health care

Political Fight Jeopardizes Medicaid In Mississippi

7:11pm June 22, 2013

by Jeffrey Hess

Medicaid in Mississippi provides insurance to 1 in 5 residents. But funding could stop July 1 if politicians don't act. The Legislature has brought the program to the brink over a debate about expanding it under the Affordable Care Act.

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Family-planning clinics would be pushed down the list of health services receiving funding from the state if a budget bill moving through the Ohio Legislature is signed into law.

Ohio Family-Planning Services At Mercy Of Budget Bill

6:53pm June 22, 2013

by NPR Staff

The bill would put family-planning clinics at the bottom of the list for funding. Even those clinics that do not perform abortions but offer referrals expect a major financial blow. Proponents of the measure are clear in their goal: end abortions. But how will it affect other women's health services?

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With Health Exchanges Poised To Open, PR Push Draws Scrutiny

9:07pm June 21, 2013

by Julie Rovner

The nonprofit Enroll America wants to encourage uninsured Americans to sign up for the exchanges when the time comes. Though the group has support across industries and from the Health and Human Services secretary, it's still been hit by congressional controversy.

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A 13-year-old girl gets an HPV vaccination from Judith Schaechter, a pediatrician at the University of Miami, in 2011.

Vaccine Against HPV Has Cut Infections In Teenage Girls

10:18pm June 19, 2013

by Richard Knox

A vaccine against a virus that causes cervical cancer has cut infections among teenage girls by over half in the first four years of use, scientists report. Only about one-third of girls in that age group have received the recommended shots.

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How many calories in that bite? My Fitness Pal and other fitness and nutrition apps can help find the answer.

Patients Lead The Way As Medicine Grapples With Apps

10:39pm June 18, 2013

by Martha Bebinger

Smartphone apps can help count calories or detect a heart attack. People are embracing them to manage many aspects of their health. But medical apps are largely unregulated now, so there's no easy way to be sure which ones are trustworthy and which ones aren't.

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House Passes Bill That Would Ban Abortions After 20 Weeks

8:43pm June 18, 2013

by Julie Rovner

The legislation is one of the most far-reaching abortion bills in decades and follows the May murder convictions of Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell. The bill, which would ban nearly all abortions starting 20 weeks after fertilization, is unlikely to ever become law.

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To Find Out How The Health Law Affects You, Ask The President

1:13pm June 17, 2013

by Julie Rovner

The next move in the health care law is all about coverage for people who don't have health insurance. President Obama has been trying to clear up some of the confusion over who gets coverage, and when. But many questions remain to be answered.

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Health & Safety

Smartphones Help Bridge Gaps In Electronic Medical Records

1:13pm June 17, 2013

by Elizabeth Stawicki

Hospitals, doctors and Medicare are making it easier for people to have access to their own health records. Some app developers have even created ways to have health information available even on a smartphone.

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Health & Safety

Fighting To Breathe: Living With COPD

2:21pm June 12, 2013

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease that slowly robs sufferers of the ability to breathe. COPD is the third leading cause of death in the U.S., surpassed only by cancer and heart disease. There are treatments, but no cure for the disease.

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Mike Jackson has diabetes and high blood pressure. His eye was damaged after he cut back on insulin because he couldn't afford it.

African-Americans Remain Hardest Hit By Medical Bills

8:37am June 11, 2013

by Patti Neighmond

Nearly 1 in 4 tell pollsters they're having a hard time paying for needed prescription medicine; 1 in 3 say they struggled to pay bills from hospitals or doctors last year.

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