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Patients Are Being Denied Access to Their Medical Records
Read More: Patients Are Being Denied Access to Their Medical RecordsWhen Brenay Torres, a mother of two in West Virginia, found a lump in her breast, she was sent for an ultrasound after her mammogram was inconclusive. But when she tried to set up the ultrasound appointment, she ran into an unexpected roadblock. โThat is when the nightmare began,โ Torres said. She was sent to…
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The Skinny on Microdosing GLP-1 Drugs
Read More: The Skinny on Microdosing GLP-1 DrugsMarch 3 -7, 2025, is Obesity Care Week. The term โmicrodosingโ probably makes you think of psychedelic drugs โ us too. But the latest trend in microdosing involves taking small amounts of the popular weight-loss medications known as GLP-1s. GLP-1 drugs have revolutionized the way we treat Type 2 diabetes and obesity. The injectable medications…
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Turning 65 and Getting on Medicare? You Could Lose Coverage for Obesity Care
Read More: Turning 65 and Getting on Medicare? You Could Lose Coverage for Obesity CareFor millions of people living with obesity, the class of weight-loss medications known as GLP-1 agonists have been game-changers (think Wegovy and Zepbound). Studies show that people on these medications can lose more weight than they can with just lifestyle changes alone. But for one group of Americans โ people on Medicare โ at least…
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The Promise of Prescription Digital Therapeutics
Read More: The Promise of Prescription Digital TherapeuticsIf youโre sick of hearing about all the ways technology is bad for us, hereโs some good news to consider: Prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) are among the latest digital health products helping to increase access to quality healthcare. PDTs and digital therapeutics in general are used to help prevent, treat and manage a range of…
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Coping with the Costs of Cancer
Read More: Coping with the Costs of CancerFinances are not always the first thing people think of when they get diagnosed with cancer. Top questions may be, Whatโs the prognosis? What are the treatment options? And who are the best specialists? But more and more, you also have to grapple with the cost of cancer alongside the physical and emotional aspects of…
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The Importance of Making Obesity Treatment Accessible
Read More: The Importance of Making Obesity Treatment AccessibleItโs always a successful day at the office for Fatima Cody Stanford, M.D., M.P.H.,M.P.A., when she can look at a patientโs chart, see a diagnosis of diabetes, high cholesterol or hypertension, and see progress in their health or resolution of a health concern. Shanna Tucker, M.D., an obesity medicine specialist at NYU Langone Health, has…
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Biosimilars Basics
Read More: Biosimilars Basics+ Infographic text What is a biosimilar? Biosimilars are drugs made from living material, such as bacteria or plant cells. They are modeled after another type of drug called a biologic that is also made from living material.ย The biologic that a biosimilar is modeled after is called the reference product.ย Why do people use…
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How Are Biosimilars Made?
Read More: How Are Biosimilars Made?Many people struggling with chronic, hard-to-manage health conditions have found relief with a type of drug called a biologic. You may be taking a biologic and donโt even know it. Some common biologics you may have heard of are adalimumab (brand name: Humira), infliximab (brand name: Remicade) and trastuzumab (brand name: Herceptin). Biologics can be…
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Biologics, Biosimilars and Generics: Whatโs the Difference?
