Health care overhaul says free preventive care, but still issues with actual implementation, so best to ask doctor first. Why get the HPV vaccine? Certain brand of failing artificial hips leading to high costs. All this and more topping today’s public health headlines, Wednesday, December 28, 2011.
The Associated Press – Health overhaul says free preventive care, but it pays to ask doc first: $1,100 surprises lurk
Bill Dunphy thought his colonoscopy would be free. His insurance company told him it would be covered 100 percent, with no copayment from him and no charge against his deductible. The nation’s 1-year-old health law requires most insurance plans to cover all costs for preventive care including colon cancer screening. So Dunphy had the procedure in April.
The Daily News – HPV vaccine – Why get vaccinated?
What is HPV? Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States. More than half of sexually active men and women are infected with HPV at some time in their lives. Most HPV infections don’t cause any symptoms, and go away on their own, but HPV can cause cervical cancer in women. Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women around the world.
The New York Times – The High Cost of Failing Artificial Hips
The most widespread medical implant failure in decades — involving thousands of all-metal artificial hips that need to be replaced prematurely — has entered the money phase.
The New York Times – For Somali Women, Pain of Being a Spoil of War
The girl’s voice dropped to a hush as she remembered the bright, sunny afternoon when she stepped out of her hut and saw her best friend buried in the sand, up to her neck.
The Washington Post – State efforts put more children on health insurance rolls, despite economic downturn
Publicly funded programs have enabled 1.2 million more children to gain health insurance since 2008 — at least in part due to extra work by many states to ensure that more of the children who are eligible for the programs are actually signed up, Obama administration officials plan to announce Wednesday.
