health care

President Trump speaks in Iowa, which has been hit hard by tariffs from other countries issued in retaliation to Trump's tariffs. Trump brought with him new "Make Our Farmers Great Again!" hats.

Politics & Government

This Election Is About 'Volatility,' And That Starts At The Top

11:15am July 27, 2018

by Domenico Montanaro

Democrats want to push a health care message; Republicans had been planning to talk about tax cuts. But not much is breaking through, except Trump, who is top of everyone's minds.

Wren Vetens was promised a significant discount on the cost of her gender-confirmation surgery if she paid in cash upfront, without using her health insurance. Yet afterward, Vetens received an explanation of benefits saying the hospital had billed her in

Health & Safety

Bill Of The Month: A Plan For Affordable Gender-Confirmation Surgery Goes Awry

8:51pm July 26, 2018

by Emmarie Huetteman

A young grad student worked out a way to pay for life-changing gender-confirmation surgery. But she still had to fight to resolve a billing discrepancy that ran into the tens of thousands of dollars.

Queue Listen Now

Training on how to spot human trafficking is given not only to doctors and nurses but also to registration and reception staff, social workers and security guards.

Health & Safety

Hospitals Gear Up For New Diagnosis: Human Trafficking

5:00am July 24, 2018

by Michelle Andrews

Many people forced into labor or the sex trade seek medical help at some point, and health care workers are being trained to identify them and to offer assistance.

Describing how pain affects your daily activities may be more effective than the standard pain scale.

Words Matter When Talking About Pain With Your Doctor

11:59am July 23, 2018

by Patti Neighmond

When you go to the doctor in pain, you'll probably be asked to rate your discomfort on a scale of 0 to 10. But doctors say there may be a better way to assess pain.

Queue Listen Now

People walk past tributes to the victims of MH17, placed on signage for the 20th International AIDS Conference in Australia in 2014. Several AIDS activists on their way to the conference were killed.

4 Years After MH17 Downing, Advocates Urge Continued Attention To AIDS Crisis

9:41am July 22, 2018

It's been four years since the attack on a flight in Ukraine killed several AIDS prevention advocates. Ahead of a conference, one advocate says they would have wanted to keep attention on the fight.

Doctors With Disabilities Look For Recognition

8:12am July 22, 2018

by Elana Gordon

There's a growing movement of MDs working to include recognition of people with disabilities in their profession — and how those disabilities might actually make them better doctors.

A pharmacy technician prepares syringes containing an injectable anesthetic in the sterile medicines area of the inpatient pharmacy at the University of Utah Hospital in Salt Lake City.

Doctors Raise Alarm About Shortages Of Pain Medications

12:46pm July 20, 2018

by Wade Goodwyn

A survey of anesthesiologists found that 95 percent say it is impacting patient care. Surgeons, emergency medicine physicians, intensive care unit doctors are also impacted.

Queue Listen Now

A sign marks the entrance to a VA Hospital in Hines, Ill.

VA Whistleblowers 10 Times More Likely Than Peers To Receive Disciplinary Action

7:03pm July 19, 2018

by Eric Westervelt

A new report by the Government Accountability Office also found that nearly two-thirds of individuals who filed formal complaints did not work for Veterans Affairs the following year.

Louisiana's New Approach To Treating Hepatitis C

1:37pm July 19, 2018

by Alison Kodjak

Louisiana is working with Gilead Sciences and other companies on a deal that would change how the state pays for expensive hepatitis C drugs, with the goal of eliminating the disease in that state.

Queue Listen Now

Proponents of hospital mergers say the change can help struggling nonprofit hospitals "thrive," with an infusion of cash to invest in updated technology and top clinical staff. But research shows the price of care, especially for low-income patients, usua

Can A Community Hospital Stick To Its Mission When It Goes For-Profit?

10:38am July 19, 2018

by Steven Findlay

After 130 years as a nonprofit hospital with deep roots in North Carolina, Mission Health is seeking to be bought by HCA Healthcare, the nation's largest for-profit hospital chain.