With ACA subsidies set to expire, Texas Republicans in Congress remain hazy about path forward
Read full article: With ACA subsidies set to expire, Texas Republicans in Congress remain hazy about path forwardTexas’ entire House GOP delegation voted this week for a health care package that lets the tax credits lapse. They will be forced to vote on a three-year extension of the subsidies in January.
Nebraska plans to be the first state to implement Trump's new Medicaid work requirements
Read full article: Nebraska plans to be the first state to implement Trump's new Medicaid work requirementsNebraska plans to be the first state to implement new work requirements for some Medicaid recipients.
Speaker Johnson was ready to move on from ACA subsidies. But his members had other plans
Read full article: Speaker Johnson was ready to move on from ACA subsidies. But his members had other plansSpeaker Mike Johnson has stayed on message that a Republican health care package will help all Americans and not just those on Affordable Care Act plans.
Trump signs executive order that could reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug
Read full article: Trump signs executive order that could reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drugPresident Donald Trump has signed an executive order that could reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug.
China sues after Missouri seeks to collect on $25 billion court judgment, prosecutor says
Read full article: China sues after Missouri seeks to collect on $25 billion court judgment, prosecutor saysMissouri’s top prosecutor says China is suing after the state pressed federal officials for help collecting on a roughly $25 billion court judgment related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Houston-area health officials warn of sharp rise in whooping cough cases
Read full article: Houston-area health officials warn of sharp rise in whooping cough casesHouston health officials are sounding the alarm over a dramatic spike in whooping cough cases, with over 3,500 reported across Texas this year.
How cutting transgender instruction at Texas medical schools undermines health groups’ recommendations
Read full article: How cutting transgender instruction at Texas medical schools undermines health groups’ recommendationsHealth providers and faculty members fear students will no longer understand the nuances of caring for transgender people, who tend to have higher rates of certain mental and physical health conditions.
States brace for Trump's push to make oil drilling cheap again
Read full article: States brace for Trump's push to make oil drilling cheap againA Republican push to make drilling cheaper on federal land is creating new fiscal pressure for states that depend on oil and gas revenue, most notably in New Mexico.
New York is set to legalize medically assisted suicide with 'guardrails,' governor says
Read full article: New York is set to legalize medically assisted suicide with 'guardrails,' governor saysNew York is set to become the latest state to legalize medically assisted suicide for the terminally ill.
Meet the 4 Republicans who defied House Speaker Mike Johnson on ACA subsidies
Read full article: Meet the 4 Republicans who defied House Speaker Mike Johnson on ACA subsidiesFour moderate House Republicans have broken ranks with Speaker Mike Johnson by supporting a Democratic petition to extend health care subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.
When measles hit West Texas, school absences soared and it wasn't just sick kids who were out
Read full article: When measles hit West Texas, school absences soared and it wasn't just sick kids who were outWhen a measles outbreak hit West Texas this year, school absences surged far beyond the number of children who likely became sick.
Blamed for the nation’s historic measles outbreak, West Texas Mennonites have hardened their views on vaccines
Read full article: Blamed for the nation’s historic measles outbreak, West Texas Mennonites have hardened their views on vaccinesMonths after public health officials say they caused the nation’s largest measles surge in 30 years, some West Texas Mennonites have grown more skeptical of the mainstream medical system.
House Speaker Johnson rebuffs efforts to extend health care subsidies, pushing ahead with GOP plan
Read full article: House Speaker Johnson rebuffs efforts to extend health care subsidies, pushing ahead with GOP planHouse Republican leaders are determined to push ahead with a health care bill that excludes efforts to address the soaring monthly premiums for Affordable Care Act recipients.
A New Year, A New Smile: How AI and OneArch are changing full-mouth restorations in Houston
Read full article: A New Year, A New Smile: How AI and OneArch are changing full-mouth restorations in HoustonA new smile can change everything. Dr. Michel Azer and the team at Texas Dental Implant Center are using AI smile design and the OneArch approach to deliver faster, more predictable full mouth restorations — often the same day.
Big retailers didn't pull ByHeart baby formula fast enough after botulism recall, FDA says
Read full article: Big retailers didn't pull ByHeart baby formula fast enough after botulism recall, FDA saysThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent warning letters to four top retail stores for failing to promptly pull contaminated infant formula tied to a dangerous outbreak from their shelves.
