Category: states

Hollywood’s A-List Health Insurance Is Jeopardized by the Labor Strikes

Hollywood actors and writers who qualify for their union health plans get a very good deal compared with other Americans. But not working during the strike threatens their eligibility in the system.

Most States Have Yet to Permanently Fund 988. Call Centers Want Certainty.

For rural Americans, who live in areas often short of mental health services and die by suicide at a far higher rate than urbanites, the federally mandated crisis phone line is one of the few options to connect with a crisis counselor.

Even in the Most Depressed County in America, Stigma Around Mental Illness Persists

An estimated 32% of adults in Logan County, West Virginia, have been diagnosed with depression, the highest rate in the United States, according to a recent CDC report.

Mississippi’s Cervical Cancer Deaths Indicate Broader Health Care Problems

Mississippi has among the highest cervical cancer mortality rates in the U.S. When low-income women can’t afford regular preventive care, much less gynecological visits, this highly preventable and treatable cancer becomes a killer.

When Temps Rise, So Do Medical Risks. Should Doctors and Nurses Talk More About Heat?

The medical dangers of heat are real. But people often ignore public heat alerts or don’t realize how vulnerable they are. A new alert system prompts clinicians to talk about heat with patients.

How Far Will Montana’s Push to Remove Lead from School Drinking Water Go?

Montana has earmarked $3.7 million to address widespread high levels of lead in school drinking water. But it likely isn’t enough to solve the problem.

A Move to Cut Drug Prices Has Patients With Rare Diseases Worried

A Colorado board has named five drugs it will review for affordability and potential cost caps. But patients with cystic fibrosis worry they will lose access to a life-changing therapy.

Californians Headed to HBCUs in the South Prepare for College Under Abortion Bans

As high school graduates prepare to leave states like California that protect abortion rights for historically Black colleges in states where abortion is banned, they’re getting ready to safeguard their reproductive health during college.

She Paid Her Husband’s Hospital Bill. A Year After His Death, They Wanted More Money.

A widow encountered a perplexing reality in medical billing: Providers can come after patients to collect well after a bill has been paid.

More Cities Address ‘Shade Deserts’ as Extreme Heat Triggers Health Issues

Where trees are growing — and who has access to their shade — affects health and well-being, especially in one of the hottest states in the country.