November Healthcare News Update

Here’s what happening in the healthcare industry this month:

Pediatricians weigh in on a fraught issue facing parents today: How much screen time is OK? READ

On one hand, you know that capturing monsters in Pokemon Go or taking a portal to the Nether in Minecraft is probably not the healthiest way for your kids to spend the afternoon.
On the other hand, they are so happy and quiet when they are bathed in the glow of a smartphone, tablet or TV. And some of those apps and shows have educational value, right? What if your child is tracing letters or learning to count? Can screen time ever be beneficial?

Despite being shamed for overcharging patients, hospitals raised their prices, again READ

There was no evidence that the negative publicity resulted in any reduction in charges. Instead, the authors found that overall charges were significantly higher after the publicity than in previous quarters.

How Our New Relationship With Cuba Will Improve Americans’ Health READ

The embargo isn’t completely gone, but many goods and regulations are now available to Americans. While news of the loosened sanctions has focused on trade policy and travel souvenir rules, Keck sees a clear win for public health and medical research: The government lifted sanctions on joint health research, Cuba pharmaceuticals that earn FDA approval and bank accounts for authorized health-related business, effective October 17. That’s important because many countries around the world look to Cuba as a model for improving population health, an area that Cuba excels in even with modest resources.