The New England journal of medicine
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Several states have developed prescription-drug discount programs for Medicare beneficiaries. In California, Senate Bill 393, enacted in 1999, requires pharmacies participating in the state Medicaid program (Medi-Cal) to charge customers who present a Medicare card amounts based on Medi-Cal rates. Because Medicare beneficiaries may not be accustomed to presenting their Medicare cards at pharmacies, we assessed the compliance of pharmacies with Senate Bill 393. ⋯ Discounts required under California's prescription-drug discount program for Medicare beneficiaries offer substantial savings. Many patients, however, especially those who use independent pharmacies or who live in low-income neighborhoods, may not receive the discounts.
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Comparative Study
The risk of major birth defects after intracytoplasmic sperm injection and in vitro fertilization.
It is not known whether infants conceived with use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection or in vitro fertilization have a higher risk of birth defects than infants conceived naturally. ⋯ Infants conceived with use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection or in vitro fertilization have twice as high a risk of a major birth defect as naturally conceived infants.