If you have patients on Medicare, you might want to know about this

Apparently there are some issues with the fed’s new Medicare Plan Finder — specifically, it may say some drugs are covered by a plan … but they really aren’t. Something to be aware of if a patient tells you, “But I know that’s covered!”

Oddly, other places don’t have this issue

One in three (!) Americans under 65 who are prescribed heart meds either skip pills, lower their dosage, or don’t fill their prescriptions because of the cost. (Among Medicare patients, that number is about one in nine.) That’s about 2.2 million Americans, or 12.6% who can’t afford their medication.

“Despite decades of evidence showing the effectiveness of medications like blood pressure lowering drugs and cholesterol lowering statins, none of these drugs can have an opportunity to work unless the patient can afford them.”

Migraine med danger

The new class of migraine meds block a neuropeptide that can cause headaches, but that same peptide (αCGRP) is critical for the heart. Without it, physical activity doesn’t do the heart much good. Ergo, “New migraine meds are risky for people with high blood pressure.”

One study, two spins

From Drugs.com: “Overall Rate of Pediatric Nonpowder Firearm Injuries Down”

From US News: “Dramatic Rise in Eye Injuries From BB and Paintball Guns”

The reality: Overall kids’ injuries from BB guns are down, but eye injuries are up. So yes, kids, you really will shoot your eye out.

And while we’re on the subject of headlines….

The clickbait: “Cannabis tied to severe heart attack risk in younger adults”.

The actual story: “Teens and young adults who use cocaine, amphetamines, and cannabis are more likely to be hospitalized for heart attacks.”

Polio news

Polio is now so rare that more cases are caused by the cheaper, live-virus vaccine than by the disease in the wild. (That’s the oral vaccine that’s used in poorer countries; in the West we use an injectable vaccine with an inactive virus.)

From many, one

The Accreditation Council for Nutrition Professional Education, the American College of Nutrition, the American Nutrition Association Foundation, the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists, and the Center for Nutrition Advocacy have joined themselves, Voltron-style*, to form the mighty American Nutrition Association.

Stirred, not shaken

In case you missed this bit of medical news: Shaking your head to get water out of your ear can cause brain damage.

The Long(ish) Read: Diabetes and “Smart boots, high-tech vacuums and sheets of stems cells”

“Diabetic foot wounds kill millions, but high-tech solutions and teamwork are making a difference”

[W]ith more and more people being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes earlier, there is a population that is younger than ever being afflicted with wounds, infections and amputation. Ignoring the problem is an example of ignoring the needs of a silent and vulnerable population.

Thank you

This Thanksgiving, your humble* Buzz writer would like to say thank you — thank you to everyone who has let this little newsletter into your inboxes, opened the messages (and sometimes clicked on a link or two). Thank you for putting up with bad puns, obscure references, the mild* dose of cynicism, and the occasional misguided sense of humor. Knowing you’re out there† keeps the Buzz engine going!