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I read the letter you recently published regarding pharmaceutical costs ["Pharma costs leave cures out of reach for many," Voices, Dec. 11], and have to ask in response: Where is the accountability of insurance companies?...It’s easy to blame pharmaceutical companies, especially given the recent issues with one very bad actor from Turing Pharmaceuticals. But what about insurance companies deciding what drugs they will and won’t cover? The fact is that insurance companies play a role in this issue, and they need to be held accountable...my quality of life shouldn’t come down to my insurance company deciding what they will and won’t cover.

The beauty boutique at 1946 Village Center Circle, inside Summerlin's Trails Village Center, has seen walk-in traffic tumble as much as 75 percent since the closure of grocer Haggen (Haggen Food & Pharmacy) next door, said owner Donna Catalfamo...Catalfamo's story illustrates how the closure of an anchor tenant in a neighborhood shopping center ripples down to small companies nearby. And a number of smaller businesses are feeling that effect today: Three of Haggen's seven Southern Nevada stores — locations at 1940 Village Center Circle, 820 S. Rampart Blvd. and 1031 Nevada Highway in Boulder City — remain empty, with few suitors in sight..."Traffic was down the minute the Haggen sign went up (in June)," Catalfamo said. "We started to feel the effects after the first week."...litigation can complicate leasing. Haggen is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and in August, it sued Albertsons, which sold Haggen 146 stores across the West for $300 million, alleging that Albertsons sabotaged its market debuts.

Three Southern Nevada physicians were taken off regulatory probation Friday, including a Las Vegas orthopedic surgeon accused of throwing drug-fueled sex parties at his Henderson home and at the Trump Hotel…Dr. Andrew Martin declined to answer any questions after his appearance before the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners at the Westgate…The board also lifted probation for Dr. Sean Su, a family practitioner barred by the board from performing cosmetic procedures, and Dr. Arlyn Valencia, a neurologist who failed drug tests.

New numbers show Nevadans have been slow to jump into the state's health insurance exchange…Department of Health and Human Services reported Wednesday that 23,248 Nevadans bought coverage through Nevada Health Link in the first month of open enrollment, from Nov. 1 through Saturday…That's roughly half of the 40,285 residents who bought a plan through the exchange in the first month of sign-ups a year ago…Federal officials said enrollment should pick up as the Dec. 15 deadline nears to buy a plan with a Jan. 1 start date...Consumers without coverage in place by then face a federal tax for going without health insurance.

Public programs such as Medicaid are a necessity – not only for low-income families but for all the public, which benefits from a healthier population...These programs need access to affordable prescription drugs to treat those suffering from diseases like hepatitis and HIV. Unfortunately, their services are threatened by recent price increases from pharmaceutical companies like Turing and Gilead...I worry that such prices for prescription drugs are driving up spending for critical public programs like Medicaid, Medicare, and Tricare at unsustainable rates. We need to be able to cure life-threatening diseases for the low-income, seniors and veterans. But at these prices, it’s simply not feasible. Clearly something needs to change...

Two months after a worker was found dead inside one of its cryochambers, a Henderson cryotherapy spa appears to be closed for good…On Dec. 10, a notice was posted on the front doors of Rejuvenice, 8846 S. Eastern Ave., saying the spa was more than $3,000 behind on its rent…Rejuvenice opened in July. And on Oct. 20, worker Chelsea Ake-Salvacion, 24, was found dead inside one of the spa's cryochambers… Ake-Salvacion's family hired the Las Vegas-based Richard Harris Law firm and the Bradley, Drendel & Jeanney law firm in Reno to investigate how she became trapped inside the chamber. Nevada's Occupational Safety and Health Administration office said it would not investigate because Ake-Salvacion died after business hours.

A father’s bid to keep his 20-year-old daughter on life-support at a Reno hospital after doctors declared her brain-dead is pending before a Nevada state court judge. Beyond the family attorney’s claim on Wednesday that the cost of caring for Aden Hailu (AY’-dehn HEHL’-oo) is driving hospital efforts to pull the plug, the case raises key questions about Nevada’s interpretation of national end-of-life guidelines.

• What’s the issue?
• What’s the Nevada law?
• What’s the Uniform Determination of Death Act?
• What did the Uniform Determination of Death Act do?
• How many states follow the act?
• What tests are recommended to determine brain death?
• Have there been cases similar to Hailu’s in other states?

According to an annual report from the United Health Foundation, Nevada is ranked 38th in the U.S. when it comes to health...Nevada’s rank in 2014 was 39, so the state has improved over the past year. Here are some snapshots of how Nevada compares to national numbers for health-related topics:

• In Nevada, 17 percent of people smoke compared to the 18 percent national average.
• Drug deaths are significantly higher in Nevada, with 22.4 overdose deaths per 100,000 people compared to a 13.5 death average nationally.
• Nevada is average when it comes to the inactivity of adults. 22.5 percent of adults in Nevada are physically inactive compared with 22.6 nationally.
• Infant mortality is lower in Nevada, with 5.1 deaths per 1,000 live births compared to the 6 national average.
• In Nevada, 27.7 percent of adults are obese compared to the national average of 29.6. For diabetes, 9.6 percent of Nevadan adults have diabetes compared to 10 percent nationwide.
• For children’s vaccinations, 67.7 percent of children in Nevada are immunized compared to 71.6 nationally.

The top five healthiest states in the nation, according to the report, include Hawaii, Vermont, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New Hampshire

As part of National Influenza Vaccination Week, December 6-12, 2015, established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, government and health officials will join community partners to raise awareness about the benefits of flu vaccination and honor local flu vaccination heroes during a press conference and awards ceremony. Flu vaccination heroes to be honored include:

• Nevada State Assemblyman, James Oscarson, for his efforts to provide access to flu vaccinations for the citizens of rural communities in district 36.
• Joyce Goedeke, Vice President of Marketing/Public Relations for Southern Hills Hospital & Medical Center, for her leadership on the Immunize Nevada flu taskforce and for hosting a flu clinic at the Southern Hills Annual Balloon Festival.
• Melissa Shake, Pharmacy Manager and Immunizations Trainer for Walgreens, for her leadership on the Immunize Nevada flu taskforce and dedication to community flu protection by coordinating free flu vaccinations across southern Nevada through Walgreens’ national flu vaccine voucher program.
• Tavia Campbell, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder for Walls 360, Inc., for her sponsorship and donation for the 2015-2016 Immunize Nevada flu campaign.

WHEN: Friday, December 11th, 10 to 11 a.m.
WHERE: East Las Vegas Community and Senior Center, 250 N. Eastern Ave., Las Vegas

New residency programs to train doctors in Southern Nevada will be launched at four hospitals, Valley Health System officials announced Thursday…The programs at Centennial Hills, Desert Springs, Spring Valley and Summerlin hospitals include emergency medicine, family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedic surgery, psychiatry and the transitional year for residents preparing to enter a medical or surgical specialty…Coordinating the programs will be Dr. Andrew Eisen...has been named chief academic officer for the Valley Health System…The number of residency slots created by the eight programs has yet to be determined, but officials plan to have residents in family medicine, internal medicine and general surgery in place by July 1, 2017.