Listen Doctors in Tennessee are putting patients on fewer addictive painkillers. An annual survey finds that opioid prescriptions dropped 8.9 percent in Tennessee last year, but the state still stands out for its high rate of prescribing.
Tennessee Health Insurance Subsidies Grow 300 Percent Since Start Of Obamacare
Listen A nonpartisan analysis finds that the federal government is shouldering a much larger share of individual health insurance costs in Tennessee. Subsidies for those who buy their own insurance on the federal marketplace have increased by 309 percent since 2014, according to the Sycamore Institute. Premiums, by comparison, have risen 185 percent over the […]
Transit’s Potential Health Benefits For Nashville — Making Us Walk
Listen Backers of Nashville’s $5.4 billion transit plan argue that construction of light rail and expansion of bus service could be good for the city’s health. That’s because riding typically means much more walking.
Physicians Can’t Sway Legislators To Pause TennCare Cost Control Program
Listen Tennessee doctors failed to convince the legislature that the way TennCare is starting to pay them isn’t working. Physicians called it their top priority for the legislative session. Lawmakers have agreed to study the program but not pump the brakes.
Alexander Focuses On Developing Non-Addictive Painkiller In Federal Opioid Response
This week, Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander launched the first hearings on a sweeping response to the opioid crisis. Alexander chairs the Senate’s health committee.
Could Telemedicine Work For Autism Therapy? Vanderbilt Experiments
Listen Ask someone who has a child diagnosed with autism about wait times for lining up services, and they measure in months. The backup is only expected to build as the number of children on the autism spectrum balloons. Vanderbilt is now trying out a stopgap to squeeze in more kids — telemedicine.
Those 4D Ultrasound Companies Want To Be Regulated, Not Banned, In Tennessee
Listen Companies that perform keepsake sonograms for expectant mothers are looking to legitimize their services in Tennessee. They want the state legislature to set minimum requirements for technicians as other states are restricting so-called “entertainment ultrasounds” altogether.
Tennessee Economic Development Officials Offer To Help Rescue Rural Hospitals
Listen Tennessee’s economic development officials want to help rescue rural hospitals. They propose dispatching restructuring specialists to a dozen or more hospitals that are teetering on the edge.
HCA Applies For Freestanding ER In Antioch After Brentwood Rejection
Listen HCA wants permission from Tennessee health officials to plant a $14 million freestanding emergency department in Antioch. The proposal is a compromise after years of trying to tap into the lucrative Williamson County market.
People Are So Bad With Blood Pressure Meds, There’s Now A Drug Test To Keep Them Honest
Listen A Nashville company has developed a drug test to make hypertension patients a little more honest about taking their blood pressure medication. The screening developed by Aegis Sciences is meant to spark a candid conversation about whether someone is sticking with their prescription, because many don’t.
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