MedPage Today (8/14, Walsh) reports that research suggests that “women with multiple symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have a markedly elevated risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis [RA].” Investigators found that “the presence of four or more symptoms of PTSD was associated with a 76% increased risk of incident rheumatoid arthritis compared with no history or symptoms of trauma.” Additionally, “compared with women who reported no trauma and no symptoms of PTSD, those who had trauma exposure but no symptoms of PTSD had a 25% increased risk…and those having one to three PTSD symptoms had a 31% increased risk.” The findings were published online in Arthritis Care & Research.

Related Links:

— “PTSD and RA: Is There a Smoking Gun?,” Nancy Walsh, MedPage Today, August 13, 2015.

The Kaiser Health News (8/14, Gold) reports that despite California’s “proactive stance…in enforcing” mental health parity laws, it is still “proving difficult to ensure mental patients truly have equal access to treatment,” as demonstrated by difficulties encountered by Kaiser Permanente patients that resulted in fines against the health maintenance organization and actions taken by the California Department of Managed Health Care (DHMC). Problems achieving mental health parity are not just restricted to Kaiser, however. Last year, the DMHC found that “of 26 managed care insurers…zero were able to prove that they were fully in compliance.” Randall Hagar, director of government relations for the California Psychiatric Association, said that “after many years of ‘abysmal’ enforcement, ‘now we have regulators who seem to be enthusiastic.’” Still, problems remain, because “access to care…is also an issue of capacity.” There are simply not enough mental health professionals to serve everyone who needs help.

Related Links:

— “Achieving Mental Health Parity: Slow Going Even In ‘Pace Car’ State,” Jenny Gold, Kaiser Health News, August 13, 2015.

The New York Times (8/12, Reynolds) “Well” blog reported that a study published last month in PLoS One suggests that “overall, ‘a small dose of exercise’ may be sufficient to improve many aspects of thinking and more sweat may not provide noticeably more cognitive benefit,” although it will improve aerobic fitness. The study of “101 sedentary older adults, at least 65 years of age,” revealed that “briskly walking for 20 or 25 minutes several times a week” appeared to be enough to help keep “brains sharp as the years pass.”

Related Links:

— “The Right Dose of Exercise for the Aging Brain,” Gretchen Reynolds, New York Times, August 12, 2015.

Bloomberg News (8/13, Tracer) reports that after years of shifting more healthcare costs to employees, “companies are slowing their adoption of high-deductible plans next year, according to a survey of more than 100 large US employers.” About 33 percent of business will offer high-deductible plans as the only option next year, up just one percentage point over this year, according to the survey from the National Business Group on Health. Bloomberg News adds that the relief “could be temporary,” however, as companies are waiting to see if Congress will repeal the ACA’s so-called Cadillac tax on high-cost health plans.

CNBC (8/13) reports that the Cadillac tax “is imposed on the employer or the insurer that administers the health plan, but benefits analysts said the costs will likely be shifted to workers especially at smaller companies.” The article notes the levy goes into effect in 2018.

Related Links:

— “Companies Slow Down Shift of Health Costs to Workers,” Zachary Tracer Richard Rubin, Bloomberg News, August 12, 2015.

On its front page, the Washington Post (8/13, A1, Bernstein) reports that one of the “most heartbreaking developments” in the nation’s “heroin epidemic” has been a “sharp rise” in the number of newborns exposed to heroin, leading to a quadrupling of the rate of neonatal abstinence syndrome over the past nine years, up to 2.7 percent of all NICU admissions. In addition, the cost to care for these children “has also soared” to $53,000 on average in 2009.

Related Links:

— “When life begins in rehab: A baby heals after a mother’s heroin addiction,” Lenny Bernstein, Washington Post, August 12, 2015.