The number of Britons looking for health treatment abroad dropped by over 40% in the last six months, according to RevaHealth.com, the search engine that lets people find and compare clinics anywhere. The news comes despite the fact that patients can still make huge savings on treatments like cosmetic dental and plastic surgery procedures abroad.

A tummy tuck in Turkey costs as little as £1,201, whereas the UK average is £3,878, a saving of nearly 70%. Similarly, dental veneers in Poland can cost just £238, but the UK average is £630, giving patients a potential saving of over 60%. RevaHealth.com makes it easy for patients to save time and money by letting them compare local prices with prices abroad in their own currency.

RevaHealth.com also found that while the numbers leaving the UK for treatment has fallen by almost 20% in the last month alone, medical tourism into the UK is on the rise, especially among patients from Ireland. For example, the number of Irish citizens looking for dentists in Northern Ireland more than doubled from February to March.

Medical Tourism continues to be popular in other parts of the world. For example, many Americans continue to travel south to Mexico, keen to take advantage of great value cosmetic treatments. Breast implant procedures, costing an average of $6,500 (£4,360) in the U.S.A. are available for as little as $2,500 (£1,676), a saving of over 60%.

Caelen King, CEO of RevaHealth.com said “While putting off cosmetic dental and plastic surgery procedures might seem like the prudent thing to do in a bad economy, there are still lots of money saving options open to savvy customers. Due to the downturn in the economy, many clinics abroad are lowering their prices, making the potential savings even greater. Countries like Hungary, Turkey and even Thailand offer UK patients high-quality treatments like tooth whitening, breast implants and liposuction for less.”

As the job market declines, the population of uninsured Americans swells. And paying for health insurance, along with everything else, weighs heavily on a multitude of minds these days. When it comes to options, COBRA may be the buzzword, but a little-known alternative called short-term medical insurance (STM) may offer a more palatable solution.

Unemployment rose from 7.5 to 8.1 percent in February 2009—its highest rate in more than 25 years according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A study by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, April 2008, indicates that each one percent increase in the national unemployment rate leads to more than 1 million additional people losing their health insurance.

Through COBRA, employees who lose their jobs are able to continue employer-sponsored coverage for up to 18 months. However, they must pay 102 percent of the cost of the traditional health insurance premium for COBRA continuation coverage.

Relief seemed to appear in February 2009 when President Obama signed the $787 billion economic stimulus package, which included a subsidy covering 65 percent of COBRA premiums for the first nine months of unemployment. This assistance is available to eligible workers who have lost or will lose their jobs as a result of the current economic recession between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009.

Still, COBRA remains out of reach for many collecting unemployment checks and struggling to pay for bare necessities. Pre-subsidy annual COBRA premiums average $4,400 for individuals and $11,000 for families, according to Kaiser Family Foundation statistics.

“At HPA, we understand that these are tough economic times. We understand that people are worried about keeping their job, and if they should lose their job, the struggle to make ends meet with COBRA premiums seems overwhelming,” said Jim Kenneally, chief sales officer at Health Plan Administrators, a member of the IHC Group. “We want people to know they have options, and that STM is a viable alternative.”

Typically, STM premiums are significantly less expensive than COBRA premiums or premiums for an individual major medical health insurance policy. In addition to lower monthly payments, STM plans offer greater ease of qualification and enrollment. With STM, there is no lengthy underwriting process and the applicant can complete the entire process online within a matter of minutes. If approved after answering a handful of health-related questions, they will receive their approval confirmation, ID card and certificate almost instantaneously. Coverage may begin as early as the next day.

STM coverage periods may last as few as 30 days or as many as 12 months, depending on the state. Individuals who need to extend their coverage may apply again and get another policy; however, additional policies are considered entirely new and do not cover pre-existing conditions. That means illnesses or medical conditions developed and/or treated under the first policy will not be covered on the new one or any subsequent STM policies. Unlike traditional individual major medical insurance coverage and COBRA continuation coverage, pre-existing diseases and physical conditions are not covered under STM policies. And, while STM insurance would not count as creditable coverage toward any individual health insurance issued after an STM policy ends, an STM policy would count as creditable coverage toward group health issued to an individual after the temporary STM policy ends.

