Deadly High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy Is on the Rise
By Katheryn Houghton
More pregnant women are being diagnosed with dangerously high blood pressure, which risks the life of the parent and child. Montana is one of the states improving screening and treatment as health facilities work to match care with best practices.
In Chronic Pain, This Teenager ‘Could Barely Do Anything.’ Insurer Wouldn’t Cover Surgery.
By Lauren Sausser
An Alabama teen was told he needed surgery for debilitating hip pain. But his family’s insurer denied coverage for the procedure, which lacked a medical billing code. Expected to pay more than $7,000, his father charged it to credit cards.
California Governor Signs Law Banning Medical Debt From Credit Reports
By Molly Castle Work
New California legislation will bar unpaid medical bills from showing up on consumer credit reports starting in January. However, the banking industry muscled in eleventh-hour amendments that weakened the protections for patients, the bill’s lead sponsor says.
Por ley, la deuda médica ya no puede estar en los reportes de crédito en California
By Molly Castle Work
Al menos ocho estados han prohibido que las facturas médicas aparezcan en los informes de crédito de los consumidores en los últimos dos años.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, September 24, 2024
HIV Infection Rate Tumbled by 20% In San Francisco Last Year: The number of people newly diagnosed with HIV in San Francisco dropped by 20% in 2023 to 133 — the lowest in decades and a significant decline compared to an adjusted total of 167 in 2022, according to an annual HIV epidemiology report released Monday from the Department of Public Health. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle.
Vance Rewrites History About Trump and Obamacare
By Julie Appleby
During the Trump administration, enrollment in Affordable Care Act health plans fell by more than 2 million people and the number of uninsured Americans rose.
Daily Edition for Monday, September 23, 2024
New Law Aims To Curb Social Media Addiction: Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law Friday that clamps down on addictive social media targeted at young people. The legislation limits how and when social media companies can reach out to minors through notifications or other addictive material without their parents’ consent. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle and Los Angeles Times.
How North Carolina Made Its Hospitals Do Something About Medical Debt
By Noam N. Levey and Ames Alexander, Charlotte Observer
Illustration by Oona Zenda
State officials threatened to withhold public money from hospitals, pioneering a strategy that could become a national model.
Across North Carolina, Medical Debt Exacts a Heavy Toll
By Ames Alexander, Charlotte Observer and Noam N. Levey
The state has among the highest levels of medical debt in the country, data shows.
She Was Accused of Murder After Losing Her Pregnancy. SC Woman Now Tells Her Story.
By Lauren Sausser
Amari Marsh, now 23, was a student at South Carolina State University when she lost her pregnancy in 2023. She was charged with murder and faced at least 20 years in prison. A grand jury cleared her in August. Now she’s sharing her story.