Category: Health & Insurance

January 16, 2019

The U.S. is set to begin testing drugs on children, a step researchers say many drugmakers skipped because it was risky and costly. “It is an incredibly exciting time,” said Crystal Mackall, a pediatric-cancer researcher. “We have lots of drug […]

January 2, 2019

Since April, the government has been rolling out new Medicare cards to almost 60 million seniors enrolled in the program. The year-long effort seems to be going well, helped in part by a government marketing effort to get the word […]

December 7, 2018

Making care decisions for elderly parents or loved ones can be difficult, especially since so many factors influence care — from personal preference to location to health requirements. Professional caregivers provide a wide range of services, including 24-hour care and […]

November 30, 2018

The number of officially reported measles cases in 2017 totaled 173,330, the report said, 31 percent higher than levels in 2016. In other public health news: suicide, depression, shingles, schizophrenia, stomach bugs, strokes, palliative care, and more. Reported cases of […]

November 7, 2018

Learning about Medicare options is confusing enough when someone turns 65. It can be even more trying for caregivers who have to pick up the pieces where their parents left off. Having helped dozens of caregivers with their parents Medicare […]

October 25, 2018

I ask this question in economic terms. Luxury goods are defined as goods that increase as a share of a person’s (or country’s) budget as income increases; necessity goods are defined as goods that decrease as a share of a […]

September 26, 2018

On orders from Congress, Medicare is easing up on its annual readmission penalties on hundreds of hospitals serving the most low-income residents, records released last week show. Since 2012, Medicare has punished hospitals for having too many patients end up […]

August 21, 2018

While the CDC recommends a flu shot for everyone older than 6 months, when to get a flu shot is always a guessing game. Getting the vaccine too early — it’s showing up in stores now — might mean you […]

July 2, 2018

Hospitals and ER departments nationwide are coming up short when they need drugs such as morphine. “So many substances are short, and we’re dancing every shift,” said Dr. James Augustine, a doctor in Cincinnati.” In other public health news: palliative […]

June 15, 2018

MINNEAPOLIS — Sandy Dowland has been to the emergency room 10 times in the past year and was hospitalized during four of those visits. She has had a toe amputated and suffers from uncontrolled diabetes, high blood pressure, major depression, […]