Read More: Biologics, Biosimilars and Generics: Whatโs the Difference?+ Infographic text What are biologics? A biologic is a medication made from living materials. These sources include: Plant cells Animal cells Microorganisms such as bacteria and yeast Biologics are used to treat many different health problems, including: Diabetes Arthritis Multiple sclerosis Psoriasis and other chronic skin diseases Crohnโs disease, colitis and other chronic bowel…
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Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Provider About Biosimilars
Read More: Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Provider About BiosimilarsBiosimilars are drugs modeled after another type of drug called biologics. Both can be used to treat a variety of health issues, including autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and some types of cancer. Biologics are made from a natural source, such as plant or human cells, and biosimilars are made in the same…
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Barriers to Biosimilars in the US
Read More: Barriers to Biosimilars in the USWomen in the United States can expect to spend nearly 50 years of their lives taking prescription drugs. And the cost of those drugs can be painful. In fact, 4 in 10 (43%) women havenโt been able to fill a prescription and nearly 1 in 10 havenโt taken their medicine as prescribed because of cost…
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Access, Affordability, Cardiovascular disease, Health insurance, Heart disease, Heart health, Medication, Prescription drugs
โA Patientโs Journeyโ: How to Navigate Health Insurance for Heart Disease
Read More: โA Patientโs Journeyโ: How to Navigate Health Insurance for Heart DiseaseFebruary 2, 2024, is National Wear Red Day and February is AmericanHeart Month. For the more than 60 million women in the United States living with some type of heart disease, navigating health insurance coverage can be overwhelming. A patientโs journey with heart disease should move seamlessly from diagnosis to treatment, with a strong partnership…
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Pharmacy Benefit Managers Are the Most Influential Healthcare Companies Youโve Never Heard Of
Read More: Pharmacy Benefit Managers Are the Most Influential Healthcare Companies Youโve Never Heard OfTaking prescription drugs may be more American than apple pie. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly half the people in the United States report having taken at least one medicine in the past 30 days. (By comparison, just about 1 in 10 Americans say apple is their favorite pie.) Who…
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How to Talk About Obesity and Obesity-Related Insurance Coverage at Work
Read More: How to Talk About Obesity and Obesity-Related Insurance Coverage at WorkEspaรฑol Obesity is so common in the United States that nearly half (4 out of 10) American adults live with the disease, which can pose serious health risks and lead to premature death. Many people living with obesity face discrimination or poor treatment in the workplace. Employers can help reduce stigma, improve working environments for…
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Cรณmo hablar de la obesidad y de su correspondiente cobertura del seguro en el trabajo
Read More: Cรณmo hablar de la obesidad y de su correspondiente cobertura del seguro en el trabajoLa obesidad es tan comรบn en Estados Unidos que casi la mitad (4 de cada 10) adultos estadounidenses viven con la enfermedad, lo que implica riesgos mรฉdicos graves y puede causar muertes prematuras. Muchas personas que viven con obesidad enfrentan discriminaciรณn o malos tratos en el lugar de trabajo. Los empleadores pueden ayudar a reducir…
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My Struggle with Period Poverty Motivated Me to Help Other Women
Read More: My Struggle with Period Poverty Motivated Me to Help Other WomenAs told to Nicole Audrey Spector When I first got my period at the age of 13, I was excited. It was finally here: the beginning of womanhood. Menstruation and all that came with it wasnโt something that was ever discussed in my home, and until that moment, Iโd never even talked about it with…
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How to Choose Health Insurance When You Have Endometriosis
Read More: How to Choose Health Insurance When You Have EndometriosisIf youโre one of the 6.5 million women in the United States living with endometriosis, you know how disruptive the chronic condition can be. Getting a diagnosis can take years โ ranging from four to 11 years, on average. Finding the right treatment can be frustrating. Diagnosing and treating endometriosis isnโt just a pain (literally…
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How to Choose Health Insurance When You Have Fibroids
Read More: How to Choose Health Insurance When You Have FibroidsUterine fibroids are so common that more than three out of four women will develop them at some point during their lifetimes. Fibroids donโt always cause symptoms, but in one-quarter to one-half of cases, they do. Fibroids can cause heavy and long-lasting periods, pain in the pelvic floor and pain during sex, frequent urination, constipation,…
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You Can Now Buy Hearing Aids Over the Counter
Read More: You Can Now Buy Hearing Aids Over the CounterIn August, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) policy change opened the door for hearing aids to be sold over the counter (OTC), and as of October 17, 2022, consumers can now purchase hearing aids directly, without consulting a healthcare provider. The Biden-Harris administration said the move will lower healthcare costs for consumers. Medicare provides…
