The New York Times recently examined an imminent change to most health insurance plans: 100% coverage of an expanded list of preventive services. Many insurers, including MedBen, already cover in full a variety of wellness services for adults, children… more »

A recent study demonstrates just how environment can influence bad eating habits. According to Medical Xpress, researchers went to movie theater and gave a group of patrons popcorn. Some got a just-popped bag, others got fresh popcorn, and a handful of… more »

Consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) have had a positive impact in how people approach health care spending, a new study suggests. Medical Xpress reports that patients covered under a high-deductible health plan with a health savings account (HSA) or… more »

Well, that didn’t take long. Just yesterday, we noted that the Obama administration deliberately missed a deadline to request the full panel of a U.S. Appeals Court review an earlier decision of three panel members on the constitutionality of the… more »

Before we run out of days to mention it, we did want to bring to your attention that September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Other than skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer found in American men, and second only to lung… more »

A long-term care insurance plan proposed under the Affordable Care Act may not come to fruition. The Associated Press reports that the Obama administration has indefinitely shelved the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program,… more »

If a new study carries any weight, men may have to consider getting their first colonoscopy a little earlier. According to Bloomberg, researchers said that males are twice as likely have colon cancer and, as such, should get their initial screening for… more »

More legal maneuverings – this time, by the Obama administration – as we head up to a likely Supreme Court hearing on the constitutionality of the individual mandate. And this time, the only action taken was inaction. MedPage Today reports… more »

Would it surprise you to learn that you, the average American, eat nearly a ton a food every year? The Washington Post – courtesy of the Visual Economics creative team – offers a graphic breakdown of what we consume and how much. Of the… more »

On August 22, 2011, the federal government issued proposed regulations describing the Uniform Summary of Coverage document mandated under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The proposed regulations set forth the requirements for… more »

Whatever its flaws, the Affordable Care Act has certainly stimulated job creation. Based on the number of studies we’ve seen that predict whether or not employers will drop insurance coverage, consulting firms must be pulling people off the street… more »

Bill Clinton’s recent announcement that he has gone vegan raised more than a few eyebrows. After all, the thinking went, how could a man whose name once conjured images of french fries and Chicken McNuggets possibly subsist on a diet of… more »

A Government Accountability Office report released last month reveals a huge disparity in state and federal government’s ability to enroll people in high-risk health pools. The Hill website reports that as of April 30, the 27 states that operate… more »

President Obama’s recent Jobs Creation Proposal has, as of this writing, yet to receive the customary going-over in Congress, so its outcome is still far from certain. But should the proposal get the green light, we wanted to alert you to one… more »

NPR reports on a laudable effort by the federal government to prevent a million heart attacks between now and 2016. The campaign, called Million Hearts, will promote a variety of proven public health strategies to accomplish its objective. The campaign… more »

Edward Pullen, MD is a family doctor with a busy practice. In January, the federal government made a change to federal spending accounts that made Dr. Pullen and other primary care physicians even busier: requiring a prescription for patients to buy… more »

How does a cure for the common cold remain so elusive? Is it because there’s because there’s as many as 200 variants of rhinoviruses, the most common cause of colds? Or is it, perhaps, a giant conspiracy funded by the power double-ply facial… more »

Beginning October 1, MedBen will begin paying Ohio providers electronically for all claims submitted in the same manner. Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) benefits both the employer and the physician by expediting the payment process while eliminating the… more »

As the issue of whether or not the federal government can require most Americans to buy health insurance methodically plods its way through the judicial system to (one assumes) The Supreme Court, economic think tanks are pondering another question: If… more »

Now that the weather’s cooled a bit and the days are getting shorter, it’s time to have the talk with your pre-teen children. No, not that talk – we’re referring to the tanning bed talk. Dennis Hughes, MD, PhD, an assistant… more »

CBS Money Watch relates four inspiring stories of how worksite wellness programs improved the health of their participants. We’ll share the first story here, and encourage you to read the other three at moneywatch.com: Steve Purkapile, Vice… more »

