In a surprising move, Chief Justice Roberts sided with Sotomayor, Breyer, Ginsberg, and Kagan for the 5-4 decision upholding the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act, dubbed “Obamacare” by opponents (and even used affectionately by supporters). The ruling today ensured that millions of uninsured Americans will have access to affordable coverage, although the Medicaid expansion was determined to … Continue reading
So I recently learned of the Congressional move to cut Graduate Medical Education (GME) funding and through my neurotic obsession with the Student Doctor Network (SDN) I came across the AAMC page with information on how to contact your local congressperson to encourage them to preserve this important aspect of a future physician’s training. From … Continue reading
Here in Benin, I find myself thinking a lot about food, nutrition, and weight from both a biological and sociological perspective. Many people here don’t have healthy food options or are malnourished due to simple lack of food. It’s quite common to see people who are skeletally thin (marasmus), people who are bloated from lack … Continue reading
A new law in Florida means doctors cannot “harass” patients about their gun ownership. Gov Rick Scott, who signed the bill into law earlier this month, says that the legislation is to protect the “privacy” of the patients. But since patient privacy is already protected under law and so is the right to bear arms, … Continue reading
I recently read an article over at the Health Care Blog entitled ACOs and Community Hubs of Wellness and Health. And my mind was blown in a totally awesome way. The article is a few months old, published before the the Paul Ryan (R. Wisconsin) Medicare Proposal, but the premise is intriguing, albeit probably insurmountably difficult … Continue reading
A new study confirms that those with terminal illnesses who die through physician assisted means have a better quality of death than do those whose illnesses simply take their own course. It looks like Oregon is the place to be if you have a terminal illness. My take: Of course they have a better quality … Continue reading
ACO: Accountable Care Organization The 2010 law promotes the use of these medical practice groups in order to cut costs and hopefully deliver better healthcare. But what is it and what makes it different that what we’ve had before in America? An ACO is a group of various doctors and practices and hospitals who work … Continue reading
I’ve decided to start blogging here at WordPress. I plan on chronicling my path to medical school and beyond with a few interesting health related posts thrown in for good measure. I envision this blog to be of assistance to premed students, of interest to those curious about the life of a medical student, and entertainment to both … Continue reading
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