Here's discouraging news: New research has found poor results from blood sugar and blood pressure tests did not appear to prompt healthy changes to diet and exercise among older adults.
On the bright side, the study turned up a few exceptions. The research analyzed results from the 2006, 2008 and 2010 National Institute on Aging's Health and Retirement Study and found some participants lost weight, quit smoking or curbed their drinking after laboratory tests revealed dangerously high blood sugar or blood pressure levels. But not many.
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A patient engagement and reporting program linked to financial incentives yielded multiple improvements in health measures for employees of UnitedHealth Group, according to a study published in the August issue of Health Affairs.
UnitedHealth employees enrolled in the health insurance company's Rewards for Health program were able to earn points good for premium reductions as high as $1,200 for family coverage. The rewards program used health screenings targeting diabetes, cancer and other diseases as well as more general weight control based on the worker's body mass index.
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Here's a health reform snafu that many Americans will benefit from.
Older smokers are likely to pay less for health insurance in 2014 because of a computer system glitch that the Obama administration said would limit the penalties insurers could charge tobacco users under the ACA.
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Dr. Paul Offit, the chief of the infectious diseases division of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, skewered the mega-vitamin industry in an article in the Sunday New York Times.
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The United Health Foundation, a non-profit linked to UnitedHealth Group, offered its first report card Wednesday on the health status of the nation's senior citizens. The study ranked states based on 34 indicators grouped into “determinants” like smoking and obesity and “outcomes” like ICU usage and hip fractures.
The USA Today map of the state rankings offered few surprises.
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Wellness is a well-trod path for many major companies looking for ways to cut down on employee healthcare
costs and increase productivity. Most programs focus on getting people to change unhealthy habits like smoking, poor diet or lack of exercise. Sometimes they encourage people to monitor their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar and take appropriate medications where necessary. The goal is to avoid more serious—and costly—medical complications down the road.
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