Maine Personal Injury Blog - Miscellaneous

Maine schools implement innovative health program

Alison McKellar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 16:09:00 GMT

As part of an initiative to improve the health of Maine school teachers and staff, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is teaming up with the Maine Education Association Benefits Trust to provide personal health coaching to teachers and staff taking advantage of the health insurance plan offered through the school.

Teachers and staff in Gardiner, Topsham, Hampden, and Readfield will have the opportunity to take part in this two year pilot project which takes a more personalized approach to health care. Participants will first begin an overall appraisal of their health and specific health risks, and after, with the help of the health coach, will work to decide which of these risks most need to change.

Dan Corcoran, President of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, says "this school wellness pilot project will be a valuable demonstration of an approach to improve health and lower health risk factors that makes the connection between lifestyle choices and overall health."

The project will contract with Occupational Medical Consulting of Leeds, ME, a leading health and wellness company that provides services to Maine businesses, and is scheduled to start this month. It is the first comprehensive health project of its kind in Maine schools.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Alison McKellar

Maine Breast Cancer Patients: Important Information

Anne Fennessey — Sun, 18 May 2008 11:44:55 GMT

A study released by Canadian researchers on May 15, 2008 sheds new light on the possible link between vitamin D and breast cancer survival rates.

Dr. Pamela Goodwin, a breast cancer researcher at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, led the study, which will be presented at the end of May at a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. The findings suggest that women with lower levels of vitamin D have a greater risk of death from breast cancer and a greater chance of having their cancer spread than those with normal levels of the vitamin. Conversely, those women with higher levels of vitamin D were more likely to have their cancer not spread or not return at all.

Vitamin D levels can be checked with blood tests and steps can be taken to improve those levels.

Maintaining optimal levels of vitamin D, believed to be between 80 and 120 nanomoles per liter of blood, may also help women regulate insulin levels and body mass indexes, which could help them to maintain a healthy weight and stronger bones.

Vitamin D can be found in many foods, including milk, and in nutritional supplements. Exposure to sunlight prompts the body to produce the vitamin, also. Daily recommendations for vitamin D are, on average, 1,000 international units (IU).

The effect of vitamin D on breast cancer is promising and will continue to be studied.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anne Fennessey

Medical tourism: Maine people and companies go abroad to save on surgery

Alison McKellar — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:45:51 GMT

Medical tourism, a growing travel phenomenon that combines international travel with various medical procedures, is the newest indication that Americans are fed up with expensive medical procedures, inefficient hospitals, and sky-high deductibles from insurance companies. Until recently, Americans have had little recourse and few alternatives when facing high-cost surgeries and penny-pinching insurance companies, but a growing percentage of people have found a new and often favorable solution. U.S. News and World Report estimates that anywhere from 5,000 to 500,000 Americans annually are taking their business elsewhere and heading abroad when they have to pay for costly medical procedures.

Mainers and Maine companies like Hannaford Bros. are among the many patients and companies going beyond borders in pursuit of medical procedures at a fraction of the cost. The AP reports that the Scarborough-based supermarket chain now offers employees the option of getting hip and knee replacements in Singapore, at the National University Hospital. The same procedure that can cost $40,000 to $60,000 in the United States ranges from $10,000 to $15,000 in Singapore.

The savings can be so great and the quality of care so high that even insurance companies have started looking into the possibility of covering oversees medical procedures. David Boucher, an assistant vice president of healthcare services at BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina has visited many facilities abroad, and told U.S. News and World Report that he was, “totally amazed not just by the quality of medical care but at the quality of service… the initial driver may be price, but patients’ positive experiences will do a lot to advance the movement.”

However, going outside the country for complicated medical procedures carries with it a whole new set of safety and legal considerations that many people may not anticipate or be prepared to deal with. What happens if someone gets treated abroad and is harmed due to negligence or poor care? Who is responsible? Who do you sue? Who is accountable and who will advocate for you? Oriv Karev, CEO of UnitedHealth Group International, tells U.S. News and World Report that one of the biggest concerns can be getting accurate data and information from hospitals located abroad. It might be extremely difficult to find reliable information on a hospital’s mortality rate or the experience and credentials of an individual surgeon.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Alison McKellar

Mainers should be mad: Insurance company, Anthem Health Plans raises rates and rakes in $75 million in profits

Alison McKellar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 11:16:16 GMT

The looming economic recession has hit Mainers hard. Whether you’re an single and living on your own, married with a family, or trying to keep your small business afloat, for the majority of Mainers, it’s simply more difficult to afford things than it was a few years ago. The Portland Press Herald reports that Maine is one of 11 states to report a drop in median income from 2006 to 2007, leaving Mainers having to make hard choices between things like medical care, groceries, and school supplies for their kids.

