Health & Safety

Figuring Out If A Doctor Is In Your Network Can Be Perplexing

8:36am February 19, 2015

by Michelle Andrews

Some physicians can be in-network when working at one office but not when they are at another. Or they may belong to a medical group that is affiliated with your plan, but they don't participate.

Female Libido Pill Fires Up Debate About Women And Sex

8:35am February 19, 2015

by Rob Stein

Is the FDA being sexist or appropriately cautious in requiring stringent evidence that the latest pill works and is safe? Women's advocacy groups aren't sure.

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Medical Park Hospital's patients tend to be pretty happy customers, leading to thousands of dollars in rewards from Medicare.

Satisfied Patients Now Make Hospitals Richer, But Is That Fair?

7:52pm February 18, 2015

by Michael Tomsic

The Affordable Care Act made sure that hospitals scoring well on patient satisfaction surveys are paid more by Medicare. But some say that gives small, boutique hospitals an unfair edge.

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Under the Affordable Care Act, pregnancy isn't considered a "qualifying event" that justifies enrollment at any time.

Pregnant And Uninsured? Don't Count On Obamacare Coverage

3:58pm February 18, 2015

by Phil Galewitz

Women who get pregnant and don't have health insurance can't sign up outside open enrollment until after they give birth. Advocates say that puts mother and child at risk of serious health problems.

After the pot-smoking comes the insatiable hunger. Just ask James Franco and Seth Rogen's weed-loving characters in Pineapple Express.

How Marijuana Highjacks Your Brain To Give You The Munchies

12:20pm February 18, 2015

by Angus Chen

Where there's pot, there's often an insatiable hunger. Now researchers have a big clue why: Cannabinoids, the drug in marijuana, appear to flip a neural circuit that normally tells us we're full.

A health worker with Doctors Without Borders carries a child suspected of having Ebola at the treatment center in Paynesville, Liberia, last October. Ebola is especially deadly for young children and babies. About 4 in 5 infected died.

The Grandpa Who Saved His Granddaughter From Ebola

9:55am February 18, 2015

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Ebola is especially deadly for children and babies. About 80 percent of those infected have died. But one man knew instinctively that love and affection could make a difference.

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Eastman Chemical went a step beyond calling Tritan plastic BPA-free, setting off a legal challenge.

Health & Safety

Beyond BPA: Court Battle Reveals A Shift In Debate Over Plastic Safety

4:56pm February 17, 2015

by Jon Hamilton

In 2007, a plastic called Tritan became a hit, partly because it was free of the chemical BPA. Then a competitor began suggesting that Tritan products contained other chemicals that act like estrogen.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics says middle and high schools shouldn't start before 8:30 a.m., so students can get enough sleep.

Many Parents Aren't Sold On Later School Start Times For Teens

3:07pm February 17, 2015

by Nancy Shute

Just half of parents say schools should start later so teenagers can get more sleep, a survey found. But most of the parents also weren't aware that pediatricians have called for a start of 8:30 a.m.

David Hermlin is a singer, dancer, musician and songwriter — oh, and a global activist, too. Sample lyric: "I will fight for my dream, and I will never give up."

Health & Safety

He's Half-Kenyan And Half-German. And He Believes 'We're All The Same'

12:57pm February 17, 2015

by Marc Silver

David Hermlin, 14, is a realist and idealist. He knows it'll take many years to get rid of poverty and disease. But by speaking out and writing songs with a message, he hopes to make a difference.

Can A Computer Change The Essence Of Who You Are?

12:46pm February 16, 2015

by Lulu Miller

The latest episode of NPR's Invisibilia takes us online. Some people think interacting with these machines is changing us all — for better and worse.

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