It's the most wonderful time of the year to be a basketball fan. And whether you're enjoying the memory of your alma mater's winning buzzer-beater in the NCAA tournament or hoping to see your favorite pro posterize an opponent in the NBA playoffs, all those high-flying jams and nothing-but-net 3-pointers might have you wondering, "Can I do that?...Read more

Underscoring the massive scale of America’s medical debt problem, a New York-based nonprofit has struck a deal to pay off old medical bills for an estimated 20 million people.

Undue Medical Debt, which buys patient debt, is retiring $30 billion worth of unpaid bills in a single transaction with Pendrick Capital Partners, a Virginia-based debt...Read more

Rural hospital leaders are questioning whether they can continue to afford to do business with Medicare Advantage companies, and some say the only way to maintain services and protect patients is to end their contracts with the private insurers.

Medicare Advantage plans pay hospitals lower rates than traditional Medicare, said Jason Merkley, ...Read more

MANSFIELD, La. — When Desoto Regional Health System took out $36 million in loans last year to renovate a rural hospital that opened in 1952, officials were banking on its main funding source remaining stable: Medicaid, the joint federal-state health program for low-income people and the disabled.

But those dollars are now in jeopardy, as ...Read more

ATLANTA — Georgia public health leaders on Tuesday underscored the gravity of the Texas measles outbreak, and expressed concern over the impact of misinformation from Washington.

Three unvaccinated people are the only Georgia measles cases so far this year. All recovered. Georgia Department of Public Health workers in a public meeting Tuesday...Read more

A lot of research has been done on the outcomes of young children who receive care in early education programs across the country. High-quality early childhood education programs positively shape young children’s development. Far less research has focused on the early childhood workforce that powers these programs.

We set out to ...Read more

President Trump’s administration has made the decision not to cover highly-popular obesity treatments under the 2026 Medicare Advantage and Part D policies. One day after the Senate confirmed Dr. Mehmet Oz as head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the CMS said in a filing that it would not start covering anti-obesity drugs for...Read more

​​Anxiety causes intense fear and panic and affects about 19% of people in the United States per year. Consider talking to a mental healthcare provider who can offer you guidance and treatment options if you have a hard time managing symptoms at home.

Here are 12 foods and drinks that may help reduce your anxiety.

1. Avocado

Consuming ...Read more

As the name suggests, cod liver oil is the fat extracted from the livers of Atlantic cod and is rich in omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA). Omega-3 supplements, on the other hand, are extracted from whole fish. Cod liver oil supplements, which are available over-the-counter, are also rich in vitamins A and D.

If you need therapeutic doses of EPA...Read more

Approximately three million Americans have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD is an umbrella term for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, illnesses marked by chronic or repeated bouts of inflammation in the digestive tract. Both types of IBD represent a complex interplay of genes, environment, and immune factors.

Current therapies for ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: What happens during a spinal adjustment? Can professionals other than chiropractors safely do spinal adjustments?

ANSWER: Chiropractors commonly perform spinal adjustments, also known as spinal manipulation. However, osteopathic doctors, physical therapists and medical doctors who are specially trained in manipulation may ...Read more

It’s a holy grail of health care: forcing the industry to reveal prices negotiated between health plans and hospitals — information that had long been treated as a trade secret. And among the flurry of executive orders President Donald Trump signed during his first five weeks back in office was a promise to “Make America Healthy Again” ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS — U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals of life-changing, high-risk medical devices reportedly slowed to a 10-year low for the January to March period, as sources say recent layoffs have had devastating effects.

Federal data show the regulatory agency — which has fired hundreds and rehired an unknown number of device ...Read more

“Avoid screens before bed” is one of the most common pieces of sleep advice. But what if the real problem isn’t screen time − it’s the way we use social media at night?

Sleep deprivation is one of the most widespread yet overlooked public health issues, especially among young adults and adolescents.

Despite needing ...Read more

Cities and states fighting a historic measles outbreak find themselves undermined by the Trump administration as they struggle to provide crucial vaccinations and overcome disinformation. As of this week, cases were nearing 650 in 22 states, on track to reach a 34-year high.

A second unvaccinated child died of measles in West Texas last week. U...Read more

ATLANTA — Val Kilmer, the actor behind iconic characters from “Batman Forever,” “Top Gun,” “Tombstone” and more, has died. The 65-year-old film star died April 1 from a battle with pneumonia, an infection that raises increased risks for older adults.

Here’s everything to know about the infection and why older adults should take ...Read more

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Purple flags, representing the nearly 300 Mecklenburg County residents who died of opioid overdose in 2023, fluttered in the humid breeze last August in recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day on the city’s predominantly Black west side.

As recently as five years ago, the event might have attracted an ...Read more

During the workweek, time to exercise can quickly slip away. But meeting physical activity targets by cramming workouts into the weekend could actually buy back time in the long run.

A new study reports that people whose physical activity fits a "weekend warrior" pattern might lower the risk of an early death from cardiovascular disease, cancer...Read more

ROCHESTER, Minnesota — It is a large part of the body that lies deep inside, out of sight and perhaps out of mind: your abdominal core. A new and rapidly developing area of medicine focuses on abdominal core health, including how people can incorporate it into a healthy lifestyle and how to address complex medical problems that arise when it ...Read more

BOSTON — The state Department of Public Health is “in communication” with Newton-Wellesley Hospital after a reported group of nurses were diagnosed with brain tumors.

The diagnosed nurses have worked at some point in the maternal care labor/delivery unit on the hospital’s fifth floor, according to hospital officials.

As of last week, ...Read more