Osteoporosis care at risk in the United States
November 12, 2008The reimbursement cuts run contrary to existing federal initiatives already in place to increase fracture prevention efforts and improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis.
The article shows that DXA is a key tool in identifying those at risk for osteoporosis and helping those with the disease monitor their bone health. It is a recognized tool for preventing and reducing costly fractures, which account for $18 billion in national healthcare costs and are projected to increase by 50 percent over the next two decades, reaching $25.3 billion in 2025.
The authors of the article, E.M. Lewiecki, S. Baim and E.S. Siris, stated their support for "…federal efforts to contain healthcare costs and eliminate unnecessary medical services." However, with the Medicare cuts in reimbursement, "fewer patients at high risk for fracture will be identified and fewer patients will be treated. As a result, there will be more osteoporotic fractures."
The article cites a recent study completed by The Lewin Group, which found that restoring DXA reimbursement to the 2006 levels would save the Medicare program $1.14 billion over five years due to the reduced number of osteoporotic fractures.
Osteoporosis now causes an estimated 2 million fractures each year and often results in immobility, pain, placement in a nursing home, isolation and other health problems—conditions and circumstances that could largely be prevented through proper bone density testing and diagnosis.
Citation: Lewiecki EM, Baim S, Siris ES (2008) Osteoporosis care at risk in the United States. Osteoporosis International. DOI 10.1007/s00198-008-0716-x
Source: Springer
-
Diabetes public health: Study highlights need for better guidelines
Sep 13, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
New study highlights what works in osteoporosis treatment
Jul 11, 2011 |
5 / 5 (1) |
0
-
Can in-hospital falls really be prevented?
Jul 06, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
New study quantifies total costs of fragility fractures in 6 major European countries
Mar 24, 2011 |
not rated yet |
0
-
Researchers discover age of onset of puberty predicts adult osteoporosis risk
Jan 28, 2011 |
4.5 / 5 (2) |
0
-
Engineers build first sub-10-nm carbon nanotube transistor
Feb 01, 2012 |
4.9 / 5 (33) |
30
-
Something old, something new: Evolution and the structural divergence of duplicate genes
Jan 31, 2012 |
4.6 / 5 (7) |
1
-
The hidden nanoworld of ice crystals: Revealing the dynamic behavior of quasi-liquid layers
Jan 30, 2012 |
5 / 5 (5) |
1
-
Stock market network reveals investor clustering
Jan 27, 2012 |
3.9 / 5 (23) |
8
-
Of microchemistry and molecules: Electronic microfluidic device synthesizes biocompatible probes
Jan 26, 2012 |
5 / 5 (2) |
0
-
Classical and Quantum Mechanics via Lie algebras
Apr 15, 2011
- More from Physics Forums - Independent Research
More news stories
Tenofovir, leading HIV medication, linked with risk of kidney damage
(Medical Xpress) -- Tenofovir, one of the most effective and commonly prescribed antiretroviral medications for HIV/AIDS, is associated with a significant risk of kidney damage and chronic kidney disease that increases over ...
Medicine & Health / Medications
43 minutes ago |
not rated yet |
0
|
New tumor suppressor gene identified
A recent study published in Clinical Cancer Research suggests that the protein hVps37A suppresses tumor growth in ovarian cancer. The work, which was funded by the Austrian Science Fund FWF, shows, for th ...
13 minutes ago |
not rated yet |
0
Don't ignore kids' snores
(Medical Xpress) -- Your ears arent playing tricks on you that is the sound of snoring you hear from the bedroom of your preschooler. Snoring is common in children, but in some cases it can be a symptom of a ...
1 hour ago |
5 / 5 (1) |
0
WHO calls for stepped-up fight against leprosy
The World Health Organization called Monday for greater efforts to fight leprosy, warning the disfiguring disease was defying efforts to wipe it out across many countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
1 hour ago |
not rated yet |
0
Social psychologist: Lust makes you smarter and evidence that seven deadly sins are good for you
(Medical Xpress) -- Good news for lovers on Valentine’s Day - the seven deadly sins, including Lust, are good for you. University of Melbourne social psychologist Dr Simon Laham uses modern research to make a compelling ...
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
2 hours ago |
4.5 / 5 (2) |
0
Researchers make better heat sensor based on butterfly wings
(PhysOrg.com) -- Scientists have long known that butterfly wings produce their iridescent colors by bouncing light around and between tiny ridges in structures made of chitin. More recently they’ve discovered ...
Manipulating genes with hidden TALENs
(PhysOrg.com) -- A better understanding of gene function in model plant and animal systems could be used to develop useful traits in livestock and crop plants, and might someday lead to developments in stem ...
Alien matter in the solar system: A galactic mismatch
This just in: The Solar System is different from the space just outside it.
Transforming galaxies
(PhysOrg.com) -- Many of the Universe's galaxies are like our own, displaying beautiful spiral arms wrapping around a bright nucleus. Examples in this stunning image, taken with the Wide Field Camera 3 on ...
'Smart' microcapsules in a single step
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new, single-step method of fabricating microcapsules, which have potential commercial applications in industries including medicine, agriculture and diagnostics, has been developed by researchers ...
China's pollution puts a dent in its economy
Although China has made substantial progress in cleaning up its air pollution,a new MIT study shows that the economic impact from ozone and particulates in its air has increased dramatically. ...