Political Gridlock Blocks Missouri Database For Fighting Drug Abuse
Every state except Missouri has a database that doctors can check to see if a person filling a prescription for an opioid is trying to get it from other pharmacies, too.
The Wait For Opioid Treatment Can Mean Life Or Death In New Hampshire
New Hampshire has one of the highest opioid overdose rates and one of the lowest rates of access to treatment.
A Crisis With Little Data: States Begin To Count Drug-Dependent Babies
Getting good information is critical to figure out where resources need to go to treat babies dependent on drugs. Pennsylvania relies on old statistics and incomplete data, but that may be changing.
Pregnant And Addicted: The Tough Road To A Healthy Family
Guilt still haunts a new mother who was addicted to opioids when she got pregnant. Once she was ready to ask for help, treatment programs that could handle her complicated pregnancy were hard to find.
A Nurse’s Lesson: Babies In Opioid Withdrawal Still Need Mom
One hospital in Connecticut gives babies and moms fighting addiction a quiet room where they can be together as the drugs leave their systems.
Contratistas Agrícolas Se Resisten A Requisitos Del Obamacare
La ley federal de salud está poniendo a los agricultores en una situación difícil. Muchos contratistas que suministran trabajadores tienen que ofrecer cobertura de salud. El seguro es costoso, y los contratistas se preocupan sobre las consecuencias para la inmigración.
Pharmaceutical Company Has Hiked Price On Aid-In-Dying Drug
Valeant Pharmaceuticals, the company that makes Seconal, the drug most commonly used in prescribed for terminally ill patients who want to end their lives, physician-assisted suicide, has doubled the price to more than $3,000.
Tiny Opioid Patients Need Help Easing Into Life
More babies are being born dependent on opioids. The good news is they can safely be weaned from the drug. But there’s little research on which medical treatment is best, or its long-term effects.
Montana Medicaid Expansion Earns Good Grades In First Report Card
Since its rollout on Jan. 1, Montana Medicaid expansion has enrolled more than 38,000 people and returned $3 million to the state’s general fund.
With Special Tax Suspended, Medical Device Firms Reap Big Savings
The medical device industry is enjoying a two-year moratorium on a tax that was created to support the Affordable Care Act. Are firms using their savings to create more jobs, as many claim?
Selling The Health Benefits Of Tap Water, In An Age Of Flint
Public health officials in Colorado are battling a stigma against drinking tap water, especially in some Latino communities.
Farm Contractors Balk At Obamacare Requirements
The federal health law is putting farmers in a tough spot. Many contractors supplying workers have to offer health coverage. Insurance is costly, and contractors worry about immigration fallout.
Bosses Find Part-Time Workers Can Come With Full-Time Headaches
Health law requirements that small employers offer insurance to full-time workers prompted some fast-food restaurants to convert more employees to part time. Now owners are rethinking that approach.
‘Critical Illness’ Insurance Grows As Out-Of-Pocket Health Costs Jump
A relatively obscure category of health insurance — “critical illness” insurance — is catching on because, increasingly, conventional health plans have consumers paying a lot of out-of-pocket costs. Mark Zdechlik of Minnesota Public Radio explains the pros and cons of critical care insurance in this story that aired on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Obamacare Sign-Ups Strong In N.C., Despite High Rate Hikes
Health law insurance costs went up across the board in North Carolina, yet sign-ups remain strong heading into the final days of open enrollment.
A Lifesaving Flight, With A Price Tag Of $56,000
Big, sparsely populated states such as Montana are dependent on air ambulances to get people to specialized medical care. But those lifesaving flights can be hugely expensive and not covered by insurance.
Making The Most Of Military Medics’ Field Experience
A new physician assistant training program at UNC-Chapel Hill recruits veterans and gives them credit for their years spent aiding injured troops.
Medicaid To Fund More Addiction Treatment
Some Medicaid plans will now get federal funding for 15 days of inpatient treatment. But Pennsylvania fears the new rule will close a loophole the state has been using to pay for longer stints.
Turning To Medicaid To Insure Lowest-Paid Employees
A startup company called BeneStream helps businesses get their low-wage workers on Medicaid to meet the health law’s mandate for employers.
Cleveland Pressures Hospitals To Keep ERs Open To All Ambulances
When you call an ambulance, you expect to go to the nearest hospital. But patients are often diverted to more distant emergency rooms. Cleveland wants hospitals to stop the practice.
