Category: News

NY Health Insurance: Impressive

February 3, 2013

For those in the New York area concerned about their health insurance, they need just look at the rest of the nation and feel quite confident and pleased with their lost.  It seems that New Yorkers are faring even better than the federal government vis-à-vis establishing a health insurance exchange. 

Indeed, according to America’s Department of Labor, it will only be March of this year that the deadline will be for employers to tell their employees about exchanges.  Ultimately what this means is that the government is simply not prepared yet to figure out the language employers should use.  As regional president for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., David Bauer noted, “the Department of Health and Human Services is still promulgating regulations. It's very fluid, there are a lot of unanswered questions.”

Mental Health Impacts of Hurricane Sandy

December 18, 2012

Apart from the physical destruction left by the impact of Hurricane Sandy, various psychological effects remain.  One individual in New York who was not physically affected himself, is still having nightmares of his brother trapped in a car with water rising to his neck.  Anthony Gatti wakes up screaming despite the fact that he managed to save his brother’s life, at the peak of Superstorm Sandy. While he knows logically he saved him, the image of him being trapped will not go away. “My mind tells me I couldn’t save him, he dies,” he explains.
The State of New York – having dealt with some of the physical rebuilding – now has to focus on the emotional and mental trauma of its victims.  It is hard to estimate just how extreme this is, as many of those suffering are too scared to even leave their homes now.  The government has responded by dispatching 1,000+ crisis counselors to the most badly affected areas of New York and New Jersey.

The counselors’ primary job has been to transmit the message that anxiety and insomnia are a completely natural consequence following such a trauma.  It is only when this begins to intervene with everyday life that one has to take the next step by getting additional help.  This was very much the case with Hurricane Katrina victims too, seven years ago.  As US Public Health Service commander Eric Hierholzer pointed out, “folks are starting to realize that they may be in this for the long haul. And things aren’t necessarily going to get better tomorrow or next week.”

These are a few of the figures to date: Far Rockaway’s St. John’s Episcopal Hospital has encountered a 20 percent increase in walk-in patients in its psychiatric department since the storm hit.  There has been an escalation of 25 percent in children being referred to the hospital’s outpatient mental health programs from the schools.   It has been a very traumatic time for the children.  Anything connected to water has become a source of difficulty, including even rain and swimming pools.

Thankfully, Project Hope has helped out a lot.  Funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency grant of $8.2m, counselors have been sent to local areas with the prospect of assisting 200,000+  individuals. This includes those who may have language barriers, such as immigrants. In addition the New Jersey Hope and Healing Program has been involved in providing response counselors to those in need. There is a tremendous amount of suffering, post-traumatic stress and psychological problems that have to be tackled.  Health is about so much more than just one’s physical being – a trauma such as Superstorm Sandy can endure for much longer than cuts and bruises but thankfully it seems that NYC is aware of this and is acting on it.

New York’s Medically-Vulnerable

November 18, 2012

While Hurricane Sandy might be over, its after-effects are still being felt by those who are medically vulnerable in the region. Herewith are some of the health risks those in the New York and New Jersey areas may expect to encounter: exposure to carbon monoxide; injuries and infections resulting from floodwaters (this includes bacterial; electrical; eye and hand injuries).  Mold is still a concern as that could develop once one’s home is exposed to standing water for a long period of time.  It is thus important to immediately dry and remove water-damaged items to further prevent mold.

People are also at risk of hypothermia, so it is crucial to find ways to stay warm when there is no electricity.  One way of doing so is by dressing in layers as this makes a great personal insulator.  Body temperature can be maintained by drinking hot, sweetened drinks.  The good news is that according to New York City’s Health Department, tap water is safe for drinking in those areas that did not encounter flooding.  Often, sewage overflows do not affect the city’s water supplies, but each case needs to be examined individually.  Generally common sense is advised; once one notices or smells something strange about the water, it should not be consumed.

When it comes to food, food safety rules must be followed.  If it wasn’t properly refrigerated or encountered any exposure to floodwater, it should be exposed of.  Any food items touched by sewage water should also be dumped. 

It should also be remembered that all chronic diseases – especially diabetes and high blood pressure – are likely to be exacerbated in the wake of the hurricane. Extra care thus needs to be taken.