On his Health Policy Blog, John Goodman contemplates a Census Bureau statistic which estimates that one out of every three uninsured Americans is eligible to be covered under Medicaid and other public programs, but isn’t taking advantage of it.… more »

A new study suggests that the Food and Drug Administration needs to do a better job of teaching Americans about the drug approval process. The Pharmalot blog reports that 30% of consumers believe – incorrectly – that the FDA approves only… more »

The Wall Street Journal Health Blog reports that hospital workers get so caught up tending to the health of other people, they apparently tend to neglect their own. At least, that’s one way of looking at a new analysis by Thomson Reuters, which… more »

Investor’s Business Daily spotlights a quirk in the Affordable Care Act that has the potential to cause headaches for people who buy health insurance through a federally-run exchange. Beginning in 2014, individuals and families will be required… more »

Exercise isn’t just good for the body, it’s also good for the mind. And not just clearing one’s head or sparking creativity – regular workouts can help to ease depression. That’s the finding of Dr. Madhukar H. Trivedi, a… more »

Is it possible that the government could pay for your Jenny Craig meals someday? Can’t say for certain, but a study of potential Medicare savings from the funding of weight-loss programs may inspire some enterprising Congressperson to push for it.… more »

Encouraging folks to take a more active role in their personal health care… what a concept! The Wall Street Journal Health Blog reports that on a new effort to get Americans off the couch and to the doctor’s office. Called Care About Your… more »

A great turnout and informative and engaging guest speakers highlighted the MedBen Wellness Roundtable at the Cherry Valley Lodge in Newark, Ohio on September 8. Norman Kato, MD, Rayvelle Stallings, MD and John Powers – all members of AWAC,… more »

Chalk up another win for the “pro-individual mandate” contingent – albeit a win that comes in an unexpected fashion. The Washington Post reports that a Virginia federal appeals court has thrown out a prominent case challenging the… more »

For most people, bringing their cholesterol levels down really isn’t that difficult. WebMD offers 11 tips to reduce the presence of the artery-clogging substance in as little as six weeks. Here’s a summary: Set a target. People with a… more »

An editorial on the BMJ (British Medical Journal) website argues that, for pharmaceutical companies to receive approval for new medications, they should be required to provide comparative research to existing therapies. Currently, UK – and, for… more »

The phrase “do in moderation” may have been created with drinking in mind. Few substances straddle the line between beneficial and destructive as precariously as alcohol. WebMD reports on a new study that examines the beneficial aspects of… more »

If you’re depending on a school vision screening to take care of your child’s eye care needs, you probably should rethink your strategy. On the Better Health Blog, optometrist Val Jones says that such screenings miss more than 75% of… more »

In an ongoing series for the KevinMD.com blog, orthopedic surgeon Mitchell Brooks, MD details his “Ten Principles for Healthcare Reform“. Some of his ideas, such as “changes should be made in small increments, easily understood by the… more »

The U.S. government would like to give your groceries an extreme makeover. Okay, not too extreme… actually, it only wants to revise the nutrition facts label found on food packaging, so consumers are better equipped to eat healthier. The… more »

MedBen’s home office will be closed on Monday, September 5 to observe the Labor Day holiday. We will reopen at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 6. Just a reminder that even when we’re closed, you can still get online customer service 24/7… more »

Turns out Americans really enjoy their sweetened beverages. New research by Centers for Disease Control finds that half of the U.S. population age 2 and older have a sugary drink on any given day. WedMD Health News reports that men and boys drink an… more »

You probably know that when the patent expires for a brand name drug, competing companies are free to produce generic versions with the same active ingredients. But in cases where a generic drugmaker successfully challenges a brand-name drug’s… more »

Has this been a great week, or what? First we’re told that chocolate may help prevent cardiovascular disease. Now, we learn that potatoes may be good for the heart as well. Can T-bone steaks be next? (Well. probably not.) Lest we get too excited… more »