Health Care

May 21, 2013 KHNMost health plans accept a credit card for the first month's premium and then require customers to pay monthly with a check or an electronic transfer from a bank account. For people without a banking relationship, these transactions can be tricky.

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May 16, 2013 Marilyn Tavenner, who has been running the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services in an acting capacity since late 2011, has a big job. The agency oversees health coverage for more than 100 million Americans.

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May 14, 2013 Florida International University's medical school has made community-based health care a central part of its curriculum. With home visits and a mobile health clinic, students connect with families in neighborhoods where medical care is scarce.

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May 14, 2013 The National Transportation Safety Board wants the blood alcohol limit to be lowered from 0.08 to 0.05, in line with the limits in countries such as Denmark, the Philippines and Switzerland. But it may be tough sell in states across the country.

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May 14, 2013 Some argue that the FDA's approval process — required before new treatments can be sold on the market — takes too much time and money. A group of experts face off over the balance between safety and urgency in the latest Intelligence Squared U.S. debate.

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May 14, 2013 Abortion rights backers insist that Dr. Kermit Gosnell is an outlier. Opponents of abortion say Gosnell is anything but an exception. Congress is gearing up to investigate how states regulate abortion in the wake of the verdict.

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May 14, 2013 Doctors have seen a sharp increase in the number of women choosing breast surgery to prevent cancer. But the genetic mutation that contributed to Angelina Jolie's decision is relatively rare, and the vast majority of women who choose prophylactic mastectomy don't face the same level of risk.

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May 14, 2013 KHNA baby's delivery may not be covered for women insured as dependents on their parents' plans, even though office visits and prenatal care would be. Although the health care overhaul mostly improves coverage for young adults, it also leaves some odd holes in coverage.

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May 11, 2013 APRNHow much hospitals around the country bill for 100 top procedures became public this week. Though insurance or Medicare may not actually pay the sticker price, some hospitals in Alaska are considering how they'll respond to more knowledgeable consumers.

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May 10, 2013 A company that got its start assessing the risks of ocean-going vessels now checks U.S. hospitals for quality. Known as DNV, the firm is bringing competition to an area of health care that obsesses insiders yet is little known by patients.

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