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No one knows whether Trump's $50B for rural health care will be enough
Congress set aside $50 billion for rural hospitals and medical providers to allay fears over the billions more in historic cuts to federal health care spending that President Donald Trump signed into law on Independence Day.
But is that bandage big enough to save struggling rural hospitals?
“I have more questions than I have answers,” said...Read more

The future of skin allergy testing
Skin allergies are common and often frustrating to diagnose. But new technology could soon help change that.
Dr. Alison Bruce, a dermatologist at Mayo Clinic, is aiding the development of an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tool to support allergy patch testing. The tool is being designed to help patients self-apply test patches and use ...Read more
What Is Considered 'too High' Of An HDL Cholesterol Level?
DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a healthy and fairly active 62-year-old female. My blood pressure and cholesterol levels have always been very good, and there's no history of heart issues in my immediate family. At my last checkup, my total cholesterol was 178 mg/dL; my LDL was 81 mg/dL; my triglycerides were 61 (all a bit high for me); and my HDL was 87 mg...Read more
How sunglasses help protect your eye health
Not to throw shade on you, but if you're not wearing sunglasses, your eye health is not "made in the shade." That's because sunglasses protect your eyes -- and eyelids -- from the damage that ultraviolet (UV) sunlight can do to them.
In fact, basal cell and squamous carcinoma on the eyelids are not uncommon and account for approximately 10% of ...Read more

West Nile virus found in mosquito samples in California's Orange County
LOS ANGELES — Public health officials on Tuesday said mosquito samples collected in Anaheim and Garden Grove have tested positive for West Nile virus, the first confirmed virus activity this year.
There have been four positive mosquito samples collected in those cities, according to the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District. So ...Read more

Los Angeles weighs a disaster registry. Disability advocates warn against false assurances
In the wake of January’s deadly wildfires, Los Angeles County leaders are weighing a disaster registry intended to help disabled and senior residents get connected to emergency responders to bring them to safety during disasters.
County supervisors approved a feasibility study this spring for such a voluntary database. Supporters applauded ...Read more
Don't flip out over the latest fat flip
There's a lot of flap online about two fat flips. One is in a study in Cell Reports that's calling out a component of "super-healthful" olive oil -- the omega-9 called oleic acid -- for its fat-cell-building ability that can fuel obesity. Another study, from the American Society for Nutrition, says seed oils, long-targeted for links to ...Read more
Magnesium Hasn't Consistently Been Found To Help Heart Risk
DEAR DR. ROACH: I have low serum cholesterol but a high coronary calcium score, and I was told to take magnesium supplements to bring my calcium score down (in addition to daily aspirin and a statin). What are your thoughts about magnesium to bring down a high calcium score? -- D.B.
ANSWER: A coronary calcium score is a measurement of calcium...Read more
Homeless people in Washington state visited ER less after moving into King County's hotels
SEATTLE — King County had two goals when it purchased more than a dozen hotels to convert into housing for people living on the streets — end homelessness for a bunch of people and improve their health.
Officials say it has been a success on both fronts, publishing data collected in the first two full years of the Health through Housing ...Read more

Immigration crackdown could stymie efforts to fight bird flu outbreak, experts fear
As authorities brace for a potential resurgence in bird flu cases this fall, infectious disease specialists warn that the Trump administration's crackdown on undocumented immigrants could hamper efforts to stop the spread of disease.
Dairy and poultry workers have been disproportionately infected with the H5N1 bird flu since it was first ...Read more

New study could help doctors address diabetes, prediabetes
SAN JOSE, Calif. — On a recent summer afternoon, Randy and Vera Tom prepared a stir-fried lunch in their Redwood City, California, home with their “sous chef,” a 17-year-old Bichon Frise named Munchies, afoot.
Randy, 70, recently overhauled his lifestyle after the couple participated in a Stanford Medicine study tracking their metabolic ...Read more

Ask the Pediatrician: All about the recommended immunization schedules
Experts in vaccines and vaccination — including pediatricians — work together throughout the year to update the Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule for ages 18 years or younger.
The schedule is approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics and based on ongoing reviews of the most recent scientific data for each of the ...Read more
Does BMI stand for 'bad medical information'?
There's been criticism about using BMI (body mass index) to determine if a person is obese or overweight and to predict how it might indicate risks to health and longevity. After all, the weight of a super-muscular body may register as "obese" when the percentage of body fat may be extremely low. And now, a study published in the Annals of ...Read more
Physician Bills Patient For Exam But Wasn't In The Room For It
DEAR DR. ROACH: When I have appointments with my physicians (at our local, highly rated academic health system), they no longer do a physical exam. But in the after-visit note, there is a documented and complete physical exam that doesn't reflect reality. This happened on all types of visits, including annual visits and pre- and post-surgery ...Read more

How will 'Big Beautiful Bill' impact health care in Nevada?
President Donald Trump signed the first successful rollback of the country’s major health care programs into law on the Fourth of July, and some major changes are expected to be felt in Nevada over time.
Known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the reconciliation package includes critical policy changes, from ending taxes on tips to extending...Read more

Pitt-CMU collab helps multiple sclerosis patients track symptoms
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University collaborated to create a customized app based on artificial intelligence that may help people with multiple sclerosis track their symptoms — and even predict them.
The app passively pulled health data from the personal digital devices — like smartphones and fitness ...Read more

Even grave errors at rehab hospitals go unpenalized and undisclosed
Rehab hospitals that help people recover from major surgeries and injuries have become a highly lucrative slice of the health care business. But federal data and inspection reports show that some run by the dominant company, Encompass Health Corp., and other for-profit corporations have had rare but serious incidents of patient harm and perform ...Read more

Idaho parents were paid to care for their disabled children. Those days are over
BOISE, Idaho — From 8 a.m. until late at night, Nathan Hill performs countless tasks for his 16-year-old son, Brady. Some of the tasks are small — things most people “take for granted that our kids can do,” Hill said, like popping Brady’s pimples when he gets acne outbreaks.
Others could mean the difference between life or death. A ...Read more

Mayo Clinic Q&A: Why some men experience urinary leaks -- or incontinence
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: This is kind of embarrassing, but, for a while, I’ve been leaking urine. Can something be done to fix this incontinence problem?
ANSWER: You don’t have to live with this issue. The three main types of urinary incontinence are:
Stress incontinence — due to leakage with activities, such as lifting, climbing stairs or ...Read more

On Nutrition: Grilling down on cancer risk
I was in the waiting room of our local mammography clinic when an illustration on the wall caught my eye. It featured an exquisitely designed trunk overflowing with precious jewels. Underneath were the words, “Treasure your chest. Get yours checked.”
Excellent advice. Regular bodily checkups are a practical and valuable way for us to detect...Read more
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