Wednesday, December 22, 2004

Rx: Read This
Washington Post story - "Most people wouldn't consider a major purchase without first comparing price and reliability of the products in question. But that task has been next to impossible for consumers of prescription drugs. This has been particularly painful for the 45 million Americans who are uninsured at some point during the year and the 25 million who are insured but have modest or no drug coverage. But now the standard bearer of comparison shopping -- Consumer Reports, published by the nonprofit Consumers Union -- has launched a free service that reports on the safety, effectiveness and cost of drugs. In each category of medication, Consumer Reports even flags "best buys" -- the drugs it considers to offer the safest and most effective therapy for the money." "wp" See also the web site Best Buy Drugs.  
  

Giving them a sick feeling
LA Times story - "America's pharmaceutical industry is putting out an advisory about the latest potential threat to its health: Michael Moore. Moore, the filmmaker whose targets have included General Motors ("Roger & Me"), the gun lobby (the Oscar-winning "Bowling for Columbine") and President Bush ("Fahrenheit 9/11") has now set his sights on the healthcare industry, including insurance companies, HMOs, the Food and Drug Administration — and drug companies. At least six of the nation's largest firms have already issued internal notices to their workforces, preparing them for potential ambushes..." [Viewing Los Angeles Times stories requires registration, which is free].  
  

Teen Drug Use Declines 2003-2004; But Concerns Remain About Inhalants and Painkillers
PR Newswire press release - "According to the Department of Health and Human Services, results from the annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey indicate an almost 7 percent decline of any illicit drug use in the past month by 8th, 10th, and 12th graders combined from 2003 to 2004. Trend analysis from 2001 to 2004 revealed a 17 percent cumulative decline in drug use, and an 18 percent cumulative drop in marijuana past month use. ... The Monitoring the Future survey is designed to measure drug, alcohol, and cigarette use and related attitudes among 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students nationwide..."  
  

County health council possible (Texas)
Houston Chronicle story - "Commissioners Court today could establish a council to advise the county on developing a more coordinated public health care system, one that might call for a full or partial merger of county and city health departments. A panel that included top county public health officials has recommended that the court create a 21-member advisory council to oversee the Harris County Hospital District, mental health services and possibly combined county-city health agencies."  
  

County boosts funding for mental health line (Minnesota)
Coon Rapids Herald story - "The Anoka County Board has increased funding for a 24-hour-a-day, seven days a week “warm line” for people with mental health problems. On the recommendation of its Human Services Committee, the board has approved a 2005 contract with Crisis Connections to provide the mental health counseling line totaling $35,820. That’s an increase of 12.2 percent over the 2004 contract of $31,910..."  
  

Recommendations made for revamping state mental health care (Connecticut)
Stamford Advocate story - "Lt. Gov. Kevin Sullivan and mental health professionals yesterday made sweeping recommendations for changes in the state's "failing system" of mental health care, including more than $110 million in new state funding over the next five years. ... The recommendations, done in conjunction with Sullivan's so-called "mental health cabinet," include adding 1,000 units of supportive housing, improving Medicaid reimbursements for adult rehabilitative services, increasing payments to nonprofit agencies for their workers, expanding the availability of evening and weekend mobile emergency teams and increasing payment rates and available hours for family respite care."  
  

Mental health department to get part of Medicare interest (Michigan)
Grand Rapids Press story - "Ottawa County officials have agreed to allow the county's Community Mental Health Department to begin collecting interest earned on revenues from Medicaid funding, instead of it being transferred to the county's general fund. However, Community Mental Health won't get that interest all at once. County commissioners have approved a proposal to implement allocation of the interest over a four-year period, starting with 25 percent of interest next year and increasing by that amount each year after. CMH will receive full interest funding from Medicaid revenues by 2008, Administrator Al Vanderberg said."