Latest Morning Briefing Stories
How The Shutdown Might Affect Your Health
For some federal health programs, a shuttered government means business as usual. But the congressional impasse over funding will hit others hard.
Judge Orders New Olympus Trial Over Superbug Death
The Seattle jurist finds that Olympus Corp. failed to properly disclose evidence that it knew of concerns about cleaning problems with its redesigned medical scopes years before they hit the market and were linked to dozens of deaths. The company maintains the devices were not defective and intends to appeal.
It’s In The Mail: Aetna Agrees To $17M Payout In HIV Privacy Breach
In a low-tech snafu, information about HIV treatment was visible through the cellophane window on envelopes sent to about 12,000 consumers.
Podcast: What The Health? Our First Live Show: What The Health Will Happen In 2018?
In this episode of “What The Health?” — taped before a live audience — panelists discuss the potential federal government shutdown and what may be in store for health in 2018. They are joined by former Medicare and Medicaid head Tom Scully.
Home Care Agencies Often Wrongly Deny Medicare Help To The Chronically Ill
Agencies sometimes turn away Medicare beneficiaries with chronic health problems by incorrectly claiming Medicare won’t pay for their services, say patient advocates.
When Food Stamps Pass As Tickets To Better Health
A federally funded program is partnering with a Latino grocery chain to reward people who use their food stamps to put more fresh produce on their tables.
If Poor Neighborhood = Poor Health, Relocation Is One Solution
Research shows that living in more affluent, less segregated neighborhoods can improve health problems like asthma and high blood pressure. Communities around the country are experimenting with moving some families to boost their health.
Postcard From California: Alzheimer’s ‘Looks Like Me, It Looks Like You’
At a panel discussion this week in Sacramento, patients, caregivers and others shared their perspectives on how Alzheimer’s disease affects women, who account for two-thirds of those living with the condition.
Inside The Global Race To Deliver A Vital Radioactive Isotope Used To Detect Cancer
Moly-99, as it’s called, is created in just six government-owned nuclear research reactors — none in North America — raising concerns about the reliability of the supply.
When You Need A Breast Screening, Should You Get A 3-D Mammogram?
The newer images are more expensive, but it’s not yet clear if they are more effective in catching cancers that will kill.
Trump’s Work-For-Medicaid Rule Puts Work On States’ Shoulders
States that opt to change their Medicaid program must figure out how to delineate who is covered by the new mandate, how to enforce the rules and how to handle the people seeking exemptions.
Hospital Honchos Hone New Message In Wake Of Opioid Epidemic: Expect Pain
“We really do have a lot of responsibility and culpability,” says one hospital official who is part of a working group trying to address the opioid epidemic. Patients have to expect more pain after surgery and understand the risk of addiction, says another doctor.
Trump Administration Clears Way To Force Some Medicaid Enrollees To Work
Allowing states to mandate that non-disabled Medicaid enrollees work as a condition for coverage would mark one of the biggest changes to the program since it began more than 50 years ago. A decision on the first of the state requests could come within days.
For Elder Health, Trips To The ER Are Often A Tipping Point
Experts provide tips for older patients and their caregivers to cope with the physical and mental declines associated with emergency room visits.
A Poor Neighborhood In Chicago Looks To Cuba To Fight Infant Mortality
Infant mortality in some of the poorest ZIP codes in the United States rivals that of countries like war-torn Syria. Cuba, meanwhile, does a good job of keeping babies healthy on a tight budget. A team of Cuban health professionals recently spent time in Chicago helping peers there tackle the daunting problem.
Listen: How A ‘Hippie Clinic’ In San Francisco Inspired A Medical Philosophy
The Haight Ashbury Free Clinic still serves people living on the fringes in San Francisco. This radio story recounts its 51-year history.
Giving Medicaid Enrollees Something To Smile About
More than 7 million California adults enrolled in Medi-Cal regained coverage for critical dental care, including crowns and partial dentures, this month.
HHS Nominee Vows To Tackle High Drug Costs, Despite His Ties To Industry
Alex M. Azar II, the former president of the U.S. division of Eli Lilly, says the U.S. drug system encourages price increases — but he intends to work on that problem.
VA Clears The Air On Talking To Patients About Marijuana Use
Officials want clinicians to discuss how use of medical marijuana could interact with other parts of their care.
Her Sister’s Keeper: Caring For A Sibling With Mental Illness
Few bonds are as tight as those between sisters. But when one has paranoid schizophrenia, the relationship grows complicated.
