Jess Franz-Christensen did not realize the seriousness of her son’s Type 1 diabetes diagnosis until staff in the doctor’s office offered to call an ambulance to take him to the hospital.Her next shock: The cost of Jack’s medicines.The drugs, administered through an insulin pump, cost $1,200 a month.“We’re really fortunate. We’re able to pay for stuff,” said Franz-Christen.... Read More
Here’s the idea: Swiftly pass a repeal of President Barack Obama’s health care law, perhaps soon enough for Donald Trump to sign it the day he takes the presidential oath.Then approve legislation restructuring the nation’s huge and convoluted health care system — despite Republican divisions, Democratic opposition and millions of jittery constituents.What could go wrong?With Re.... Read More
Men who behave like promiscuous playboys or feel powerful over women are more likely to have mental health problems than men with less sexist attitudes, according to a study released this week.The analysis found links between sexist behavior and mental health issues such as depression and substance abuse, said the study which appeared in the Journal of Counseling Psychology, published by the A.... Read More
In what may be his last significant act as President Barack Obama’s surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy released a report calling for a major cultural shift in the way Americans view drug and alcohol addiction.The report, “Facing Addiction in America,” details the toll addiction takes on the nation — 78 people die each day from an opioid overdose; 20 million have a substance use disorder.... Read More
Will Donald Trump remake school lunches into his fast-food favorites of burgers and fried chicken when he’s president?Children grumbling about the rules for healthier school lunches rules championed by first lady Michelle Obama may have reason to cheer Trump’s election as the billionaire businessman is a proud patron of Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald’s. And he’s promised to curb.... Read More
Contacts to The Trevor Project’s crisis services programs — by phone, chat and text — reached unprecedented levels in the days following the election.At the Trevor Project, the nation’s only accredited suicide prevention program for LGBTQ youth under 25, young people are heard from every day.But the volume surged 116 percent in the two days after election and the organization hear.... Read More
A rare bile duct cancer that may be linked to time served in the Vietnam War is quietly killing some former soldiers.The disease can be caused by liver flukes, a parasite found in raw or undercooked fish that is common in parts of Asia.Some veterans are fighting for the Department of Veterans Affairs to recognize their disease as service-related so they can receive benefits, but most claim.... Read More
A system to track prescription painkillers in Wisconsin to prevent abuse shows a nearly 10 percent drop in the number of opioid prescriptions written and filled compared to this time last year.Wisconsin’s Controlled Substance Board recently published its first quarterly report on the prescription drug monitoring database, which was established in 2013, Wisconsin Public Radio reported.The.... Read More
With the annual enrollment period for plans on the health law’s marketplaces starting Nov. 1, many consumers are worried about rising premiums, shrinking provider networks and the departure of major insurers such as UnitedHealthcare, Aetna and Humana from many exchanges.The impact on coverage will vary, but the shifting landscape means that it’s more important than ever for consumers to.... Read More
As voters consider soda taxes in four cities, a new study finds that some Berkeley neighborhoods slashed sugar-sweetened beverage consumption by more than one-fifth after the Northern California city enacted the nation’s first soda tax.Berkeley voters in 2014 levied a penny-per-ounce tax on soda and other sugary drinks to try to curb consumption and stem the rising tide of diabetes and obesi.... Read More
