In the past ten years, increasing numbers of patients have adopted high deductible health plans (HDHPs). On one hand, this means an economic break for the consumer because of reduced up-front costs for health insurance. However, in the event of a catastrophic illness or accident, the insurance holder will be on the hook for a large chunk of the treatment.

Under Obamacare, patient satisfaction is an increasingly important benchmark for medical providers. However, physicians disagree about whether this new emphasis is the best way to provide effective health care.

In light of the car crash last month that seriously injured comedian Tracy Morgan, more attention is being drawn to the grave safety issue of truck drivers nodding off on the job. If a motorist has sleep apnea--a health condition that impairs quality of sleep and increases drowsiness--the risk of an accident is even greater.

Since 2009, the number of veterans' claims for sleep apnea has increased by over 150%, USA Today reports.

The surge in reports of sleep apnea can be attributed to growing awareness of the condition, according to officials of the Department of Veterans Affairs. This disorder is becoming increasingly recognized as a serious health concern, which is permitting veterans to apply for and receive appropriate treatment.

Quick Q&A and Resources

Q: What is ICD10?

Answer: 

The International Classification of Diseases (also known by the abbreviation ICD) is the United Nations-sponsored World Health Organization’s "standard diagnostic tool for epidemiology, health management and clinical purposes." The ICD is designed as a health care classification system, providing a system of diagnostic codes for classifying diseases, including nuanced classifications of a wide variety of signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances, and external causes of injury or disease (source: Wikipedia). 

Q: How is ICD10 different from ICD9?