Social media influenced nearly 40% of recent hospital or urgent care center patients, with 25 to 34 year olds reporting the most influence (53.2%), according to the Spring 2009 Ad-ology Media Influence on Consumer Choice survey.

Nearly 30% of hospital visits by this age group were maternity-related. Of social media types, forums and discussion boards had a “significant” influence on 20% of 25 to 34 year olds who recently made a visit for maternity reasons, suggesting hospitals should target this group with an online space where these parents-to-be can interact.

At the other end of the spectrum, respondents 55 and older had the highest percentage of recent hospital or urgent care center visits and reported significant influence from direct mail and newspaper advertising. The most important factors for this age group were quality of care, availability of specialized services, and out-of-pocket costs.

“Progressive hospitals are already participating in social media through specific micro-sites, social networking, online communities, and targeted online marketing,” said C. Lee Smith, president and CEO of Ad-ology Research. “Urgent care and maternity provide excellent opportunities to connect with younger consumers, and social media is the way to engage this group,” Smith said.

Other key findings from the survey:

• Women accounted for approximately 60% of those who researched family doctors online
• Quality of care ranks the highest among patients as the most important factor when choosing a hospital or urgent care center
• Hospital/urgent care Web sites had the most influence on 18-to-24-year old patients (53.8%)
• Of traditional media, television had the most influence (22.3%), followed by newspapers (21.9%)

In an unprecedented effort to improve health care quality for millions of Californians with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) the California Language Assistance Program (SB 853), the first law of its kind in the country, requires that all health insurers provide interpreters and translated materials at no charge to help patients better navigate the health care system and effectively communicate with their doctors and other health care providers in their own native languages.

This initiative marks the second and final phase of the California Language Assistance Program (SB 853), which required health plan compliance for HMO’s beginning January 1. Effective April 1, these requirements extend to Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO’s) and other health insurance organizations. According to the state’s Managed Health Care Department, an estimated one-third of the 21 million HMO and PPO members in California could benefit from the law.

According to U.S. Census Bureau data, 43 percent of California residents do not speak English at home, a proportion far higher than in any other state in the country. Latinos account for 19 percent of total HMO enrollment, followed by Asians (12%), African Americans (7%), and Native Americans and others (3%).

“We are very proud to be part of this groundbreaking effort and assist millions of Californians who do not speak English with interpretation and translation materials to effectively communicate with their doctors,” said Louis Provenzano, President and Chief Operating Officer of Language Line Services, the leading provider of over-the-phone and video interpretation services that is working with some of the state’s top health care plans such as Anthem Blue Cross in providing these services. “This landmark law will significantly improve the quality of care received by patients and is an important step in reducing language and cultural barriers that get in the way of good medicine,” said Provenzano.

The absence of language services restricts access to and decreases the quality of health care for limited-English speaking individuals. One study found that over 25 percent of limited-English speaking patients who needed, but did not get, interpreter services could not understand their medication instructions.

“Now every Californian with private health coverage will receive care in the language that they speak and can understand,” said Marty Martinez, Policy Director for the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN), which sponsored Senate Bill 853, the law establishing the language access requirement. “In today’s complex medical world, it is crucial to improve the communications between patients and doctors. California is making history through the implementation of this language access law, which will end the unnecessary distress and confusion many LEP health plan members have when attempting to communicate with their health care providers.”

Health care plans are responsible for ensuring that qualified interpretation services are offered to and/or arranged for LEP enrollees in a timely manner, at no cost, and at all points of contact.

“We started notifying the contracted physicians, medical groups and hospitals who participate in our health plans late last year in preparation for Senate Bill 853 so we could be in compliance with the new regulation,” said Laura Reno, Regulatory Compliance Director for Anthem Blue Cross. “Helping our members get important interpretation services can lead to better, more effective communication and ultimately better health care. We now have the capability to help our members communicate with plan representatives, their doctors and other health care staff in more than 100 different languages. We are a company that champions diversity, and having such a capability allows us to simplify the connection between health, care and value for our members.”

