Feb 27 Column: How Mardi Gras beads get to the French Quarter By David Redmon for The Conversation A U.K. criminologist tells the dark story behind the production and use of Mardi Gras beads. Continue reading
Feb 27 Drowning in a ‘high-risk insurance pool’ — at $18,000 a year By Mark Zdechlik, Minnesota Public Radio One way to lower premiums: high-risk insurance pools for people with health problems. But critics say even successful high-risk pools were very expensive. Continue reading
Feb 26 5 takeaways from the leaked Republican bill to repeal Obamacare By Dylan Scott, STAT A formal draft of the House Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act leaked out on Friday. Continue reading
Feb 26 Congress returns, with health care, Supreme Court on agenda By Erica Werner, Associated Press Congress returns to Washington this week to confront dramatic decisions on health care and the Supreme Court that may help determine the course of Donald Trump's presidency. Continue reading
Feb 26 Report warns of state money fallout from health law repeal By Ben Nuckols and Ricardo Alonzo-Zaldivar, Associated Press A sobering report to governors warns that federal spending cuts probably would create funding gaps for states and threaten many people with the loss of insurance coverage. Continue reading
Feb 25 Immigrants, fearing Trump’s deportation policies, avoid doctor visits By Ike Swetlitz, STAT As President Trump continues to step up immigration enforcement, medical centers say the changes are indeed keeping immigrants out of hospitals and clinics. Continue reading
Feb 24 Watch 7:33 The foster father who cares when terminally ill kids have no one By PBS News Hour Mohamed Bzeek has become somewhat of a local hero in Los Angeles, taking on a life mission that few others would consider: as a foster parent who cares solely for terminally ill children. Special correspondent Gayle Tzemach Lemmon meets Bzeek,… Continue watching
Feb 23 Watch 8:24 How the feeling of falling behind fuels deadly distress for white Americans By PBS News Hour Why have middle aged, white Americans experienced a stunning rise in premature deaths due to alcoholism, suicide and drug abuse? Economists who have documented the dramatic decrease in life expectancy say an obvious place to look is the loss of… Continue watching
Feb 23 How poet John Keats met his early end By Dr. Howard Markel Before he turned to writing, the famous poet was an indifferent student. So he left school to become an apothecary-surgeon's apprentice. Continue reading
Feb 23 Q&A: Scientists work to regenerate the cells lost after loud noises By Megan Thielking, STAT Humans are born with around 15,000 hair cells — think tiny, sound-sensing fibers — in each ear. Continue reading