15 million people in the U.S. have food allergies, and  pesticides and tap water may be responsible.  According to the researchers, high levels of dichlorophenols, a chemical used to chlorinate water and also used in pesticides, is linked to food allergies when it is found in a person’s body.  The finding was published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the scientific journal of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), and came from a team of experts led by Elina Jerschow, M.D., M.Sc., ACAAI fellow and allergist.

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease that affects the periodontium, which is the group of all the tissues that surround and support your teeth. Among these tissues, the periodontium is made of the alveolar bone, the gums, the periodontal ligament and the cementum.

Periodontitis is a progressive loss of alveolar bone around teeth. If periodontitis is not treated, teeth begin to move, shift and eventually fall out.  This disease is mainly caused by harmful bacteria and protozoa, and an aggressive response of the immune system against these microorganisms. The dentist makes the diagnosis by detecting the presence of periodontal pockets (spaces created between the gums and the teeth) and the analysis of X-rays to evaluate bone loss.

Health plans participating in the Medicare managed care program, called Medicare Advantage since 2003, have historically attracted healthier enrollees than has the traditional fee-for-service program. Medicare Advantage plans have gained financially from this favorable risk selection since their payments have traditionally been adjusted only minimally for clinical characteristics of enrollees, causing overpayment for healthier enrollees and underpayment for sicker ones.

As a result, a new risk-adjustment system was phased in from 2004 to 2007, and a lock-in provision instituted to limit midyear dis-enrollment by enrollees experiencing health declines whose exodus could benefit plans financially. To determine whether these reforms were associated with intended reductions in risk selection, we compared differences in self-reported health care use and health between Medicare Advantage and traditional Medicare beneficiaries before versus after these reforms were implemented. We similarly compared differences between those who switched into or out of Medicare Advantage and non-switchers. Most differences in 2001–03 were substantially narrowed by 2006–07, suggesting reduced selection. Similar risk-adjustment methods may help reduce incentives for plans competing in health insurance exchanges and accountable care organizations to select patients with favorable clinical risks.

Within Medicare, the Medicare Advantage program has historically attracted better risks—healthier, lower-cost patients—than has traditional Medicare. The disproportionate enrollment of lower-cost patients and avoidance of higher-cost ones during the 1990s—known as favorable selection—resulted in Medicare’s spending more per beneficiary who enrolled in Medicare Advantage than if the enrollee had remained in traditional Medicare.

A looked at the two measures that can indicate whether favorable selection is taking place—predicted spending on beneficiaries and mortality—and studied whether policies that Medicare implemented in the past decade succeeded in reducing favorable selection in Medicare Advantage. We found that these policies—an improved risk adjustment formula and a prohibition on monthly disenrollment by beneficiaries—largely succeeded.

Differences in predicted spending between those switching from traditional Medicare to Medicare Advantage relative to those who remained in traditional Medicare markedly narrowed, as did adjusted mortality rates. Because insurance exchanges set up under the Affordable Care Act will employ similar policies to combat risk selection, our results give reason for optimism about managing competition among health plans.

Enrollment in Medicare Advantage, the managed care program for Medicare beneficiaries, has grown rapidly, from 4.6 million enrollees in 2003 to 12.8 million by 2012, or 27 percent of all current Medicare beneficiaries. We analyzed utilization patterns of enrollees in Medicare Advantage health maintenance organization (HMO) plans compared to matched samples of people in traditional Medicare during 2003–09, to ascertain whether the HMO enrollees demonstrated different levels of use of services, which can be a hallmark of more integrated care.

It was found that utilization rates in some major categories, including emergency departments and ambulatory surgery or procedures, generally were 20–30 percent lower in Medicare Advantage HMOs in all years. Medicare Advantage HMO enrollees initially had lower rates of ambulatory visits and hospitalizations, although these rates converged by 2008; they also received about 10 percent fewer hip or knee replacements. In contrast, HMO enrollees underwent more coronary bypass surgery than patients in traditional Medicare. These findings suggest that overall, Medicare Advantage HMO enrollees might use fewer services and be experiencing more appropriate use of services than enrollees in traditional Medicare.

In order to get the best results from brushing your teeth a person need to brush for at least two to three minutes. Even though most people will state they brush three to four on average a person brushes their teeth less then a minute.  Most people are not really timing themselves so what feels like two to three minutes is really much shorter. Therefore a good way to make sure you are brushing a full two to three minutes is by brushing to a song. The average song is about three minutes which is the right amount of time to get the best results from brushing.

Seeing your dentist at least twice a year is standard advise at any age.  However, seniors may be advised by their dentist to come in more then just twice a year for their dental health check ups.

