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Supporters say the new guidelines will make it easier to address drug or alcohol problems before they become serious. But others worry that one of the tools to evaluate such problems falsely suggests there is a natural escalation from non-use to occasional use to risky use to addiction.
The Kentucky city hosts the largest concentration of nursing-home and extended-care companies in the world.
Some states are moving faster than others in getting people out of nursing homes and institutions as part of an ambitious federal program.
Michelle Andrews answers a coverage question from a reader contemplating quitting his job to stay home with his wife who has breast cancer.
Even people with insurance are paying thousands of dollars out of pocket before their insurance kicks in. And even when it does, insurance picks up less then it used to — often a lot less.
Under the 2010 health law, millions of Americans will gain access to affordable health insurance. But in Minnesota, many are concerned that an affordability gap will remain for about 100,000 low-income Minnesotans.
Too often, however, hospitals and other providers are not reimbursed for such services and can’t afford to keep them.
A new study finds prices rose at least five times faster than overall inflation for emergency room visits, outpatient surgery and facility-based mental health and substance abuse care from 2009 to 2010.
Supporters say the bonus system is improving care for millions of seniors, but critics say it can be a clumsy measure of value and rewards mediocrity.
