Health Care

Measles, Once Declared At An End, Makes A Return

August 22, 2008 · About a decade ago, health officials declared an "end" to measles in the United States. That has changed: 131 cases of measles have been reported so far this year, the most in more than a decade. The virus is finding its way to unvaccinated children — including the home-schooled.

Legal Affairs

Doctors Fear Effects Of Illegal Immigrant's Arrest

August 26, 2008 · The recent arrest of a popular woman who happens to be an illegal immigrant has some North Carolina doctors concerned. The woman's immigration status apparently was turned over to authorities after she received medical care. Doctors worry that illegal immigrants will be afraid to seek care, which might lead to public health problems.

Election 2008: Issues

Plans To Cut Health Costs May Not Pay Off

August 22, 2008 · The United States spends $2 trillion on health care every year. If costs continue to rise, health economists say the U.S. could see a significant drain on spending in areas such as the military or education. McCain and Obama both promise to cut costs, but their plans may not be aggressive enough.

Your Health

In The ER, Unhealthy Premium On Insurance Data

August 21, 2008 · After rushing a stranger to the emergency room, health economist Philip Musgrove discovered that getting insurance information can trump getting emergency care.

Health & Science

HIV Up Among Young, Gay Black Men

August 6, 2008 · The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says annual increases in rates of infection among young, gay black men are the highest in any demographic group in the U.S. One member of the community says it will take more than condoms to change that.

Switzerland: Health Care for All

In Switzerland, A Health Care Model For America?

July 31, 2008 · Switzerland's health care system could be the perfect political compromise for the U.S. Those who can afford to buy insurance are required to do so by law. For those who can't, the government provides subsidies. Swiss citizens, such as Cecile Crettol-Rappaz, say they wouldn't trade it for any other system.

Switzerland: Health Care for All

In Switzerland, An Easier Path For The Disabled

July 31, 2008 · In Switzerland, disabled children can receive quality care even after their parents pass away. In the United States, people with disabilities can face a future that is much more precarious.

Research News

Magnetic Pulses To Brain Help 'Lazy Eye'

July 26, 2008 · About 3 percent of people in the U.S. suffer from amblyopia, or "lazy eye" as it is more commonly known. People with the condition can see out of both eyes, but one eye dominates and the eyes may not work together. Now a team of scientists in Canada has shown that magnetic pulses to the brain may help restore abilities to the weaker eye.

Great Britain: Health Care for All

MS Patient Falls Into American Insurance Gap

July 24, 2008 · After he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Jeff Rubin of Philadelphia went bankrupt paying for his medical bills. Would that happen in England? Both the U.S. and the U.K. ration health care. A look at patient experiences on either side of the Atlantic.

Feeling The Economic Pinch

Americans Cutting Back On Medical Care, Poll Finds

July 23, 2008 · Many middle-class Americans with jobs and health insurance have trouble paying their medical bills, according to a new survey. For one couple in Florida, that means putting off dental work. And a woman in Ohio shelved her doctor's request for more medical tests.

Great Britain: Health Care for All

Britain Weighs Social Cost Of 'Wonder' Drugs

July 23, 2008 · Tarceva has been shown to extend life in some lung cancer patients by an average of eight weeks. But Great Britain's government health service has decided not to provide the drug. Cancer patient Donald Sutherland and his doctor, Fergus Macbeth, explain how they live with that decision.

Health Care for All

Massachusetts Steps Forward On Health Coverage

July 23, 2008 · In the most closely watched health care experiment in the United States, Massachusetts is requiring nearly all of its citizens to have insurance. Support remains strong for the program, and the number of uninsured has dropped by half.