April 2012 - NPR Health Blog - The Network of Care

As Health Care Giants Merge, Pharmacies Aren't Happy

Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions provide prescription drug benefits services to more than 1 in 3 Americans. The FTC says their union won't stifle competition in the industry, but community pharmacy groups are furious. Read More...

Published Mon, Apr 02 2012 3:21 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Cancer Doc Brawley Says The U.S. Health Care System Is Sick

Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer for the American Cancer Society, gave a fiery speech at annual meeting of Association of Health Care Journalists over the weekend. It was a no-holds-barred critique of the U.S. system of health care. Read More....

Published Mon, Apr 23 2012 1:16 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Americans' Cholesterol Drops, Despite Surge In Obesity

Federal data show that only 13.4 percent of adults in the U.S. have high cholesterol, compared with 18.3 percent a decade earlier. Drugs rather than better lifestyle appear to account for the improvement. Read More...

Published Tue, Apr 24 2012 11:07 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Teenagers' Latest Bad Idea: Drinking Hand Sanitizer

Teenagers are turning to hand sanitizer in search of a cheap legal buzz, poison control centers report. Doctors say it's dumb, and dangerous. Read More...

Published Wed, Apr 25 2012 2:02 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Wanted: Mavericks And Missionaries To Solve Mississippi's M.D. Shortage

In rural Mississippi, the number of doctors per person is among the lowest in the country. Now, a new scholarship program is trying to attract medical students to begin their practice there. The success — or failure — of the program depends largely on...

Published Thu, Apr 26 2012 11:46 PM by Shots - Health Blog

Smart Shopping Can Relieve Pain From Dentists' Charges

Dental coverage often maxes out at a just few thousand dollars a year or less and typically covers only half of the cost of major procedures like crowns and root canals. So knowing what out-of-network dentists charge for their services may help save you...

Published Tue, Apr 17 2012 6:55 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Unusual Alliances Form In Nebraska's Prenatal Care Debate

The state's Legislature voted to spend government funds on prenatal care for illegal immigrants. The governor vetoed the legislation, but some lawmakers are looking to override the veto in a vote on Wednesday. Read More...

Published Wed, Apr 18 2012 12:03 AM by Shots - Health Blog

When It Comes To A1C Blood Test For Diabetics, One Level No Longer Fits All

People with diabetes may have more options for managing the disease, with new guidelines that don't include a one-size-fits-all approach to blood glucose levels. Read More...

Published Thu, Apr 19 2012 10:48 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Mammograms May Lead To *** Cancer 'Over-Diagnosis,' Study Finds

Norwegian scientists say as many as 1 in every 4 cases of *** cancer doesn't need to be found because it would never have caused symptoms or death. They also question a fundamental justification of mammography: that it finds more cancers when they're...

Published Tue, Apr 03 2012 9:48 AM by Shots - Health Blog

Health Insurers Move Ahead, With Or Without Individual Mandate

With all the attention focused on the Supreme Court hearings on the fate of the Affordable Care Act, it might seem that the future of all reforms to the health care system is in the balance. But some in the insurance industry say many changes are already...

Published Mon, Apr 02 2012 8:28 AM by Shots - Health Blog

April 2012 - NPR Health Blog

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As Health Care Giants Merge, Pharmacies Aren't Happy

Cancer Doc Brawley Says The U.S. Health Care System Is Sick

Americans' Cholesterol Drops, Despite Surge In Obesity

Teenagers' Latest Bad Idea: Drinking Hand Sanitizer

Wanted: Mavericks And Missionaries To Solve Mississippi's M.D. Shortage

Smart Shopping Can Relieve Pain From Dentists' Charges

Unusual Alliances Form In Nebraska's Prenatal Care Debate

When It Comes To A1C Blood Test For Diabetics, One Level No Longer Fits All

Mammograms May Lead To *** Cancer 'Over-Diagnosis,' Study Finds

Health Insurers Move Ahead, With Or Without Individual Mandate

Cancer Diagnosis Raises Risk Of Death From Heart Attack, Suicide

No Need For The Knife? Antibiotics May Suffice In Some Appendicitis Cases

Wider Use Of *** Cancer Radiation Technique Raises Concern

Bird Flu Studies Mired In Export Control Law Limbo

Drive On Tax Day At Your Own Risk