Oregon Archives

A black and white cat gingerly approaches a bowl of milk or cream.

House Cats With Bird Flu Could Pose a Risk to Public Health

The current strain of bird flu is spreading from wildlife and livestock to house cats. To keep pets healthy, many virologists and veterinarians say, house cats shouldn’t eat raw food and should be kept indoors. Despite no known cases of H5N1 transmission between cats and people, some public health agencies and virologists are warning cat owners to be mindful of the theoretical risks to the health of humans in their households if a pet gets sick.

By Sarah Boden

Feb. 10, 2025

A photo of medical staff in a hospital rushing a patient in a bed down a hallway.

As States Diverge on Immigration, Hospitals Say They Won’t Turn Patients Away

California and Massachusetts are teaching immigrants their rights while Florida and Texas are collecting patients’ immigration status. As states offer differing guidelines for interacting with immigrant patients, hospitals around the U.S. say they won’t turn people away for care because of their immigration status.

By Vanessa G. Sánchez and Daniel Chang

Jan. 23, 2025

A landscape photograph of a dirt road in a rural setting. The road extends into the distance.

For Many Rural Women, Finding Maternity Care Outweighs Concerns About Abortion Access

A legislative effort to expand access to prenatal care in rural Oregon with mobile clinics was scuttled because those clinics would have provided abortions in rural areas. Opposition to the proposal shows that, even in states that ensure access to abortions, that care isn’t universally available or accepted.

By Lillian Mongeau Hughes

Jan. 2, 2025

A photo of a Latina woman standing outside with a clipboard.

Trump Threat to Immigrant Health Care Tempered by Economic Hopes

Donald Trump’s second term is reigniting mistrust in health services among California immigrants, making it harder for community health workers to get people enrolled in Medi-Cal. Yet the president-elect is also seen as someone who could improve their lives with a better economy, even if that means forgoing health care.

By Vanessa G. Sánchez

Dec. 17, 2024

Two people are photographed in front of bookshelves. A seated man with a bushy gray beard looks off-camera to his right while a woman stands, leaning against the chair, and looks at the camera.

Payback: Tracking Opioid Cash

How Are States Spending Opioid Settlement Cash? We Built a Database of Answers

From addiction treatment to toy robot ambulances, we uncovered how billions in opioid settlement funds were used by state and local governments in 2022 and 2023. Find out where the money went.

By Aneri Pattani

Dec. 16, 2024

A close up photo of a doctor's hands putting on blue sterilized surgical gloves in a medical setting.

Perspective

Removing a Splinter? Treating a Wart? If a Doctor Does It, It Can Be Billed as Surgery

Minor interventions are increasingly being rebranded and billed as surgery, for profit. This means a neurologist spending 40 minutes with a patient to tease out a diagnosis can be paid less for that time than a dermatologist spending a few seconds squirting a dollop of liquid nitrogen onto the skin.

By Elisabeth Rosenthal

Dec. 13, 2024

A photo of a gavel and stethoscope on a table.

Federal Judge Halts Dreamers’ Brand-New Access to ACA Enrollment in 19 States

A federal judge sided with 19 states seeking an injunction against a Biden administration rule allowing recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals to enroll in Affordable Care Act coverage and qualify for subsidies amid the annual open enrollment period.

By Julie Appleby

Dec. 10, 2024

A photo of Donald Trump standing in front of a screen.

Diagnosis: Debt

With Trump on the Way, Advocates Look to States To Pick Up Medical Debt Fight

Patient and consumer advocates fear a new Trump administration will scale back federal efforts to expand financial protections for patients and shield them from debt.

By Noam N. Levey

Dec. 3, 2024

A female primary care doctor examines a male patient using a stethoscope.

California Sets 15% Target for Primary Care Spending Over Next Decade

The state Office of Health Care Affordability has set a goal for insurers to direct 15% of their spending to primary care by 2034, part of a push to expand preventive care services. Health plans say it’s unclear how the policy will mesh with the state’s overarching goal to slow spending growth.

By Vanessa G. Sánchez

Nov. 21, 2024

A digital illustration of the United States where 12 states are highlighted and a magnifying glass focuses on Missouri where text from an opioid settlement fund report is shown within the state borders.

