Medicaid Cuts Threaten the Health of Women and Children: Why Protecting Coverage Matters

Medicaid Cuts Threaten the Health of Women and Children: Why Protecting Coverage Matters

By Janet Howard | Editorial credit: Christopher Penler / shutterstock.com  Medicaid is a cornerstone of America’s healthcare system, providing critical coverage to millions of low-income individuals, particularly women and children. Yet, proposed cuts to this vital program threaten to undo decades of progress in maternal and child health. As lawmakers debate Medicaid’s future, the stakes […]

Diabetes: A Deadly Chronic Disease Disproportionately Impacting Non-White Communities and Poverty-Stricken Areas

Diabetes: A Deadly Chronic Disease Disproportionately Impacting Non-White Communities and Poverty-Stricken Areas

By Janet Howard Diabetes remains one of America’s deadliest chronic diseases, particularly devastating to non-white communities, where it often becomes entrenched as a disease of poverty. Predominantly affecting African American, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian communities, diabetes reflects deep-rooted inequities stemming from economic disparities, limited healthcare access, and systemic racism. At its core, diabetes is […]

Why Community Pharmacies are Closing – and What to Do if Your Neighborhood Location Shutters

Why Community Pharmacies are Closing – and What to Do if Your Neighborhood Location Shutters

By Lucas A. Berenbrok, THE CONVERSATION | Editorial credit: rblfmr / shutterstock.com  Neighborhood pharmacies are rapidly shuttering. Not long ago, Walgreens, one of the nation’s biggest pharmacy chains, announced plans to close 1,200 stores over the next three years. That’s part of a larger trend that has seen nearly 7,000 pharmacy locations close since 2019, with more expected […]

Providing Driver’s Licenses to Undocumented Immigrants Improves Birth Outcomes, Research Shows

Providing Driver’s Licenses to Undocumented Immigrants Improves Birth Outcomes, Research Shows

By Margot Moinester, THE CONVERSATION  When states give driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, it affects nondrivers, too — even the littlest ones. Babies born to immigrants from Mexico and Central America are bigger and healthier in states that make that change, our research shows. The longer a law is in effect before a baby is conceived, […]

PAHO Highlights the Need to Prioritize Primary Health Care to Advance Towards Universal Health in the Americas

PAHO Highlights the Need to Prioritize Primary Health Care to Advance Towards Universal Health in the Americas

By Pan American Health Organization  Washington, D.C., December 12, 2024 (PAHO) — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) today presented a new report highlighting both the progress made and the persistent challenges faced by countries in the region in their efforts to ensure access to health services without imposing an unsustainable financial burden on individuals. […]

In a Threat to Patient Trust, Texas Hospitals Must ask ‘Are you a U.S. citizen?’

In a Threat to Patient Trust, Texas Hospitals Must ask ‘Are you a U.S. citizen?’

By Akshara Ramasamy, StatNews | Editorial credit: Patrish Jackson / shutterstock.com  As I prepare for medical school, I worry about the future of practicing in my state As a first-generation immigrant, much of my childhood was spent in a state of perpetual uncertainty. My family and I fixated on an ever-refreshing screen, patiently watching our status […]

New Report Reveals Urgent Need for Targeted Programs that Address Violence Against Indigenous and Afro descendent Women and Girls in the Americas

New Report Reveals Urgent Need for Targeted Programs that Address Violence Against Indigenous and Afro descendent Women and Girls in the Americas

By paho.org Washington D.C. December 4, 2024 (PAHO) – A new report into violence against Indigenous and Afro descendent women and girls, launched today by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), calls on countries of the Americas and partner organizations to urgently improve information and strengthen the implementation of programs that address the impact of […]

First Day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Expand Insurance Coverage of Breast Cancer Screening and Imaging

First Day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Governor Hochul Signs Legislation to Expand Insurance Coverage of Breast Cancer Screening and Imaging

By governor.ny.gov | Editorial credit: AYO Production / Shutterstock.com  On the first day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Governor Kathy Hochul today signed legislation to expand insurance coverage of breast cancer screening and imaging to include procedures as recommended by nationally recognized clinical practice guidelines for the detection of breast cancer. “Every woman in New […]

PAHO Director Urges Respect and Protection of Rights for International Day of People of African Descent

PAHO Director Urges Respect and Protection of Rights for International Day of People of African Descent

By: Pan American Health Organization | Editorial Credit: Bricolage/ shutterstock.com  People of African descent are 2.5 times more likely to live in poverty and often face limited access to health services. Washington, DC, August 30, 2024 (PAHO) — In commemoration of the International Day of People of African Descent, which takes place on August 31, […]