In the December 2019 issue History of Pooling at Allianz – François Jacquemin, Michael Scheu Vaping and e-cigarettes – Allison Kurti Hospital Price Transparency in the U.S. at Last? – Neeraj Sood To Lose Weight, Eat Less or Exercise More? – Juan Ignacio Pérez Iglesias Exercise Before Breakfast Works Best – Rob Edinburgh Controlled Breathing for the Rest of Us – David Shearer Allianz Global Benefits Interview – Dirk Hellmuth,

History of Pooling at Allianz – Vaping and e-cigarettes – Hospital Price Transparency in the U.S. at Last? – To Lose Weight, Eat Less or Exercise More? – Exercise Before Breakfast Works Best – Controlled Breathing for the Rest of Us – Allianz Global Benefits Interview, Dirk Hellmuth, Cyril Samson

I tend to be overweight, and for the last few years my blood glucose levels have been putting me on the brink of Type 2 diabetes. I love my food, and it is often part of my social commitments. I’m a Spaniard, so there’s also the occasional tapas and glass of wine, or maybe a martini on Saturdays. As a physiologist, I know I need to take steps to control my blood glucose and weight. So early every morning, I spend a considerable amount of time pedaling away on a stationary bike.

New federal regulations finalized Nov. 15 require hospitals to make public all the prices they negotiate with insurers and health plans, starting in 2021. The aim is to untangle the hospital marketplace with a wave of consumer-friendly information that will promote competition that leads to lower costs. Hospitals are not happy, but advocates of well-informed, patient-centered health care should be cheering.