Tag: Health

Insurers may deny health cover to diabetics dependent on insulin

Loknath Das

I am 40 years old and have a health plan from my employer. I have diabetes and am planning to take a separate health insurance for myself. Will the new health plan cover diabetes? —Asif Rehman Buying an independent health insurance, despite having a group insurance cover, is a good move. Consider a sum insured equal to your annual income. Opt for a plan with high no-claim bonus. You can accrue this bonus while you are still covered under your employer’s policy. Diabetes will be considered a pre-existing illness for your new plan. For…

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9 Health and Nutrition Benefits of Pears

Loknath Das

Pears are sweet, bell-shaped fruits that have been enjoyed since ancient times. They can be eaten crisp or soft. They’re not only delicious but also offer many health benefits backed by science. Here are 9 impressive health benefits of pears. Share on Pinterest 1. Highly nutritious Pears come in many different varieties. Bartlett, Bosc, and D’Anjou pears are among the most popular, but around 100 types are grown worldwide (1Trusted Source). A medium-sized pear (178 grams) provides the following nutrients (2): Calories: 101 Protein: 1 gram Carbs: 27 grams Fiber: 6 grams Vitamin C: 12%…

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More evidence that ultra-processed foods could harm health

Loknath Das

Previous research has suggested that consuming high levels of ultra-processed foods, such as packaged snacks and soda, could harm health. Two new studies confirm this notion and provide more evidence of the associated cardiovascular and all-cause mortality risks. Eating processed foods may raise the risk of cardiovascular disease and overall mortality. Numerous studies have linked a high consumption of ultra-processed foods with a raised risk of chronic conditions. Cancer, type 2 diabetes, celiac disease, and multiple sclerosis are just a few of the outcomes associated with consuming processed foods. Some studies have also suggested that consuming processed meat…

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Fighting for humane mental health treatment

Loknath Das

This is one in a series of profiles showcasing some of Harvard’s stellar graduates. When Faraaz Mahomed surveys the global health landscape, one area jumps out at him, an area where stigma and misinformation maintain a grip, where outdated attitudes hold sway, and where coercion is a routine part of treatment: mental health care. Mahomed, graduating this spring from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s doctor of public health program, has spent the last three years focused on how mental health care is provided around the world, particularly in resource-poor…

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Why Employers Pay Too Much For Health Care

Loknath Das

Did you know that employers are paying hospitals more than twice as much as what Medicare pays? At some hospitals they are paying four times as much. Those are the findings from a new study by the RAND Corporation. It wasn’t always so. In fact, as recently as 2000, private payers were paying only 10% more than Medicare. Since then, the gap has been growing by leaps and bounds. What makes this especially surprising is that it has happened at a time when employers have been getting increasingly aggressive about controlling health care costs.…

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Two Key Health Datasets Differ, Reveal Incorrect Reporting By States

Loknath Das

New Delhi: India’s progress on public healthcare has failed to keep up with its economic growth over the past decades, putting a binding constraint on the economy, Niti Aayog’s 2018 report, ‘Healthy States, Progressive India’, said. Ranking states and union territories (UTs) on a Health Index, the report noted that compared with India’s economic progress and achievements, its rates of improvement in health outcomes have remained lower than those recorded in developing countries with comparable levels of spending on health. This, along with the middle-income trap that a member of the Prime Minister’s…

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Brainstorm Health: Drug Company Profits, Vaccine Skeptics, Pharma Price Fixing

Loknath Das

Hello and happy Monday, readers. I hope you enjoyed your weekend. Another week, another dire report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on the historic measles outbreak winding through America. As of May 10, 839 measles cases have been confirmedacross 23 states, a hike of 75 cases in the past week alone, according to the agency. There are now more than ten times as many confirmed measles cases in 2019 as there were in 2010, when the highly infectious disease had nearly been wiped out in the United States. We’ve…

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This Mother’s Day, gift your mom a health insurance policy

Loknath Das

Covering your mother under a health insurance is important as most Indian mothers lack adequate health insurance during the critical stages of their lives. As per a recent survey, women in India just account for 30% of health insurance policies. This becomes all the more critical when access to good health care can mean the difference between life and death. Most women in urban cities juggle between work and home and this is further bundled with unhealthy lifestyle habits including lack of sleep, no exercise and unhealthy food habits leading…

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Child mental health services waiting times ‘not good enough’ in Grampian

Loknath Das

NHS Grampian’s chief executive has said it is not good enough that some waiting time targets for mental health services for children are not being met. Improvements are said to have been made in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, but some children in Moray are waiting up to 29 weeks to be assessed. The health board is redesigning mental health services for children. Amanda Croft told BBC Scotland that ongoing new investment would make a difference. A new facility is expected to open in Aberdeen later this year. Youth mental health report…

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India’s poor don’t want money — they want health care

Loknath Das

It’s an important question, because India makes widespread use of cash transfers and is contemplating a universal basic income — cash for everyone. One of the things that appeal to development experts and donors about direct cash transfers is that they’re not paternalistic. Instead of deciding how money is spent, you give people the money, trusting that they have a better idea of their needs than you do and that they’ll spend it wisely. This mostly holds up; studies have found that cash transfers are largely spent on food, housing, and education, and don’t…

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