Aug 19 Watch 6:30 How communities can improve warning systems and disaster responses By John Yang, Harry Zahn The head of the Maui Emergency Management Agency resigned this week amid criticism for not activating warning sirens during the wildfire that killed more than 100 people. It has put a spotlight on how communities respond to emergencies. Tricia Wachtendorf,… Continue watching
Aug 19 Watch 6:05 What a new Montana law means for transgender children and their families By Joe Lesar, Montana PBS Families and medical providers in Montana are preparing for a new law set to take effect in October that bans certain medical treatments for minors with gender dysphoria. Proponents of the bill say the law protects children from making medical… Continue watching
Aug 17 The No Surprises Act left out ground ambulances. Here’s what’s happening now By Laura Santhanam After lawmakers dropped ground ambulances from the No Surprises Act in 2021, the price of an ambulance trip can still vary widely for reasons that no patient can reasonably foresee or control. Now, experts need the public's help to fix… Continue reading
Aug 17 Federal officials raise concerns about long call center wait times as millions are dropped from Medicaid By David A. Lieb, Associated Press Well over 4 million people have been dropped from Medicaid rolls nationwide since a pandemic-era moratorium on removing people ended this spring. Continue reading
Aug 17 A Pennsylvania study suggests links between natural gas drilling and asthma, lymphoma in children By Marc Levy, Associated Press In the reports, University of Pittsburgh researchers found what they called significant associations between gas industry activity and two ailments: asthma, and lymphoma in children, who are relatively rarely diagnosed with this type of cancer. Continue reading
Aug 16 Watch 5:46 Study estimates nearly half of U.S. water supply contaminated with ‘forever chemicals’ By Stephanie Sy, Courtney Norris, Dorothy Hastings A recent government study estimates nearly half of America’s tap water could contain toxic "forever chemicals" known as PFAS. These chemicals have been used in many everyday items since the 1940s from nonstick cookware to cosmetics to rain jackets. Exposure… Continue watching
Aug 14 Maui residents face lingering toxic hazards in aftermath of deadly wildfires By Andrew J. Whelton, The Conversation Maui County issued an ‘unsafe water’ alert and urged precautions. Residents can face multiple toxic hazards after fires. Continue reading
Aug 13 Inconsistent methods for counting U.S. heat deaths stymie public health efforts By Anita Snow, Kendria LaFleur, Associated Press Experts say a mishmash of ways more than 3,000 counties calculate heat deaths means we don't really know how many people die in the U.S. each year because of high temperatures in an ever warming world. Continue reading
Aug 13 Study links ‘forever chemicals’ exposure to testicular cancer among military personnel By Hannah Norman, Patricia Kime, KFF Health News A new federal study for the first time shows a direct association between PFOS, a PFAS chemical, found in the blood of thousands of military personnel and testicular cancer. Continue reading
Aug 13 Doctors warn some popular weight-loss drugs may raise risk of complications under anesthesia By JoNel Aleccia, Associated Press Patients who take blockbuster drugs like Wegovy or Ozempic for weight loss may face life-threatening complications if they need surgery or other procedures that require empty stomachs for anesthesia. Continue reading