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Healthcare and Caregiving News
Despite Katie Couric’s Advice, Doctors Say Ultrasound Breast Exams May Not Be Needed
When Katie Couric shared the news of her breast cancer diagnosis, the former “Today” show co-host encouraged people to get additional screening beyond a mammogram. But doctors say that may not be needed.
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Healthcare and Caregiving Resources
Symptoms and Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a brain ailment that gradually impairs thinking and memory abilities as well as the capacity to do even the most basic tasks. Whether you're worried about Alzheimer's Disease for yourself or caregiving for someone who may be experiencing Alzheimer's, this overview is for you.
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How to Get Rid of Medical Debt — Or Avoid It in the First Place
If you’re worried about incurring debt during a health crisis or are struggling to deal with bills you already have, you’re not alone. Some 100 million people — including 41% of U.S. adults — have health care debt, according to a recent survey.
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Biden Pledges Better Nursing Home Care, but He Likely Won’t Fast-Track It
The White House this week said CMS will first study the issue of nursing home staffing and then propose minimum staffing standards “within one year,” but officials have been otherwise vague about timing.
California Vaccine Mandate Extends to Aides for People With Disabilities
Workers in adult and senior care facilities and in-home aides have been added to the list of California health workers who must be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Desperate for Home Care, Seniors Often Wait Months With Workers in Short Supply
For at least 20 years, national experts have warned about the dire consequences of a shortage of nursing assistants and home aides as tens of millions of baby boomers hit their senior years.
Medicare Patients Win the Right to Appeal Gap in Nursing Home Coverage
A three-judge federal appeals court panel in Connecticut has likely ended an 11-year fight against a frustrating and confusing rule that left hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries without coverage for nursing home care, and no way to challenge a denial.
Insurance, Medicare and Medicaid News
No-Bid Medicaid Contract for Kaiser Permanente Is Now California Law, but Key Details Are Missing
California lawmakers have approved a controversial no-bid statewide Medi-Cal contract for HMO giant Kaiser Permanente over the objection of county governments and competing health plans. But key details — including how many new patients KP will enroll — are still unclear.
‘Free’ Screening? Know Your Rights to Get No-Cost Care
Some screenings and preventative tests are free under the Affordable Care Act. But this popular provision comes with challenges and caveats.
Patients Seek Mental Health Care From Their Doctor but Find Health Plans Standing in the Way
As mental health concerns have risen over the past decade — and reached new heights during the pandemic — there’s a push for primary care doctors to provide mental health care. But insurance sometimes gets in the way.
California Wants to Slash Insulin Prices by Becoming a Drugmaker. Can It Succeed?
California is diving into the prescription drug business, attempting to achieve what no other state has done: produce its own brand of generic insulin and sell it at below-market prices to people with diabetes like Sabrina Caudillo.