However, while most Mainers are tightening their belts and cutting corners to make it through economic hard times, Anthem Health Plans of Maine is reporting record profits. Last year, the company made more than 75 million dollars in profits from Maine costumers alone, and according to the Maine Bureau of Insurance, Anthem’s treasurer earns more than $1.4 million, the president makes more than $643,000, and the assistant secretary earns more than $400,000.

Rick Burns, a Democratic state representative from Berwick, writes that, “the bottom line is that Anthem is a for-profit company. The right to earn a profit is derived from the taking of risk. Rather than take risk and earn a profit, Anthem lobbies legislators to create high-risk pools that shift the risk away from them and onto us, the Maine people.”

Insurance companies are remarkably profitable because they have learned to minimize the amount of money they pay out for medical care and maximize the amount they generate in rates. Mainers may need to start playing tough with the insurance companies to get the services they deserve.

So, the next time your insurance company tells you they’re not required to pay for something, don’t give in right away. They can afford it.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Alison McKellar

Mainers Sickened By Cereal

Anne Fennessey — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:47:26 GMT

The Portland Press Herald has reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a statement on April 12, 2008 detailing the most recent information regarding consumer illnesses that were caused by the same strain of Salmonella that was found in cereal produced by Malt-O-Meal, a company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

At least 23 people in Maine and 13 other states have been diagnosed with salmonellosis after being treated for symptoms that include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. There have been no deaths reported, but three people became so sick that they needed to be hospitalized,according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The cereal, Malt-O-Meal's Puffed Wheat and Puffed Rice, was voluntarily recalled by the company on April 5, 2008 after the problem was discovered during routine product testing. Before the recall, the cereal was delivered to stores all over the country, using the Malt-O-Meal label, as well as private labels such as Hannaford's, Shaws, and ShopRite.

Consumers should check for "best if used by" dates from April 8, 2008 through March 18,2009 and throw away any product labelled with those dates. Stores have been told to take the cereal off their shelves.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anne Fennessey

Maine Doctors: Would They Rat On Their Own Patients?

Alison Mynick, RN, Esq. — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:09:15 GMT

Once again the question arises: Could this happen in Maine?

Blue Cross of California tried to have California doctors finger their own patients so that Blue Cross could deny insurance coverage based on a patient's medical condition.

Since insurance company executives aren't allowed into the exam room with patients (yet), Blue Cross of California thought it might be OK to ask California doctors to finger their own patients and help out Big Blue.

Blue Cross miscalculated. California physicians took the "just say No" route and sent Blue Cross back to the drawing board to find some other way to dump patients who pay premiums but then have the nerve to get sick and need the health care they paid for in advance.

What makes Mainers think the giant health insurance companies here in Maine are any more compassionate and caring?

What stopped the doctors in California was this: Doctors take an oath that they will put the health of their patients first. That means, thinking about pre-existing condition clauses and nsurance exclusions isn't supposed to get mixed up with the part where the doctor writes down what he thinks is wrong and how it should be fixed...

Doctors in Maine take the same oath as Doctors in California.

But maybe Insurance companies in Maine don't know that...

Who in Maine is going to stand up to corporate health insurance greed?

Who will stand up for Maine patients?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Alison Mynick, RN, Esq.

Maine Icy Hot Heat Therapy Products Recalled

Anne Fennessey — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:42:09 GMT

Icy Hot Heat Therapy Products Recalled

Icy Hot Therapy products, sold in many stores in Maine, have been recalled recently as a result of numerous reports by consumers that the self-heating patches caused skin irritations and serious burns when used to relieve muscle and joint pain. See msnbc.com

The leading manufacturer, Chattem, Inc., offers a variety of types of the disposable product:

Icy Hot Heat Therapy Air Activated Heat- Back msnbc.com

Icy Hot Heat Therapy Air Activated Heat- Arm, Neck, and Leg

It is possible that the reported injuries were the result of misuse of the patches, although the packaging does contain specific warning labels and instructions. The company says that studies will be done to determine why this problem exists.