In an effort to ensure and protect patient access to approved medical treatments, a petition in support of a Health Insurer Code of Conduct was launched by the Alliance for Patient Access (AfPA). The petition calls for the adoption of a Code of Conduct, currently being drafted by the American Medical Association, which will address the restrictive practices of the managed care industry that undermine the integrity of doctor-patient relationships.

The AMA House of Delegates passed a resolution in November of 2008 to draft and adopt a National Health Insurer Code of Conduct. According to the resolution, the AMA code will set forth clear and concise principles addressing both medical policies and payment issues, as well as create a mechanism to monitor compliance by managed care companies.

Currently, while many managed care organizations maintain appropriate focus on quality measures, some managed care plans and pharmacy benefit managers employ aggressive tactics to cut costs, while at the same time shifting blame for consequences of actions such as premium increases and cost-sharing strategies onto other parties in the healthcare industry.

“A code of conduct is needed to prevent health plans from using dangerous practices, such as drug switching, that interfere with the doctor/patient relationship,” said Dr. Bruce Rubin, assistant professor of Clinical Neurology at the University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine and president of the AfPA Florida. “Health plans have begun to overstep their bounds and should follow a code of conduct that places patient health above cost savings.”

AfPA’s petition calls for autonomy between doctors and managed care companies, as well as full transparency regarding a patient’s prescribed course of care. This includes any relationships with outside parties that might influence doctors’ decisions. AfPA also calls for upholding business integrity, with fees reflecting acceptable rates and prescribed courses of treatment resulting from medically-based, not fiscally-driven, decisions. Finally, AfPA’s first priority remains patients’ access to quality medical care that ensures their safety and welfare.

“A Code of Conduct for the managed care industry is long overdue,” said Dr. David Charles, AfPA Chairman. “Signing the petition is an excellent way for physicians and the public to urge the AMA to adopt a National Heath Insurer Code of Conduct. Anyone who cares about preserving the inviolability of the doctor/patient relationship should sign the petition in order to urge the AMA toward action on this important issue.”

“I am proud to join the Alliance for Patient Access in its quest to level the playing field so that physicians can act in the best interests of our patients without the interference of outside influences,” said Dr. Rubin. “The National Health Insurer Code of Conduct Petition is an important tool in building nationwide support to hold managed care organizations to the same standards the rest of the healthcare industry already adheres to.”

More and more foods are being touted as functional foods. But what are functional foods and which ones are the most beneficial? On April 1, 2009, the American Dietetic Association (ADA) released a position statement on functional foods that said fortified, enriched or enhanced foods can benefit a person’s health when consumed as part of a varied diet. In an effort to further educate the public on such foods, the New York State Dietetic Association (NYSDA) surveyed its leadership and asked them to choose the top functional foods based on health benefits and value.

“Functional foods describe foods that, in addition to being nutritious, offer distinct health benefits,” says J. Elizabeth Smythe, President of the New York State Dietetic Association. “These foods may provide extra amounts of essential nutrients, and/or contain other biologically active components that promote healthy body functions. An example would be yogurt with probiotics. While yogurt is already a good source of calcium, protein, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, potassium, and magnesium, the addition of probiotics, which aids digestion, increases its health benefit.”

According to the ADA position statement the term “functional foods” is not a legal term but a marketing term. There are many products and drinks enriched with such things as omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and plant sterols, however, not all of these have been scientifically proven to be beneficial. While ADA encourages research to further define the health benefits of functional foods, it does support label claims that are based on the significant scientific data.

Top Five Functional Foods

1. Salmon: Nutrition experts chose salmon as the top function food for omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids not only raise good HDL cholesterol and lower bad LDL cholesterol, they may also lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The American Heart Association suggests that people with coronary heart disease consume about 1 gram of omega-3 fatty acids daily. They do not recommend supplements for healthy people; instead, they recommend eating fish twice a week.

2. Oats: Second on the list, oats were chosen for their fiber content. This powerhouse nutrient, known for aiding with digestion, also helps fight disease, and may lower risk for high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Most Americans get about 15 grams of fiber daily, but to fight disease and keep digestion in check, you should aim to get at least 30 grams, which is equivalent to about two cups of oats.

