MedPAC Members Pan Rural Hospitals’ ‘Cost-Plus’ Billing System for Medicare Patients
Rural hospitals’ ability to bill fee-for-service Medicare patients and the uninsured on a “cost-plus” basis — essentially setting their charges at whatever level they think is appropriate — is untenable and must be changed, several members of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) said Thursday. “Charges are made up, inflated in ways that are unbelievable,” […]
Paralyzed Man Walks Again Using Brain-Wave System
A 26-year-old man who was paralyzed in both legs has regained the ability to walk using a system controlled by his brain waves, along with a harness to help support his body weight, a new study says. In order to walk, the patient wore a cap with electrodes that detected his brain signals. These electrical […]
Can You Have A Healthy Amount Of Narcissism? Experts Say Yes.
10’000 Hours via Getty Images High self-esteem, the ability to be alone and the ability to set boundaries are all signs of health narcissism. The word narcissism isn’t usually associated with anything positive. Thoughts of a friend who never asks about your life or a parent who puts their needs before yours probably come to […]
Problems with ‘pruning’ brain connections linked to adolescent mental health disorders
Problems with the brain’s ability to ‘prune’ itself of unnecessary connections may underlie a wide range of mental health disorders that begin during adolescence, according to research published today. The findings, from an international collaboration, led by researchers in the UK, China and Germany, may help explain why people are often affected by more than […]
Probiotic Proves Its Might for Staph Decolonization
A Bacillus subtilis probiotic demonstrated the ability to wipe out most Staphylococcus aureus colonization without altering the gut microbiome, a placebo-controlled phase II study conducted in Thailand showed. Of 115 healthy individuals with natural S. aureus colonization, 30 days of the probiotic led to a 96.8% reduction in S. aureus in stool (P<0.0001) and a […]
How better planning, behavior regulation may lead to eating less fat: Study in pregnant women shows stress affects thinking, dietary patterns
New research suggests coaching overweight or obese pregnant women to improve their ability to plan and make progress toward goals may be key to helping them lower the amount of fat in their diet. Maternal diet quality affects prenatal development and long-term child health outcomes, but the stress that typically increases during pregnancy — often […]
‘No pain, no gain’ approach improves walking ability with peripheral artery disease: Journal of the American Heart Association Report
Walking for exercise at a pace that induced pain or discomfort improved walking ability among people with peripheral artery disease, or PAD, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association. About 150,000 nontraumatic amputations occur annually, according to the […]
Women burn fat even after menopause
The estrogen deficiency following menopause is thought to impair women’s ability to use fat as an energy source. A study conducted at the Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences of the University of Jyväskylä shows that menopausal state or blood estrogen levels do not clearly determine the rate middle-aged women are able to use fat […]
Hormones contribute to sex disparities in bladder cancer, study shows: Results of research suggest treatments that suppress androgens may help fight the disease
Male sex hormones interfere with the body’s ability to fight bladder cancer, likely explaining why males experience higher cancer rates and more deadly disease, according to a new study co-led by a Cedars-Sinai Cancer investigator. These findings, published in Science Immunology, could represent a significant step toward unraveling why disparities in cancer incidence, prognosis and […]
How Do You Know If You Have ADHD as an Adult? Symptoms & Types
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental problem that affects your ability to plan, organize, and focus Adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often have difficulty paying attention and exhibit impulsive behavior, which can lead to the following: Restlessness Disorganization Lack of follow through on projects Unstable relationships Constantly being late Mood swings Although ADHD symptoms typically […]