Month: December 2014
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Supporters of statewide smoking ban push for floor votes; opposition in Senate may not be as strong as before
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News While the advocates of a statewide smoking ban might have been “preaching to the choir,” as one put it during a legislative committee meeting...
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Kentucky Health Cooperative, largest private provider on state insurance exchange, gets $65 million loan to keep going
The Kentucky Health Cooperative, a non-profit, consumer-governed health insurance company, received a $65 million federal loan last month to keep it afloat just days before the second open-enrollment period began,...
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Ten common myths about diabetes busted
Kentucky ranks 17th in diabetes, and many Kentuckians are newly diagnosed every year with the disease, usually Type 2 diabetes. The diagnosis can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t have...
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Ky. ranks 8th in the number of high-prescribing Medicare physicians for powerful narcotic painkillers and stimulants
Kentucky ranks eighth in Medicare physicians who are considered “high prescribers” of Schedule 2 medications, drugs that have the highest potential for abuse like oxycodone, fentanyl, morphine and Ritalin, according...
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Spending bill allows schools that show ‘hardship’ to vary from requirement to serve 100 percent whole grains
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The massive 2015 spending bill signed by President Obama Dec. 16 includes a provision to help schools struggling with the whole-grain and sodium requirements...
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Tennessee’s Republican governor will use Obamacare Medicaid money to expand coverage
One of the longest and starkest boundaries in health care for the last year has been the border of Kentucky and Tennessee, because the Bluegrass State expanded Medicaid under the...
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Dec. 15 is deadline for Jan. 1 Kynect coverage; final deadline in second open enrollment is Feb. 15
Kentuckians can sign up for coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act through Kynect, Kentucky’s health insurance exchange, through Feb. 15. But to be covered on Jan. 1, you...
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Flu activity becomes widespread, closing schools
Kentucky’s flu activity level has become widespread, which means at least half the regions of the state have reported confirmed cases of influenza. Schools are a testimony to this increase...
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Fulton hospital says it will close by March 31 due to shrinking population and patient counts
Citing population losses and lower patient counts, Community Health Systems has announced that it will close Parkway Regional Hospital in Fulton by March 31. The hospital has 70 beds, larger than...
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Kentucky drops two spots in America’s Health Rankings, based on data since 2012 or earlier
Kentucky dropped two spots in the 25th annual America’s Health Rankings report this year and finds itself once again as one of the bottom five healthiest (or unhealthiest) states. Since...