A paper by Ng, Zhang and Kowal (2025) use the American Community Survey (ACS) data from 2016–2022 were used to construct Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). SVI is calculated from 16 social determinants of health (SDoH) variables that are grouped into 4 themes: socioeconomic status, household characteristics, racial and ethnic minority status, and housing type &…
Senators John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) and Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri) introduced a bill last week that would require “able-bodied adults” without dependents to work or volunteer for at least 20 hours per week to receive Medicaid benefits. The post Senators Introduce Bill that would Add Work Requirements for Medicaid appeared first on MedCity News.
The number of babies born in the United States fell again last year. According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 3.6 million births in 2025, a 1% decline from 2024. The fertility rate dropped to 53.1 births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44, down 23% since 2007….
Ben Zeskind, co-founder, president and CEO of Immuneering, is attempting a new approach to treat certain types of cancers. If it works, there will be a vast improvement in the quality of life of cancer patients. The post MedCity Pivot: What if Pancreatic Cancer Became a Chronic Disease? appeared first on MedCity News.
By increasing the availability of services through flexible payment methods, providers have an opportunity to expand their customer base and establish themselves as trusted partners in the wellness journey. The post Pairing Wellness Needs With Financing Solutions: How a Second Look May Increase Accessibility to Services appeared first on MedCity News.
UnitedHealth Group’s multibillion-dollar pharmacy benefit manager, Optum Rx, is suing five Kentucky counties in an attempt to force them out of national opioid litigation against the company. Pharmacy benefit managers, often called PBMs, act as middlemen that negotiate prescription drug prices between drug companies, insurance plans, and pharmacies. Some lawyers and advocates say PBMs helped…
The Host Julie Rovner KFF Health News @jrovner @julierovner.bsky.social Read Julie’s stories. Julie Rovner is chief Washington correspondent and host of KFF Health News’ weekly health policy news podcast, “What the Health?” A noted expert on health policy issues, Julie is the author of the critically praised reference book “Health Care Politics and Policy A…
After losing and regaining the same 20-plus pounds more times than she could count, Anita Blanchard concluded that diets don’t work. So when the University of North Carolina-Charlotte professor learned that Ozempic — developed to treat Type 2 diabetes — helped people lose weight and keep it off, Blanchard was determined to try it. The…
Resource-sharing across large networks of hospitals allows people to receive a higher quality of care across the country, regardless of where they live or how well-resourced their local health system may be. The post Not All Hospitals Have Equal Resources — Knowledge Sharing Can Help Level the Playing Field appeared first on MedCity News.
Tammy Chalala, a retired dietitian in New York, was thrilled with the results of her cataract surgeries, which left her with close to 20/20 vision. She said she paid nearly $4,000 out-of-pocket for her two surgeries last year because she opted to have her doctor use a laser to assist with the procedure. Chalala, 69,…