While it is unclear how many of the 200 people who have been injured by the product live in Maine, a spokeswoman for Chattem, Inc., has said that the patches will not be put back on the market until studies prove that the product is safe.

Maine residents who have purchased the Icy Hot Heat Therapy products can exchange the product for a full refund by calling 1-877-742-6275 and speaking to Chattem's Consumer Affairs Department.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Anne Fennessey

Maine Leads the Way in Protecting Children from Second Hand Smoke

Don Briggs — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 16:05:10 GMT

Over the years, Maine has been a leader in protecting the right of non-smokers to breath clean air in public spaces, but, until now, no one has dared try and tell smokers what they can and can't do in their houses and cars. However, a new city ordinance has changed all this for Bangor drivers, who can now be pulled over and fined up to 50 dollars for smoking in the car in the presence of children.
Mainers are known for being fierce defenders of personal freedom, but although some are grumbling about what they deem as just "one more right being taken away", the New York Times reports that the legislation has received widespread report from both smokers and non-smokers.
One editorial published in the Portland Press Herald states that, "so long as cigarettes are legal, the government has no business saying how they should be used in the homes we own and in our own private vehicles." However, most people seem to agree with James Tasse, whose editorial also appears in the Portland Press Herald. He writes:

"This discussion is not about smokers' rights -- it's about the secondhand smoke. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke. Kids in cars and homes where people are smoking are unavoidably exposed to secondhand smoke, and many are getting sick from it."

Bangor is not alone in the ban on smoking in cars with children. Several cities in other states have enacted similar legislation, and it's possible that the law will soon cover all of Maine. What this shows us is that Mainers and Americans are becoming more conscious of the fact that individual choices often have consequences for others.

Children are especially vulnerable to the decisions of adults, and we must protect them, not only from physical harm, but also from abuse that, even though it may be unintentional, can have long-term consequences for their health.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Don Briggs

Transplant Doctor Accused of Speeding Up Death for Organs

Jenny Albano — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:55:56 GMT

Dr. Hootan Roozrokh of San Francisco has been accused of prescribing excessive drugs to a disabled patient to speed up his death and harvest his organs. The man, 26 year-old Ruben Navarro, died in 2006.

The defendant's lawyer stated that the charges were "unfounded and ill-advised" and that is client has been subjected to an "18-month witch hunt".

Roozrokh was charged with felony counts of dependent adult abuse, administering a harmful substance and unlawful controlled substance prescription. If convicted of all three counts, he faces up to eight years in state prison or up to one year in jail and a $20,000 fine as a condition of probation.

Navarro was taken to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in a coma after he suffered respiratory and cardiac arrest in 2006. Navarro had irreversible brain damage, but was not considered brain dead so he was kept on a respirator. The day before Navarro's death, his family approved the recovery of his organs for donation. This never happened because Navarro did not die within an hour of being taken off life support; the man died a day later.

Prosecutors say that Roozark, who was working on behalf of a group who procures and distributes organs, was prescribing drugs to Navarro to accelerate his death in order to recover his organs. According to state law, it is illegal for a transplant surgeon to be involved in the care of a potential organ donor before they are declared dead.

Last month, his mother, Rosa, filed a wrongful-death and medical malpractice lawsuit against Roozrokh and others, claiming her son was removed from life support without her permission and given lethal doses of drugs.

The coroner's office determined that Navarro died of natural causes.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Medical Malpractice and Negligent Care.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano

FDA Cannot Promise Safety of Imported Drugs

Jenny Albano — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 13:59:16 GMT

According to Peter Pitts, president of the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest and a founding member of FDA's Counterfeit Drug Task Force, it is almost impossible for the FDA to guarantee the safety of imported drugs. This is because there are so many counterfeiters from all over the world.

Pitts continues that "simply mandating safety by legislative fiat will not make imported drugs safer" and that "without fundamental regulatory reforms in the countries where counterfeits are produced, the FDA's efforts will be futile."

Pitts thinks that allowing the importation of these drugs to save consumers a few dollars is not worth the risk. He states that the government has the responsibility to protect us from danger, and allowing hazardous products into our country is just exposing us to overseas threats.

For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Drugs, Medical Devices, and Implants.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jenny Albano