Like many holiday traditions, lighting candles and fireplaces is best done in moderation
Read full article: Like many holiday traditions, lighting candles and fireplaces is best done in moderationThe warm scents of gingerbread and pine are holiday favorites, but experts warn they can affect indoor air quality.
Higher cost, worse coverage: Affordable Care Act enrollees say expiring subsidies will hit them hard
Read full article: Higher cost, worse coverage: Affordable Care Act enrollees say expiring subsidies will hit them hardAmericans are feeling the strain already with less than three weeks to go until the expiration of COVID-era tax credits that have helped many people pay for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
King Charles III says his cancer treatment is being reduced as he promotes benefits of screening
Read full article: King Charles III says his cancer treatment is being reduced as he promotes benefits of screeningKing Charles III says that early diagnosis and treatment will allow doctors to reduce his cancer treatment in the new year.
Illinois becomes 12th state to provide medically assisted suicide for the terminally ill
Read full article: Illinois becomes 12th state to provide medically assisted suicide for the terminally illIllinois residents with terminal illnesses may choose to end their lives on their own terms under a law Gov. JB Pritzker has signed.
Winter virus season so far is not too bad, but doctors worry about suffering to come
Read full article: Winter virus season so far is not too bad, but doctors worry about suffering to comeIt may feel like you are surrounded by sniffles and coughs, but flu season activity is still low in many parts of the U.S. New government data posted Friday shows that as of last week, flu activity was high in four states — Colorado, Louisiana, New Jersey and New York — and minimal or low in most others.
Florida plows ahead with push to roll back certain vaccine mandates for schoolchildren
Read full article: Florida plows ahead with push to roll back certain vaccine mandates for schoolchildrenFlorida officials are plowing ahead with a proposal to roll back certain vaccine mandates for the state’s schoolchildren.
Senate rejects extension of health care subsidies as costs are set to rise for millions of Americans
Read full article: Senate rejects extension of health care subsidies as costs are set to rise for millions of AmericansThe Senate has rejected legislation to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, essentially guaranteeing that millions of Americans will see a steep rise in costs at the beginning of the year.
Botulism outbreak sickens more than 50 babies and expands to all ByHeart products
Read full article: Botulism outbreak sickens more than 50 babies and expands to all ByHeart productsFederal health officials have expanded an outbreak of infant botulism tied to ByHeart baby formula to include any illnesses reported since the company began production in 2022.
How a rare drug made from scientists' blood saves babies from botulism
Read full article: How a rare drug made from scientists' blood saves babies from botulismAn infant botulism outbreak has sickened at least 39 babies across the U.S. and underscored the crucial role of a medication that treats the rare disease.
Appeals court rules New Jersey's medically assisted suicide law is for residents only
Read full article: Appeals court rules New Jersey's medically assisted suicide law is for residents onlyA federal appeals court has ruled that a New Jersey law that permits terminally ill people to seek life-ending drugs applies only to residents of the state and not those from beyond its borders.
Holiday glow-up alert: get 6 laser weight-loss treatments for just $800 at Innovative Lasers of Houston
Read full article: Holiday glow-up alert: get 6 laser weight-loss treatments for just $800 at Innovative Lasers of HoustonIf you’ve been thinking about resetting your health goals or giving yourself a confidence boost this holiday season, now is the time. Innovative Lasers of Houston is offering a limited-time Christmas Gift Special that makes it easier than ever to look and feel your best - without pain, without downtime, and without surgery.
Nursing loan caps could limit graduate students to about $20,500 a year; advocates warn of staffing shortfalls
Read full article: Nursing loan caps could limit graduate students to about $20,500 a year; advocates warn of staffing shortfallsA federal proposal to sharply limit how much graduate nursing students can borrow is raising alarm among students, educators and nursing groups say the change could worsen an already critical nursing shortage.
UN says world must jointly tackle issues of climate change, pollution, biodiversity and land loss
Read full article: UN says world must jointly tackle issues of climate change, pollution, biodiversity and land lossThe most comprehensive global environment assessment ever undertaken calls for a new approach to jointly tackle the most pressing environmental issues including climate change and biodiversity loss that threaten over 1 million plant and animal species with extinction.
Bullets in Luigi Mangione’s bag convinced police that he was UnitedHealthcare CEO killing suspect
Read full article: Bullets in Luigi Mangione’s bag convinced police that he was UnitedHealthcare CEO killing suspectMoments after Luigi Mangione was put in handcuffs at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s, a police officer searching his backpack found a loaded gun magazine wrapped in a pair of underwear.
