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Demand for help monitoring patientsā vital signs remotely has taken off since a Medicare change in 2019. Dozens of companies now push the service to help overburdened primary care doctors ā and as a revenue stream. But some policy experts say its growth has outpaced oversight and evidence of effectiveness.
After California passed the first law in the nation to limit the disavowed term āexcited delirium,ā bills in other states are being introduced to help end use of the diagnosis. But momentum is being met with resistance from law enforcement and first responder groups, who cite free speech.
A new California law allows trained physician assistants, also called physician associates, to perform first-trimester abortions without the presence of a supervising doctor. The legislation is part of a broader effort by the state to expand access to abortion care, especially in rural areas. Some doctor groups are wary.
For low-income people who are on Medicaid or whose employer health plan is skimpy, help for infertility seems unattainable.
The stateās surgeon general grants parents permission to send unvaccinated children to school during a measles outbreak, risking their health and that of others.
Lawsuits allege that several children under 18 in South Carolina have undergone examinations of their private parts during child abuse investigations ā even when there were no allegations of sexual abuse. Thereās a growing consensus in medicine that genital exams can be embarrassing, uncomfortable, and even traumatic.
A restructuring of the Medicare drug benefit has wiped out big drug bills for people who need expensive medicines. But the legal battle over drug negotiations means uncertainty over long-term savings.
New York City is the latest jurisdiction to buy and forgive a backlog of unpaid medical bills for its residents. Local governments across the country, including in the Chicago area, are doing the same to reduce debt burdens for lower-income residents.
Californiaās governor vetoed a bill extending insurance coverage for kids with hearing loss, but most states now require it.
Artificial intelligence software to aid radiologists in detecting problems or diagnosing cancer has been moving rapidly into clinical use, where it shows great promise. But itās a turnoff for some patients asked to pay out-of-pocket for technology thatās not quite ready for prime time.
Even in states where laws protect minorsā access to gender-affirming care, malpractice insurance premiums are keeping small and independent clinics from treating patients.
As enrollment in private Medicare Advantage plans grows, so do concerns about how well the insurance works, including from those who say they have become trapped in the private plans as their health declines.
The Biden administration is allowing states to use money from the insurance program for low-income and disabled residents to pay for gun violence prevention. California and six other states have approved such spending, with more expected to follow.
More than 1 million immigrants, most lacking permanent legal status, are covered by state health programs. Several states, including GOP-led Utah, will soon add or expand such coverage.
Mental health courts have been touted as a means to help reduce the flow of people with mental illness into jails and prisons. But the specialized diversion programs can struggle to live up to that promise, and some say theyāre a bad investment.
Thousands of medical devices are sold, and even implanted, with no safety tests.
Stories of chronic pain, drug-hopping, and insurance meddling are all too common among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Precision medicine offers new hope.
For the patient, it was a quick and inexpensive virtual appointment. Why it cost 10 times what she expected became a mystery.
Thousands of people shared their experiences and related to the financial drain on families portrayed in the āDying Brokeā series, a joint project by Ńī¹óåś“«Ć½Ņīl Health News and The New York Times that examined the costs of long-term care.
The Biden administration wants to crack down on deceptive or misleading Medicare Advantage and drug plan sales tactics. Itās counting on beneficiaries to help catch offenders.
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