The death rate of children and teenagers from opioid poisoning almost tripled between 1999 and 2016, with nearly three quarters of them from prescription medicines, an analysis of national data published in JAMA Network Open Friday shows.
By the numbers: Almost 9,000 people in the U.S. under 20 died over the 18-year period — including a surprisingly large number of 0-5 year olds and a growing number of 15–19 year olds, study author Julie Gaither tells Axios.
"This study really speaks to how all segments of U.S. society have been affected. No one has been spared. And, there's no sign to date that this is going to change."
— Julie Gaither, instructor, Yale School of Medicine
The Democratic Republic of Congo's electoral commission has postponed voting in three opposition strongholds — officially because of concerns over Ebola and insecurity — ahead of Sunday's vote, sparking a furious reaction from an opposition convinced the election is being rigged.
Hospitals are employing more doctors, often by acquiring offices, and they consequently are pressuring those doctors not to send patients to competing hospital systems, according to a Wall Street Journal investigation. Some employment contracts explicitly require doctors to refer patients to a hospital system's own facilities.
The big picture: Referrals are the lifeblood of hospital systems' businesses, and keeping patients in house allows hospitals to charge more and prevents rivals from getting their revenue. These types of practices are a major contributor to the country's $3.5 trillion health care system.
