health care

Neck strain might not feel like a CT-worthy injury to you, but it's increasingly getting advanced imaging.

People With Minor Injuries Are Increasingly Getting CT Scans

2:47pm January 19, 2016

by Nancy Shute

The number of people with injuries like neck strain who get CT scans in emergency rooms is on the rise. This despite efforts to reduce use of the scans, which increase cancer risk.

Health & Safety

Determining A Health Plan's Abortion Coverage Remains A Challenge

1:17pm January 19, 2016

by Michelle Andrews

Many marketplace insurers omit information about abortion services on the summary of benefits and coverage. Consumers looking for plans that cover the services or exclude them can be left in the dark.

Amy Thomson holds 2-month-old Isla in Seattle Children's Hospital in early 2014. When the Thomson family learned Isla's heart was failing, they took an air ambulance from Butte, Mont., to Seattle to get medical care.

Lifesaving Flights Can Come With Life-Changing Bills

10:34pm January 18, 2016

by Corin Cates-Carney

People in big, sparsely populated states like Montana rely on air ambulances to get to medical specialists they need. But the lifesaving flights can be hugely expensive and not covered by insurance.

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Can't Focus? It Might Be Undiagnosed Adult ADHD

6:16pm January 18, 2016

by Patti Neighmond

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is most commonly diagnosed in children. But older adults may find that what they had worried was early dementia is actually ADHD.

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How much does that test cost and how much is it worth?

Health & Safety

Why Doctors Need To Have Answers For Patients' Questions About Costs

5:54am January 16, 2016

by John Henning Schumann

When a patient had a colonoscopy that was covered by insurance, the doctor assumed she wouldn't care how much the test cost. He couldn't have been more wrong.

A doula is trained to provide advice and support for women through pregnancy and childbirth.

Health & Safety

Doula Support For Pregnant Women Could Improve Care, Reduce Costs

6:03pm January 15, 2016

by Tara Haelle

Doulas provide emotional support for a woman through pregnancy and childbirth. A study finds that women with doulas are less likely to have cesarean or preterm births.

White House Offers Incentives To States Holding Out On Expanding Medicaid

1:30pm January 15, 2016

by Debbie Elliott

Many Republican-led states rejected expanding Medicaid under Obamacare. But some GOP governors are reconsidering. That means more poor Americans could be eligible for coverage in 2016.

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New Medications For Treating Opioid Addiction Are On The Horizon

1:17pm January 15, 2016

by Angus Chen

A long-acting implant has gained approval from an FDA advisory committee. It could soon become the latest on a very short list of medical options.

Trina Dalziel/Illustration Works/Getty Images

For Teenagers, Adult-Sized Opioid Addiction Treatment Doesn't Fit

7:33am January 15, 2016

by Heidi Benson

Teenage brains are more susceptible to drug abuse, but it's often hard to find treatment. It's even harder to find evidence-based treatment designed for youth. But that's starting to change.

Dave Manning (left) and three other veterans who are studying to become physician assistants at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

Making The Most Of Military Medics' Field Experience

7:28pm January 12, 2016

by Michael Tomsic

A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill training program for physician assistants recruits veterans and gives them credit for their experience.

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