Public health insurance offers insured infants better, less costly care than...
In the fierce national debate over a new federal law that requires all Americans to have health insurance, it's widely assumed that private health insurance can do a better job than the public...
View ArticleMore Americans seeking dental treatment at the ER
(AP) -- More Americans are turning to the emergency room for routine dental problems - a choice that often costs 10 times more than preventive care and offers far fewer treatment options than a...
View ArticleStudy of 'meth babies' finds behavior problems
The first study to look at methamphetamine's potential lasting effects on children whose mothers used it in pregnancy finds these kids at higher risk for behavior problems than other children.
View ArticleDoctors want to redefine autism; parents worried
(AP) -- One child doesn't talk, rocks rhythmically back and forth and stares at clothes spinning in the dryer. Another has no trouble talking but is obsessed with trains, methodically naming every...
View ArticleWill climate change mean worse flu seasons?
(HealthDay)—Mild winters where few people catch the flu tend to be followed by serious flu outbreaks the next year, a new study finds, suggesting that global warming could mean harsher flu seasons ahead.
View ArticleEurope's financial crisis leads to suicide surge
The harsh spending cuts introduced by European governments to tackle their crippling debt problems have not only pitched the region into recession—they are also being partly blamed for outbreaks of...
View ArticleDrunk driving not the only way alcohol leads to teen deaths, study says
(HealthDay)—Less than one-third of the 4,700 annual underage drinking-related deaths in the United States result from road crashes, according to a new study.
View ArticleStudy says chicken, ground beef are riskiest meats
An analysis of more than 33,000 cases of foodborne illness shows that ground beef and chicken have caused more hospitalizations than other meats.
View ArticleFatal crashes involving cellphone use may be under-reported
(HealthDay)—The number of fatal crashes involving drivers distracted by cellphones is vastly under-reported in the United States, according to a new study.
View ArticleWhat do we eat? New food map will tell us
Do your kids love chocolate milk? It may have more calories on average than you thought. Same goes for soda. Until now, the only way to find out what people in the United States eat and how many...
View ArticleUS girl gets lung transplant after political firestorm (Update)
A 10-year-old American girl whose dire need for a lung transplant catapulted her into the political spotlight underwent potentially life-saving surgery Wednesday after a donor was found.
View ArticleBoys have higher death rates from many causes, study shows
(HealthDay)—Males may be the more vulnerable sex when it comes dying young—not just from accidents, but from a range of causes, a new study finds.
View ArticleAmericans are smoking less than ever
The percentage of Americans who are smokers has fallen to an all-time low, now representing just 17.8 percent of the population, a study released Tuesday found.
View ArticleCrowd-sourcing genetic data could help unravel the causes of disease
Earlier this month, researchers and advocates from 40 countries formed a global alliance to enable the secure sharing of genomic and clinical data, aiming to end the era in which only the people who...
View ArticleStudies take early look at health law's premiums
Coverage under President Barack Obama's health care law won't be cheap, but two independent private studies show that cost-conscious consumers hunting for lower premiums will have plenty of options.
View ArticleCMS: hospital charges for common procedures up
(HealthDay)—The prices hospitals charge patients for a number of common procedures rose more than 10 percent between 2011 and 2013, more than twice the rate of inflation, according to data released by...
View ArticleDrug and device firms paid $6.5B to care providers
From research dollars to free lunches and junkets, drug and medical device companies paid doctors and leading hospitals nearly $6.5 billion last year, according to government data posted Tuesday.
View ArticleInfants' whooping cough source likely siblings, study finds
Infants are more likely to catch whooping cough from their siblings than their moms, says a study with implications for how to protect them.
View ArticleTeenage mothers at greater risk of partner violence
Australian women having their first child as teenagers are at increased risk of experiencing domestic violence, according to new data presented at the United Nations headquarters today.
View ArticleHow often do you go to the doctor? It depends on where you live, study says
The odds that you've seen a doctor in the last year vary quite a bit depending on where you live - but so far, the way your state has implemented the Affordable Care Act doesn't seem to have much to do...
View ArticleOpioid prescriptions drop for first time in two decades
(HealthDay)—In a sign that the opioid epidemic might be waning, new data show that the number of opioid prescriptions has dropped for the first time in 20 years.
View ArticleCanada opioid crisis leads to more organ transplants
A surge in the number of overdose deaths in Canada has led to more organs being available for transplant, an official at the epicenter of the opioid crisis said Friday.
View ArticleNearly 4 in 10 U.S. adults now obese (Update)
(HealthDay)—Almost forty percent adults in the United States are now obese, continuing an ever-expanding epidemic of obesity that's expected to lead to sicker Americans and higher health care costs.
View Article'Obamacare' sign-ups 45 percent ahead of last year's pace
Sign-ups for Affordable Care Act health plans are running more than 45 percent ahead of last year's pace, according to government data released Wednesday.
View ArticleIn US, people with HIV often go 3 yrs without knowing
People who are infected with HIV in the United States often go for years without being diagnosed, with the median, or midpoint, being three years, according to US government data Tuesday.
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