Category: states

Family Caregivers Find Support on #dementia TikTok

The TikTok hashtag “dementia” has billions of views. Caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias have been using the site to swap tips and share the burdens of life with dementia.

Centene Gave Thousands to Georgia Leaders’ Campaigns While Facing Medicaid Overbilling Questions

Centene is trying to settle accusations of Medicaid pharmaceutical overcharging in Georgia, and the St. Louis-based company has been giving thousands of dollars to the campaigns of the state attorney general and the governor.

Campaigning Ramps Up as South Dakota Voters Decide on Medicaid Expansion

A broad coalition of Medicaid expansion supporters faces off against a smaller group of opponents as early voting begins on a constitutional amendment that would increase coverage under South Dakota’s program.

5 Things to Know About Colorado’s Psychedelics Ballot Initiative

The good, the bad, and the unknown about the Centennial State’s proposal to decriminalize and regulate magic mushrooms and plant-based psychedelics.

As Giant Hospitals Get Bigger, An Independent Doctor Feels the Squeeze

Independent medical practices keep closing as doctors join behemoth hospital groups or leave the field. Research suggests that’s bad news for patients. Studies repeatedly conclude that consolidation in the health care industry is driving up costs while showing no clear evidence of improved care.

‘An Arm and a Leg’: Checking Up on California’s DIY Insulin Project

Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen. Click here for a transcript of the episode. This year, the state of California put up $100 million to begin manufacturing its own insulin and sell it cheaply. How’s it going to work? (Is it going to work?) The price of insulin could be the starkest example […]

‘Separate and Unequal’: Critics Say Newsom’s Pricey Medicaid Reforms Leave Most Patients Behind

MLK Community Hospital in South Los Angeles is surrounded by poverty, homeless encampments, and food deserts. Even though California Gov. Gavin Newsom is funneling billions of taxpayer money into an ambitious initiative to provide some low-income patients with social services, hospital executives and other critics say it won’t improve access to basic care.

Climate Change Magnifies Health Impacts of Wildfire Smoke in Care Deserts

Smoke- and ash-filled air can trigger or exacerbate severe respiratory conditions. But the medical specialists who treat these illnesses are often scarce where they are most in need.

Miami’s Little Haiti Joins Global Effort to End Cervical Cancer

Creole-speaking public health workers teach women how to test themselves for HPV, the virus that causes some cervical cancers.

Hospitals Have Been Slow to Bring On Addiction Specialists

Hospitals have specialists ready to offer consult and care for concerns from cancer to childbirth but often no one with expertise in addiction medicine. Patients with a history of substance use — who are discharged without care — are at risk for overdose.