The Biden Administration has proposed a rule to require private health insurance to cover over-the-counter birth control pills, spermicide, condoms and plan B.
Category: NPR
Only about 1/5 of large companies cover drugs for weight loss
A survey of employers finds that only about a fifth of large companies cover drugs like Wegovy for weight loss. A majority of companies that do cover the medicines have requirements.
The human cost of ghost networks
He tried to find a therapist who would take his insurance. He did not succeed.
He survived the water, but not the flood
Climate-driven flooding destroyed Tony Calhoun’s home in 2022. But as the water receded, his despair only grew. Now, his family hopes to bring attention to the mental health toll of extreme weather.
Cyberattacks plague health care. Critics call the federal response ‘inadequate’
The Change Healthcare cyberattack sparked a new strategy from the federal government on preventing destructive ransomware crimes. Critics say it doesn’t go far enough.
35% of U.S. counties don’t have an adequate place in which to give birth, report finds
A March of Dimes report finds that more than 35% of counties U.S. have no OBGYN or hospital that delivers babies. Some patients must drive more than an hour to seek prenatal care.
Photos: How older adults navigate their health care needs in rural America
Reporters for NPR traveled across North and South Dakota to see the challenges older adults in rural areas face when they need medical care — and to see what it’s like for the people trying to help.
Patients are struggling to fill obesity drug prescriptions
Drug manufacturers have declared obesity drugs to be “available,” but patients are still struggling to fill prescriptions.
In a rural small town, a group of locals steps up to support senior health
Health care options for older adults in small rural towns can be lacking. In Glen Ullin, N.D., some community members are trying to bridge the gaps in care.
Why farmers worry about the costs of long-term care
Farmers are often “land rich, cash poor.” Those who need nursing home care might have to sell or break up their farm to pay for it.
