Plastic and reconstructive surgery -...( Can The US Really Cut Health Care S...)

Can The US Really Cut Health Care Spending?

A new study suggests that while health care is one of the strongest sectors of the ailing US economy, achieving a substantial, sustainable reduction is US health care spending is not probable. The author, who completed health care policy literature and position article reviews, reveals that despite far greater expenditures, US hospitalization rates, lengths-of-stay, and inpatient hospital beds are all lower than they are in other first-world nations. Furthermore, Americans pay higher prices for the same health services than citizens in other countriesincluding Canada. The study outlines steps that could be taken by the US to reduce spending, but contends that unless Americans are willing to discuss and accept restrictions and/or limitations on health care, spending growth is unlikely to decrease. This study appears in the January 2009 issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

By The Numbers:

• According to ASPS statistics, $12.4 billion was spent on elective cosmetic procedures in 2007.
• In 2007, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimated that health care spending in the US reached $2.2 trillionand is projected to exceed $4 trillion by 2017.

Medicine Cabinet Mainstays Pose Risks to Cosmetic Surgery Patients

Common antidepressants and herbal medications may have potentially harmful intraoperative effects on patients undergoing cosmetic surgical procedures, according to a new study. Researchers from New York conducted and reviewed case studies regarding the effects of the 29 most commonly used herbs and antidepressants, on anesthesia and surgery. After identifying a number of harmful, intraoperative risks, ranging from increased bleeding to fatal interactions, the authors established recommendations for the management of these medications before elective
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