Category: NPR

Doctors in Chernihiv bear witness to their hospital’s fate after Russian shelling

It was a sunny day in mid-March. The sky was blue. It felt like spring. Then the attack began on City Hospital No. 2. Doctors tell what it was like — and what’s going on now.

Never-ending costs: When resolved medical bills keep popping up

A family received a $4,928 bill that was settled with the health system 18 months earlier, resurrecting painful memories. Hospital billing experts say this distressing scenario occurs frequently.

As home births rise in popularity, some midwives operate in a legal gray area

As maternity wards continue to close across the U.S., demand for midwives has grown, especially in rural areas. But hospitals and health care providers have raised concerns about licensing and safety.

Why nurses are raging and quitting after the RaDonda Vaught verdict

The former Tennessee nurse faces prison time for a fatal medication mistake. Reaction from her peers was swift and fierce on social media and beyond ― and it isn’t over.

A staffing crisis is causing a monthslong wait for Medicaid, and it could get worse

The pandemic has overwhelmed understaffed state Medicaid agencies, and as Biden’s COVID-19 public health emergency declaration ends, low-income people could find it even harder to get coverage.

A staffing crisis is causing a monthslong wait for Medicaid, and it could get worse

The pandemic has overwhelmed understaffed state Medicaid agencies, and as Biden’s COVID-19 public health emergency declaration ends, low-income people could find it even harder to get coverage.

A nurse’s death raises the alarm about the profession’s mental health crisis

After nearly two years of grueling shifts treating COVID patients, a group of nurses lost one of their closest friends to suicide. They’re determined not to let others fall through the cracks.

Do I really need another booster? The answer depends on age, risk and timing

Health officials argue the protection of the COVID vaccine booster wanes over time and say some people need a second booster. But other infectious disease experts say three shots are enough for now.

Stone Age brain surgery? It might have been more survivable than you think

Medical historian Ira Rutkow points to physical evidence that suggests Stone Age people conducted — and survived — brain surgery. His new book is Empire of the Scalpel.

Colorado braces to become refuge for abortion access if ‘Roe’ is weakened

If Roe v. Wade falters, Colorado will be nearly surrounded by a sea of anti-abortion states. The state is bracing for impact from out-of-state residents, while lawmakers cement abortion protections.