The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
SEARCH · Search PubMed
Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
We examine growth in prescription drug use and spending in a well-insured elderly population in 1997 and 2000. We describe the high-cost segment of this population, identifying how it differs from the rest of the elderly regarding use and types of medications, and how stable this group is over time. Drug spending by the insured elderly rose more than 18 percent annually between 1997 and 2000. High-cost elders use more brand-name drugs, treat more conditions, and use more medications per condition. Once an insured elder becomes a high-cost user of prescription drugs, that person is likely to remain so. Our study suggests that a growing population of elderly is using many medications and may require considerable drug management.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
According to the author, submission of dental claims through electronic data interchange technology is a cost-effective way for dentists to handle some of the administrative aspects of managing their practice. Understanding what's involved can take you a long way in your decision to submit dental claims electronically now and in the future. The author outlines the advantages of EDI and gives tips on how to incorporate EDI into your office.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
BACKGROUND: Digital radiographic images can be manipulated using personal computers. To test the potential for fraudulent use, the authors altered a series of dental radiographs, printed them to simulate duplicated films and submitted them for authorization of proposed treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors obtained periapical radiographs of teeth that contained small restorations or were unrestored from the files of three dental patients at a private dental practice. The authors used a flatbed scanner to digitize and import the radiographs into a computer. Then they added dental caries, large restorations, fractures and periapical pathosis to the radiographs. The authors proposed to the insurance companies that the teeth in question be restored using expensive treatment, such as root-canal therapy and full-coverage crowns. RESULTS: In each case, the insurance companies authorized the proposed treatment based on the appearance of the teeth on the radiographs. The altered images illustrated an apparent need for dental treatment that was not required and that could have led to payment for treatment that was not actually performed. CONCLUSIONS: This study illustrates the potential for the fraudulent use of manipulated digital radiographic images. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Dentistry should be aware of the implications of the potential for such abuse and should develop measures both to prevent it from occurring and to facilitate its detection.
BACKGROUND: Pain from toothaches represents a significant problem. People lacking access to private dental services may use hospital emergency departments, or EDs. In 1993, Maryland eliminated Medicaid reimbursement to dentists for adult emergency services. METHODS: The authors used the change in Medicaid policy that eliminated dentist reimbursement to establish two study periods. Data tapes describing patients' use of EDs were obtained from the Maryland Medicaid Management Information System. A total of 3,639 people visited EDs for dental problems sometime during the four-year study period. RESULTS: After controlling for age, race and sex, the authors found that the rate of ED claims was 12 percent higher in the postchange period than in the prechange period. Comparisons between periods show significant rate increases during the postchange period for men, whites, African-Americans and patients aged 21 through 44 years and 45 through 64 years. CONCLUSIONS: The change in Medicaid policy that eliminated dentist reimbursement and participation in the program appears to have increased the use of EDs for the treatment of dental problems. Practice Implications. Many EDs lack dental services and are not capable of providing definitive treatment. When definitive treatment is not provided, this pattern of care may be repeated if patients are forced to return for treatment.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW: Dental implants are being placed with increasing regularity. Many dentists do not take advantage of insurance coverages for this treatment because they are under the impression that no aspect of implant therapy is covered. This article discusses a number of insurance benefits that may be available to dental patients but not readily apparent to treating dentists and their staff members. CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Some dentists and patients may assume incorrectly that a dental insurance plan does not reimburse for any implant therapy when, in fact, there may be some benefit available for at least a portion of the treatment. In addition, some dentists and patients may not consider implant therapy even when it is the preferred treatment option because of the assumed lack of reimbursement. Knowing that some reimbursement is available may make the difference in the patient's accepting the best treatment for his or her condition. Furthermore, since an increasing number of patients now make some contribution toward their dental insurance plan premiums, they deserve to know their options and to receive appropriate benefits.
Methods for controlling dental care expenditures are taking on greater importance with the rapid increase in prepaid dental plans. The use of regulatory systems to monitor provider performance are necessary to prevent gross over-utilization but are unlikely to result in net savings of more than five per cent of total gross premiums. Theoretically, prepaid group dental practice (PGDP) may reduce expenditures by changing the mix of services patients receive. The modest estimated savings and the small number of PGDPs presently in operation limit the importance of this alternative for the next five to ten years. If substantial reductions in dental expenditures are to be obtained, it will be necessary to limit dental insurance plans to cover only those services which have demonstrated cost-effectiveness in improving health for the majority of people. The concept that richer benefit plans may have small marginal effects on improving oral health may not be easy for the public to accept but, until they do, expenditures for dental care will be difficult to control.
OBJECTIVES: This study examined the claim incidence rate, cost, and industry distribution of work-related upper extremity disorders in Washington. METHODS: Washington State Fund workers' compensation claims from 1987 to 1995 were abstracted and categorized into general and specific disorders of gradual or sudden onset. RESULTS: Accepted claims included 100,449 for hand/wrist disorders (incidence rate: 98.2/10,000 full-time equivalents; carpal tunnel syndrome rate: 27.3), 30,468 for elbow disorders (incidence rate: 29.7; epicondylitis rate: 11.7), and 55,315 for shoulder disorders (incidence rate: 54.0; rotator cuff syndrome rate: 19.9). Average direct workers' compensation claims costs (medical treatment and indemnity) were $15,790 (median: $6774) for rotator cuff syndrome, $12,794 for carpal tunnel syndrome (median: $4190), and $6593 for epicondylitis (median: $534). Construction and food processing were among the industries with the highest rate ratios for all disorders (> 4.0). CONCLUSIONS: Upper extremity disorders represent a large and costly problem in Washington State industry. Industries characterized by manual handling and repetitive work have high rate ratios. The contingent workforce appears to be at high risk.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated how the elimination of Medicaid reimbursement to dentists for the treatment of adult dental problems affected patients' visits to physicians. METHODS: Data tapes describing physicians' claims for adult Medicaid patients were obtained from the Maryland Medicaid Management Information System. The database contains information on all claims made to Maryland Medicaid, including date, provider, International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification Manual code, and payments. RESULTS: A total of 5334 individuals made physician's office claims related to dental problems sometime during the 4-year study period. The rate of dental-related claims by physicians decreased by 8% after the policy change. CONCLUSIONS: Visits to physicians' offices decreased even though an increase might have been expected because of the elimination of access to dentists in private practice. Patients might have assumed that if visits to dentists would no longer be paid for, neither would visits to physicians' offices.