By Charlotte Whittaker For decades, Big Pharma has raised drug prices with impunity. In Kentucky, the average annual cost of brand name prescription drug treatment increased 58 percent between 2012 and 2017, while the annual income for Kentuckians increased only by 3.6 percent. Prescription drugs don’t work if patients can’t afford them. The Senate needs…
The Kentucky Pregnant Workers Act ensures women can work to support family
By Sarah Moyer, MD When Kentucky’s new Pregnant Workers Act goes into effect, our state will be taking a huge step toward improving birth outcomes and children’s health, by guaranteeing reasonable workplace accommodations for pregnant workers and those who have recently given birth. Maternal health is crucial to the future health and success of a…
Time to take a bold stand against e-cigarette use by kids
By Janie Heath, PhD On June 17, CVS Health committed to overturning youth e-cigarette use at a whole new level: The retail and healthcare giant will dedicate $10 million for strategies to prevent e-cigarette use and to educate our children about the danger. This announcement follows a report released by the U.S. Food and Drug…
Clinician recommendation important for HPV vaccination
By Elizabeth Holtsclaw Even though the calendar says it’s the middle of summer, parents of school-aged children know it’s already back-to-school season. For clinicians, that means parents are scheduling kids for annual check-ups and sports physicals. Which is the perfect opportunity for cancer prevention. That’s why the American Cancer Society, working with healthcare and community…
Congress must protect Kentucky patients from surprise bills
By Neal Moser, MD Protecting patients is a critical component of my work as a physician. But sometimes, we can’t protect them when it comes to the financial fallout of the medical care they require. Far too often, my patients are hit with large medical bills that they don’t expect, especially if they receive…
A physician’s guide to employment contracts
By Christopher Shaughnessy As hospitals and health systems continue moves toward clinical integration, more physicians are being employed by hospitals and health systems rather than practicing medicine in their own private practices. The trend toward direct hospital employment of physicians accelerated after 2012 and it appears that the trend will continue as both hospitals and physicians navigate…