Stopping Medicare waste, fraud, and abuse
By Ron Pollack
Did you hear about the case last year of the Houston doctor and medical equipment provider who billed Medicare more than $1...
Listening to ourselves speak: We have volume settings
By Dr. Robert Mario
Like the mute button on the TV remote control, our brains filter out unwanted noise so we can focus on what...
‘Saving Congressman Ryan,’ the sequel gets nasty
By Al Norman
You remember trickle-down economics? Well, it’s still trickling — with an emphasis on the “trick.”
In early April, U.S. Congressman Paul Ryan, R-Wis.,...
Let’s work to keep Social Security strong for now and the future
By Deborah E. Banda
There’s a lot of talk about Social Security these days. Politicians and political pundits talk about solving the nation’s budget crisis...
Tinnitus may be a result of the brain trying to repair itself
By Dr. Robert Mario
Tinnitus appears to be produced by an unfortunate confluence of structural and functional changes in the brain, say neuroscientists at Georgetown...
Better think positive: Pessimism can block therapy
You’ve heard of the placebo effect, the healing power of positive belief. This is the “nocebo” effect, the flip side, almost its evil twin. And while the self-fulfilling prophecy of negative thinking isn’t nearly as well studied, some scientists say it’s time for doctors to start paying a lot more attention to their patients’ outlook.
150 years of dieting fads and still no quick fix
Before there was Dr. Atkins, there was William Banting. He invented the low-carb diet of 1863.
Hearing health box Questions about hearing aids answered, part II
Hearing aids take time and patience to use successfully. Know your hearing aid’s features. With your hearing specialist, practice putting in and taking out the aid, cleaning it, identifying right and left aids, and replacing the batteries. Ask how to test it in listening environments where you have problems. Adjust the aid’s volume and program it for sounds that are too loud or too soft.
Times are changing when it comes to funeral planning
The more things change, the more they remain the same. However, for the American funeral these are changing times.
One of the biggest changes is the preference of cremation over burial. Cost is the main factor. All crematories in Massachusetts are located on cemetery grounds.
Long-term care: Planning for the future
Long-term care is expensive, and Medicare does not cover the costs. And there are other reasons to plan ahead, to learn about your options for care before you need help. That way, if you need care suddenly, you and your family won’t have to scramble. Equally important, you won’t end up in a nursing home just because no one knew alternatives were available.
