How supporting caregivers could make a difference in dementia
Patients and their caregivers are often left to navigate the confusing world of dementia by themselves, but Medicare is launching a new program to change that.
The push for embryo rights worries IVF patients and doctors in the Midwest
Thirteen states across the U.S., including much of the Midwest, introduced bills this year that could give some rights to embryos and fetuses usually associated with people. None passed but people in the fertility world are concerned that lawmakers will try again and what that means for reproductive rights.
The Checkup: ‘Junk patents’ by big pharma lead to soaring drugs prices, FTC says
The Federal Trade Commission says drug makers are gaming the system in order to keep drug prices high by filing what it describes as “junk patents”.
Is private equity ruining health care? It’s complicated
While stories of private equity firms running amok in health care are easy to find, new research paints a more nuanced picture.
Curbs can be a physical and social barrier for wheelchair users. One program teaches kids to roll past them
Wheelchairs may seem straightforward to use, until you need to move up and down hills or stairs. Around 3.7 million people use a wheelchair in the United States. They push themselves an average of 2,000 to 3,000 times a day, but some don’t have access to formal skills training that helps them smoothly navigate the…
The Checkup: Are my eclipse glasses legit? How do I protect my eyes? And what symptoms to look out for
A total solar eclipse is when the moon completely obscures the sun’s bright surface. Parts of the Midwest including Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois are in the path of totality, which means people there will be able to see the spectacular moment the moon totally covers up the sun. With the excitement and anticipation surrounding…
Seniors who are hospitalized are at risk of a dangerous downward spiral. Some programs are trying to
On a recent morning, Celita Flowers, 68, sat on her red leather couch in the Waterloo, Iowa home she’s shared with her husband for the past 35 years. Her black toy poodle, Preston, nestled closely to her side. Flowers has eye and knee issues. In January, she got sick with COVID and pneumonia, ending up…
How can you tell if a product has toxic PFAS? Lack of labeling laws make it hard for consumers
PFAS have been found in all kinds of non-stick, waterproof and stain-resistant products — from pans, to carpets to fast-food wrappers.
Report finds more than half of rural hospitals no longer deliver babies
A new report found a growing number of rural hospitals no longer have labor and delivery services. The Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform analyzed federal data and found, as of last month, 55% of the nation’s rural hospitals no longer have obstetric care, and of the rural hospitals still providing care, one-third were…
As more rural hospitals stop delivering babies, some are determined to make it work
At a time when many rural hospitals continue to make the tough choice to shutter their obstetrics units and stop delivering babies, Iowa Specialty Hospital’s OB unit is thriving. Jenn Mewes steps around construction equipment into Iowa Specialty’s brand new labor and delivery room in Clarion, Iowa. The new room is equipped with a bathtub,…
The feds sent letters to 44 states to fix SNAP application errors and inefficiencies
The majority of states are not processing food assistance applications on time and making too many payment errors, according to the federal government. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack sent a letter to the governors of 44 states earlier this month that are failing to meet federal standards when it comes to processing applications…
Are schools prepared to respond if a student’s heart stops? Data shows some aren’t
A 56-year-old football official went into cardiac arrest on the sideline at Jefferson High School in Lafayette in 2006. Then, a teenager who was playing basketball during lunch at the school’s Tecumseh Junior High gym went into cardiac arrest a decade later. Both were in the Lafayette School Corporation. Both survived. The district’s preparation for…
5 Ways America’s courts could change health care in 2024
Health care policy experts are keeping close tabs on the courts in 2024. Judges are poised to weigh in on health policies — new ones, like Medicare’s power to negotiate drug prices, and old ones, like the Affordable Care Act’s insurance rules. The ramifications of these decisions, some on politically charged issues such as abortion…
Why are people afraid of the most popular opioid addiction treatment?
Buprenorphine saved Eric Ezzi. Heroin had overrun the Philadelphia-area native’s life in his early 20s. He lost jobs, went to jail and burned bridges with his family. A few years into his addiction, Ezzi found what he hoped would be the ultimate solution: buprenorphine. Often known by the brand name Suboxone, buprenorphine is a medication…
Some Midwest states earn failing grades in tobacco prevention and cessation efforts: ALA report
The American Lung Association released its 2024 State of Tobacco Control report Wednesday, which evaluates state efforts to eliminate tobacco use. Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Iowa and Ohio scored failing grades in most categories. The report compares state policies to evidence-based practices known to prevent youth from using tobacco and help smokers quit. It looks at…