health care

Wisconsin Primary Care Doctor Describes Challenges Of Prescribing Opioids

4:31pm July 06, 2017

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says opioid prescriptions are down, but still way too high. While doctors are prescribing lower doses, they are still doing so for longer than CDC guidelines say are safe. NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Dr. Alan Schwartzstein, who has worked as a family doctor for 28 years in rural Wisconsin, about the issues surrounding prescribing pain medication.

Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran Faces Pressure Over Health Care At Town Hall Event

4:31pm July 06, 2017

by Jim McLean

Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran is one of the few Republicans holding town hall events this week while Congress is in recess. He is facing pressure over the Senate health care bill.

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U.S. Hospitals Struggle To Protect Mothers When Childbirth Turns Deadly

6:24pm July 05, 2017

A joint NPR and ProPublica investigation finds the U.S. medical system can be unprepared when the complications of childbirth turn deadly.

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A GAO report questions the quality of a number of Medicare Advantage plans after large numbers of sicker enrollees dropped them.

As Seniors Get Sicker, They're More Likely To Drop Medicare Advantage Plans

5:10pm July 05, 2017

by Fred Schulte

Medicare Advantage plans say they offer good value and aim to keep patients healthy, but sicker people are far more likely than others to drop out because of lack of access to specific doctors.

Greta Elliott, who manages a health clinic in Canby, Calif., says she didn't buy health insurance for herself because she thinks it's too expensive.

In A Conservative Corner Of California, A Push To Preserve Obamacare

4:29pm July 05, 2017

by April Dembosky

A coalition of health clinics in northeast California is asking local officials to defend the Affordable Care Act. And some are, despite the area's conservative politics.

Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Jerome Adams is President Trump's nominee for U.S. Surgeon General.

Trump's Surgeon General Pick Built Reputation Fighting HIV And Opioids In Indiana

2:41pm July 05, 2017

by Emily Forman

Dr. Jerome Adams is credited with persuading then-Gov. Mike Pence to authorize syringe exchanges in the state. If confirmed, public health advocates are hopeful he'll have sway in Washington.

Because treatment for opioid addiction can be expensive and difficult to coordinate, some people may try detoxing on their own. It rarely works.

Without Medical Support, DIY Detox Often Fails

1:47pm July 03, 2017

by Elana Gordon

Treatment for opioid addiction can be expensive and difficult to coordinate. That might make some people tempted to think they can overcome the addiction on their own. This rarely works.

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Eyes come in all sizes. These belong to a domestic cat (from left), an owl and an octopus. The Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin has 56,000 specimens in its collection â including 6,000 from more exotic species.

'One Of A Kind' Collection Of Animal Eyeballs Aids Research On Vision Problems

8:08am July 02, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Most of the 56,000 eyes sent to the little lab in Wisconsin come from vets who want help diagnosing dogs, cats and horses. But the repository also has eyes from sloths, elephant seals and dragonflies.

The Call-In: Your Questions About The Senate Health Care Bill

8:08am July 02, 2017

In this week's Call-In, NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with health reporters about the impact the current Senate health care bill will have — and answer callers' specific questions.

Health Care Questions Enter Virginia Governor's Race

8:08am July 02, 2017

by Sarah McCammon

Virginia Republican gubernatorial nominee Ed Gillespie is getting questions about health care on the campaign trail. His Democratic rival, Ralph Northam, is also making it a campaign issue.