Health & Safety

Political Debates Over Health Care Go Back Decades

8:14am July 09, 2017

by Ron Elving

The debate over government's role in health care has been all-consuming recently. But it's not for the first time. Democrats and Republicans have been at odds on this issue for decades.

Ornella Mouketou worries that a rollback of Medicaid could end her access to mental health services.

For Many, Medicaid Provides The Only Route To Mental Health Care

5:00am July 09, 2017

by Alison Kodjak

The Senate's proposed rollback of the Medicaid expansion could cut off mental health benefits to many people who have gotten care for the first time as a result of the Affordable Care Act.

The Bentiu displaced persons camp in South Sudan holds more than 100,000 people who fled fighting in the country's 4-year-old civil war.

Unhappy Anniversary, South Sudan

10:06am July 08, 2017

by Jason Beaubien

On Sunday, South Sudan marks six years as independent country. Between its civil war and humanitarian crisis, things are so bad that anniversary celebrations were canceled.

3 Doctors On What Works And Doesn't Work In U.S. Health Care

8:05am July 08, 2017

Doctors Julie Gunter, Rob Stone and Gary Sobelson talk with Scott Simon about the problems with American health care and what they think of the current Republican health care plan.

Gabriel Zepeda (right) makes an all-terrain wheelchair. He's been making wheelchairs for low-income Mexicans for 27 years.

Mexico And U.S. Team Up To Create Low-Cost Wheelchairs

7:17am July 08, 2017

by Monica Ortiz Uribe

A retired U.S. doc and a Mexican engineer co-founded a nonprofit group that is providing wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs at an affordable price.

A provision in the bill proposed by the GOP Senate would permit Medicaid to pay for longer stints of inpatient psychiatric care. But other parts of the bill would strip $772 billion from Medicaid — the single-largest funder of care for people who have s

Senate Health Bill Could Both Boost And Undercut Mental Health Funding

5:00am July 08, 2017

by Liz Szabo

The draft health care bill has a provision meant to increase the availability of inpatient psychiatric care. But overall cuts to Medicaid could actually lead to even fewer psychiatric beds nationwide.

Crime Labs Struggle To Identify Opioids In Race To Stop Epidemic

6:31pm July 07, 2017

NPR's Kelly McEvers talks to STAT News reporter Max Blau about his recent reporting on counterfeit opioids in forensic crime labs. The shifting nature of the opioids themselves makes it difficult to treat overdoses and prosecute dealers.

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Leo Blundo (left) and Joe Burdzinski are officials with the Nye County Republican Central Committee.

Nevada Voters, Divided Over Health Care, Put Moderate Republican In Tough Spot

6:30pm July 07, 2017

Amid protests during recess, Sen. Dean Heller stayed on the sidelines in his state's health care tug-of-war. Heller is one of the few moderate Republicans expected to have swaying power in the vote.

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Steve Daines of Montana (right) talks with fellow Republican Sens. Mitch McConnell and Pat Roberts in a White House meeting in June on the GOP health care strategy, which would include deep cuts to Medicaid. Montana insurers say the plan worries them.

Montana Insurers Say Medicaid Cuts Would Drive Up Cost Of Private Health Plans

6:30pm July 07, 2017

by Eric Whitney

Montana's three main health insurance firms say the Republican Senate's proposed cuts to Medicaid, and any plan to repeal the individual mandate, could drive up health costs for everyone.

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Beyonce, pictured at the Grammy awards in February, returned to Twitter after a year's absence to announce a new philanthropic venture.

Beyoncé Has A Plan To Help Burundi, But Key Details Are Fuzzy

6:04pm July 07, 2017

by Courtney Columbus

After a yearlong absence from Twitter, Beyoncé announced a partnership between her charitable foundation and UNICEF to bring clean, safe water to the children of Burundi.