Diabetic drugs are increasing in price Prices for critical medicines are on the rise. This time it was about the cost of diabetes medication. High costs are forcing some diabetics to make potentially life-threatening choices. ATLANTA – The cost of diabetes medication is on the rise. In some cases, prices for insulin and new diabetes…
Americans gripped by intense financial stress
As we close out the first five months of 2024, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Americans’ financial stress levels have shown a slight but significant improvement, easing from a recent high of 67.5 recorded in 2023 to an average of 64.4 in the RealClearMarkets/TIPP Financial Stress Index. This is a positive…
Can you get Ozempic at Costco? See How to Save on Weight Loss Drugs
Image source: Getty Images Costco is becoming known as a place to save money on health care — not just on groceries, household items or big-ticket items like electronics and appliances. But Costco Optical, hearing aid centers, and Costco Pharmacy aren’t the only ways to save on health care costs. Costco is now offering a…
‘Feel it all’: Local man Drew Petersen aims to break the stigma around mental health with new film premiering at Summit
Drew Petersen, front, hikes across the Sawatch Range near Leadville in search of a ski line. Drew Petersen’s upcoming film “Feel It All” will premiere at Summit High School on Wednesday, May 29th.Drew Petersen/Courtesy photo A few years ago, Summit County resident Drew Petersen was struggling deeply with his mental health. Dealing with suicidal thoughts…
Lose muscle with RA GLP-1? There may be a cure for this
NEW ORLEANS Developmental drugs would preserve muscle mass and increase fat loss when used in combination with glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists taken for weight loss. As medications such as semaglutide (Wegovy) and the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP-1 dual agonist tirzepatide (Zepbound) are producing unprecedented rates of weight loss in increasing numbers of people,…
Deny, Denounce, Delay: The Battle Over the Dangers of Ultra-Processed Foods
When Brazilian food scientist Carlos Monteiro coined the term ultra-processed foods 15 years ago, he created what he calls a new paradigm for assessing the impact of diet on health. Monteiro had noticed that although Brazilian households were spending less on sugar and oil, obesity rates were rising. The paradox can be explained by the…
When prior authorization becomes a medical barrier
Slowly but steadily, Marlene Nathanson was recovering. She had suffered a stroke in November 2022 at her home in Minneapolis and spent a week in a hospital; then, when she arrived at the Episcopal Homes in St. Paul for rehabilitation, she could not walk. Weakness in her right arm and hand left her unable to…
Animals self-medicate with the behavior of plants that humans have observed and imitated for millennia
When a wild orangutan in Sumatra recently suffered a facial wound, apparently after a fight with another male, it did something that caught the attention of the scientists observing it. The animal chewed the leaves of a liana vine, a plant not normally eaten by monkeys. Over several days, the orangutan carefully applied the liquid…
How to lose weight: I am 64
Weight management can be a challenge at the best of times, but a hormonal decline during menopause tends to make fat loss more difficult. Fortunately, thin people have been able to successfully shed pounds after menopause with the help of simple dietary adjustments. Tamara, a 64-year-old health enthusiast, recently detailed the meal plan that helped…
Can doctors lead the fix?
America’s health care systemmuch like Congress, it is broken and doctors must be part of the solution.I don’t know a single doctor who doesn’t want to improve our ability to increase access anddelivery of health services for our patients. Saveand/or improving the health of patients is our goal. This should be the goal of anyone…