3. Blueberries: Coming in third, blueberries where chosen for antioxidants. Antioxidants are thought to help protect the body against the damaging effects of free radicals and the chronic diseases associated with the aging process. Blueberries are among the fruits with the highest antioxidant activity containing 14 mg of vitamin C and 0.8 mg vitamin E per cup.

4. Low-Fat Milk: Low-fat milk came in fourth for both its calcium and vitamin D content. Instrumental in lowering high blood pressure, helping with regular heart beat, and building strong bones, calcium is a nutrient most Americans are not getting enough of. The same is true for vitamin D, a nutrient receiving a substantial amount of attention and found to have numerous health benefits including prevention of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. The current recommendation for low-fat milk and dairy products is three servings per day, which is equal to three 8-oz cups of milk.

5. Low-Fat Yogurt: Rounding out the top five functional food list is low-fat yogurt with probiotics. Probiotic, which literally means ”for life,” refers to living organisms that can aid in digestion and immune function when eaten in adequate amounts. Look for brands that say “live and active cultures” on the label.

Healthgrades has named a number of hospitals that represent an elite group that save lives, save money and prevent errors at a higher rate than other U.S. hospitals.

If all hospitals performed at the level of Patient Safety Excellence Award hospitals, approximately 211,697 patient safety events and 22,771 Medicare deaths could have been avoided while saving the U.S. approximately $2.0 billion from 2005 through 2007. Between 2005 and 2007, 913,215 total patient safety events were recorded among Medicare beneficiaries, which represents 2.3 percent of the nearly 38 million Medicare hospitalizations. This equates to one reported patient safety event every 1.7 minutes.

For the sixth consecutive year, HealthGrades has analyzed patient safety among Medicare patients in all of the nearly 5,000 U.S. non-federal hospitals based on 15 indicators of patient safety developed by the federal government’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

This year, 242 hospitals, which represent the top five percent of all hospitals in the U.S., were recognized with a HealthGrades 2009 Patient Safety Excellence Award. HealthGrades developed this award to give patients more information about choosing a hospital.

“Patient safety incidents are one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. The sad fact is that many, if not most, of these errors are preventable. Patients shouldn’t die or experience unnecessary harm as a result of medical errors in hospitals,” said Rick May, MD, senior physician consultant at HealthGrades and co-author of the study. “The good news is that there are hospitals that are doing an amazing job when it comes to patient safety and we commend them. Patients need to know that they have a substantially lower risk of experiencing a medical error and therefore a lower risk of death or complications when they are admitted to one of these exceptional top-performing hospitals.”

Several organizations supporting Greater Philadelphia’s life sciences sector which comprises Delaware, southern NJ and Philadelphia – are collaborating to sponsor a new research study of the region’s biosciences cluster. The study is being performed by The Milken Institute and the study’s findings will be presented at the 2009 BIO International Convention in Atlanta (on May 19, 2009 at 10:00 a.m.).

“The goal of this new study is to measure our region’s progress and to fuel further development and expansion of the Greater Philadelphia region’s life sciences sector,” said Thomas G. Morr, president and CEO of Select Greater Philadelphia. “The study sponsors will draw on the findings of this initiative to refine the region’s combined efforts for sustainable economic prosperity and to advance our leadership position in life sciences.”

The 2009 study will assess, analyze and benchmark the Greater Philadelphia region’s position in the life sciences industry and develop an evaluation mechanism that will serve as a framework for an overall regional strategy in this critical sector. To accomplish this, the study will identify industry strengths and specializations in the life sciences, identify industry assets, determine economic impact of the industry, and assess the growth of life sciences establishments. The study will also look at the role of entrepreneurship, new businesses, and corporate giving programs within the sector.

“The engines of innovation – such as America’s pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies – are deeply vested in improving the health of patients and have contributed significantly to the Greater Philadelphia region’s economy by helping to create thousands of jobs,” said Billy Tauzin, president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). “Fully capturing the biopharmaceutical sector’s presence in the region will help us all realize, once again, the tremendous value and impact that pharmaceutical companies have on the local economy and will also provide a good measurement of how many in the region benefit from our sector’s presence.”

