The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.
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Oregon is giving Medicaid patients air conditioners and other equipment to help them cope with soaring heat, smoky skies, and other dangers of climate change. Oregon health officials hope to show other states and the federal government that they can save lives and money.
Florida has served as a haven for Southern pregnant women with little or no access to abortions. But the Florida Supreme Court upheld a six-week abortion restriction that begins in May â so now women across much of the South seeking abortions will have to look farther afield.
The state is looking at ways to weed out false reporting of child abuse and neglect as the number of reports reaches a record high.
Medical providers say they're still coping with the Change Healthcare cyberattack disclosed in February even though parent company UnitedHealth Group reported that much is back to normal and its revenue is up over last year.
The national opioid settlements donât prohibit using money for initiatives already supported by other means, but doing so could dilute the impact.
More doctors are integrating oral health care into their practices, filling a need in Americaâs dental deserts.
TMJ disorders affect as many as 1 in 10 Americans and yet remain poorly understood and ineffectively treated. Many common treatments used by dentists lack scientific evidence.
Colorado is ahead of the curve on policies to prevent medical debt, but the gap between the debt load in places inhabited primarily by people of color versus non-Hispanic white residents is greater than the national average.
Disputes between hospitals and Medicare Advantage plans are leading to entire hospital systems suddenly leaving insurance networks. Patients are left stuck in the middle, choosing between their doctors and their insurance plan. Thereâs a way out.
Four years since the covid pandemic emerged, health care workers want rules that protect them during outbreaks. They worry the CDC is repeating past mistakes as it develops a crucial set of guidelines for hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, and other facilities that provide health care.
Demand for help monitoring patientsâ vital signs remotely has taken off since a Medicare change in 2019. Dozens of companies now push the service to help overburdened primary care doctors â and as a revenue stream. But some policy experts say its growth has outpaced oversight and evidence of effectiveness.
After California passed the first law in the nation to limit the disavowed term âexcited delirium,â bills in other states are being introduced to help end use of the diagnosis. But momentum is being met with resistance from law enforcement and first responder groups, who cite free speech.
A new California law allows trained physician assistants, also called physician associates, to perform first-trimester abortions without the presence of a supervising doctor. The legislation is part of a broader effort by the state to expand access to abortion care, especially in rural areas. Some doctor groups are wary.
For low-income people who are on Medicaid or whose employer health plan is skimpy, help for infertility seems unattainable.
The stateâs surgeon general grants parents permission to send unvaccinated children to school during a measles outbreak, risking their health and that of others.
Lawsuits allege that several children under 18 in South Carolina have undergone examinations of their private parts during child abuse investigations â even when there were no allegations of sexual abuse. Thereâs a growing consensus in medicine that genital exams can be embarrassing, uncomfortable, and even traumatic.
A restructuring of the Medicare drug benefit has wiped out big drug bills for people who need expensive medicines. But the legal battle over drug negotiations means uncertainty over long-term savings.
New York City is the latest jurisdiction to buy and forgive a backlog of unpaid medical bills for its residents. Local governments across the country, including in the Chicago area, are doing the same to reduce debt burdens for lower-income residents.
Californiaâs governor vetoed a bill extending insurance coverage for kids with hearing loss, but most states now require it.
Artificial intelligence software to aid radiologists in detecting problems or diagnosing cancer has been moving rapidly into clinical use, where it shows great promise. But itâs a turnoff for some patients asked to pay out-of-pocket for technology thatâs not quite ready for prime time.
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