What Are Biomarkers?
Biomarkers (a shortened term for biological markers) are measurable characteristics of a certain biological condition or response to a medical or environmental exposure.
Some biomarkers, such as blood pressure or body weight, come from routine measurements taken at a doctor's visit. Others may be found in blood, urine, or body tissues. Biomarkers can also be found at the molecular level in genes and proteins.
Doctors use biomarkers to assess a person's health, diagnose and monitor disease progression, and determine how a person's body is responding to treatment.
Scientists and researchers also use biomarkers to better understand the body's biological processes, particularly in relation to health conditions or environmental toxins, and to assist with drug development.
What are the different types of biomarkers?
There are seven different classifications of biomarkers:
Susceptibility/risk biomarkers. These can predict a person's risk of developing a disease. For example, a genetic test that identifies mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can identify a person's increased risk for breast and ovarian cancers.
Diagnostic biomarkers. These can detect or confirm a disease or medical condition (such as high cholesterol levels or proteins in urine that might indicate kidney disease).
Prognostic biomarkers. These can predict the likelihood of disease progression or recurrence.
Monitor biomarkers. These are used to assess the status of a disease or to quantify the body's exposure and response to a medication or environmental agent.
Predictive biomarkers. These can help predict people who are more likely than others to respond favorably or unfavorably to a medical treatment or environmental agent. For example, the presence of the HER2 protein in a person with breast cancer indicates that the person would respond well to a targeted therapy.
Pharmacodynamic response biomarkers. These show that a biological response has occurred in a person who has been exposed to a medication or environmental agent. An example would be the measurement of a tumor size in response to chemotherapy. They're often used in treatment evaluation.
Safety biomarkers indicate the presence or amount of toxicity after exposure to a medical treatment or environmental agent. For example, creatine clearance biomarkers measure kidney function (to monitor kidney toxicity) after antibiotics or chemotherapy.
Why are biomarkers important for your health?
Biomarkers are important because they can provide a lot of information about your health. Doctors can use them to:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
31 minutes ago
- CBS News
How medical debt impacts your credit (and what you can do about it)
We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. If you're dealing with unpaid medical debt, it could hurt your credit — but there are ways to resolve the today's healthcare landscape, even a brief hospital visit can leave behind a mountain of bills. And with insurance not always covering everything — or in some cases, anything — many Americans are left grappling with medical debts they never expected to face. In 2024, about 20 million Americans, or nearly 1 in 12 adults, owed money for medical debt, according to the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) survey. The impact of this type of debt can be more than financial, though. Medical debt often hits during a time of personal crisis — after an accident, illness or surgery — leaving people emotionally overwhelmed and financially vulnerable. And when those bills go unpaid, the stress can compound as collections calls start and credit scores begin to slip. For many, this debt is not the result of overspending or poor budgeting, but simply the price of getting necessary care. Luckily, recently updated credit reporting rules and a range of relief programs are starting to ease the burden for many patients. But it's still important to understand exactly how medical debt affects your credit and what steps you can take to protect yourself. Find out how to get help with your debt problems today. How medical debt impacts your credit Medical debt used to be one of the quickest ways to damage your credit score. Even small unpaid bills could end up in collections and drag down your credit for years. But relatively recent changes from the three major credit bureaus — Experian, TransUnion and Equifax — have shifted how this type of debt is handled. Here's what changed: Paid medical collections no longer appear on credit reports. If you settle or pay off your medical debt, it should no longer hurt your credit, even after it goes to collections. If you settle or pay off your medical debt, it should no longer hurt your credit, even after it goes to collections. There's now a one-year waiting period. Medical bills sent to collections won't be added to your credit report for 12 months, giving you time to resolve them or work out a payment plan. Smaller debts are excluded. Medical collections under $500 no longer appear on credit reports at all. These reforms mean that unpaid medical bills might not damage your credit as quickly or as severely as they once did. Still, if a large medical balance goes unresolved for too long, it can eventually show up on your report and lower your credit score, especially if you don't take action during that one-year grace period. It's also important to know that while medical debt is handled differently than credit card or loan debt, lenders don't necessarily make that distinction. A collection