When Matthew Hurley was looking to take PrEP to prevent HIV, the doctor hadn’t heard of the medicine, and when he finally did prescribe PrEP, the bills sent to Hurley were expensive … and wrong. “I decided to write in because the process was really super frustrating.” At one point, Hurley asked, “Am I just going to stop this medication...Read more

WASHINGTON — A band of House Republicans bucked party leaders to join Democrats in passing a measure to restore expired Obamacare subsidies through the end of President Donald Trump’s term, as rising health care costs drive midterm election anxieties.

The House voted 230-196 Thursday to send a three-year extension of the expired tax credits...Read more

U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick accused some of his Republican colleagues of being “intellectually dishonest” about the Affordable Care Act, hours before he and other Republicans broke party lines to pass a bill to restore recently expired healthcare subsidies.

The Democratic-led bill passed the House by a vote of 230 to 196 after Fitzpatrick ...Read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Flu cases are surging in Kansas City and more people are hospitalized with the virus this year, mirroring a nationwide uptick, medical staff at the University of Kansas Medical Center said Thursday.

According to chief medical officers in the health system, KU Med’s hospitals are facing operational challenges with high ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota is continuing to urge shots that protect children against 17 infectious diseases, despite a federal recommendation last week that cut the number to 11.

It’s rare for state health officials to break with federal vaccine guidance, but Thursday’s decision aligned Minnesota with professional medical organizations such ...Read more

Lenia Watson-Burton, a 37-year-old U.S. Navy administrator, expected that cosmetic surgery would get rid of stubborn fat quickly and easily — just as the web advertising promised.

Instead, she died three days after a liposuction-like procedure called AirSculpt at the San Diego office of Elite Body Sculpture, a cosmetic surgery chain with more...Read more

Dr. Heather Skanes opened Alabama’s first freestanding birth center in 2022 in her hometown of Birmingham. Skanes, an OB-GYN, wanted to improve access to maternal health care in a state that’s long had one of the nation’s highest rates of maternal and infant mortality.

Those rates are especially high among Black women and infants. Skanes�...Read more

In 2013, before the Affordable Care Act helped millions get health insurance, California’s Placer County provided limited health care to some 3,400 uninsured residents who couldn’t afford to see a doctor.

For several years, that number has been zero in the predominantly white, largely rural county stretching from Sacramento’s eastern ...Read more

One commercial farm in Queen Anne’s County remains under quarantine for bird flu, Maryland officials said Wednesday; however, the rest of the state has no such restrictions.

Avian influenza, or bird flu, is a highly contagious airborne respiratory virus that affects poultry — including chickens, ducks and turkeys — as well as some wild ...Read more

With multiple measles cases reported in North Carolina, rising flu deaths and shifting federal recommendations, state health officials stressed the importance of vaccination and urged people to contact their health care providers with questions.

“In North Carolina, we are seeing an increase in measles cases, an uptick in respiratory illnesses...Read more

WASHINGTON — Swing-district Republicans defied party leaders to join Democrats in advancing legislation to revive expired Obamacare subsidies for three years, an indication of the political risks facing the GOP majority in the U.S. House heading into this year’s midterm elections.

Nine House Republicans joined Democrats on a procedural ...Read more

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of Senate deal-makers labored toward an agreement Wednesday on reviving expired health care tax credits but are still managing sticking points as the House prepares to vote on a largely symbolic measure backed by Democrats to extend the subsidies for three years.

In a procedural step, the House voted 221-205...Read more

Colorado measles vaccination rates are falling behind other states, leading to a lower herd immunity among children.

A recent data analysis by The Washington Post found that Colorado has an 88% herd immunity status regarding the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine between 2023 and 2024 — well below the 95% threshold set by doctors across the ...Read more

The federal government has drastically scaled back the number of recommended childhood immunizations, sidelining six routine vaccines that have safeguarded millions from serious diseases, long-term disability, and death.

Just three of the six immunizations the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it will no longer routinely recommend...Read more

True to its appearance, the artichoke has a bit of a prickly lore.

The folklore

The Ancient Greeks credit Zeus with the creation of the artichoke. As punishment for the deception of his mortal seductress-turned-goddess, he transformed her into the artichoke plant, with spiky petals guarding her resilient heart. The artichoke dates back to the ...Read more

If you need a quick pick-me-up during the day, a power nap can be just the thing to help restore mental clarity and fight off fatigue. Power naps can help boost productivity and improve your overall well-being, especially when you take them at the right time and for the right duration.

What is a power nap?

A power nap lasts anywhere from 10 to...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’ve taken up running again and decided to enter a half-marathon. I know I have to push myself to get ready for the race, but I don’t want to overdo it. What should I watch out for as I train?

ANSWER: We’re surrounded by warning signs — on the roads, at work, and on packaging and equipment. Your body sends warning ...Read more

Boston reported two children have died related to the flu this season Tuesday, the first pediatric flu-associated deaths in the city since 2013, bringing total related deaths Massachusetts children up to four.

“We’ve noted a dramatic increase in flu cases in Boston, particularly among children, and we are very concerned about the severity ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — In the years before Rob and Michele Reiner were killed, Los Angeles police made at least two visits to their home in Brentwood.

On Feb. 25, 2019, officers conducted a welfare check after someone called 911 at 9:51 p.m. According to LAPD records reviewed by the Los Angeles Times, officers arrived at the address at 10:12 p.m., ...Read more