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A Recap: HealthyWomenโs Webinar, โCURES 2.0: Leading Womenโs Health Forwardโ
Read More: A Recap: HealthyWomenโs Webinar, โCURES 2.0: Leading Womenโs Health ForwardโThe United States Congress has the power to give women resources, tools and treatments to improve their own health and the health of their families. According to HealthyWomenโs CEO Beth Battaglino, RN-C, bipartisan legislation moving through Congress โ the Cures 2.0 Act โ would do just that. To examine key provisions and implications of the…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Fertility, Fertility & family planning, Health care, Infertility, Keep the care, Reproductive rights
Even When IVF Is Covered by Insurance, High Bills and Hassles Abound
Read More: Even When IVF Is Covered by Insurance, High Bills and Hassles AboundBy Phil Galewitz, Kaiser Health News After years of trying to have a baby without success, Brenna Kaminski and her husband, Joshua Pritt, decided to try in vitro fertilization. Only 15 states require insurance to cover fertility treatments, and Florida, where Kaminski and Pritt live, isnโt one of them. Still, the coupleโs insurance, from Prittโs…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Affordable care act, Birth control, Birth control pills, Contraception, Health insurance, Keep the care
Itโs Illegal โ but My Insurance Company Refused to Cover My Birth Control
Read More: Itโs Illegal โ but My Insurance Company Refused to Cover My Birth ControlAs told to Shannon Shelton Miller More than two years ago, I made an appointment with my physician to discuss the best contraceptive options for my healthcare needs. Together, we decided on a method and my physician submitted the prescription to my insurer. I was stunned when my insurer refused to cover my contraceptive of…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Chronic conditions, Coronavirus, Covid long-haulers, COVID-19, Policy
Long Covid Leaves Newly Disabled People Facing Old Barriers โ a Sociologist Explains
Read More: Long Covid Leaves Newly Disabled People Facing Old Barriers โ a Sociologist ExplainsBy Laura Mauldin, University of Connecticut Up to one-third of COVID-19 survivors will acquire the condition known as long or long-haul COVID-19. The American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation estimates that long COVID will add as many as 22 million individuals to the U.S. population of disabled people. I am a sociologist and researcher…
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Survey Says: How Women View Health Care and Access to Health Information
Read More: Survey Says: How Women View Health Care and Access to Health InformationThese days, health-related insight is a click away. Curious about the symptoms of depression? Google it. Need the definition of collagen? Ask Alexa. Want to know more about womenโs reproductive rights? Pick a podcast. But how do women view health care and access to health information? Do age, race and ethnicity play a part? What…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Affordable care act, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, Preventive health, Reproductive rights, Women’s rights
The ACA guarantees full contraceptive coverage. Why are women getting denied?
Read More: The ACA guarantees full contraceptive coverage. Why are women getting denied?As Whitney* approached the end of her medical residency more than two years ago, she discovered a new birth control device that seemed like a perfect fit for her needs. The contraceptive โ a one-year vaginal ring โ meant sheโd only need one prescription annually instead of the monthly refills required for most hormonal rings.…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Affordable care act, Health care, Health disparities, Health insurance, Prevention, Preventive health, Racial disparities
Why Millions on Medicaid Are at Risk of Losing Coverage in the Months Ahead
Read More: Why Millions on Medicaid Are at Risk of Losing Coverage in the Months AheadBy Rachana Pradhan, Kaiser Health News The Biden administration and state officials are bracing for a great unwinding: millions of people losing their Medicaid benefits when the pandemic health emergency ends. Some might sign up for different insurance. Many others are bound to get lost in the transition. State Medicaid agencies for months have been…
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15 minutes with, Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Health insurance, Prevention, Preventive health, Vaccinations, Vaccines
15 Minutes With Dr. Leana Wen
Read More: 15 Minutes With Dr. Leana WenDr. Leana Wen is an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University who previously served as the health commissioner in Baltimore, Maryland. Dr. Wen is a familiar face on CNN, where she serves as a medical analyst, writes a weekly column in The Washington Post and hosts the Postโs newsletter, The Checkup…
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Biden to Expand Access to At-Home Covid Kits: 4 Essential Reads on the Critical Role of Rapid Tests
Read More: Biden to Expand Access to At-Home Covid Kits: 4 Essential Reads on the Critical Role of Rapid TestsBy Matt Williams, The Conversation President Joe Biden has outlined plans to massively ramp up COVID-19 testing in an effort to curb โ or at least slow โ the spread of the highly infectious omicron variant across the U.S. In a speech on Dec. 21, 2021, Biden said he aimed to get out โas many…
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Fewer Diabetes Patients Are Picking up Their Insulin Prescriptions โ Another Way the Pandemic Has Delayed Health Care for Many