is a collection, and any mark on your credit report can impact your ability to get approved for a loan, rent an apartment or even land certain jobs. Explore your debt relief options with the help of an expert now. What you can do about your medical debt If you're struggling with medical debt, you have options. Taking action sooner rather than later can help you avoid collections and limit the potential damage to your credit score. Here are some strategies worth considering: Review and negotiate your bills Start by carefully reviewing every bill for errors or duplicate charges. Medical billing mistakes are surprisingly common. If something doesn't look right, call the provider or hospital's billing department and ask for an itemized statement. Once you verify the charges, see if the provider will negotiate. Many are willing to offer discounts for prompt payment, set up interest-free payment plans or even reduce what you owe if you demonstrate financial hardship. Apply for financial assistance Nonprofit hospitals are legally required to offer financial assistance programs to eligible patients. If you're low-income or facing financial hardship, you may qualify for partial or full forgiveness, even if the bill has already gone to collections. Ask your provider's billing office for an application. Consider a debt relief program If your medical debt is substantial or you're juggling multiple types of unsecured debt, a debt relief program, like debt settlement, may be worth exploring. Debt settlement programs work by negotiating with your creditors to settle your debts for less than the full amount owed. There are also debt relief programs that consolidate your debts into a single monthly payment, which can make them easier to manage. Keep in mind, however, that while debt settlement can help resolve medical collections, it may come with risks, such as fees, tax implications and temporary credit score drops, so it's important to work with a reputable provider and understand the trade-offs. Monitor your credit Your credit report should reflect any paid or settled medical debts accurately, but that may not always be the case. So, be sure to check your credit report regularly to ensure no incorrect medical collections are listed. If you spot an error, dispute it with the credit bureau directly. The bottom line Medical debt can feel uniquely unfair, as it often comes out of nowhere and hits when you're least prepared. But while it has the potential to hurt your credit, changes in how this debt is reported now offer more breathing room. You still need to act quickly and proactively, but there's a path forward even when the bills seem insurmountable. From negotiating with providers to seeking financial aid or working with a debt relief program, there are ways to tackle medical debt without wrecking your financial future. So, know your options and use the time you have before those bills end up on your credit report to tackle the issue before it compounds.
Health Line
36 minutes ago
- Health Line
CHAMPVA and Medicare: Which Is Primary?
You can use CHAMPVA and Medicare at the same time. When you use Medicare together with CHAMPVA, Medicare is the primary payer. CHAMPVA is a cost-sharing health coverage program for some military families who don't qualify for TRICARE. You can use CHAMPVA with Medicare when you're eligible for both programs. CHAMPA will be the secondary payer to Medicare and will pay most of your out-of-pocket costs. Since there are no additional premiums if you qualify for CHAMPVA, using it alongside Medicare can significantly lower your healthcare costs. Glossary of common Medicare terms Out-of-pocket cost: This is the amount you pay for care when Medicare doesn't pay the full cost or offer coverage. It includes premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. Premium: This is the monthly amount you pay for Medicare coverage. Deductible: This is the annual amount you must spend out of pocket before Medicare begins to cover services and treatments. Coinsurance: This is the percentage of treatment costs you're responsible for paying out of pocket. With Medicare Part B, you typically pay 20%. Copayment: This is a fixed dollar amount you pay when receiving certain treatments or services. With Medicare, this often applies to prescription medications. What is CHAMPVA? The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) is a healthcare plan for certain dependents of veterans. CHAMPVA is a different program from TRICARE, which also services military members, veterans, and their families. TRICARE eligibility is open to people who are: active or retired uniformed service members spouses or children of active or retired uniformed service members members of the Army National Guard or Reserve spouses or children of Army National Guard or Reserve members spouses or children of deceased military members certain former spouses of military members Medal of Honor recipients spouses and children of Medal of Honor recipients You can't use CHAMPVA if you have or are eligible for TRICARE. CHAMPVA helps cover certain dependents who aren't eligible for TRICARE. For example, service members who leave active duty under certain conditions might not qualify for TRICARE. However, if they have a disability caused by their service, their family may be able to enroll in CHAMPVA. How does CHAMPVA work with Medicare? Since 2001, CHAMPVA beneficiaries have been able to use their coverage after turning 65 years old. This means CHAMPVA can be used alongside Medicare. You'll need to be