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Workers’ wages siphoned to pay medical bills, despite consumer protections

Stacey Knoll thought the court summons she received was a scam. She didn't remember getting any medical bills from Montrose Regional Health, a nonprofit hospital, after a 2020 emergency room visit.

2 Oct 2025

Where jobs are scarce, over 1 million people could dodge Trump’s Medicaid work rules

Millions of Medicaid enrollees may have a way out of the new federal work requirement — if they live in a county with high unemployment.

29 Sep 2025

Big loopholes in hospital charity care programs mean patients still get stuck with the tab

Quinn Cochran-Zipp went to the emergency room three times with severe abdominal pain before doctors figured out she had early-stage cancer in the germ cells of her right ovary.

25 Sep 2025

Higher arsenic exposure linked to increased risk of metabolic liver disease

While metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is associated with obesity, the cause of its rapidly rising prevalence is not well understood. In this study, we aimed to examine the association between arsenic exposure and MASLD in humans.

22 Sep 2025

Team Trump’s answer to ballooning Obamacare premiums: Less generous coverage

Trump administration officials, looking at the possible impact of large insurance premium increases for millions of next year's Obamacare customers, want more people to consider plans with less generous benefits and high deductibles.

17 Sep 2025

Projected surge in uninsured will strain local health systems

Jake Margo Jr. stood in the triage room at Starr County Memorial Hospital explaining why a person with persistent fever who could be treated with over-the-counter medication didn't need to be admitted to the emergency room.

17 Sep 2025

Association between depression and diabetes remains the same, regardless of where people live

The relative increase in odds of an individual with diabetes developing severe symptoms of depression – and vice versa – is the same, regardless of where they live, a study of over-50s in 18 countries in Europe that is being presented at the Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna, Austria (15-19 September) has found.

15 Sep 2025

Children in the North of England face longer wait times for autism diagnosis

Children in the North of England are waiting up to three years longer than those in the south for an autism diagnosis, new data analysis shows.

11 Sep 2025

Food insecurity raises long COVID risk while SNAP support cuts it

Food insecurity was linked to 73% higher odds of current Long COVID and 30% lower odds of recovery among US adults with prior infection, based on National Health Interview Survey data. Participation in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) mitigated this association, highlighting food assistance as a potential public health intervention.

11 Sep 2025

Researchers shift tactics to tackle extremism as public health threat

Rebecca Kasen has seen and heard things in recent years in and around Michigan's capital city that she never would have expected.

8 Sep 2025

Who eats the most pulses in America, and why it matters for health

Analyzing pulse intake trends in the U.S., this study highlights sociodemographic influences and suggests strategies to enhance consumption for better health.

27 Aug 2025

Can eating yogurt every week lower your type 2 diabetes risk?

Regular yogurt consumption is linked with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, according to credible but limited scientific evidence. The FDA has approved a qualified health claim in 2024, marking yogurt as a promising food-based tool for public health.

26 Aug 2025

Majority of reproductive-aged women face modifiable risks linked to birth defects

An analysis using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) among 5,374 women of reproductive age indicates that two thirds of women within this demographic have at least one modifiable risk factor, such as low folate status or unmanaged diabetes, that can increase the chance of serious birth defects.

26 Aug 2025

African swine fever vaccine shows variable protection across virus strains

An international team of scientists has found that a promising African swine fever (ASF) vaccine can protect pigs against some strains of the virus but offers little or no protection against others. The findings point to the need for region-specific vaccines to tackle one of the world's most devastating animal diseases.

25 Aug 2025

Where is childhood obesity growing fastest in England?

The study identifies distinct childhood obesity trends in England, emphasizing the role of local policies and socioeconomic factors in shaping health outcomes.

25 Aug 2025

Most Americans drink less juice than guidelines allow, study finds

A new study of NHANES 2017–2023 data shows that most Americans drink far less 100% fruit juice than the Dietary Guidelines allow. Juice consumption was linked to better diet quality, higher nutrient intake, and did not displace whole fruit.

24 Aug 2025

WHO and WMO report highlights extreme heat's impact on workers

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have published a new joint report and guidance highlighting the growing global health challenges posed by extreme heat on workers.

23 Aug 2025

Data gaps worsen cardiovascular health inequities in racialized and Indigenous communities

CVD is the leading cause of death worldwide but does not affect people equally. In many countries, Black, South Asian and Indigenous peoples have higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure compared to white populations.

22 Aug 2025

Seattle’s Fresh Bucks program boosts food security and diet but benefits fade when funding ends

A lottery-based cohort study of Seattle’s Fresh Bucks program found that providing a $40 monthly fruit and vegetable benefit improved food security by 5.5 percentage points and increased daily produce consumption by 7.5 percentage points, while disenrollment reversed these gains. These findings highlight the potential of healthy food benefit programs to reduce nutrition-related disparities in low-income populations.

21 Aug 2025

How early maltreatment impacts social and cognitive development

Research shows that early childhood maltreatment is associated with significant delays in social and cognitive development. Unfortunately, according to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, children under age one face the highest risk of maltreatment, particularly neglect. The Child Protective Services (CPS) system is responsible for responding to maltreatment and preventing its recurrence.

21 Aug 2025