A U.S. lawmaker is taking action after a KHN investigation exposed weaknesses in the federal system meant to stop repeat Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, said he decided to introduce a bill in the House late last week after KHN’s reporting revealed what he called a “shocking loophole.”

“The ability of...Read more

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration issued a warning on Mar. 21, 2023, about an increase in trafficking of fentanyl adulterated with xylazine, which can increase the risk of overdosing on an already deadly drug. Xylazine is increasingly appearing within the U.S. supply of illicit opioids like fentanyl and heroin. The agency noted that it...Read more

LOS ANGELES — The government is ready to declare COVID-19 over: The nationwide state of emergency is set to end on May 11. In California, the state of emergency concluded in February. Johns Hopkins University shut down its nationwide COVID-19 data tracking this month.

But COVID-19 isn't gone. Though cases and deaths are on a downswing, plenty...Read more

Tuberculosis cases have increased for the second year in a row, according to a March 2023 report from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While incidence of tuberculosis within the U.S. declined substantially during the COVID-19 pandemic, cases of the disease are now returning to pre-pandemic levels.

“During 2022, ...Read more

If you’re going to jog and essentially drop dead on the sidewalk, you’d want it to happen like it did for Jon Cook of Johnson County, Kansas — who’d still like to find the unknown “blonde with a dog” and other guardian angels who helped save his life.

“We’ve tried hard. We’ve gone door to door. I’ve tried going on (the app) ...Read more

In 1976, a woman from Roanoke, Virginia, named Rhoda received a prescription for two drugs: estrogen and progestin. Twelve months later, a local reporter noted Rhoda’s surprisingly soft skin and visible breasts. He wrote that the drugs had made her “so completely female.”

Indeed, that was the point. The University of Virginia ...Read more

You're getting to the gym regularly. Meeting your friends for a walk around the block. Maybe aerobics class is your go-to exercise. But is your exercise program the best for your heart health?

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one person dies ...Read more

Parenting is hard. You give all you've got to love your children and make sure they're safe and thriving. You may not be sleeping well. You haven't had time to yourself. You miss being with other adults.

Every parent has asked themselves this question at some point: Is it OK to take a break from my children?

The daily pressures of juggling ...Read more

An invasive mosquito with a curved mouth and a striped body is the latest addition to a growing list of nonnative mosquito species bridging the gap between the tropics and Florida.

The insect is known only by its scientific name, a moniker you’d expect from a comic book: Culex lactator.

This new species resides in two Southwest Florida ...Read more

You might be hearing more about the MIND diet of late. A recent study has added to the evidence that the diet, which includes a variety of brain-friendly foods, may help protect against Alzheimer's disease.

In this Mayo Clinic Minute, Angie Murad, a registered dietitian and nutritionist and patient educator at Mayo Clinic, explains the benefits...Read more

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed a controversial bill Friday that would ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth in Kentucky.

In addition to banning puberty-blockers, hormones and surgeries for kids under 18, Senate Bill 150 would also ban lessons on gender identity and sexual orientation, prevents trans students from using ...Read more

Sen. Bernie Sanders, who rose to national prominence criticizing big business in general and the pharmaceutical industry in particular, claimed the spotlight Wednesday on what might at first seem a powerful new stage from which to advance his agenda: chairmanship of the Senate health committee.

But the hearing Sanders used to excoriate a ...Read more

BALTIMORE -- Ivelisse Page already had 15 inches of her colon and 28 lymph nodes removed to treat her colon cancer, but in the winter of 2008 she received more devastating news.

The cancer had spread to her liver.

Page’s doctor, Dr. Luis Diaz – an oncologist at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York and professor at the ...Read more

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to become a valuable tool for transplant to save more patients' lives. Recent studies have already shown promise in using AI to analyze large sets of data to discover important trends and patterns. In this expert alert, Mayo Clinic transplant experts share how this technology ...Read more

MANKATO, Minn. — You've thought about it for years. You've dreamed of crossing the finish line. It's on your bucket list, or maybe it's become a tradition. You've registered for a long-distance race like a 5K, 10K, half-marathon or marathon. So now's the time to plan and prepare for your big day.

This critical process will be shaped by your ...Read more

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A group of South Carolina Republican lawmakers are looking to join a handful of other states that have passed restrictions on certain medical care for transgender children.

A Republican-led Senate panel on Thursday held the first of what is slated to be a much longer two-part public hearing next Wednesday, gathering testimony...Read more

Florida’s ban on gender-affirming medical treatment for youth is unconstitutional, a group of parents and transgender children alleged in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday.

The ban violates the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause because it singles out transgender minors and blocks them from obtaining medically necessary care for gender...Read more

ATLANTA — Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday signed a bill into law that bans health care providers from providing certain hormones or surgical treatment to children to align with their gender identity.

Senate Bill 140 passed the Legislature on a party-line vote, with Republicans supporting it.

“As Georgians, parents and elected leaders, it is ...Read more

March is National Nutrition Month, which makes this a good time to learn about your nutritional needs during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

During pregnancy, the basic principles of healthy eating remain the same — get plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and healthy fats. However, a few nutrients in a pregnancy diet ...Read more

More than 50,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year. Risks factors for developing this type of cancer include environmental exposures, such as smoking, high blood pressure, a history of kidney failure, obesity or not having a healthy weight. And there are also hereditary syndromes that may increase your risk for kidney...Read more