On Disabilities

If you are the firstborn, you probably got a lot more Mom time. Does that mean you're also going to need glasses?

Firstborns May Be More Nearsighted, And Parents May Be Why

11:34am October 09, 2015

by Nancy Shute

Firstborns in Britain are more likely to be nearsighted, a finding that matches other studies. Maybe it's because parents are more likely to push studying than they do with subsequent kids.

Despite Sweeping Aid-In-Dying Law, Few Will Have That Option

10:00am October 09, 2015

by Robin Marantz Henig

People with uncertain prognoses or dementia can't end their lives under California's new medical aid in dying law. Proponents say those limits reflect the uncertainties of death, and of politics.

Debbie Ziegler holds a photo of her late daughter, Brittany Maynard, after the California State Assembly approved a right-to-die measure on Sept. 9. Maynard died on Nov. 1, 2014.

California Governor Signs Landmark Right-To-Die Law

5:18pm October 06, 2015

by April Dembosky

After months of impassioned debate over the ethics of physician-assisted suicide, California will become the fifth state to allow people who are terminally ill to hasten death with lethal drugs.

Research On Fetal Tissue Draws Renewed Political, Scientific Scrutiny

11:26am September 30, 2015

by Rob Stein

Critics say research on fetal tissue is no longer needed to answer crucial medical questions. But National Institutes of Health officials and other scientists say alternatives don't yet measure up.

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Text messages helped remind diabetes patients to check their blood sugar and report in.

Texting Helps Low-Income Diabetes Patients Manage Insulin Dosing

10:10am August 27, 2015

by Rina Shaikh-Lesko

Many low-income patients can't make multiple visits to the doctor, which is a problem if you're a diabetic trying to get insulin dosing just right. A text-based system made remote reports possible.

Jo Ann Farwell, a retired social worker, has a brain tumor; she wanted to make sure her sons were clear about her end-of-life wishes. So, after talking with her doctor, she filled out a form that Oregon provides to ease those family conversations.

Medicare Says Doctors Should Get Paid To Discuss End-Of-Life Issues

2:05pm August 19, 2015

After a six-year delay, Medicare proposes to reimburse doctors who hold end-of-life discussions with Medicare patients. The federal program is now soliciting public comments on the idea.

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"My agenda is very transparent and very simple: I want to save my kid, and will not let this disease take him without a fight." — Nancy Frates

How Did A Simple Challenge Become A Worldwide Phenomenon?

9:48am August 14, 2015

by NPR/TED Staff

The 2014 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge was one of the fastest fundraising efforts in history. Nancy Frates recounts how her love for her son Pete plunged her into leading a worldwide awareness campaign.

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Whistleblower Says Medicare Advantage Plans Padded Charges In Home Visits

1:15pm August 12, 2015

by Fred Schulte

Medicare Advantage health plans are privately run, but reimbursed by Medicare. A Texas lawsuit claims that, to inflate charges, 30 Advantage plans in 15 states exaggerated how sick patients were.

Grace Jerry performs her original single "E Go Happen" at a gathering of young African leaders at Montpelier, James Madison's home. The lyrics say: "Yes we can, sure we can change the world."

Wheelchair Beauty Queen Sings For Toilets

2:02pm August 04, 2015

by Nadia Whitehead

Miss Wheelchair Nigeria advocates for people with disabilities. This week, she introduced President Obama as he spoke to young African leaders. But she still faces discrimination in public bathrooms.

Using a digital device that displays Braille characters, Haben Girma talks with President Obama at a White House ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

She Owes Her Activism To A Brave Mom, The ADA And Chocolate Cake

11:20am August 01, 2015

by Joseph Shapiro

Born deaf and blind to a refugee mother, Haben Girma has had opportunities in the U.S. she'd never have had in Eritrea. But it was an urge for dessert that led her to advocate for the disabled.