Mahalo for supporting Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Enjoy this free story!
Hawaii Health Connector tries to connect
One recent Star-Advertiser "Big Q" informal poll, probing public awareness of the Hawaii Health Connector, showed most folks haven’t a clue what it is.
If you’re one of them: The Connector is the website where businesses and consumers will be able to shop for health insurance that will go on sale Oct. 1, a major element in the further rollout of Obamacare.
The public outreach program to enroll people hasn’t yet started in earnest. Officials did an offline presentation of the site last week, but not many people got a glimpse. The site’s been described as fairly user-friendly, presented like a travel site such as Expedia, with the step-by-step routine of a tax-preparation program.
You’d think a preview would be part of the outreach, but by the time people see it, the real thing will be up.
Going with the gut to lose weight
Those of us who have struggled with weight to whatever degree surely have mixed feelings about the latest discoveries in obesity research. The findings of a Washington University study, that gut bacteria may have something to do with body weight, might turn some stomachs.
Here’s the skinny, so to speak: Pairs of human twins, one fat and one lean, provided bacteria that were injected into test mice, and the "fat" germs turned their poor mouse into a roly-poly while the one receiving the thin bacteria stayed slim.
Next step: Transplant feces from thin people to try to treat human obesity. Maybe it will work by simply causing a loss of appetite.