Backers Of Cost-Free Coverage For Birth Control Fault Legal Challenges
Defenders of an Obama administration rule requiring most health insurance plans to offer access to contraception without copays say there's no validity to arguments it violates religious freedom. >>
Latest Local Health Headlines
State Audit Finds Unexplained Gaps In Children's Mental Health Care
Oregon needs to do a better job at making sure that low-income children are getting the mental health services they’re eligible for. That's the finding of a new audit by the Oregon Secretary of State's office.
Affordable Care Act Should Simplify Insurance Paperwork
A new report on the Affordable Care Act finds that 67 percent of working Oregonians should see simplified paperwork from their health insurers in the near future.
States Get Money To Set Up Health Insurance Exchanges
The federal government announced grants totaling $180 million for six states Wednesday. The money is to help the states set up health insurance exchanges.
Study: Oregon Obesity Jumps By 120 Percent Since 1990
A new study says obesity rates for adults in Oregon jumped 120 percent since 1990
UO Community Mourns Death Of Portland Student
The University of Oregon is mourning the death last Friday of a 21-year-old undergraduate. Health officials say Lillian Pagenstecher died of bacterial meningitis.
Oregon's Idea For Fixing Medicaid Hits The National Stage
When an Oregon idea makes it to the national stage, there's a lot of excitement. So, what is the big idea? Well, it's nothing short of a complete change in the way Oregon's sickest people get health care.
New Guide Helps Medical Practitioners Tell Patients About Mistakes
When a doctor or hospital makes a mistake, the state requires they write a letter to the patient. But half the time, that doesn't happen.
Health Officials Worried About Whooping Cough Spreading To Oregon
With whooping cough an epidemic in Washington, health experts are worried about the spread of the disease in Oregon. Residents are being warned not to cough around babies.
Northwest Hospitals Battle Prescription Pain Overdoses
More people are dying from overdoses of prescription painkillers. Some Northwest hospitals say they're combating the problem by drastically reducing the amount of prescriptions they write for the medications.
Federal Program Studies The Bygone Medical Tradition Of Housecalls
The life of a doctor has changed dramatically in modern times.
The days of turning up at a patient's home, medical bag in hand, for a lengthy discussion about health and lifestyle are long gone.
Health Officials Warn Against Drinking Raw Milk
A mother, whose two-year-old has been hospitalized for 28 days after drinking raw milk, recommends not giving children milk that hasn't been pasteurized.
Don't Curse The Rain, It Depresses Allergens
Here in the Northwest, you hear lots of complaints about the abundant rain. But this year's cool March weather and above normal rainfall in April may have eased the suffering of people with pollen allergies.
Northwest States Net Millions From Pharmaceutical Settlement
Oregon, Washington and Idaho are among the 44 states splitting a $100 million settlement with pharmaceutical giant Abbott Labs. The agreement announced Monday resolves a dispute over the company's marketing of a drug called Depakote.
Feds Probe Washington's Whooping Cough Epidemic
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has sent two epidemiologists to Washington State.
Kitzhaber Celebrates Two Health Care Victories
Governor John Kitzhaber was in Portland Friday to celebrate two big health care milestones.
Study: Chemicals In Great-Grandma’s Life May Promote Disease In You
The chance of a woman getting ovarian disease may be tied to the toxic chemicals her great-grandmother was exposed to. That’s according to a new study by researchers at Washington State University. As Jessica Robinson reports, the study could help explain the role of environmental factors in inherited diseases.
Q&A: Feds Give Oregon $1.9B Boost For Health Care Programs
Oregon's efforts at overhauling the way it delivers health care to low-income residents got a $1.9 billion boost today. The state announced it’s reached a five-year agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Oregon Man First Sleep Expert Licensed In State
Timothy Sipe has become the first sleep expert to be licensed by the state. Sipe is an employee of Mid-Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles.
Oregon Leaders Celebrate Federal Money For Medicaid Overhaul
The federal government has agreed to pump nearly $2 billion into Oregon's experiment at changing the way it delivers health care to low income people. The news Thursday came after Governor John Kitzhaber and three other state officials flew to Washington to personally lobby for the cash.
One Story Behind Washington 2011 Death With Dignity Act Statistics
Seventy. That's how many terminally people hastened their deaths in 2011 with the help of a doctor’s prescription in Washington, according to a report out Wednesday from the state Department of Health. Since 2009, a total of 255 terminally ill adults have ended their lives in this way. One of them was Meg Holmes.
Kitzhaber Seeks Federal Health Care Waiver
This week, Oregon is looking to get federal permission to move ahead with a key cost-cutting strategy for health care.
Federal Campaign Reaches Out To Northwest's Vaccine-Shy Parents
The federal government’s top health officers are making an appeal to the Northwest’s medical community to boost vaccination rates. The deputy director of the Centers for Disease Control’s immunization branch spoke at a public health conference in Coeur d’Alene Friday as part of the national campaign.
FDA Drafts New Guidelines For Nanotechnology
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued new draft guidelines on the use of nanotechnology in cosmetics and food.
CDC Report Shows Reduction In Oregon Hospital Infections
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued its first ever state-by-state breakdown of health care-related infections. Oregon's efforts appear to be ahead of the pack.
Flu Season Hangs On In NW, As Seen In Your Web Searches
Flu season is hanging on longer than usual in parts of the Northwest say health officials. That’s shown in cases of the flu -- and also via web searches. Google queries for terms like “muscle aches,” ”flu symptoms” and “thermometer” are being used to track where flu is hitting now.
Care Groups Line Up To Receive Oregon Health Dollars
The state of Oregon is getting a robust response from health care providers to re-shape the way Oregon provides medical services to low income people. Before a deadline this week, state health administrators received more than 50 proposals to create regional collaborations. The strategy is part of Governor John Kitzhaber’s so-called health-care transformation.
Bend's St. Charles Medical Center Dropping Air Ambulance Business
Central Oregon’s largest hospital says it’s getting out of the air ambulance business. St. Charles Medical Center says it will close down its Airlink program June 15th.
Tests Find Elevated Radon Levels In Oregon Governor's Mansion
The governor's mansion in Oregon has tested positive for elevated levels of radon. Technicians found the readings Wednesday when they picked up monitors left in the basement of the stately, two-story home known as Mahonia Hall.
Flu Season Goes Out Like A Lamb This Year
The regional flu season appears to be peaking late, but fewer people overall have become ill this year.
More Mothers Look To Doulas As Oregon Explores Payment Options
An Oregon health agency is recommending the use of doulas as a way to reduce infant mortality among low-income and ethnic minority households. So what is a doula and is there any money in the health care bureaucracy to pay for them?
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Kristian Foden-Vencil covers health issues for OPB in a series we are calling "Vital Signs: Health Care At A Crossroads." You can reach him at kfv@opb.org
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