out the best time to claim them, and then doing so quickly and easily. Social Security benefits Find all the latest information and instructions you need to get your retirement and disability benefits, dependents and survivors benefits, and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Medicare & Medicaid Learn the nuts and bolts of both programs, plus how to qualify and apply for them. Understand Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage what it covers, how to apply for it and how to use it with your medigap policy,... |
 |
The Political Life of Medicare (American Politics and Political Economy) by Jonathan Oberlander (Author) In recent years, bitter partisan disputes have erupted over Medicare reform. Democrats and Republicans have fiercely contested issues such as prescription drug coverage and how to finance Medicare to absorb the baby boomers. As Jonathan Oberlander demonstrates in The Political Life of Medicare, these developments herald the reopening of a historic debate over Medicare's fundamental purpose and structure. Revealing how Medicare politics and policies have developed since Medicare's enactment in 1965 and what the program's future holds, Oberlander's timely and accessible analysis will interest anyone concerned with American politics and public policy, health care politics, aging, and the welfare state. |
 |
Medicare Prospective Payment and the Shaping of U.S. Health Care by Rick Mayes PhD (Author), Robert A. Berenson MD (Author) This is the definitive work on Medicare's prospective payment system (PPS), which had its origins in the 1972 Social Security Amendments, was first applied to hospitals in 1983, and came to fruition with the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. Here, Rick Mayes and Robert A. Berenson, M.D., explain how Medicare's innovative payment system triggered shifts in power away from the providers (hospitals and doctors) to the payers (government insurers and employers) and how providers have responded to encroachments on their professional and financial autonomy. They conclude with a discussion of the problems with the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 and offer prescriptions for how policy makers can use Medicare payment policy to drive improvements in the U.S. health care system. Mayes and... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |