NOTES ON NURSING
Federal Report Shows Wide Disparity in Nursing Supply The U.S. Nursing Workforce Report issued by the Health Resources and Services Administration National Center for Health Workforce Analysis predicts continuing shortages as more than 500,000 RNs are expected to retire within the next seven years.
HEALTH CARE
One-Third of Patients Willing to Change Doctors to Save Money Respondents also were asked how much money they would need to save annually to make that switch. Thirty-four percent thought keeping down out-of-pocket insurance costs was more important than retaining their doctors.
Angelina Jolie: My Medical Choice It has got to be a priority to ensure that more women can access gene testing and lifesaving preventive treatment, whatever their means and background, wherever they live. The cost of testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2, at more than $3,000 in the United States, remains an obstacle for many women. Related: Jolie’s Procedure Shows Harsh Choices Women Face The $3,000 cost of the screening test may be an “obstacle for many women” without health insurance,
California Hospital Charges are 4.5 Times Their Cost The hospital industry typically seeks to dismiss reports on the massive disparity between its costs and charges insisting that few actually pay the “list” price, and insists the charges are “random” when in fact there are distinct patterns in the pricing practices. Related: Miami Hospitals Plan to Release More Cost Data Once a closely-held competitive secret, hospital prices are beginning to shake loose from the grips of healthcare executives in the wake of last week’s unprecedented move by the federal government to publicly share what hospitals bill Medicare for the most common diagnoses and treatments.
LABOR UPDATES
Record Debate Yields Victory for Care Workers’ Unionization An all-night, 17-hour debate prompted by furious GOP opposition ended with a victory for unions seeking to organize care-workers on Wednesday.