health care

Health & Safety

Brand-Name Drugs Can Raise Costs Without Boosting Patient Satisfaction

2:15pm November 19, 2015

by Charles Ornstein

The website Iodine has collected data about consumers' experience with prescription drugs that show generics scored highest among people who take medicines in three popular categories.

One mother details her journey with addiction in a group therapy session at Mothers and Infants Sober Together.

In Tennessee, Giving Birth To A Drug-Dependent Baby Can Be A Crime

10:17pm November 18, 2015

The state's "fetal assault" law punishes women whose babies are born with drug withdrawal symptoms. Proponents say the law spurs women to seek treatment, while opponents say it deters them.

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Health & Safety

Now There's A Health Plan That Zeros In On Diabetes Care

11:24am November 17, 2015

by Michelle Andrews

The insurer is rolling out a specialized gold-level plan geared to people with diabetes. Aetna says it's aiming to keep down the cost for diabetes care. But it's unclear if the plans are a good buy.

Emergency Doctor: Paris Hospital Saw Unanticipated Number Of Gunshot Victims

4:26pm November 16, 2015

NPR's Robert Siegel talks to an emergency doctor who was on the front line of dealing with casualties from the Paris attacks. He says on a normal weekend his ER will usually handle injuries from a car crash, and maybe once a year they will handle a gunshot victim. Friday night, he had 27 patients with gunshot wounds. All of his patients survived that evening.

Four pregnant women sit in lotus position.

Say Yes To Down Dog: More Yoga Poses Are Safe During Pregnancy

3:44pm November 16, 2015

by Allison Aubrey

Moms-to-be who practice prenatal yoga say it reduces stress, anxiety and even pain. A study finds that even poses once thought to be off limits to pregnant women are safe.

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Kate Teague, a registered nurse at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, in Palo Alto, Calif., holds a premature baby's hand.

In Caring For Sickest Babies, Doctors Now Tap Parents For Tough Calls

3:43pm November 16, 2015

by Jenny Gold

Doctors were once unquestioned authorities on how aggressively to treat the sickest and most premature babies. Then parents started pushing back for more say. The responsibility can be excruciating.

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Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Texas Abortion Law Case

11:36pm November 13, 2015

by Nina Totenberg

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a challenge to a Texas law that requires abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital and requires abortion clinics to have the facilities of an outpatient surgical center.

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Diana Venegas, a nursing student at Samuel Merritt University, in Oakland, Calif., takes a patient's blood pressure at a recent health fair at Allen Temple Baptist Church.

A Push In California To Train More Latino And Black Nurses

12:02pm November 13, 2015

by Adizah Eghan

Though 39 percent of the state's population is Latino, only 8 percent of its nurses are. Health officials are looking to reduce health disparities by increasing diversity among health professionals.

The drug sold as K2, spike, spice or "synthetic marijuana" may look like dried marijuana leaves. But it's really any of a combination of chemicals created in a lab that are then sprayed on dried plant material.

Surge In Use Of 'Synthetic Marijuana' Still One Step Ahead Of The Law

1:58pm November 12, 2015

by Hansi Lo Wang

Outlawing more than a dozen cannabinoids — chemicals concocted in labs and sprayed on leaves to create this risky street drug — hasn't stopped the problem. Chemists just make new versions.

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Kalu James moved to Austin, Texas, eight years ago, but bought health insurance for the first time this year. Twenty percent of the city's musicians live below the federal poverty line.

Musicians Struggle To Buy Insurance In A City That Thrives On Music

7:04pm November 11, 2015

by Veronica Zaragovia

The music industry generates $1.6 billion a year for Austin, Texas. But many musicians can't afford the basics, including health insurance. The Health Alliance for Austin Musicians steps in to help.

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