Due To Language Barriers, Over 100,000 Californians Likely To Miss Out On Health Care
Language barriers could deter more than 100, 000 Californians from enrolling in the Health Benefit Exchange, according to a study released today by the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, and the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education. The study presents findings from a UC Berkeley - "UCLA micro-simulation that estimates the likely enrollment in health care reform programs in California. Specifically, the study projects that more than 1 million limited - English proficient (LEP) adults will be eligible to receive tax credits to purchase affordable coverage in the state's Health Benefit Exchange, which expands access to affordable health coverage as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Guaranteeing Free Colorectal Cancer Screening For All Medicare Beneficiaries
Colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening saves lives, but a loophole in current Medicare law may cause patients to think twice before undergoing this vital test. Legislation just introduced seeks to ensure that colorectal cancer screening for all Medicare beneficiaries is free, as intended. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act waives the coinsurance and deductible for many cancer screening tests i, including colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy and fecal occult blood testing (FOBT), which screen for colorectal cancer.
Among People With Health Insurance, The Recession And High Co-Pays Tied To Fewer Colonoscopy Screenings
The recent U.S. economic recession was the longest and most severe since World War II. During this period, personal spending on health care grew at the slowest rate in over 50 years, suggesting that Americans used less health care. A new study finds that these cut backs were not limited to Americans who lost their health insurance, nor restricted to unnecessary services. Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine found that during the recession, continuously insured Americans underwent fewer screening colonoscopies, a cost-effective, recommended preventive service.