Health & Safety

For Tea Party Activists In Florida, The Health Care Battle Goes On

6:50pm December 04, 2012

by Greg Allen

Even in a state where top Republicans led the legal battle against Obamacare, there's recognition now that Florida has to act fast to comply with the new law. But many Tea Party members are still calling on state lawmakers to reject the health care law.

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MIT health economist Jonathan Gruber, who explained the ins and outs of health overhaul in a comic book, says that excluding the value of health insurance from federal taxes is a terrible idea, at least from an economist's point of view.

The Perilous Politics Of The Health Insurance Tax Break

6:50pm December 04, 2012

by Julie Rovner

Economists say that excluding the value of employer-sponsored health insurance from federal taxes makes no sense. But many worry that changing the tax code could mean higher taxes or that employers would push down the value of the health insurance they provide.

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Rabbi A. Romi Cohn, a noted mohel, prepares an infant for circumcision at Congregation Shaare Zion in Brooklyn on Sept. 4. Cohn opposes a New York City rule requiring parental consent for a type of circumcision ritual practiced by some Orthodox Jews.

New York, Orthodox Jews Clash Over Circumcision

8:25pm December 03, 2012

by Joel Rose

Several Jewish leaders are suing New York City to block a new rule regulating a circumcision ritual known as metzitzah b'peh. City health officials say the ritual, practiced by some Orthodox Jews, can spread the herpes virus to infants. But critics say the law infringes on their freedom of religion.

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The Rev. Eric Williams and his colleague Jannette Berkley-Patton visited StoryCorps in Kansas City, Mo., where they discussed a funeral that shaped Williams' future.

A Life's Ministry Springs From A Dilemma Over AIDS

7:05am November 30, 2012

by NPR Staff

For more than 20 years, the Rev. Eric Williams has devoted himself to educating people about AIDS and helping those who suffer from the disease. As he recalls, one funeral — and a "favor" — led him to the undertaking. World AIDS Day is Saturday.

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Traces Of Katrina: New Orleans Suicide Rate Still Up

12:00am August 30, 2010

Five years after Hurricane Katrina, trauma and stress still play a part in the emotional lives of New Orleans residents. The evidence: In 2008 and 2009, the suicide rate in Orleans Parish was twice as high as it was the two years before the levees broke.

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Traces Of Katrina: New Orleans Suicide Rate Still Up

12:00am August 30, 2010

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Child Hunger: Nutritious Food Tough To Afford

1:00pm July 21, 2010

The Obama administration has pledged to end childhood hunger in the U.S. by 2015. Millions of kids cannot get enough to eat at home, and that number is going up, not down. NPR's Pam Fessler and Share our Strength founder Bill Shore talk about childhood hunger and the tug of war between nutrition and frugality.

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Eating Nutritiously A Struggle When Money Is Scarce

12:00am July 20, 2010

The Williamsons of Carlisle, Pa., live well below the poverty line. And in the family's struggle to obtain enough food, nutrition sometimes takes a back seat to necessity. Hunger in America is complicated. It's not just getting enough food, but getting the right food -- and making the right choices.

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Connie Williamson of Carlisle, Pa., struggles to get enough food to feed her family each month.

A Daily Fight To Find Food: One Family's Story

11:37am July 19, 2010

President Obama has pledged to end childhood hunger by 2015. But the number of hungry children in America has been rising: In 2008, almost 17 million children lived in households where getting enough food was a challenge. The Williamson family of five in Carlisle, Pa., who make $18,000 a year, highlight this struggle.

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Vegetable Gardening On A Budget

1:00pm May 28, 2010

Wondering what to do with that old PC case? You could turn it into a planter, and grow strawberries in winter. "Cheap vegetable gardener" Shawn Verrall describes how he gardens in his limited backyard space, in a less-than-ideal climate, without spending a lot of money.

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