Rising Stress Levels, Limited Health Insurance and Health Care Waste :: Americans Face Increasing Stress

Americans are more stressed than they were just six months ago, and 81
percent of 2,500 people surveyed said money was a significant cause of
theirstress, The Los Angeles Times
reports. Chronic stress is believed to weaken the immune system and is
associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure, diabetes and
other chronic conditions.

Abuse at Georgia Hospitals

A Georgia state psychiatric hospital has agreed to pay $1 million to the family of a patient who died in late 2006, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
reports. The paper reported last year that at least 136 patients at
seven state hospitals have died of neglect, abuse, poor medical care or
under suspicious circumstances.

Bare Bones Coverage

Reputable
health insurers like Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida have started
offering low-cost plans for people who can't afford comprehensive
health insurance, The Miami Herald reports. The plans may cover routine care but not hospitalizations and may include discount cards accepted by some doctors.

Overseas Drug Trials Under Fire

Pharmaceutical companies face growing scrutiny over the way they conduct clinical trials in developing countries, The Wall Street Journal reports.
Indian authorities stopped a Wyeth vaccine trial in November following
the death of an infant and are now investigating whether rules were
broken in order to enroll babies in the study.

Pervasive Waste in U.S. Health Care

Top
health care executives say waste is rampant in the U.S. health care
system and Americans aren't getting what they're paying for, presenting
a challenge to any health care reform initiative, The Washington Post reports.
Though the country spends 16 percent of its gross domestic product on
health care – more per capita than any other nation in the world – the
U.S. ranks 29th in infant mortality, 48th in life expectancy and 19th
out of 19 industrialized nations in preventable deaths.

Economic hard times are hitting plastic surgeons, USA Today reports.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons says 62 percent of its members
have reported a drop in the number of cosmetic procedures performed
during the first six months of this year, compared to last year. - By RONI CARYN RABIN