Payback: Tracking Opioid Cash

12 States Promised To Open the Books on Their Opioid Settlement Funds. We Checked Up on Them.

Victims of the opioid crisis, health advocates, and public policy experts have repeatedly called on state and local governments to transparently report how they’re using the funds they are receiving from settlements with opioid makers and distributors.

By Aneri Pattani

Nov. 7, 2024

A photo of Trump speaking at a podium, holding up a printed chart about illegal immigration.

Trump Wants Harris To Pay a Political Price for Generous Immigrant Health Policies

Several Democratic-led states have expanded public insurance programs to cover immigrants in the U.S. regardless of legal status. Donald Trump is trying to blame Kamala Harris for the policies.

By Joanne Kenen

Nov. 1, 2024

A photo of a gavel and stethoscope resting on a gavel block.

‘Dreamers’ Can Enroll in ACA Plans This Year — But a Court Challenge Could Get in the Way

Nineteen states are seeking to stall a Biden administration rule that would allow recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to enroll in ACA coverage and qualify for subsidies. DACA provides work authorization and temporary deportation protection to people brought to the U.S. as children without immigration paperwork.

By Julie Appleby

Oct. 29, 2024

A photo of a roofer working on a roof on a sunny day. His hat is covering his face.

How a Proposed Federal Heat Rule Might Have Saved These Workers’ Lives

Laborers have suffered in extreme heat triggered by climate change. Deaths aren’t inevitable, researchers say: Employers can save lives by providing ample water and breaks.

By Amy Maxmen

Oct. 28, 2024

A photo of Donald Trump shaking hands with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at a campaign rally.

Trump Leads, and His Party Follows, on Vaccine Skepticism

Former President Donald Trump has presided over a landslide shift in Republican views on vaccines, reflected in false claims by candidates in election primaries, puzzling conspiracies from prominent conservatives, and a surge in anti-vaccine policies in statehouses.

By Darius Tahir

Oct. 4, 2024

A photo of Derek Tran facing to the side.

Democratic Hopefuls Fault GOP Incumbents for Anti-Abortion Records in Congress

Democratic congressional hopefuls in California are highlighting the anti-abortion records of vulnerable Republican incumbents, many of whom have moderated their stances ahead of the election. With control of the U.S. House at stake, Democrats hope to convince voters that their candidates will do more to protect women’s health.

By Molly Castle Work

Sept. 27, 2024

A photo of a laptop experiencing a cyber attack.

Cyberattacks Plague the Health Industry. Critics Call Feds’ Response Feeble and Fractured.

Health care weathered more ransomware attacks last year than any other sector, and that was before a debilitating February hack of payments manager Change Healthcare. Executives, lawyers, and policymakers are worried the federal government’s response is underpowered, underfunded, and too focused on hospital security.

By Darius Tahir

Sept. 19, 2024

A woman in a pink tshirt and a paisley pink and blue cardigan stands in the doorway of a kitchen beside a yellow wall

At Catholic Hospitals, a Mission of Charity Runs Up Against High Care Costs for Patients

Many Catholic health systems, which are tax-exempt, pay their executives millions and can charge some of the highest prices around — while critics say they scrimp on commitments to their communities.

By Rachana Pradhan

Sept. 12, 2024

A man, Xavier Becerra, stands behind a podium behind a sign that reads "Protecting Communities from Extreme Heat"

Health Secretary Becerra Touts Extreme Heat Protections. Farmworkers Want More.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has a plan to protect farmworkers from extreme heat and wildfire smoke, but farmworkers who pick California grapes say they need more, as climate change brings more extreme weather.

By Vanessa G. Sánchez

Sept. 9, 2024

Traveling To Die: The Latest Form of Medical Tourism

Medical aid in death is legal in 10 states and the District of Columbia. But only Oregon and Vermont explicitly allow out-of-state people who are terminally ill to die with assistance there. So far, at least 49 people have made the trek while state legislation stalls elsewhere.

By Debby Waldman

Aug. 20, 2024

A close-up photo of a person writing on a clipboard.

Amid Medicaid ‘Unwinding,’ Many States Wind Up Expanding

The end of pandemic-era Medicaid coverage protections coincided with changes in more than a dozen states to expand coverage for lower-income people, including children, pregnant women, and the incarcerated.

By Phil Galewitz

Aug. 16, 2024

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