What We're Reading: Alzheimer's Among Latinos; UnitedHealth Lawsuit; and Use of Wearable Devices

Rising Number of Latinos Diagnosed With Alzheimer’s Disease

By the year 2060, the number of Latinos in the United States with Alzheimer’s disease is expected to rise by more than 8 times. Alzheimer’s is increasingly common in the US, but Latinos represent the fastest growing minority, reported Kaiser Health News. This population is at least 50% more likely to develop the disease than whites, and they are more likely to have a family member care for someone with Alzheimer’s rather than place the person in a nursing home. But using formal care services is now becoming more common among Latinos.

Government Sues UnitedHealth Over Medicare Scheme

A lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group alleges that the insurer overcharged Medicare hundreds of millions of dollars. According to Reuters, the lawsuit, which was filed in 2011 but was just unsealed on February 16, claims the insurer depicted Medicare members as being sicker than they were. The Department of Justice has joined the lawsuit against UnitedHealth, as well as one against WellMed Medical Management, which UnitedHealth bought in 2011.

Evidence Shows Wearable Devices Don’t Result in Weight Loss

Wearable technology like Fitbit and Apple Watch, may be encouraging people to be more active, but they aren’t resulting in people losing more weight. In a column for The New York Times’ "The Upshot," Aaron E. Carroll, MD, MS, lays out the evidence from past trials that show people using wearable devices lose less weight than people not using these devices. These devices are good for improving activity over time, but not for losing weight.