Author: Melissa Patrick
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Medicare to pay for CT scans of people at high risk of lung cancer
Medicare will now pay for low-dose CT scans for people at high risk of getting lung cancer, a change welcomed by officials in Kentucky, which leads the nation in lung...
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Anderson schools’ lunch profit is down nearly 10 percent; officials blame new federal nutrition standards; students object to food
Anderson County school officials say new federal nutrition standards are costing them money and hurting poor students because the students don’t like how the food tastes are opting out of...
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Panel OKs new medical-order form that would clearly define a person’s end-of-life wishes on nutrition, hydration, medication
A bill to create a medical order form that details a person’s wishes for end-of-life care passed the Senate Health and Welfare Committee Feb. 4 and seems headed for passage...
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Hope is high for a House floor vote and passage of a statewide smoking ban, but the Senate remains doubtful
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News FRANKFORT, Ky. — A bill to ban smoking in public places and places of employment is headed to the House floor yet again, and...
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Senate OKs bill for review panels in medical lawsuits after lively debate between doctors, lawyers, others
This story, which was published Thursday morning, has been updated with action in the full Senate. By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News FRANKFORT, Ky. — The Senate has approved a...
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Most rural hospitals in Kentucky are struggling financially and looking for ways to survive
Most rural hospitals in Kentucky are loosing money, putting them at risk of closing if they don’t find another way to do business, Miranda Combs reports for Lexington’s WKYT-TV. More than 65 percent...
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Appalachians Together Restoring the Eating Environment to help Eastern Kentucky communities develop local, healthy foods
A new project searches for ways to increase access to healthy foods in Eastern Kentucky and looks to communities to find these solutions. Appalachians Together Restoring the Eating Environment, or...
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Clinton, Beshear, Humana chief and others discuss Medicaid expansion, other changes in health systems, and chronic illness
By Melissa Patrick and Al Cross Kentucky Health News The economic advantages from expanding Medicaid under federal health reform should outweigh any ideology that is holding states back from participating...
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Newport school board’s smoking ban, which includes e-cigarettes, would be 38th among 173 Kentucky school districts
The Newport Independent Board of Education passed the first reading of a proposed smoking ban Wednesday, Jan. 28 after adding electronic cigarettes to the ban. The ban would prohibit smoking on...
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Almost as many Kentuckians support health reform as oppose it, but half say they don’t know how it may affect them
By Al Cross and Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The federal health-reform law is gaining support from Kentuckians, to the point that they are almost evenly divided about it. Those...