Black Lung Disease Remains a Threat, but Federal Officials Delay Effort To Address It
OAK HILL, W.Va. — Each day at New River Health in Oak Hill, Lisa Emery finds disheartening signs of what she describes as a slow-motion repeat of the Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster. Emery is director of New River’s Breathing Center and chair of the National Coalition of Black Lung and Respiratory Disease Clinics. The disaster […]
Economic Frustration Tests Trump’s Standing With Rural Voters, New KFF-AP Poll Finds
About half of rural American voters believe the economy is worse off now than when President Donald Trump returned to office, according to a new survey that points to economic frustration among a key group that has backed Trump and other Republicans in recent elections. The poll of more than 2,000 rural registered voters by […]
Nursing Home Beds Are Becoming More Scarce
The San Vicente de Paúl Nursing Home in the South Bronx hasn’t admitted a patient since December 2024. ArchCare, which operates the facility, has reduced its capacity from 120 available beds to 53 and plans to shrink it further. Another ArchCare nursing home, on Staten Island, has shut down a full floor. North of the […]
As Health Insurance Costs Soar, Healthcare Workers Also Feel the Pinch
BOISE, Idaho — Joshua and Ashley Durham run a family medicine practice, and for the first time in their lives, they have no health insurance. When the Durhams began their practice at the end of 2023 — he as a primary care physician and she as a pharmacist who handles the billing — the couple […]
Insurance Coverage Lags as Cancer Science, Treatment Move Forward
Mason Henderson with his mother, Tabitha Lowe, in November during a visit to New York, where Henderson was participating in a clinical trial to treat his brain cancer. Henderson died in May after a two-year battle with the disease. (Jerry Lowe) Eighteen months after his initial diagnosis, chemotherapy hadn’t slowed 21-year-old Mason Henderson’s rare brain […]
It’s Hard To Predict Who Will Be Suicidal. It’s Easier To Ensure People Can’t Shoot Themselves.
Paul Nestadt is about as steeped in suicide prevention as a person can be. He treats suicidal patients as a psychiatrist, has co-authored scores of research papers on how and why people kill themselves, and teaches graduate courses on the subject. But he’ll be the first to admit: “I can’t tell you which of my […]
The Drugs and Devices Have Been on the Market for Years. But FDA-Ordered Studies Still Aren’t Done.
When the FDA was deciding whether to approve the drug Tavneos several years ago to treat a set of rare autoimmune diseases, agency experts argued that would be a mistake, according to FDA records. One problem cited: The manufacturer had provided only “limited safety data.” As it often does, the FDA in 2021 approved the […]
Cost-Saving Medicaid Meal Deliveries Threatened by Cuts, Policy Uncertainty
On a weekday morning in a quiet Boston neighborhood, a kitchen bustled with activity. Volunteers sliced chicken breasts, stuffed bell peppers, filled trays, and carefully labeled each item. It was part of an experiment to offer nutritious and medically tailored meals to Medicaid patients who are unable to shop for groceries and cook for themselves. […]
California Eyes Prison Heat Protections That Fall Short of Workplace Standards
As Californians have weathered relentless heat waves, state workplace safety regulators have repeatedly reminded employers to protect employees from heat illness by providing water, shade, cooldown areas, and additional rest breaks when temperatures climb. But there’s a notable exception in the state’s heat safety rules: Not covered are the nurses, guards, staff, and tens of […]
3 Common Drugs Older Adults Might Be Overusing
The scenario often unfolds like this: Medical researchers investigate a frequently used drug and report that it’s less effective for older patients than previously thought, or that its risks outweigh its benefits in older adults. More studies follow, confirming those findings. After a few years, medical associations revise their guidelines, warning that the drug in […]