March 2012 - NPR Health Blog - The Network of Care

States Struggle To Cover Uninsured With Pre-Existing Conditions

Until a national health insurance mandate takes effect in 2014, states run stopgap pools to cover people with pre-existing conditions. The federal funds to pay for the coverage are being stretched thin in many states. Read More...

Published Tue, Mar 20 2012 7:07 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Is Anesthesia A Luxury During Colonoscopy?

Anesthesia is being used more often for colonoscopies, even if people really don't need it. People in the Northeast are far more likely to be put to sleep, compared to the West Coast, where insurers are less likely to pay. Read More...

Published Tue, Mar 20 2012 1:36 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Aspirin Might Reduce Cancer Risk, But It Has Risks, Too

A review of hundreds of studies found that people who take aspirin daily lowered their risk of several cancers, but the jury's still out. And daily aspirin use also has major drawbacks — including the risk of serious internal bleeding — that may outweigh...

Published Wed, Mar 21 2012 12:35 PM by Shots - Health Blog

What Your Gynecologist Doesn't Know About Your Sex Life, But Really Should

Most gynecologists don't ask patients about their sexual orientation or if they're having sexual problems, a new study finds. That makes it hard for women to get appropriate medical care, the researchers say. Read More...

Published Thu, Mar 22 2012 11:48 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Whooping Cough Bacteria May Be Changing Their Ways In Australia

Whooping cough has reappeared in the U.S. and other developed countries in recent years, despite widespread use of vaccines. Researchers in Australia offer a partial explanation: they say the vaccine isn't tailored to fight some of the most common...

Published Fri, Mar 23 2012 11:26 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Cheney Operation Underscores Heart Transplant Issues

The former vice president is recovering from a heart transplant he received over the weekend. Experts say it's unusual for a 71-year-old to get a transplant, but more and more older people are getting them as the procedures improve and the population...

Published Sun, Mar 25 2012 9:01 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Study Finds Female Condoms Are Cost-Effective For HIV Prevention

When researchers compared the cost of condoms for women with the cost of HIV infections it prevented, they found the relatively new condoms saved between $15 and $20 for every dollar spent on distributing them in Washington. Read More...

Published Mon, Mar 26 2012 8:15 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Weight-Loss Surgery May Help Treat, Even Reverse, Diabetes

Two studies that compared outcomes for patients on diabetes drugs versus those who underwent bariatric surgery found the latter group was much more likely to see their blood sugar go down. Many of these post-operative patients were able to stop taking...

Published Mon, Mar 26 2012 1:25 PM by Shots - Health Blog

<span>Insurers Try Rebates To Lead Consumers To Cheaper Care</span>

Some insurers and employers are trying cash to reward employees who choose less expensive health care services. Under one program, nearly 40 services are covered, including mammograms and colonoscopies, knee replacements and cataract surgery. Read More...

Published Tue, Mar 27 2012 5:48 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Supreme Court's Medicaid Decision Could Reach Far Beyond Health Care

The justices will hear arguments Wednesday over whether the health law's expansion of Medicaid for the poor unfairly forces the states to participate. And their decision could greatly affect the relationship between the federal government and the...

Published Tue, Mar 27 2012 9:01 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Supreme Court Cheat Sheet Day 3: Scalia Unplugged

If the justices find the insurance mandate unconstitutional, will they strike down the entire health care law? The top five moments from Justice Antonin Scalia could offer clues about the thinking of the court's conservative majority. Read More.....

Published Wed, Mar 28 2012 12:08 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Autism Rates Jump Again, As Diagnosis Improves

The number of children diagnosed with autism rose to 1 in 88 in 2008, according to a new report from the CDC. Advocates called for a national emergency. But researchers said the increase could be solely the result of better detection. Read More...

Published Thu, Mar 29 2012 11:04 AM by Shots - Health Blog

New York Bans 'Synthetic Marijuana'

The New York State Health Department banned the sale of synthetic marijuana products like those on Thursday. So all kinds of wacky stuff that's made to get people high — but is often disguised as potpourri, incense or some mixture of herbs — is now...

Published Fri, Mar 30 2012 7:29 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Air Pollution In An Unlikely Spot: An Indoor Hockey Arena

Early last year 31 people got sick after spending time at an indoor ice arena owned by a private school in New Hampshire. Poor ventilation of exhaust from a machine used to resurface the ice turned out to be a big problem. Read More...

Published Thu, Mar 01 2012 1:50 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Inconsistency: The Real Hobgoblin

Why are politicians and those of us who vote for them so obsessed with inconsistency? We take that question on from three angles: how our brains are wired; the psychology of judging what's consistent; and how consistency plays out in leadership styles...

Published Mon, Mar 05 2012 12:40 AM by Shots - Health Blog

March 2012 - NPR Health Blog

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