US Health Posts
Is Summer a Bummer for Kids’ Health?
It’s June, and that means school is letting out for millions of kids – but according to a new brief from Active Living Research, those of us who associate summer vacation with healthy activities are out of touch with the reality of summer break for today’s children. Recent research shows that children gain up to three times as much weight during summer break as they do during the entire school year.
Rising Health Spending for Diabetes Patients
More than 29 million Americans, or 9.3 percent of the U.S. population, had diabetes in 2014. While diabetes has been widely recognized as a growing public health challenge in the U.S., a new report from the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) shows that it also has a substantial financial impact.
Short Distances to Large Gaps in Health
The Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Center on Society and Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) released four new maps illustrating how large gaps in health can exist in very short distances.
Investments in Education Pay Health Dividends
Health care accounts for a vast proportion of the nation’s budget. As Medicaid and Medicare approach their 50th anniversary, such programs comprise over a fifth of all federal outlays. Amid these spiraling costs, policymakers are often pressured to limit spending on other areas, including education. But education and health are intrinsically linked – meaning investments in education are investments in health, and can potentially lower spending.
Where You Live Matters to Your Health
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute released the 2015 County Health Rankings, which shows that where you live influences how well and how long you live. It compares 30 factors that communities have the ability to do something about – including education, jobs, violent crime, housing, diet and exercise.
Consumers Save by Shopping for Health Care
The Health Care Cost Institute is launching, Guroo.com, a website that provides national, state, and local information free to consumers to help them shop and make more informed choices about how they spend their health care dollars.
RWJF Makes Historic Commitment to Kids’ Health
Building on a $500 million pledge made in 2007, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) announced yesterday that it will commit an additional $500 million over the next ten years to help all children grow up at a healthy weight.
RWJF-funded Research Shows Power of Early Engagement in Treating Mental Illness
A Washington Post front-page story this week reports on the groundbreaking success of the Early Detection and Intervention for the Prevention of Psychosis Program (EDIPPP) in helping at-risk young people avoid developing schizophrenia, a costly and potentially life-altering condition that affects 2.4 million Americans.
How Healthy Is Northern Virginia?
A new report from the Northern Virginia Health Foundation (a Burness client) tells us that residents of Northern Virginia may not be as healthy as you think.
Changing the Way Doctors Are Paid
According to a report from the National Commission on Physician Payment Reform, a Burness client, changing the way doctors get paid is the first step to fixing our health care system. The report details 12 sweeping recommendations aimed at reining in health spending and improving quality of care.
