The U.S. health care system leaves much to be desired.

It is convoluted, fragmented, complex and confusing. Experts have also raised concerns about quality, and disparities are rampant. And, of course, it is excessively costly – far more so than in any other developed nation. Given these failings, it is not surprising that Americans...Read more

On a sunny November afternoon, Gerard Robinson set out from his Johnson Ferry Road apartment and walked his terrier. The simple act was a revolution for him.

Robinson’s walk would have been unthinkable just last year, as he sat in his apartment suffering from severe depression. The disease was defying other treatments Robinson had diligently ...Read more

You can't literally gift-wrap health, much less stuff it in a stocking.

But a gift that helps someone eat, sleep or exercise better can send a powerful message, said Dr. Laurence Sperling, the Katz Professor in Preventive Cardiology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

Beyond the usual affection a gift demonstrates, something ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I've heard there might be a link between hearing loss and brain health. Can you explain how it could affect my cognitive function and what I can do to reduce the risks?

ANSWER: Humans by nature are social. People enjoy being with others, sharing stories, laughing at a joke, dancing to a favorite song, greeting a neighbor, ...Read more

Middle-aged adults with long-term fluctuations in blood pressure may face a higher risk for sudden cardiac death than their peers with more consistent blood pressure readings, a large new study suggests.

The findings, which showed people with the greatest variability in blood pressure faced up to a nearly 70% greater risk for sudden cardiac ...Read more

WASHINGTON — The number of deaths due to opioid overdoses in Pennsylvania dropped by almost a quarter over the last year, according to statistics released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Deaths declined from 5,195 in July 2023 to 3,937 in July 2024, a 24% decline. The number of Pennsylvanians dying due to opioids ...Read more

The state agency that handles behavioral health plans to ask the Georgia General Assembly for more money to get mentally ill patients moved out of jails and into treatment.

The request dovetails with priorities previously expressed by House Speaker Jon Burns. After the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School in September, Burns and other ...Read more

ATLANTA — A panel of Georgia lawmakers is considering introducing legislation next year forcing insurance companies to cover the cost of alternatives to opioid pain medications as a way to further address problems with the addictive medications.

State Rep. Michelle Au, D-Johns Creek, said she and other members of a special House opioid study ...Read more

You’ve probably heard “Don’t go outside in the winter with your hair wet or without a coat; you’ll catch a cold.”

That’s not exactly true. As with many things, the reality is more complicated. Here’s the distinction: Being cold isn’t why you get a cold. But it is true that cold weather makes it easier to catch ...Read more

ATLANTA — Deegant Adhvaryu completed his parents’ applications for Medicaid and food benefits in June. Then the waiting and frustration began.

In July, his parents, Haresh and Nina Adhvaryu, received a letter saying their applications would be delayed, he said. In August, the Adhvaryus started calling a Georgia helpline, he said, but couldn...Read more

Whether it’s overeating, catching an illness or feeling stress or sheer exhaustion, a busy calendar of holiday festivities can take a toll on health, says Safia Debar, MBBS, a general practitioner and stress management expert at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London. In this expert alert, Dr. Debar answers common questions and offers tips to help ...Read more

In 2017, the Republicans who controlled Congress tried mightily to slash federal spending on Medicaid, the government-funded health program covering low-income families and individuals.

California, like other states, depends heavily on federal dollars to provide care for its poorest residents. Analyses at the time showed the GOP’s proposals ...Read more

Daniel Penny has been acquitted of the subway killing of Jordan Neely, but the New York City criminal justice and mental-health-care establishment is guilty of creating the conditions whereby a deeply disturbed man known to be in the throes of psychological crisis wound up melting down on a subway car, hurling threats at passengers.

Should ...Read more

The federal Food & Drug Administration has approved two new Alzheimer’s medications that can offer people more time to live normally, but accessing them in Florida is complicated.

Hold-ups related to insurance coverage, diagnostic test requirements, eligibility exclusions, and long waits for neurologist appointments can become stumbling ...Read more

An analysis of data from hundreds of studies identified 22 viruses capable of persisting in human semen after infection, with nine showing evidence of sexual transmission.

Scientists have for decades understood that chronic infection-causing viruses like HIV and herpes can persist in semen, posing a risk for sexual transmission. More recently, ...Read more

RICHMOND, Va. — Two years ago, Gov. Glenn Youngkin proposed sweeping investments to overhaul the state’s behavioral health system. The initiative, called Right Help, Right Now, promised funding for crisis response solutions like mobile crisis teams and a new crisis hotline.

On Wednesday, Youngkin said the commonwealth had made good on that ...Read more

A California child who became seriously ill after drinking raw milk tested negative for bird flu, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said.

Health officials in Marin County warned against consuming raw milk products on Tuesday after the child experienced vomiting and high fever after drinking unpasteurized milk and required hospitalization in ...Read more

Modern medicine has enabled citizens of wealthy, industrialized nations to forget that children once routinely died in shocking numbers. Teaching 19th-century English literature, I regularly encounter gutting depictions of losing a child, and I am reminded that not knowing the emotional cost of widespread child mortality is a luxury.

...Read more

Open enrollment to purchase health insurance for 2025 is here, and this year, as many as 100,000 people are newly eligible to apply.

As of November, individuals with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and certain other lawfully present immigration statuses can purchase private health insurance through the federal marketplace, the ...Read more

With the holiday season in full swing, beverages from warm and fragrant drinks to festive cocktails become a staple in every home, bringing a sense of comfort and cheer.

Here are the best and worst holiday drinks for you, ranked from best to worst, so you can make an informed decision that can balance indulgence with health.

1. Peppermint tea ...Read more