Category: Interesting Links

The Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Other Links

Why Rudolph’s nose is red.

Myth: More people commit suicide around the holidays.

The average deductible for single coverage, employer-provided health insurance is more than $1,000.

Stunning discovery: beta blockers don’t work for health patients. HT: Austin Frakt.

Dec 27, 2012 | 6 comments | by John Goodman

Headlines I Wish I Hadn’t Seen

Aetna CEO: ObamaCare likely to increase premiums 25 percent to 50 percent in the small-group and individual markets.

Eric Holder secretly gave the National Counterterrorism Center sweeping new powers to store dossiers on U.S. citizens, even if they are not suspected of a crime.

Before Connecticut tragedy, the administration let school violence prevention programs lapse.

Dec 21, 2012 | 7 comments | by John Goodman

Headlines I Wish I Hadn’t Seen

AARP (supposedly representing seniors) opposes medigap changes that would help seniors but hurt AARP’s bottom line. Also see Chris Jacobs.

Welfare spending per day per household in poverty is $168.

A 56-year-old ex-convict says he purposely got arrested for shoplifting to get prison health care for his leukemia.

Dec 12, 2012 | 8 comments | by John Goodman

Raised Medicare Eligibility Age, and Other Links

Playing the race card: Minorities impacted most by raising the Medicare eligibility age.

Myth exposed: Suicides don’t peak during holidays.

Alcoholism is the reason the crude death rate in Russia soared by 40% between 1990 and 1994.

The White House can decriminalize medical marijuana without any act of Congress.

Dec 11, 2012 | 7 comments | by John Goodman

Treating Patients via Computer, and Other Links

Skype to replace UK doctors: “will put lives at risk” says Labour critic.

Waist circumference trumps BMI in predicting mortality risk.

Great update on Singapore by Scott Sumner.

More than half of insured employees are in self-insured plans; two-thirds of employees in firms with 50 or more.

Dec 07, 2012 | 7 comments | by John Goodman

Headlines I Wish I Hadn’t Seen

States aren’t interested in discouraging smoking; tobacco is a cash cow.

The federal government is considering lawsuits against the states that have legalized marijuana.

Where evidence-based medicine didn’t work: the case of salt consumption.

Government accountants can’t agree on whether Medicaid actually spent one of every ten Medicaid dollars.

Dec 07, 2012 | 11 comments | by John Goodman

Headlines I Wish I Hadn’t Seen

ObamaCare health insurance tax could cost families $7,200 over the next ten years.

Mayor Bloomberg: Let them eat cake. HT: Jason Shafrin.

Low-quality physicians more likely to see minority patients. HT: Jason Shafrin.

PA college slashes instructors’ hours to avoid ObamaCare.

Dec 06, 2012 | 11 comments | by John Goodman

Tabarrok vs. Angell, and Other Links

Alex Tabarrok skewers Marcia Angell.

Email medicine works, mostly.

A ruling I like: discussing off-label drug uses is protected as free speech.

Dec 05, 2012 | 10 comments | by John Goodman

Music Speeds Up Recovery, and Other Links

Music helps patients recover from surgery sooner.

Music reduces insomnia.

Teens involved in the Arts have more mental health problems.

Swedish study: Dance boosts young girls’ mental health.

The activity paradox: People with higher amounts of physical activity at work have higher blood pressure than those with higher amounts of physical activity at home.

Dec 04, 2012 | 12 comments | by Devon Herrick

Warren Buffet on Taxes, and Other Links

What Warren Buffett doesn’t understand about taxes.

Two-thirds of millionaires left Britain to avoid 50 percent tax rate.

Danish government rescinds its fat tax.

Dog’s heart surgery costs only 3,000 euros.

Dec 03, 2012 | 10 comments | by John Goodman