Stephanie O'Neill

ReporterSteph13@gmail.com

‘Better Than the Hospital’: Pandemic Boosts Care for Serious Illnesses at Home

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

Covid-19 and dozens of other illnesses now qualify for home treatment under a new federal effort aimed at freeing up hospital beds during public health emergencies.

Swab, Spit, Stay Home? College Coronavirus Testing Plans Are All Over the Map

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

2020 will be a year like no other on college campuses, as every institution makes its own rules. Some have no plans to routinely test students for the coronavirus; others aim to test every student and staff member twice a week.

Coronavirus Has Upended Our World. It’s OK To Grieve.

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

To weather uncertain times, it’s important to acknowledge and grieve losses — even if they seem small in the scheme of the global pandemic, psychologists and grief experts say.

Day-Tripping To The Dispensary: Seniors In Pain Hop Aboard The Canna-Bus

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

Marijuana dispensaries are reaching out to seniors seeking help with the aches and pains of aging. They’re discovering an array of products, and some interesting side effects.

Father’s And Son’s Injuries Lead To The Mother Of All Therapy Bills

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

A father and son suffered serious hand injuries nine days apart. They both needed surgery and lots of follow-up occupational therapy to rehab their hands. But insurance paid for just a fraction of those OT bills, and the family owed more than $8,500.

Vaccine Shortage Complicates Efforts To Quell Hepatitis A Outbreaks

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

The two FDA-approved manufacturers of the vaccine, hit by an unexpected spike in demand, have had difficulty keeping pace. In San Diego County, home to the deadliest outbreak in the nation, officials are postponing a campaign to give at-risk residents the second of two doses.

California Cracks Down On Weed Killer As Lawsuits Abound

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

California has listed the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup as a cancer-causing agent and will require warning labels on it starting next year. The company says that the listing is unjustified and that science is on its side.

California Scrambles To Contain ‘Unprecedented’ Hepatitis A Outbreaks

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

Hundreds of people, most of them homeless, have been infected. In San Diego County, where 17 people have died, critics fault authorities for being slow to act.

Health Care Battle On Hill Has Veterans Defending Obamacare Benefits

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

It’s too early to know just how many veterans might lose coverage as a result of the Medicaid reductions wrapped into the Republicans’ repeal effort. But many already feel boxed in.

A ‘Safe’ Space To Shoot Up: Worth A Try?

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

A bill pending in the state legislature could make the Golden State the first in the U.S. to open establishments where intravenous drug users can shoot up under medical supervision. Proponents say that would save lives.

California’s Aid-In-Dying Law Turns 1, But Not All Doctors Have Adopted It

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

At least 500 terminally ill Californians have asked for the medicine that allows them to end their lives, and nearly 500 health organizations have signed on to help.

California busca establecer un límite estricto en químicos tóxicos en agua potable

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

Se trata de una sustancia química tóxica producida por el hombre que ha contaminado los suministros de agua en todo el estado, particularmente en el corazón de la vasta zona agrícola.

California Proposes Stringent Cap On Toxic Chemical In Drinking Water

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

Water board officials want to limit TCP, a former pesticide ingredient and human carcinogen that has contaminated water supplies. Groundwater in other states is contaminated as well.

Medicaid Caps Pitched By GOP Could Shrink Seniors’ Benefits

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

Advocates for the elderly worry that GOP plans to end Medicaid’s open-ended spending and replace it with per-capita limits could pose a risk for low-income older people who rely on the federal-state program for nursing and other long-term care.

What Made Obamacare Succeed In Some States? Hint: It’s Not Politics

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

A study of five states looks at the market conditions that make or break the health insurance marketplaces set up by the Affordable Care Act.

Please, Baby, Please: Some Couples Try Crowdfunding For IVF

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News Original

Infertility treatment rarely is covered by health insurance. And more couples who need it to conceive are turning to crowdfunding sites.