Read More: Fewer Diabetes Patients Are Picking up Their Insulin Prescriptions โ Another Way the Pandemic Has Delayed Health Care for ManyBy Ismaeel Yunusa, University of South Carolina Insulin is as essential as water for many people with diabetes. Of the more than 30 million Americans with diabetes, approximately 7.4 million rely on insulin to manage their condition. But it is one of the most costly drugs on the market, and the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, COVID-19, Health insurance, Obesity, Pandemic, Policy, Weight Loss, Weight management
Celebrating Every Body Requires Access to the Best Weight-Management Care
Read More: Celebrating Every Body Requires Access to the Best Weight-Management CareIf you’ve gained weight during the Covid-19 pandemic, you are not alone. A year into the pandemic, an American Psychological Association survey showed that 45% of women report undesired weight gain, with an average addition of 22 pounds. Gaining weight can make us feel insecure about our appearance or uncomfortable in pants we may have…
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Access, Affordability, Health disparities, Health policy, Policy, Reproductive health, Reproductive rights, Women’s rights
Britneyโs Conservatorship Is One Example of How the Legacy of Eugenics in the US Continues to Affect the Lives of Disabled Women
Read More: Britneyโs Conservatorship Is One Example of How the Legacy of Eugenics in the US Continues to Affect the Lives of Disabled WomenBy Michaela Kathleen Curran, University of Iowa Britney Spears has been locked in a court battle 13 years in the making. While her father was suspended as conservator of her estate on Sep. 29, 2021, her conservatorship might not be terminated until the next hearing on Nov. 12. During this conservatorship, she was limited in…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Health disparities, Policy, Prevention, Preventive health, Racial disparities, Research, Vaccinations, Vaccines
Covid Is Killing Rural Americans at Twice the Rate of Urbanites
Read More: Covid Is Killing Rural Americans at Twice the Rate of UrbanitesBy Lauren Weber, Kaiser Health News Rural Americans are dying of covid at more than twice the rate of their urban counterparts โ a divide that health experts say is likely to widen as access to medical care shrinks for a population that tends to be older, sicker, heavier, poorer and less vaccinated. While the…
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Your Wealth or Your Health?
Read More: Your Wealth or Your Health?Lisa Keller thought she was done with cancer. She’d already survived a rare sarcoma at age 12 and breast cancer at age 28, so she was unprepared mentally โ and financially โ when she was diagnosed with breast cancer again in December of 2017 at age 44. Earlier that year, Keller had filed for bankruptcy…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Affordable care act, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, Prevention, Preventive care, Preventive health
The Next Attack on the Affordable Care Act May Cost You Free Preventive Health Care
Read More: The Next Attack on the Affordable Care Act May Cost You Free Preventive Health CareBy Paul Shafer, Boston University and Alex Hoagland, Boston University Many Americans breathed a sigh of relief when the Supreme Court left the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in place following its third major legal challenge in June 2021. This decision left widely supported policies in place, like ensuring coverage regardless of preexisting conditions, coverage for…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Affordable care act, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Health care, Health insurance, Prevention, Preventive health, Vaccinations, Vaccines
Can Health Insurance Companies Charge the Unvaccinated Higher Premiums? What About Life Insurers? 5 Questions Answered
Read More: Can Health Insurance Companies Charge the Unvaccinated Higher Premiums? What About Life Insurers? 5 Questions AnsweredBy Kosali Simon, Indiana University and Sharon Tennyson, Cornell University The current COVID-19 wave in the U.S. is mostly affecting unvaccinated Americans, who represent more than 95% of current cases of hospitalization and death. Given the average cost of a COVID-19 hospitalization in 2020 ran about US$42,200 per patient, will the unvaccinated be asked to…
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Access, Access to health care, Affordability, Depression, Health care, Health insurance, Keep the care, mental health, Postpartum, Pregnancy, Reproductive rights, Women’s rights
Women Say California Insurer Makes It Too Hard to Get Drug for Postpartum Depression
Read More: Women Say California Insurer Makes It Too Hard to Get Drug for Postpartum DepressionBy April Dembosky, KQED, Kaiser Health News When Miriam McDonald decided she wanted to have another baby at age 44, her doctor told her she had a better chance of winning the lottery. So when she got pregnant right away, she and her husband were thrilled. But within three days of giving birth to their…
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Abortion Opponents Are Chipping Away at Reproductive Rights โ One State at a Time
Read More: Abortion Opponents Are Chipping Away at Reproductive Rights โ One State at a TimeFor Laurie Roberts, helping women access abortion care means seeing them jump through one hoop after another. As co-director of the nonprofit Mississippi Reproductive Freedom Fund (MRFF), she’s fielding 35 calls per week from people seeking monetary, informational, logistical and emotional support for abortions. She shared a recent example, which she says is all too…