enrolled in Medicare to keep your CHAMPVA coverage. Here are the rules for how that works: If you turned age 65 before June 5, 2001, and did not have Medicare Part B at the time, you only need to be enrolled in Medicare Part A to keep your CHAMPVA coverage. If you turned age 65 before June 5, 2001, and were already enrolled in Part B at that time, you need to be enrolled in both Part A and Part B to keep your CHAMPVA coverage. If you turned 65 years old after June 5, 2001, you need to be enrolled in parts A and B to keep your CHAMPVA coverage. Example For example, let's say you turned 65 years old in 1999 and enrolled in Medicare parts A and B. You won't be able to drop your Part B coverage and keep your CHAMPVA coverage. However, if you turned age 65 in 1999 and enrolled in only Part A, you wouldn't need to sign up for Part B to keep your CHAMPVA coverage. You can use CHAMPVA alongside: Original Medicare (parts A and B) Medicare Advantage (Part C) Medicare Part D, which is prescription drug coverage It's important to note that CHAMPVA won't pay for the cost of your Part B premium. You should also know that you can no longer use VA healthcare facilities or healthcare professionals once you're enrolled in Medicare. What services does CHAMPVA cover? CHAMPVA is a cost-sharing health insurance program. This means it will pay a portion of the cost of health services you receive, and you'll pay the remaining amount. You won't pay a premium for CHAMPVA, but there is a $50 deductible before coverage kicks in. After you pay your deductible, CHAMPVA will pay what's known as the 'allowable amount' for all covered services. Generally, CHAMPVA will pay 75% of the allowable amount, and you'll pay the other 25%. Covered services include: hospital stays primary care doctor visits specialist visits lab work skilled nursing care home care ambulance transportation mental health services prescription drugs There are two other completely covered benefits: Hospice care from any provider is 100% covered under CHAMPVA. You can also get prescription coverage at no cost to you if you use the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Meds by Mail program, if you have no other prescription drug coverage. Coverage works differently if you use CHAMPVA alongside another health insurance plan, including Medicare. When you use CHAMPVA with another insurance plan, CHAMPVA becomes what's called a secondary payer. This means your other insurance plan will be billed first, and CHAMPVA will then pay the remaining cost. This can save you a lot of money on out-of-pocket medical expenses like copayments or coinsurance amounts. Who pays first for healthcare costs? Medicare is the primary payer when you use it with CHAMPVA. This means Medicare will be the first to pay the cost of any service you receive, and then CHAMPVA will pay the rest. You'll have very few out-of-pocket costs using CHAMPVA and Medicare together since CHAMPVA will generally pay any copayments or coinsurance amounts. You can expect to pay: nothing out of pocket for any service that both Medicare and CHAMPVA cover your Medicare coinsurance cost of 20% for a service Medicare covers, but CHAMPVA doesn't your CHAMPVA cost sharing of 25% for anything CHAMPVA covers, but Medicare doesn't The same rules apply to Medicare Part D. CHAMPVA will pick up your copayments on all covered prescriptions. It will also pay 75% of the cost of prescriptions that your Medicare Part D plan doesn't cover. Present both your Medicare Part D plan card and your CHAMPVA ID card at your in-network pharmacy for coverage. Getting your coverage questions answered If you're not sure who will pay for a service, you can check ahead of time by: calling Medicare's Benefits Coordination & Recovery Center at 855-798-2627 (TTY: 855-797-2627) calling CHAMPVA customer care at 800-733-8387, Monday through Friday from 8:05 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time What about Medicare Advantage? You can use your CHAMPVA coverage with a Medicare Advantage plan. Since Medicare Advantage plans replace Original Medicare, having an Advantage plan still meets the requirement to be enrolled in Medicare to keep CHAMPVA once you're age 65. Your Medicare Advantage plan will be the primary payer, just like when you have Original Medicare. CHAMPVA will pay your copayments and other out-of-pocket costs. Your bill will go to your Medicare Advantage plan first and then to CHAMPVA. In most cases, you won't have any out-of-pocket costs. Many Medicare Advantage plans also include Part D coverage. When you use a Medicare Advantage plan that includes Part D along with CHAMPVA, your CHAMPVA benefits will pick up the cost of your prescription copayments. Medicare Advantage plans often have networks. The network includes all the providers that your Medicare Advantage plan will cover healthcare services. In many cases, you'll need to pay out of pocket for any services you receive from an out-of-network provider. However, when you use CHAMPVA along with your Medicare Advantage plan, you can often get 75% of the cost of out-of-network services covered. How do I choose the right coverage options for me? You need to enroll in Original Medicare (parts A and B) to keep your CHAMPVA coverage. You can also choose to enroll in additional Medicare parts, such as: Medicare Advantage Medigap Medicare Part D The best option for you will depend on your personal needs and budget. Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Medicare Part D plans have their own premiums, deductibles, and other costs. CHAMPVA can cover some of these costs, but not your premiums. You might not even need additional Medicare parts if you're using CHAMPVA. For example, Medigap plans are designed to cover the out-of-pocket costs of Medicare parts A and B. However, since CHAMPVA already does this when you use it alongside Medicare, you might not need a Medigap plan. Here are some other common scenarios to consider: Original Medicare + CHAMPVA Let's say you have CHAMPVA and Medicare parts A and B, and you choose not to enroll in any other Medicare plans. You'd pay the Medicare Part B premium, and Medicare would be your primary payer for all covered services. You could get prescriptions for 25% of the allowable amount at a pharmacy or completely covered if you use the Meds by Mail program using only CHAMPVA. Original Medicare + Part D + CHAMPVA You have CHAMPVA, Medicare parts A and B, and a Part D plan. You'd pay the Medicare Part B premium and the premium for your Part D plan. Medicare would be the primary payer for services and prescriptions. CHAMPVA would pick up your copayments and coinsurance amounts. Medicare Advantage + CHAMPVA You have CHAMPVA and a Medicare Advantage plan that includes Part D coverage. You'd pay the Medicare Part B premium plus the premium for your Medicare Advantage plan. Medicare would be the primary payer for your services and prescriptions. CHAMPVA would pay your copayments and coinsurance. Ways to save on Medicare coverage It's worth noting that you may be able to find Medicare Advantage or Medigap plans in your area with $0 premiums. You can shop for plans in your area on the Medicare website and compare prices, networks, and covered services before you commit to a plan. You can also look for savings on your Medicare coverage. You might qualify for programs to help lower your costs if you have a limited income. These programs include: Extra Help, which lowers your prescription drug costs Medicare savings programs, which can lower your costs for parts A and B Ultimately, the right plan for you depends on your needs and your budget. You'll want to select a plan that includes: the doctors you want to see any prescriptions you take any services you need You can also search for premiums in your price range, and those with out-of-pocket costs you can manage. How do I know if I'm eligible for CHAMPVA? You're eligible for CHAMPVA if you're the dependent child or the current or widowed spouse of a veteran who meets one of these conditions: is permanently and totally disabled from a service-related injury or disability was permanently and totally disabled from a service-related injury or disability at the time of their death died from service-related injury or disability died during active duty is not eligible for TRICARE There is no premium cost for CHAMPVA coverage. You can apply for CHAMPVA at any time. You'll need to send in an application along with documents that prove your eligibility. Depending on your circumstances, these might include: service records marriage records birth certificates You'll also need to send in information about any other insurance plan you currently have. Your application will generally be processed in 3 to 6 weeks. If your application is approved, you will receive a CHAMPVA card in the mail. As soon as your card arrives, you can start using CHAMPVA coverage. The takeaway When you use CHAMPVA with Medicare, CHAMPVA acts as the secondary payer. CHAMPVA doesn't cover Medicare premiums but will cover most of your other out-of-pocket healthcare expenses. CHAMPVA pays 75% of the cost of most services. The information on this website may assist you in making personal decisions about insurance, but it is not intended to provide advice regarding the purchase or use of any insurance or insurance products. Healthline Media does not transact the business of insurance in any manner and is not licensed as an insurance company or producer in any U.S. jurisdiction. Healthline Media does not recommend or endorse any third parties that may transact the business of insurance.
New York Times
42 minutes ago
- New York Times
Buildup to a Meltdown: How the Trump-Musk Alliance Collapsed
President Trump was peeved. Just minutes before he walked into the Oval Office for a televised send-off for Elon Musk, an aide had handed him a file. The papers in that file showed that Mr. Trump's nominee to run NASA — a close associate of Mr. Musk's — had donated to prominent Democrats in recent years, including some who Mr. Trump was learning about for the first time. The president set his outrage aside and mustered through the public farewell, with both men praising each other and saying their relationship would continue. But as soon as the cameras left the Oval Office, the president confronted Mr. Musk. Mr. Trump started to read some of the donations out loud, shaking his head and pointing out several of the most recent ones in the file. This was not good, the president said — an early signal of the simmering tensions between the two men that would explode into the open less than a week later. Mr. Musk, who was sporting a black eye, which he blamed on a tussle with his young son, tried to explain. He said his friend Jared Isaacman, a billionaire entrepreneur who was set to become the next NASA administrator, cared about getting things done. Yes, he had donated to Democrats, but so had a lot of people. Maybe it's a good thing, Mr. Musk told the president — it shows that you're willing to hire people of all stripes. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
