Colorado Checkup: April 26, 2023

Depressed? Anxious? Air Pollution May Be a Factor
By Jim Robbins Illustration by Oona Zenda A growing body of research is finding links between air quality and mental health, as therapists report seeing patients with symptoms linked to pollution.

Pain, Hope, and Science Collide as Athletes Turn to Magic Mushrooms
By Markian Hawryluk and Kevin Van Valkenburg, ESPN A group of former professional athletes traveled to Jamaica to try psychedelics as a way to help cope with the aftereffects of concussions and a career of body-pounding injuries. Will this still largely untested treatment work?

States Step In as Telehealth and Clinic Patients Get Blindsided by Hospital Fees
By Markian Hawryluk At least eight states have implemented or are considering limits on what patients can be billed for the use of a hospital’s facilities even without having stepped foot in the building.

‘Hard to Get Sober Young’: Inside One of the Country’s Few Recovery High Schools
By Stephanie Daniel, KUNC A few dozen high schools across the U.S. combine education with recovery treatment for substance use disorders to keep kids sober and in school.

An Arm and a Leg: A $229,000 Medical Bill Goes to Court
By Dan Weissmann Lisa French was told her surgery would cost $1,337. But the hospital sent her a bill for $229,000, then sued her. The case went all the way to the Colorado Supreme Court. The court’s ruling could have major implications for determining a “reasonable price” in health care.