health care

Charges for nitrous oxide during labor and delivery haven't been standardized.

Health & Safety

Bill Of The Month: $4,836 Charge For Laughing Gas During Childbirth Is No Joke

5:30pm May 28, 2019

by Lauren Weber

Nitrous oxide is making a comeback for pain relief during childbirth. But charges for the option vary from free at some hospitals to thousands of dollars at others.

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Planned Parenthood President Reacts To Potential End Of Abortion Services In Missouri

5:18pm May 28, 2019

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Leana Wen, president of Planned Parenthood about how Missouri could become the first state without a clinic providing abortions.

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Missouri Could Soon Be The Only U.S. State Without A Clinic That Provides Abortions

5:18pm May 28, 2019

by Sarah McCammon

Planned Parenthood says it might have to stop providing abortion services in Missouri. That would make Missouri the first state in the country without a clinic that performs abortions.

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Opioid Epidemic Trial Against Johnson & Johnson Begins In Oklahoma

4:22pm May 28, 2019

by Jackie Fortier

The first major trial against an opioid manufacturer began Tuesday in Oklahoma. The state is suing Johnson & Johnson for money to help treat addiction, arguing the epidemic became a public nuisance.

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How Johnson & Johnson Ended Up At The Center Of A Trial In The Opioid Crisis

4:22pm May 28, 2019

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Wall Street Journal reporter Sara Randazzo about how Johnson & Johnson ended up at the center of the first big trial in the opioid crisis, which opened Tuesday.

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The black mamba is a large venomous snake found in Africa. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 138,000 people die from a snakebite each year.

Snakebites And Kissing Bugs Among Surprise Items On World Health Agenda

3:01pm May 28, 2019

by Brian Simpson

Unpredictable moments involved the cost of drugs, the fight against snakebites and kissing bugs ... and reproductive rights.

Reporter Jenny Gold and her husband, Alex Gourse, with their newborn son at Prentice Women's Hospital in Chicago two days after his birth.

Health & Safety

I Went Through My Pregnancy With Strangers. It Was The Best Decision I Could've Made

7:32pm May 27, 2019

by Jenny Gold

Group prenatal visits are catching on — they can save money and reduce the risk of premature births. For one mother, it turned out to be the best decision she made during her pregnancy.

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Infants' Tylenol comes with a dosing syringe, while Children's Tylenol has a plastic cup. Both contain the same concentration of the active ingredient, acetaminophen.

Health & Safety

Tylenol For Infants And Children Is The Same. Why Does 1 Cost 3 Times More?

1:20pm May 27, 2019

by Selena Simmons-Duffin

Infants' Tylenol is the same strength as Children's Tylenol. Turns out, the price difference has to do with packaging and safety features.

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Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, pictured in January, signed a bill into law on Wednesday placing a $100 per month cap on insulin co-payments starting next year.

Colorado Caps Insulin Co-Pays At $100 For Insured Residents

6:03pm May 24, 2019

by Vanessa Romo

A new law, signed by the governor earlier this week, is aimed at helping diabetics afford the lifesaving medication.

Roger Severino, director of the Office for Civil Rights, announced Friday a new proposed rule rolling back anti-discrimination protections for transgender patients. Those protections had been written in 2016 but enjoined in court.

Trump Administration Proposes Rule To Reverse Protections For Transgender Patients

6:02pm May 24, 2019

A federal agency issued a proposed rule Friday that rolls back Obama-era protections for transgender patients. Advocates for transgender people say the rule leaves them vulnerable to discrimination.