NYC’s Lead-Ridden Eggs

October 15, 2012

 

It seems that New Yorkers have new health concerns.  Research from an official state department has indicated that there are higher levels of lead in eggs from chickens from the city’s public neighborhood gardens that could be cause for concern, more than double of those bought in stores.  Unfortunately, this is very worrying since it has been found that even if ingested in minimal amounts, it can be harmful to humans.

Indeed, if Henry M. Spliethoff’s findings are anything to go by, then New Yorkers who consume eggs should really be concerned.  Spliethoff – a research scientist in the Bureau of Toxic Substance Assessment for the environmental health center of the State Health Department – tested 58 eggs from the chickens at New York City gardens.  Out of these he found 28 of them – nearly half – to have lead in amounts of 10 to 73 parts per billion.  One of these eggs had over 100 parts per billion.

The results of the study will be published later this year after Spliethoff completes additional analysis on soil and feed.  He is hoping to figure out how these might add to the lead content of the eggs. Meanwhile, research participants were told of the amount of lead he found and given tips on how to reduce lead exposure.

Still, even with these findings, the Department of Health is being cautious.  It claims that while lead poisoning is indeed a serious matter, the results of the study are subject to interpretation and thus urban gardeners should not be discouraged from eating nutrient-dense eggs unnecessarily.  Clearly more research and work needs to be done.

New York: Health Impacts of Fracking

September 10, 2012

As part of a review on the natural gas drilling process, New York state officials are considering undertaking an investigation of the possible public health effects of hydraulic fracturing – fracking.  The process of fracking is the extraction of natural gas from shale rock layers from the ground.  It enables the production of natural gas extraction in shale plays.  Other technologies cannot do this.  However, New York has an anti-fracking movement which is fighting against this, for the health and safety of its residents.

In an attempt to battle this issue, various social environmental groups recently met up with top New York State Department of Health officials and the Department of Environmental Conservation to discuss its potentially negative health impacts.  These include: water contamination from spills; air pollution and possible accidents resulting from increased truck traffic.  The environmentalists are pushing for an independent health assessment from medical experts before regulations are finalized and the go-ahead is given to start drilling.

State Gov. Andrew Cuomo has encountered a tremendous amount of pressure on banning fracking altogether, or at least until adequate research is done. The problem is, those who are in favor of it argue that it makes mining for natural gas in dense shale more economically viable.  Indeed, hydrofracking uses much more water than conventional drilling; utilizes a “slick water” mixture pumped into the shale to fracture the rock and release the gas.  But the bad news is that there can be severe negative impacts on the environment from the drilling: long-term toxicity; forestland loss; and more.  To counter this, the only plan the state of New York has is to put up a surveillance system monitoring health impacts when fracking takes place. This could be due to the fact that various federal and state officials in the region insist the practice is safe when undertaken in the correct way.  It is only when there are faulty wells that pollution results.  Indeed, as the city’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg pointed out, natural gas is better, at least, environmentally speaking.

But the whole fracking issue spills over into a variety of other areas.  That is where the Sewage Pollution  Right to Know Act comes in. Environmentalists support this since it seeks more disclosure on sewage levels flowing into the state’s waterways.  The data provided from this can be used for swimming, boating and other public recreational activities, which again is crucial to the health of New Yorkers and those visiting the state.

 

Improving US Public Health Care

July 10, 2012

Eye on New York:

Over $971 million has been awarded by America’s Department of Health and Human Services in an effort to enhance treatment and potentially eliminate a whole slew of public health threats.  This money will be distributed throughout each state, eight American territories, and four large metropolitan areas.   Included in this amount is over $30 million which will be designated specifically towards health care and public health preparedness in the New York region.

Around $352 million of this overall sum has been given to the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) cooperative agreement. Of that, $12,036,626 has been awarded to New York. From the close to $620 million designated to the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) cooperative agreement, $19,926,605, has been set aside for New York.

America’s Obesity Issue

Truthfully, one way of doing this is through preventive medicine and by averting disaster where possible. In other words – focusing on the obesity issue (incredibly prevalent throughout the United States of America) – losing weight and getting in shape.  As noted in a recent post, Mayor Bloomberg has been working on this for a while now.  The better shape people are in, the less medical care they will require.  It is likely that this was one of the reasons The Campaign to End Obesity was established, following its finding that the nation spends a staggering $168 billion in medical costs per annum on obesity-related healthcare.

Coping with Hazards

So that is at least something – in theory – that can be worked on.  The issue of hazards and emergencies is much harder to control and thus it seems justifiable that significant sums are now being poured into this.  Indeed, according to the assistant secretary for preparedness and response of the Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Nicole Lurie, “having systems in place to provide better treatment for disaster survivors and improved public health for our communities also leads to better health outcomes on a day-to-day basis.”

