Author: Melissa Patrick
-
Study of Ohio’s Medicaid expansion: Enrollees have better health, more financial security, and say it’s easier to keep or find work
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Ohio’s Medicaid expansion enrollees say having health coverage made it easier for them to keep or find work, and most said it gave them...
-
Ky. has 25 approved syringe exchanges to reduce risk of HIV and hepatitis C outbreaks; other counties debate proposals
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News A minister, a nurse and a physician assistant joined forces in Powell County to educate its citizens about a syringe-exchange program, which should open...
-
Jan. 31 is last day to sign up for insurance on HealthCare.gov if you didn’t have a 2016 health plan on Kynect; March 1 if you did
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Jan. 31 is the deadline for Kentuckians who did not have health insurance through Kynect last year to sign up for health insurance through...
-
As patient-safety penalties hit hospitals, expert wonders why they aren’t improving more; could be eliminated by Obamacare repeal
This is the third year federal government will apply penalties to hospitals that fall short of patient safety standards, leading one Consumers Union leader to wonder why hospitals aren’t working...
-
Reformulation of OxyContin to make it abuse-deterrent is main reason for shift to heroin and deaths from it, study concludes
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The reformulation of OxyContin in 2010 is the main reason for the large increase in heroin overdose in recent years, according to a working paper...
-
Obesity is top health concern for children, cancer the biggest concern for adults in the latest Kentucky Health Issues Poll
Kentucky adults said cancer is the top health concern for both men and women in the Commonwealth, while obesity is the top concern for children, according to the latest Kentucky...
-
Study says removing Medicaid expansion and premium subsidies, without replacement, would cost 45,000 jobs in Kentucky in 2019
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Repealing and not replacing two key parts of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – expansion of the Medicaid program and subsidies for...
-
Bills to ban abortion after 20 weeks, require ultrasound exams pass General Assembly in unusual Saturday session
Editors: The first version of this story was published Friday. It has been revised to reflect Saturday’s legislative action and Monday’s lawsuit. By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News FRANKFORT, Ky....
-
House sends Senate bill to require ultrasounds before abortions; Senate sends House bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News FRANKFORT, Ky. – After only one hour of debate, a bill to require women to have an ultrasound before having an abortion passed the...
-
Bill for panels to review lawsuits against health-care providers passes Senate, gets off House fast track but still headed for law
Editors: This story has been updated to reflect action that took place after its initial publication. By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News FRANKFORT, Ky. – A bill to require a...