Affordable Care Act enrollment is slightly ahead of last year so far, despite expiring subsidies
Read full article: Affordable Care Act enrollment is slightly ahead of last year so far, despite expiring subsidiesInitial new federal data shows the number of Americans signing up for Affordable Care Act health insurance for 2026 is moderately higher than it was at a similar time last year.
Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kids
Read full article: Massachusetts court hears arguments in lawsuit alleging Meta designed apps to be addictive to kidsMassachusetts’ highest court heard oral arguments Friday in the state’s lawsuit arguing that Meta designed features on Facebook and Instagram to make them addictive to young users.
Drive Sober. No Regrets: TxDOT Steps Up Holiday Enforcement to Prevent Drunk Driving
Read full article: Drive Sober. No Regrets: TxDOT Steps Up Holiday Enforcement to Prevent Drunk DrivingAs Texans head into the holiday season, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has launched a new public-safety campaign “Drive Sober. No Regrets” and announced increased law enforcement patrols from Dec. 12 through Jan. 1.
US vaccine advisers say not all babies need a hepatitis B shot at birth
Read full article: US vaccine advisers say not all babies need a hepatitis B shot at birthA federal vaccine advisory committee has voted to end a longstanding recommendation that all U.S. babies get the hepatitis B vaccine on the day they’re born.
How Texas’ voter-approved $3 billion dementia fund will fare in court
Read full article: How Texas’ voter-approved $3 billion dementia fund will fare in courtIn 2023, Texas overcame lawsuits that sought to prevent constitutional amendments from going into effect, but one that voters approved in 2021 is still blocked.
If Texas measles outbreak is still spreading, U.S. could lose measles-free status, scientists say
Read full article: If Texas measles outbreak is still spreading, U.S. could lose measles-free status, scientists sayOne study estimates that an outbreak the size of the one in West Texas earlier this year costs about $12.6 million.
US and Kenya sign first of what are expected to be dozens of ‘America First’ global health deals
Read full article: US and Kenya sign first of what are expected to be dozens of ‘America First’ global health dealsThe Trump administration has signed the first in what are expected to be dozens of “America First” global health agreements that prioritize combating infectious diseases in countries deemed to be aligned with the president’s broader foreign policy goals.
Police video shows Luigi Mangione said he didn't want to talk. They kept asking questions
Read full article: Police video shows Luigi Mangione said he didn't want to talk. They kept asking questionsMinutes after police approached Luigi Mangione in a Pennsylvania McDonald’s, he told an officer he didn’t want to talk.
Missouri court orders new wording for ballot measure seeking to restrict abortion rights
Read full article: Missouri court orders new wording for ballot measure seeking to restrict abortion rightsA Missouri appeals court panel has ordered new wording for a ballot measure seeking to roll back abortion rights in the state.
Where the blame will fall if ACA subsidies expire, according to a new poll
Read full article: Where the blame will fall if ACA subsidies expire, according to a new pollA new survey of Affordable Care Act health insurance enrollees finds that many are already struggling with the high cost of health care.
Kennedy's vaccine advisory committee delays vote on hepatitis B shots for newborns
Read full article: Kennedy's vaccine advisory committee delays vote on hepatitis B shots for newbornsA federal vaccine advisory committee voted to delay a vote on whether newborns should still get the hepatitis B vaccine on the day they’re born.
Fiber is something most people could use more of. But experts advise caution with 'fibermaxxing'
Read full article: Fiber is something most people could use more of. But experts advise caution with 'fibermaxxing'U.S. consumers who have had their fill of protein-enhanced cereal and ice cream are about to meet the next big food fad.
Flu A hitting early as experts warn seasons are getting more deadly
Read full article: Flu A hitting early as experts warn seasons are getting more deadlyExperts warn Houston should prepare for a potentially severe respiratory season after new vaccination data shows declines in several adult vaccines and public trust in health authorities is weakening.
A dozen former FDA leaders lambaste claims by the agency's current vaccine chief
Read full article: A dozen former FDA leaders lambaste claims by the agency's current vaccine chiefA dozen prior leaders of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have issued a scathing denunciation of an FDA memo to staff that made sweeping claims casting doubt on vaccine safety.
San Francisco sues nation's top food manufacturers over ultraprocessed foods
Read full article: San Francisco sues nation's top food manufacturers over ultraprocessed foodsSan Francisco has filed a lawsuit against major food manufacturers like Coca-Cola and Nestle, claiming ultraprocessed foods are causing a public health crisis.