Latest Kaiser Health News Stories
As Marijuana Laws Relax, Doctors Say Pregnant Women Shouldn’t Partake
Some mothers who smoke pot see it as a harmless remedy for everything from pain to postpartum depression. But doctors say the active ingredients in marijuana can be passed onto the baby and may affect developing nervous systems.
Opioid Crisis Hits Home: Uncle’s Overdose Spurs Medicaid Official To Change Course
Andrey Ostrovsky, who until last month was chief medical officer for Medicaid, quit his job so he could more directly fight the stigma of drug addiction.
My Grandmother Was Italian. Why Aren’t My Genes Italian?
Popular DNA ancestry tests don’t always find what people expect. That’s because of how DNA rearranges itself when egg meets sperm — and the quirks of genetic databases.
Treating Domestic Violence As A Medical Problem
Health care professionals increasingly collaborate with anti-abuse advocates to identify victims and ensure they get the help they need. One women’s center is opening a shelter on the campus of a large public hospital in Los Angeles.
What’s Next For ‘Safe Injection’ Sites In Philadelphia?
Philadelphia officials gave the OK to establishing safe-injection sites for drug users. But it’s unclear where the sites would be located and who would fund and operate them.
A Push To Get Older Adults In Better Shape For Surgery
Some hospitals now focus on preparing seniors for the risks and realities of surgical care.
Hospitals’ Best-Laid Plans Upended By Disaster
An onslaught of fires, shootings and storms across the country last year tested hospital readiness. Now, leaders are using their experiences to address shortcomings that surfaced amid the chaos.
University Under Fire For Off-The-Grid Herpes Vaccine Experiments
Southern Illinois University’s medical school has halted all herpes research, one of its most high-profile projects, amid growing controversy over a researcher’s unauthorized methods offshore and in the U.S.
States Face Costly Conundrum: How To Treat Inmates With Hepatitis C
Although the potentially fatal disease is common among the incarcerated, treatment with the latest hepatitis drugs isn’t.
Tax Bill Provision Designed To Spur Paid Family Leave To Lower-Wage Workers
But advocates and consultants say the tax credits are unlikely to persuade many employers to offer such benefits.
In Trump’s First Year, Anti-Abortion Forces Make Strides Despite Setbacks
As a candidate, the president promised a ban on abortions that take place after 20 weeks and federal funding to Planned Parenthood, but Congress has not obliged. Still, other anti-abortion policy goals have been realized.
How The Shutdown Might Affect Your Health
For some federal health programs, a shuttered government means business as usual. But the congressional impasse over funding will hit others hard.
Judge Orders New Olympus Trial Over Superbug Death
The Seattle jurist finds that Olympus Corp. failed to properly disclose evidence that it knew of concerns about cleaning problems with its redesigned medical scopes years before they hit the market and were linked to dozens of deaths. The company maintains the devices were not defective and intends to appeal.
Home Care Agencies Often Wrongly Deny Medicare Help To The Chronically Ill
Agencies sometimes turn away Medicare beneficiaries with chronic health problems by incorrectly claiming Medicare won’t pay for their services, say patient advocates.
When Food Stamps Pass As Tickets To Better Health
A federally funded program is partnering with a Latino grocery chain to reward people who use their food stamps to put more fresh produce on their tables.
If Poor Neighborhood = Poor Health, Relocation Is One Solution
Research shows that living in more affluent, less segregated neighborhoods can improve health problems like asthma and high blood pressure. Communities around the country are experimenting with moving some families to boost their health.
Postcard From California: Alzheimer’s ‘Looks Like Me, It Looks Like You’
At a panel discussion this week in Sacramento, patients, caregivers and others shared their perspectives on how Alzheimer’s disease affects women, who account for two-thirds of those living with the condition.
Inside The Global Race To Deliver A Vital Radioactive Isotope Used To Detect Cancer
Moly-99, as it’s called, is created in just six government-owned nuclear research reactors — none in North America — raising concerns about the reliability of the supply.
When You Need A Breast Screening, Should You Get A 3-D Mammogram?
The newer images are more expensive, but it’s not yet clear if they are more effective in catching cancers that will kill.
Hospital Honchos Hone New Message In Wake Of Opioid Epidemic: Expect Pain
“We really do have a lot of responsibility and culpability,” says one hospital official who is part of a working group trying to address the opioid epidemic. Patients have to expect more pain after surgery and understand the risk of addiction, says another doctor.
