Allegheny County town hall to address Veterans Affairs health services
The Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System will hold a Veterans Town Hall session Monday, both online and at its campus in O’Hara. Open to the public and geared toward veterans, their families and other stakeholders, the session is meant to provide updates on Veterans Affairs services while accepting feedback on...
Lt. Governor Davis to highlight health insurance deadline during Greensburg stop
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis is scheduled to visit Greensburg on Monday afternoon to remind Pennsylvania residents to sign up for medical coverage through Pennie, the state’s official health insurance marketplace. Davis is slated to make an appearance at Adagio Health with Pennie Executive Director Devon Trolley and Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner...
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield reverses decision to put time limit on anesthesia
One of the country’s largest health insurers reversed a change in policy Thursday after widespread outcry, saying it would not tie payments in some states to the length of time a patient went under anesthesia. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield said in a statement that its decision to backpedal resulted...
Congo government says it’s ‘on alert’ over mystery flu-like disease that killed dozens
KINSHASA, Congo — Public health officials in Africa urged caution Thursday as Congo’s health minister said the government was on alert over a mystery flu-like disease that in recent weeks killed dozens of people. Jean Kaseya, the head of Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters that more...
Raw milk recall in California expands after tests detect more bird flu virus
A California farm expanded a recall of raw milk sold in stores and halted production after state health and agriculture officials found bird flu virus in more milk samples. Raw Farm, of Fresno, voluntarily recalled all whole milk and cream products from stores late Tuesday after tests found bird flu...
Owners of boutique in Ross, South Hills donate sweaters to honor loved one’s memory
When Julie Durbin was undergoing cancer treatment, she was always cold. She would bring a cardigan, a sweater that opens in the front and comes in various lengths, to her appointments. “Cardigans added a layer of warmth and comfort and protection for her,” said her sister Dione O’Dell. “She was...
Nearly 30% of U.S. drugstores closed in 1 decade, study shows
Nearly three out of 10 U.S. drugstores that were open during the previous decade had closed by 2021, new research shows. Black and Latino neighborhoods were most vulnerable to the retail pharmacy closures, which can chip away at already-limited care options in those communities, researchers said in a study published...
What medical care for transgender minors is at stake in Supreme Court case?
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case involving Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender people under age 18. At least 26 states have adopted laws restricting or banning such care for minors, and most of those states face lawsuits. The nation’s top court will be...
UPMC sees $371 million operating loss in first 9 months of 2024
UPMC in its most recent financial disclosure blamed a $371 million operating loss on increased medical utilization and rising pharmacy costs. The Pittsburgh-based health care giant reported a $371 million operating loss in the first nine months of 2024. That’s up from the $177 million loss reported during the same...
Highmark posts $529 million profit in 3rd quarter
One of Pittsburgh’s health giants has continued its turnaround from the pandemic, posting $529 million in profit through the first nine months of 2024. Pittsburgh-based Highmark Health reported its multi-million profit Tuesday. The $529 million mark for the first nine months of this year is just a tick below the...
Biden proposes Medicare, Medicaid cover costly weight-loss drugs for millions of obese Americans
WASHINGTON — Millions of Americans with obesity would be eligible to have popular weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound covered by Medicare or Medicaid under a new rule the Biden administration proposed Tuesday morning. The costly proposal from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services immediately sets the stage...
Raw milk from California dairy recalled after routine testing detected bird flu virus
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The bird flu virus was detected in a retail sample of raw milk from a dairy in Fresno, California, state health officials said. The sample obtained at a store tested positive Nov. 21 during routine screening by Santa Clara County health officers, the state Department of Public...
A look at how some of Trump’s picks to lead health agencies could help carry out Kennedy’s overhaul
The team that President-elect Donald Trump has selected to lead federal health agencies in his second administration includes a retired congressman, a surgeon and a former talk-show host. All could play pivotal roles in fulfilling a political agenda that could change how the government goes about safeguarding Americans’ health —...
Even with access to blockbuster obesity drugs, some people don’t lose weight
Unlike scores of people who scrambled for the blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight in recent years, Danielle Griffin had no trouble getting them. The 38-year-old information technology worker from New Mexico had a prescription. Her pharmacy had the drugs in stock. And her health insurance covered all...
Trump taps a Fox News personality, a surgeon and a former Congressman to lead public health agencies
WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump on Friday nominated Dr. Marty Makary to lead the Food and Drug Administration, selecting a surgeon and author who gained national attention for opposing vaccine mandates and some other public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Makary, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, is the...
Is your water fluoridated? Here’s where to find out
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged that one of his first acts in the new Trump administration would be to “advise all U.S. water systems to remove fluoride from public water.” However, water fluoridation is usually determined by local governments, and it’s uncertain whether Kennedy would have the authority to mandate...
Daylight saving time may come with the winter blues; here’s how to navigate it
The clocks have turned back and with shorter daylight hours and colder temperatures on the way, the seasonal shift can bring feelings of the blues. Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is defined as a type of depression that often comes with the fall and winter months. These cases are considered...
Dozens are sickened and 1 person died after eating carrots contaminated with E. coli
NEW YORK — An outbreak of E. coli has infected dozens of people who ate bagged organic carrots, and one person died from the infection. Altogether, 39 people were infected and 15 were hospitalized in 18 states after eating organic whole and baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms, the federal...
New database tracks how tens of millions in opioid settlement dollars are being spent
HARRISBURG — A first-of-its-kind database from Spotlight PA will make it easier for the public to track how Pennsylvania counties decided to spend tens of millions of dollars from their first rounds of opioid settlement payments — and whether a powerful state oversight board ultimately approved those decisions. Pennsylvania expects...
Microwave ablation at Penn Highlands Mon Valley a cancer treatment option
Microwave is not a word you think would be used to describe a medical procedure. But it is. Microwave ablation is a laparoscopic procedure for cancer therapy, said Dr. Zachary Senders, a double-board-certified surgical oncologist and general surgeon with Penn Highlands Mon Valley. A procedure not typically performed in community...
Covid outbreak hits Allegheny County’s Kane center in McKeesport
Allegheny County officials said Friday that a covid-19 outbreak has hit one of its senior centers in McKeesport, infecting 11% of the residents. The outbreak at Kane Community Living Center in McKeesport began Nov. 4. Those affected have mild symptoms, said Abigail Gardner, spokeswoman for Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato....
Working Well: The simple act of taking deep breaths can reduce stress and anxiety
NEW YORK — A simple, uncommon ritual starts each staff meeting at Myosin Marketing. When everyone is gathered on Zoom, and before they get to the meat of the agenda, CEO Sean Clayton leads his team through a deep-breathing exercise. The practice sets the tone for the meeting, and helps...
Birth control and abortion pill requests have surged since Trump won the election
Hours after Donald Trump was elected president for the second time, Dr. Clayton Alfonso had two messages from patients seeking to replace their IUDs. Over the next few days, three women inquired about getting their tubes tied. All of them said the election was the reason they were making these...
U.S. overdose deaths are down, giving experts hope for an enduring decline
NEW YORK — The decline in U.S. drug overdose deaths appears to have continued this year, giving experts hope the nation is seeing sustained improvement in the persistent epidemic. There were about 97,000 overdose deaths in the 12-month period that ended June 30, according to provisional Centers for Disease Control...
What makes walking so great for your health and what else you need to do
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Janet Rapp strode briskly down a paved path through the city zoo, waving at friends and stopping briefly to greet emus she knows by name. The 71-year-old retiree starts each morning this way with a walking club. “I’m obsessed,” she said. Not only does it ease her...