Although age is not the only factor as to why a person may have to see the dentist more often, age does increase the odds of needing more dental care. Many seniors have other  other health issues that can effect their dental health care needs

Over the past decade Medicare has put in place several pay-for-performance programs for hospitals, including one that stopped paying hospitals for treating hospital-acquired conditions and the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program that went into effect in October 2012. In this article we describe how the State of Maryland crafted two pay-for-performance programs applicable to all hospitals and payers—a Quality-Based Reimbursement Program similar to Medicare’s value-based purchasing program and a separate program that compared hospitals’ risk-adjusted relative performance on a broad array of hospital-acquired conditions. In the first program, all clinical process-of-care measures improved from 2007 to 2010, and variations among hospitals decreased substantially.

For example, the statewide average rate of provision of influenza vaccines to patients with pneumonia increased by 20.5 percentage points, from 71.5 percent in 2007 to 92.0 percent in 2010. As a result of the second program, hospital-acquired conditions in the state declined by 15.26 percent over two years, with estimated cost savings of $110.9 million over that period. Extrapolating these results, the Medicare fee-for-service program nationally would have saved $1.3 billion over two years by implementing a similar hospital-acquired conditions program. The state programs used strong and consistent financial incentives to motivate hospitals’ efforts to improve quality. This experience demonstrates that successful state experimentation can inform and influence federal policy and efforts to coordinate payment strategies in other states.

I am 54 not quite a senior but I over the years my teeth have shifted.  My teeth are  healthy otherwise with  no cavities but I would like nice straight teeth. Am I too old for braces?

Answer: No you are not too old. there is no age limit for correcting misaligned teeth. The process used to move teeth is the same at any age. Therefore the benefits of orthodontic treatment are available to you regardless of age.  The main differences between orthodontic treatments in adults and children is that certain corrections in adults may require more than braces alone and the treatments may take longer because adult bones are no longer growing.  Talk to your dentist and  discuss your treatment options.

Heartburn is one of the most common reasons for people to see a doctor, and some physicians often use upper endoscopy to diagnose and manage gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Yet according to the American College of Physicians (ACP) Clinical Guidelines Committee in a new evidence-based clinical policy paper that was published December 3rd in the Annals of Internal Medicine, most patients do not require the procedure unless other serious symptoms are present.

Federal support for health security research is heavily weighted toward preparing for bioterrorism and other biological threats, providing significantly less funding for challenges such as monster storms or attacks with conventional bombs, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) and Oral-B Laboratories released a survey that show many Americans are neglecting to take care of their teeth during the workday.  According to the survey it found that more than three-quarters of respondents are eating twice or more a day at the workplace, while only 14 percent of respondents are brushing every day at work.  Another interesting thing found in the survey is while only 14 percent or the respondents where brushing, 40 percent ranked “smile” as one of the first thing they notice about a person at work.

I am 68 and I noticed that my teeth seem to becoming very sensitive to both hot and cold food and drinks. I have all my teeth and other then the sensitivity my mouth is otherwise healthy. What could be the cause of this?

Answer: Although there are many reason for sensitive teeth, one that cause that affects seniors is receding gums. As gum tissue pulls back away from your teeth the root of the tooth becomes exposed and causes sensitivity in your teeth. It is important to note that tooth sensitive is a warning side to larger dental issues and it should be address by your dentist.  Your dentist will be able to determine why your teeth are becoming sensitive and the correct coarse of treatment.

The U.S. Department of Labor, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense, has launched the 2013 Workforce Recruitment Program database, a recruitment tool for employers looking to hire employees with disabilities. The database contains profiles of post-secondary students and recent graduates with disabilities, including Veterans. Federal employers can access the database online and private sector employers can access the database online or by calling (855) 275-3276.

Selective targeting of the neurotransmitter that differentially affects brain cells that control the two distinct functions of the pancreas may allow for new medication therapies for conditions like diabetes, dyspepsia and gastro-esophageal reflux, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

According to R Alberto Travagli, professor, Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, and lead investigator, the  study differs from what’s been reported previously about brain neurons that control the gastrointestinal tract. It provides further support to the idea that separate nerve pathways regulate the diverse functions of organs along the upper gastrointestinal tract.

To maintain good dental and oral health is important for everyone regardless of age.  Make sure to brush your teeth at least twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. Floss at least once a day and visit your dentist regularly.

With that said some seniors need further assistance to maintain their dental health here are some tips.

* Brushing: For seniors that have arthritis holding a toothbrush may be hard. Make sure you buy a toothbrush with a thicker handle for easier grip.

* Brushing: Seniors may find it easier to use a electric tooth brush. This way if it is harder to brush for the two minutes the electric tooth brush is able to do a better job in a shorter time.

* Flossing: Flossing can be difficult to near impossible when dealing with conditions such as arthritis. Try using dental flossing picks as they are easier to hold and use then regular floss.

* Dentist: It is important to go to your dentist regularly and for seniors you want to make sure your dentist is equipped to handle any special needs you may have. If going to the dentist is not made easy for you, then your are more likely not to keep your dental appointments.