Monthly Archive for December, 2008

BCBSNC will offer free generic medicines with new Generic Waiver Program

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Jana
on December 1, 2008
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Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is once again helping members out with their prescription drug costs with a new generic copayment waiver program. This new version is a more revised and condensed edition of the generic copayment waiver programs that they have used in previous years. The new program’s purpose is to motivate some members to shift to less expensive medicines. It is also a way to raise medication use during a troubled economy, for patients taking drugs for chronic conditions. They want to reduce surging drug costs.

The company is concerned about the fall of prescription use during the last few months. This reveals that many people are not getting the prescriptions that they need to maintain their health.

Blue Cross will pay, but the costs are counteracted because the amount that it pays in all for drugs decreases. The cost for an average brand-name drug currently cost $130 for a month’s supply. The average generic medicine is only around $19.

Once brand-name drugs lose patent protection, federal regulations permit generic versions of medicines. This causes pharmaceutical companies behind the original drugs to suffer, while offering cheaper substitutes for consumers.

Blue Cross fosters generics to prescribing physicians. Drugstore chains such as Walmart, Target are now offering inexpensive generic co-pays. Increasing the amount of generics that are available is a huge priority according to regulators.

The most current data from the N.C. Institute of Medicine shows that the amount of money spent of prescription drugs in N.C. has almost increased 50 percent faster than combined health costs from 1991 to 2004. Mark Holmes, vice president of the institute, says that programs like Blue Cross are effective at getting people to buy the generic version of the drug, which saves the consumer and the insurer money for a treatment that is just as effective.

There are a few restrictions to the Blue Cross program. It is not accessible to groups in which the insurer only provides the coverage. This includes state and federal workers. Also members with drug deductibles must satisfy that stipulation first. Blue Cross currently has about 3.7 million members.

Under this new Generic Waiver Program, copayments and coinsurance for all generic prescriptions filled or refilled between January 1, 2009 and June 30, 2009 will be waived by BCBS of NC. Underwritten (fully insured) groups and individual members will be eligible for this program. Also, self funded or ASO groups may partake in the program. The ASO clients will be furnished with more detail as needed.

Research suggests combining Zoloft and therapy beneficial to children with anxiety disorders

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Jana
on December 1, 2008
in Health and Wellness
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As many as 20 percent of U.S. children and teens are found to be affected by anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders are the most common psychiatric illness in children.

A recent study found that a popular antidepressant, well known as Zoloft, combined with three months of psychotherapy substantially helped children who suffered from anxiety disorders. The research also found that therapy by itself helped a lot as well. This was comforting to parents who worry about the affect of drugs on their children.

It was discovered that combining the drug sertraline, which is available as a generic and under the brand name Zoloft, along with therapy, worked best. Each method used alone also should major benefits, according to Dr. John Walkup, who is the lead author of the government-funded research and a Johns Hopkins Hospital psychiatrist.

Walkup said that children who were previously so anxious that they wouldn’t sleep alone, play with their friends, or leave home, had their symptoms almost disappear in many cases.

Sertraline is one of those antidepressants that is linked with suicidal thoughts and behavior in children having depression. Only a small amount of the 200 plus kids in this study had suicide thoughts and there were no suicide attempts, claimed Walkup. Suicidal tendencies are more prevalent in depression cases than anxiety related cases.

Mostly used to treat adult depression and anxiety, Zoloft is also approved for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder in kids, but not for anxiety. However, some doctors have used it for that. Also, some less intense and smaller studies have recommended that it as well as other antidepressants can help.

This new study is the largest examining treatment of childhood anxiety disorders and it was paid for by the National Institute of Mental Health.

Health Department recommends 2 1/2 hours of exercise weekly

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Jana
on December 1, 2008
in Health and Wellness
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On October 7, new exercise guidelines from the Health and Human Services Department, or HHS, were set to attain good health. Most adults should get 2 1/2 hours a week. Of course this varies according to how old you are and your level of fitness. If you are a more sedentary adult, a little exercise is fine at first, such as a short walk around the block or a friendly game of softball. Adults who are more fit can scrunch all their week’s requirement into a shorter time period, with 75 minutes of intense exercise like running or a bike race. An hour long walk three times a week works just as well as a 30-minute weekday exercise class. If this doesn’t work out for those who are too busy during the week because of work or other issues, a two-hour bike ride on Saturday or Sunday can do the trick. In other words, if your activity is more intense, you can do less time.

Children and teens need even more activity. The HHS guidelines suggest at least an hour a day. This daily hour should include activities such as bike riding, soccer, skating or running. Muscle-strengthening activities like sit-ups and tug-of-war and bone-strengthening activities like jumping rope or skipping should be done three times a week.

This advice should be taken seriously since many children in the U.S. are considerably less healthy than their parents. Almost one third of children are overweight and 16 percent are obese. Even though young children are usually more active by nature, more and more schools are sadly decreasing the amount of recess and gym time. A recent study found that once in high school, less than a third of teens get an hour of physical activity a day.

Adults, according to the HHS, should do muscle-strengthening exercises such as weight training or push-ups at least two days a week. The good news for some adults is that carrying heavy loads or intense gardening can be included as one of these exercises. Even older adults who can still do these activities are urged to do so.

When doing aerobic activities, try to go at least 10 minutes at a time to increase heart rate enough to count. While doing moderate activity, you should be able to talk, but not be able to sing. While doing intense activity, you should only be able to say a few words before catching your breath.

The HHS hired an expert panel to look at all the information on the question of how much exercise is enough. The panel discovered that consistent physical activity can decrease the risk of heart attacks and stroke by at least 20 percent. This can diminish the possibility of an early death and help people stay clear of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancer, bone weakening and depression. The government studied this scientific report to determine the guidelines for these minimum activity levels.

The guidelines assert that these are minimum goals. Obviously, those who do more than the minimum will get better results.

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