Category: NPR

Texas To Ask Federal Appeals Court To Pull The Plug On Obamacare

The Affordable Care Act goes on trial Tuesday in New Orleans. The appeals case — Texas versus United States — is yet another lawsuit that seeks to have President Obama’s signature law overturned.

News Brief: Jeffrey Epstein, Hong Kong Bill, Obamacare Trial

Financier Jeffrey Epstein pleads not guilty to sex trafficking of minors. Hong Kong’s leader says the controversial extradition bill is dead. And, the Affordable Care Act is on trial again.

The Affordable Care Act Is Back In Court: 5 Facts You Need To Know

The ACA is again being put to the test, after a lower court judge ruled the massive health law unconstitutional. The case might yet ricochet back to the Supreme Court ahead of the 2020 election.

HHS Inspector General Finds Serious Flaws In 20% Of U.S. Hospice Programs

Two new reports from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have found widespread problems in hospice care and say the government needs to open its scorecards on hospice care to the public.

The Promises And Pitfalls Of Gene Sequencing For Newborns

Traditional blood tests still do a better job flagging common inherited diseases. Gene sequencing can be useful for detecting some conditions, but the results can be difficult to interpret.

The Promises And Pitfalls Of Gene Sequencing For Newborns

Traditional blood tests still do a better job flagging common inherited diseases. Gene sequencing can be useful for detecting some conditions, but the results can be difficult to interpret.

Doctors Slow To Adopt Tech Tools That Might Save Patients Money On Drugs

A pricing tool embedded in many prescribing and medical records systems lets doctors see how much each patient is likely to pay out-of-pocket for medicine. But the tools could be better, doctors say.

Memphis Hospitals Suspend Debt Collection Suits, Including Suits Against Employees

After an investigation by journalists found the Methodist hospital system had filed 8,300 lawsuits in five years, the hospital announced it will be “reviewing” its policies in the next 30 days.

Newly Blue, Maine Expands Access To Abortion

Maine elected a wave of Democratic women to state office in 2018. They’ve pushed Maine to join a handful of other states shoring up the right to an abortion ahead of expected Supreme Court challenges.

California’s First Surgeon General Spotlights Health Risks Of Childhood Adversity

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris has spent much of her career alerting the medical community to health damage that adverse childhood experiences can wreak. Now she aims to protect and heal California’s kids.