Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a blood disorder where an individual has abnormal hemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen from the lungs to all the tissues, in his or hers red blood cells. SCD is not contagious and is typically passed through genes from the parent. Those with SCD have inherited one abnormal hemoglobin gene
Assembly member Thomas Abinanti introduced legislation to combat Legionnaires ’ disease. The bill would set requirements for inspecting cooling towers and heating systems in New York State. There were two new cases of Legionnaires’ disease this week in New York City, according to city health officials. The New York City Council will propose legislation aimed
August is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month. Eye and vision screenings are important for children because, like most other health conditions, eye conditions that are caught early can be treated early. Refractive Errors – these are the most common form of eye problems and are usually corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Myopia –
Healthcare enrollment under the Affordable Care Act shot up dramatically around the April 30th deadline, according to this report. According to this Politico article, New York State’s nonprofit regional health plans are suffering financially as a result of the Affordable Care Act. NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law regulations to prevent future outbreaks
Immunizations and vaccines have played an instrumental role in increasing the quality of life for people around the world. Vaccines have virtually eliminated several serious diseases in the developed world that have historically cause millions of deaths, such as smallpox, polio, and flu. Do vaccines actually work? Yes, vaccines are very effective. Vaccines have reduced
Step therapy, or “fail first,” bases treatment decisions on cost rather than medical necessity and ignores the safety and efficacy of certain medications for patients. Click here to learn more about step therapy. Governor Cuomo, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and City Council Speaker Mark-Viverito announced this week joint emergency regulations to fight
Step therapy, or “fail first,” requires patients to try one or more, typically lower cost, medications to treat their medical condition. Patients must fail on the lower cost medications before the insurance companies allow them to “step up” to another, more expensive medication. These policies can have dangerous consequences for patients. Step therapy bases treatment
Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin disease that causes patches on the skin. It is not a contagious disease. People with this disease have an immune system that generates new skin cells rapidly, causing patchy buildups of those extra cells. The most common places that psoriasis patients get these patches are on the knees, elbows, lower
Please weigh in TODAY! The Prescriber Prevails legislation (A.7208/ S. 4893) was delivered to Governor Cuomo on Monday! It’s critical you encourage him to sign this legislation for final passage by calling 518-362-8946 or filling out this form! This legislation clarifies the Prescriber Prevails process in Medicaid Managed Care and eliminates some of the hurdles
Motherhood brings many different questions along with it. One of the biggest questions many mothers ask is whether or not to should breastfeed their newborn. Breastfeeding offers many health benefits for both the mother and baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that mothers breastfeed for at least the first six months of the baby’s