health care

President Donald Trump signs the Veterans Choice Program Extension and Improvement Act at the White House on Wednesday.

Trump Extends Troubled VA Program That Pays Private Doctors

3:45pm April 19, 2017

by Eric Whitney

The Veterans Choice program was supposed to make it quicker and easier for vets to see a doctor by paying for private-sector care. But it's ended up being slower and more complicated.

In two recent clinical trials of Harvoni and Sovaldi in the treatment of young people between the ages of 12 and 17, the drugs eliminated all traces of the hepatitis C virus in 97 to 100 percent of patients, generally in 12 weeks.

FDA Approval Of Hepatitis C Drugs For Kids Is Likely To Speed Treatment

5:00am April 19, 2017

by Michelle Andrews

Many insurers have required that adults with hepatitis C be very sick before they can get access to expensive drug treatment. But Medicaid has special rules that may get kids and teens access sooner.

Medical errors are a leading cause of death and injuries in U.S. hospitals, according to the Institute of Medicine.

Secret Data On Hospital Inspections May Soon Become Public

1:20pm April 18, 2017

by Charles Ornstein

The federal government wants to require that private accreditors release reports of problems they find during hospital inspections. Right now, the reports are kept confidential.

An organization campaigning against foreign drug imports has deep connections to the lobbying group PhRMA, which includes Eli Lilly, Pfizer and Bayer.

Nonprofit Working To Block Drug Imports Has Ties To Pharma Lobby

5:00am April 18, 2017

An organization campaigning against foreign drug imports has deep connections to the lobbying group PhRMA, which includes Eli Lilly, Pfizer and Bayer, an analysis by Kaiser Health News reveals.

Hannah Berkowitz in her parents' home in West Hartford, Conn. Getting intensive in-home drug treatment is what ultimately helped her get back on track, she and her mom agree.

Home-Based Drug Treatment Program Costs Less And Works

5:42pm April 17, 2017

by Jack Rodolico

Treating addiction is expensive and patients often relapse. A new company is offering better results at a price that's lower in the long run — and clients get treatment right at home.

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Politics & Government

GOP Leadership Resists 'Carolina Cares' Medicaid Expansion Program

11:37am April 17, 2017

by Associated Press

Five years after a U.S.

'Powwow Sweat' Promotes Fitness Through Traditional Dance

10:34am April 17, 2017

by Emily Schwing

Native Americans are 60 percent more likely to be obese than non-Hispanic whites. The Coeur D'Alene Tribe in Idaho is using traditional dance to get fit and lose weight. They call it "Powwow Sweat."

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Gail Dougherty, 61, was a project manager at Intel until she retired in 2016. Now she is working part time at a health center, part of a fellowship paid by Intel as a regular retirement benefit.

At Intel, A Retirement Perk That Can Kick Off A New Career As A Paid Fellow

10:34am April 17, 2017

by Ina Jaffe

The tech company pays retirement-age employees a stipend to transition to jobs with mission-driven nonprofits. And for some, the fellowship can turn into a second act.

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People who lacked health insurance for more than three consecutive months in 2016, or who bought individual insurance and got federal help paying the premiums, will need to do a little work to figure out what, if anything, they owe the IRS.

Tax Day And Health Insurance Under Trump

10:40am April 15, 2017

by Julie Rovner

To avoid penalties, people who didn't have health insurance in 2016 or who got federal assistance to pay the premiums need to take a little extra care when completing their tax forms this year.

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Carl Goulden, of Littlestown Pa., developed hepatitis B 10 years ago. Soon his health insurance premiums soared beyond a price he and his wife could afford.

U.S. Health Care Wrestles With The 'Pre-Existing Condition'

8:04am April 15, 2017

by Elana Gordon

Insurers and politicians struggle constantly to thread the needle between making sure people have good health insurance and figuring out who should pay, especially for those who need a lot of care.