The Obama Administration just announced their intention to take steps to increase the number of women in college science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors. As the dad of three very smart daughter, I’m all for that. Their stated goal is to expand the use of Title IX, the 1972 law that was designed to...Continue reading
Category: Public Policy
The Business Case for Paying Attention to Men’s Health
Most people know that men live shorter (by five years), less-healthy lives than women. They’re more likely to be the victim of a violent crime, die in a car crash, commit suicide, and be injured at work. Men also have higher death rates from nine of the top ten killers, are more likely to be...Continue reading
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force: Men Not Smart Enough To Make Own Healthcare Decisions
In what may go down as one of the most controversial—and most damaging—pieces of healthcare policy in decades, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force just issued a recommendation that men should no longer get routine screenings for prostate cancer. They believe that the test—called PSA, for the prostate-specific antigen it measures—does more harm than good....Continue reading
Warren Buffett’s choice to opt for PSA testing was a wise one
In 2008, the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended that over 75 skip the routine PSA tests that have been an important diagnostic tool for decades. The reason for this recommendation? In older men, PSA scores can be high as a result of simply getting older or having an enlarged prostate. In addition, the Task...Continue reading
Physician Incentives: A Comparison of Norwegian & American Supply & Demand
The following blog is by a Martin Klingvall, a Norwegian medical student. Martin was visiting the U.S. because, as I understand it, half his class was deferred from going into medical school. The students take the time to travel and study abroad. Martin tried to get the full American experience during his time here. He...Continue reading
Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee Recommends Medicare Reimbursement of Provenge
Yesterday, the Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee’s (MEDCAC) vote on a number of questions amounted to a recommendation to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to cover Provenge, a therapeutic vaccine for men with advanced prostate cancer. While the recommendation was not overwhelmingly enthusiastic, Provenge clears one hurdle on its way...Continue reading
Prostate Cancer Policy Update: The Advocate’s Prostate Cancer Battle
The Federal Government has recently taken unconventional actions surrounding prostate cancer. Advocates keep in mind, healthcare policy is political and the right combination of hard work, preparation and advocacy is needed for success.Continue reading
New Men’s Health Website Launched by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
A new men’s health website called Healthy Men was launched today by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). AHRQ falls under the U.S Department of Health & Human Services. It primarily functions as a research agency and additionally provides research grants to academic institutions, private entities, and public organizations.
Prostate Cancer Screening Policy Update
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is a large piece of legislation that can be confusing. Much of the legislation leaves the formation of regulations and implementation to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Men’s Health Network (MHN) is closely monitoring and analyzing regulatory developments for prostate cancer...Continue reading
Black Men Need More Awareness, Access to Prostate Cancer Screening
According to the 2009 National Healthcare Disparities Report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), “American men with prostate cancer were 25 percent less likely to die from the disease in 2006 than they were in 1999.” “The rate at which American men died from prostate cancer declined from 31 deaths to 23.5...