Ultimately what needs to happen in New York’s health care industry – and indeed throughout the entire world – is for less money to be poured into issues that are within our control potentially (such as obesity) so that more can be designated for natural disasters and the like that we simply cannot control.

NY Eateries Getting Healthier?

June 6, 2012

Already last month New York witnessed a ban on serving trans fats in food in its eateries, but now it seems Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to take it a step further.  With his proposal to ban large-size (16 ounces, approximately half a liter), sugary sodas in movie theaters, restaurants, vending carts and delis in the New York area, Bloomberg has caused a real stir.  However, according to NY city officials, it seems that this new proposed ban may take effect as early as March 2013.

The Joke’s on Bloomberg

Alongside the criticism and attack Bloomberg has been receiving for his proposal, there have been some comics using it as material as well.  On the “Daily Show,” Jon Stewart weighed in with a segment he called “Drink Differently.”  While Stewart agrees that drinking less soda is healthier, he points out that just because cups are smaller, it won’t change the eating habits of a city. He added in jest, “it combines the draconian government overreach people love with the probable lack of results they expect!”

Battling Obesity

In theory, Bloomberg’s rationale behind the proposal makes a lot of sense.  He explained, “I look across this country, and people are obese, and everybody wrings their hands, and nobody’s willing to do something about it.  I would criticize the federal government for not doing anything.  I would criticize the state governments for not doing anything, but in the end, it's the cities that do things.”

In a way, Bloomberg’s proposal to try to get New Yorkers healthier shouldn’t come as too much as a surprise since it is one in a long list of public health initiatives he has been in charge of promoting.  To date, he has: banned smoking in public bars and eateries; banned artificial trans fats in foods being served in the public sphere; required calorie counts to be posted at fast-food outlets and has been head of a campaign to cut salt in packaged foods and restaurants. So clearly, Bloomberg as Mayor of New York is attempting to make his citizens healthier food and beverage choices in an attempt to attack the city’s obesity issue.  Ultimately, Bloomberg believes obesity to be “the single biggest public health issue in the country.”  And he’s trying to do something to battle it.

Coca-Cola and Pepsi Fight Back

But Coca-Cola and Pepsi Co. feel like it’s an attack on their businesses and are not prepared to take this lying down, although Bloomberg insisted it wasn’t, it was rather aimed at “target[ing] the consumer.” In  a recent statement, Coca-Cola said, “New Yorkers expect and deserve better than this.  They can make their own choices about beverages they purchase.” And NY State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was concerned that this move would lead New York to becoming “too close to Big Brother.”  However, none of this has deterred Bloomberg who expects Democrat NY Governor Andrew Cuomo to support his plan.

Whatever happens, it does seem that Bloomberg is ultimately looking out for the best of health for New Yorkers.

Healthier Air for New Yorkers?

May 3, 2012

Although over 3 million New Yorkers live in places where the air is so bad it can be detrimental to their health, the American Lung Association’s (ALA) report “State of the Art 2012,” has found that there has been an improvement in quality of the air that New Yorkers are breathing.  Indeed, only 6 out of the 34 New York counties that were tested failed the air quality test.  A year earlier, this number was 16. Nonetheless, the report did suggest that there are still too many people in the city breathing in unhealthy air. 

The way the test was conducted was via color-coding: an orange was given for unhealthy air for those who are particularly sensitive; a red for anyone and a purple for air that was deemed extremely unhealthy.  Counties were also tested on ozone layers, annual particle pollution as well as short-term particle pollution levels.  Both Putnam and Westchester counties were graded F for ozone, despite the fact that both counties did encounter a slight improvement in air quality since 2011.  However, viewing Westchester as compared to other counties, it was deemed the dirtiest in the region for ozone and the third-dirties in the state.

For sure it is to be commended that there has been such an improvement in quality air.  But, as president of the American Lung Association in the Northeast Jeff Seyler said, “air pollution in our communities continues to be a major threat that cuts lives short, routinely sends people to the hospital and makes it hard to breathe.”  The issue is, there are protections from the Clean Air Act (approved in 1970 and amended in 1990) that must be enforced and a tightening of standards has to be implemented. 

