General

Hearing Loss

Condition Overview Latest News

Internet Consulted More Often Than Doctors - [10/12/08]

Summary: New market research shows that over the past year more adults went to the internet to get health information than consulted a doctor. This trend may likely be the product of an increasing consumer comfort in using the web to find reliable medical information. In addition, rising costs of healthcare coverage and visits to the doctor may be adding to the preference for first looking for information online.

Comment: The impacts of this trend, as well as others, will be discussed in an online seminar entitled "Is TV Dead? How the New New Media Changes Pharmaceutical DTC Advertising". The event is scheduled for October 14th at 11am EST and October 16th at 3pm EST.

Read article - Medical News Today. October 12, 2008.
Read article - Register for the Seminar

Medicare Eliminates Coverage for 10 "Reasonably Preventable" Errors - [10/02/08]

Summary: New regulations, which will take effect next Wednesday, have Medicare halting payment for 10 errors which they have deemed "conditions that could reasonably have been prevented." Expected to affect hundreds of thousands, the new rules will mostly likely not result in a major reduction in expenses.

Comment: This new decision comes on the heels of announcements by four state Medicaid organizations last year in which they eliminated 28 "never events", preventable errors, from coverage. The trend seems to be growing and could have negative ramifications for millions of Americans. Among others, healthcare professionals have begun expressing concern about the decision.

Read article - Medical News Today. October 2, 2008.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Struggle to Obtain Healthcare - [09/30/08]

Summary: Struggles in communicating with healthcare professionals have led to thousands of deaf patients unable to receive adequate care. Awareness and communication support in regards to interaction between deaf patients and those with whom they rely for health care are significantly lacking. The issue is so great that in the UK almost 28% of deaf patients report avoiding visits to their general practitioner because of poor communication.

Comment: Physicians are urged to "listen to patients and respond to their concerns and preferences" and "give patients the information they want or need in a way they can understand".

Read article - Science Daily. September 30, 2008.

All About Noise Pollution - [07/06/08]

Summary: The revving of and engine, or loud music from a neighbor's house, can be considered forms of pollution. Noise pollution occurs when sound, seen as a "waste product", escapes from one person's property and contaminates another's. The control of noise pollution can help better the auditory health of a community and prevent hearing loss.

Comment: Sound can be defined as "a mechanical disturbance from a state of equilibrium that propagates through an elastic material medium, usually air." Sound levels are measured in decibels (dB), with 0 dB being preceived silence and a normal conversation around 60 dB.

Read article - Health News Digest. July 6, 2008.

New Online Pharmacy Verification Program May Be Misleading - [05/29/08]

Summary: In a list published by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy five low-cost online pharmacies have been labeled "Not Recommended". However, PharmacyChecker.com, the internet's largest independent verification service of online pharmacies, advises consumers that these pharmacies are ethical and meet all verification requirements. It has been suggested that the NABP, which works with the FDA and is sponsored by Pfizer, a drug company, is attempting to scare consumers away from these low-cost pharmacies.

Comment: The NABP's list of verified pharmacy sites only includes 15 members, which consist largely of US based pharmacy chains and benefits managers. It does not even include lower-cost US sites such as Costco.com, while Canadian and other foreign pharmacies are barred entirely from inclusion. Meanwhile PharmacyChecker.com is dedicated to certifying online, low-cost pharmacy options for consumers.

Read article - HealthNewsDigest.com. May 29, 2008.

New Law Protects Patients from Genetic Discrimination - [05/22/08]

Summary: A new law has been passed to protect patients in the US from genetic discrimination by keeping their genetic information secure. This legislation prohibits insurers from denying or canceling coverage based on a patient's genetic information, allowing for patient privacy even as scientific advancements make individualized health care possible for patients.

Comment: Genetic testing has the potential to greatly advance diagnosis and treatment of disease. However, it is important that genetic information be protected to prevent any discrimination based on a patient's genetics. The American Medical Association has expressed their support of the passage of this new law.

Read article - American Medical Association. May 22, 2008.

Many Uninsured Are Eligible for Aid But Not Enrolled - [04/25/08]

Summary: There are 47 million uninsured people in the United States. About 12 million of them qualify for public coverage, but are not enrolled, including 64 percent of uninsured children. Many of these people are not aware of programs or don't know how to enroll. For low-income uninsured adults even qualifying for aid can be the greatest hindrance. Only seven states provide public assistance to low-income childless adults, and about half the states deny access to traditional Medicaid benefits for working parents in families above 63 percent of the FPL (about $13,000 for a family of four).

Comment: Many uninsured people living in the United States could only benefit from the expansion of public programs such as Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Nancy Chockley, president and CEO of the National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation commented on the report saying, "What this report shows us is that reaching universal coverage is a very complicated proposition, but that we can get a quarter of the way there by getting more people who are eligible for public programs enrolled, and we can make a lot of headway, too, by looking for subsidies for low-income childless adults and parents."

Read article - Healthfinder.gov. April 25, 2008.

AMA Comments on Patient Safety Organizations - [04/11/08]

Summary: The American Medical Association has provided the government with the physicians' viewpoint on how to proceed with the creation of patient safety organizations. The comments submitted by the AMA highlight the organization's strong support for a federal system by which health care professionals could voluntarily report patient safety information. In efforts to ensure the success of their proposed system and rules, the AMA will educate physicians on the reporting system, encourage their active participation and provide input on the system's creation.

Comment: The American Medical Association was a strong advocate for the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act passed in 2005. They have praised the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality for "capturing the legislation’s intent in the proposed rule." The commentary submitted by the AMA can also be viewed online.

Read article - American Medical Assocation. April 11, 2008.
Read article - Comments Submitted by the AMA.

Hearing Loss Magazine Offers Info on Products, Research - [03/30/08]

Summary: Hearing Loss Magazine is a bimonthly publication for members of the Hearing Loss Association of America. The magazine provides practical, useful information on products, services, research, and technology related to hearing and deafness.

Comment: Although current issues are available only to members of the association, previous issues are available in PDF format at the link below. The complete November/December 2007 issue is now available. The magazine is a terrific lifeline to help people live well with hearing loss and a valuable resource for family members and healthcare professionals.

Read article - Hearing Loss Association of America.

Info About Hearing Loss at NIHSeniorHealth - [02/29/08]

Summary: Many older adults have their hearing checked regularly, especially when they begin having problems following conversations. Now, easy-to-understand information about hearing loss is available on NIHSeniorHealth, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Web site designed especially for seniors.

Comment: Readers can log onto the site below for answers to questions such as: Can certain medications and loud noises cause hearing loss? How can I prevent infections that cause hearing loss? What is a cochlear implant, and how do I know if I need one? The Web site also offers information about other health issues that are of particular concern to older adults.

Read article - NIHSeniorHealth.