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Here's The Latest in Health Care:

•  The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is teaming up with 4 health systems to create a non-profit generic drug company. The goal of the four companies, Intermountain Healthcare, Ascension Health, SSM Health, and Trinity Health along with the VA, is to address the issue of high costs and shortages of medications in the U.S. They plan to make more affordable and more available generic medications. Read More

•  While stifling a sneeze may seem like one good method to stop the spread of germs, one rare case of sneeze stifling ended in a ruptured throat for an unsuspecting man in Britain. The force of the sneeze he attempted to stifle when obstructing both his nose and mouth was so strong that the blast of air forcefully made its way through the soft tissue in his throat as tiny bubbles. This caused his neck to swell and a change of voice along with unsettling crackling sensations. Don't worry, after a week, the man was well on his way back to the norm.  Read More

•  With the possibility of a government shutdown looming, health care programs will be threatened with billions of dollars in health care costs, as it did in 2013. The Department of Health and Human Services does have a contingency plan in place in the event of a government shutdown.  Read More

•  Curious about how this year's flu season compares to those of the past? The New York Times' Q&A answers some questions on what to expect of this year's flu season and how it's spreading and well as how historical data compares to the 2016-2017 season.  Read More

Each Friday, Signor Goat reports the latest from the week in health care. Check back next Friday for your dose of our little medical corner of health care news. Brought to you by pMD, innovators in charge capture software.

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