Viewing the report in its entirety – vis-à-vis the whole nation – it seems that since it was first composed back in 1999, air quality is today at its cleanest.  Indeed, as the president and CEO of the ALA, Charles D. Connor pointed out, the report “shows that we’re making real and steady progress in cutting dangerous pollution from the air we breathe.”

Ultimately it has been proven, that the cleaner the air, the less disease.  As ALA’s project director, Janice Nolen said, “cleaning up air pollution has measurable public health benefits.  During the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, morning traffic levels decreased by 23 percent; the region’s ozone levels by 28 percent and pediatric asthma energy room visits dropped by approximately 42 percent.”  As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes, “these results suggest that efforts to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality also can help improve the respiratory health of a community.”

Hopefully therefore, although there is still much work to be done, for New Yorkers, their cleaner air will lead to reduced pollution and better health.

Health Employee Rights in New York City

April 10, 2012

It should be the most natural thing in the world to take a few days sick leave from work, when one is unwell.  However, in New York City, many individuals do not get paid for sick leave.  And of course, it is those individuals who anyway are getting paid very low wages who are denied the paid sick leave.  So it’s not like they can afford to lose a day or two of paid work.  Typically, the workers denied the paid leave are in the following industries: many in the service industry like hotel employees, cooks, waiters, etc.  So they end up facing a very difficult choice:  either go to work sick, or forego a day’s pay on an already low income.

What is irresponsible here is that when sick employees go to the office, they tend to get other workers sick too.  In addition, they won’t be nearly as effective in their work.  Thus ultimately, not paying someone for sick leave is counterproductive.  As well, this only has a negative impact on the economy.

Good News for NY Employees

So while this isn’t exactly news, what is, is the fact that both Diana Reyna, councilwoman for Bushwick and Nydia Velázquez, representative for Brooklyn, voiced their support at a rally last week at City Hall on changing this situation with a bill on paid sick days.  (Reyna is also head of the Council’s Committee on Small Business.)  Their efforts attempted to increase pressure on Council Speaker Christine Quinn in this regard.

Thus it really is time something happened in New York City – and throughout the nation – to change this.  The fact of the matter is, people get sick and they shouldn’t be punished for this by not getting paid sick leave so that they can get better without the pressure of losing out on a day’s pay.

New York: Cutting Contraceptive Choices

March 13, 2012

In an effort to save money within Governor Cuomo’s plans, Medicaid is cutting the choices of contraceptives available for women living in the New York area.  What this means in reality, is that it is becoming a lot harder to obtain monthly or weekly contraceptives (such as the patch/NuvaRing) and instead move to daily pills. 

In theory this means that for those who want the name brand, they have to prove the other one “failed” for them: that they experienced nausea, bleeding or pregnancy.  However, in practice, since they will have to go through an appeals process to obtain their preferred contraceptive, the first two symptoms will probably be harder to prove – or at least nausea – since that is just based on the woman’s word.

Problems with the System

But this new attempt to save money comes with a lot of problems.  According to Cuomo’s deputy secretary for health, James Introne, New York Medicaid will ultimately suffer because if it’s not responding to its patient’s needs, it will no longer have the privilege of being one of the city’s contracted health plans.  The state of New York will simply have to intervene in such a case.  Ultimately, according to CEO of Family Planning Advocates, Albany, M. Tracey Brooks, contraceptives work best when the users are comfortable with them.  As well, for those accustomed to using monthly or weekly contraceptives, suddenly (and somewhat forcibly) moving to daily ones, will be a hard pill for them to remember to swallow on such a regular occurrence.  Nonetheless, it still has to be remembered that moving to generic contraceptives does lead to a huge cut in government costs, so it is a tough call.

Fighting Back

Naturally, protest groups are already cropping up against this measure. It is not just women using contraceptives who are going to be negatively impacted by Cuomo’s cost-cutting initiatives either. Those suffering from various chronic diseases including: mental illnesses, AIDs, diabetes and more will be targeted too. The problem is, say the protesters, that rather than qualified doctors and physicians making the call on what medication works best for their patient, Cuomo’s costs are turning the reigns over to health benefits managers.  It is extremely problematic for example, for a mentally-ill patient – who may have spent years balancing and finding the medical combination that works for them – to be suddenly told to move to a generic brand.  Should this happen, costs will ultimately be greater as these people on failed medication will require substantially more medical care.

Ultimately, while turning to generic drugs may initially seem like an easy idea to save money, the problems it comes with will probably ultimately lead to greater costs for the state of New York.