The Milken Institute conducted the 2005 study of the Region’s life sciences sector. In that study of Greater Philadelphia’s Life Sciences cluster found that the sector accounted for 11.4 percent and 12.8 percent of all employment and the total earnings respectively in the region (2003 data). The study also found that the region ranked third among benchmarked metropolitan regions in the study’s Overall Composite Index (after Boston and Greater San Francisco).

“Cities, states and regions across the nation and around the world are vying for the life science companies, entrepreneurs and research facilities that drive economic growth,” said Ross DeVol, Director, Regional Economics and the Center for Health Economics at the Milken Institute. “The Greater Philadelphia region has a strong base, but measuring progress and planning for the future are important steps to remaining competitive and we are pleased to be a part of that process.”

A new report from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation found that the overall distribution of spending on health insurance by employers, individuals, and government remained essentially the same between 2005, one year before passage of Massachusetts health reform, and 2007, one year after lawmakers passed the Massachusetts health care reform law. A critical component of the Massachusetts 2006 health reform statute was that the responsibility of paying for expanded access to health insurance be shared among the three groups.

“Shared Responsibility, Government, Business, and Individuals: Who Pays What for Health Reform?” is the first assessment of how the spending to insure hundreds of thousands of additional people under the Massachusetts health reform law is being shared. Researchers Robert Seifert, M.P.A., and Paul Swoboda, M.S., of the Center for Health Law and Economics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, compared spending on health insurance in 2005, before implementation of health care reform in Massachusetts with spending on insurance in 2007, one year after the law’s passage.

“The costs of health reform are being shared and no one group is contributing a greater share to coverage than they were before reform,” said Seifert. “This is important information to have as the state grapples with ways to sustain the law in the face of increasing health care costs.”

In 2007, employers and union health plans accounted for lightly less than half of the total spending on health insurance in Massachusetts; government accounted for approximately 30 percent; and individuals accounted for about a quarter. In 2005, the breakdown of spending was the same, which means that the policy goal set forth in Chapter 58 that each sector paying for health insurance in Massachusetts continue to share the responsibility is being met.

“This report is yet another measure of health reform’s success,” said Jarrett T. Barrios, President of the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, which funded the report. “When this law was passed, there was a promise that employers, government, and individuals would share the expenses of expanded access to care, and that’s what’s happened.”

The report also finds that the policy goal of paying for coverage while reducing spending on the uninsured — a crucial underpinning of federal support for the law in the form of a Medicaid waiver — is being met. From 2005 to 2007, spending on health services for the uninsured in Massachusetts fell by 40 percent, from $1.8 billion to $1.1 billion.

According to a survey of U.S. and Canadian consumers commissioned by NCR, patients are growing increasingly frustrated with long waits at doctors’ offices and hospitals and are looking to self-service technology as a way to help expedite these interactions.

The annual research study reveals that 74 percent of patients find waiting at a hospital or doctor’s office the greatest frustration at a healthcare appointment. In addition, respondents indicated they are inconvenienced by the time and effort required to schedule appointments, pay medical bills and complete paper forms, and they would like to spend less time on these activities.

“Patients desire greater control over their care and that includes the way they interact with their providers,” said Raj Toleti, vice president and general manager for NCR Healthcare and Public Sector. “In today’s consumer-directed healthcare environment, hospitals and clinics have an opportunity to increase overall satisfaction and strengthen patient loyalty by leveraging self-service as a way to make everyday interactions faster and easier.”

The research findings, unveiled at this year’s HIMSS Annual Conference and Exhibition, clearly indicate that patients also want better access to information about their care and are more likely to choose providers that offer multi-channel solutions to help them manage associated tasks:

• 62 percent of consumers are more likely to choose a healthcare provider that offers the flexibility to interact via online, mobile and kiosk self-service channels versus a provider that does not.
• 53 percent of consumers expressed interest in booking or changing medical appointments online through a mobile device or at a kiosk and receiving text message reminders of an appointment.
• 49 percent of consumers said the ability to book an appointment online would be convenient to them.
• 49 percent consumers said the ability to securely receive lab results online would be convenient them.

“As healthcare providers move to implement electronic health records, self-service will become even more widespread,” Toleti added. “Automating patient interactions not only addresses consumer demand, it serves as the entry point for electronic record keeping.”