New legislative session brings in-person meetings back
The COVID-19 pandemic pushed the Minnesota Legislature into a new frontier of virtual hearings and even remote voting by lawmakers, and some of those accommodations appear here to stay. Despite previously being an institution where you had to be present to participate, there isn’t a clamor from those in key positions to revert entirely to […]
Mixed signals on COVID trends, new free telehealth treatment for Minnesotans with COVID
Several COVID-19 indicators suggest we’re entering the year-end holidays in a better place than the last two years. Cases are down overall — as are hospitalizations — but COVID load in wastewater is not. It’s also worth noting that the extreme rise in omicron-related hospitalizations came just after the New Year in 2022. Thankfully, […]
Henrietta Lacks’ hometown will build statue of her to replace Robert E. Lee monument
Artist Bryce Cobbs stands next to the drawing he created of Henrietta Lacks, which was unveiled in Roanoke, Va., on Monday. The drawing will be used in the design process of a larger-than-life bronze statue. Matt Gentry/The Roanoke Times via AP A statue of Henrietta Lacks, a Black woman whose cells were taken without her […]
American life expectancy is now at its lowest in nearly two decades
In 2021, the three leading causes of death were heart disease, cancer and COVID-19. Andy Ryan/Getty Images The average life expectancy for Americans shortened by over seven months last year, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That decrease follows an already big decline of 1.8 years in 2020. As […]
Looking for medicine for a sick kid? You may be out of luck
If you have young kids, you’re probably seeing a lot more of them lately around the house when they’re supposed to be in school or at daycare. What some call a “tripledemic,” the flu, RSV and COVID-19 are all hitting at the same time. “As a parent to kids myself it seems like we’ve had […]
Investigation: Many U.S. hospitals sue patients for debts or threaten their credit
An investigation of more than 500 U.S. hospitals show that many use aggressive practices to collect on unpaid medical bills. More than two-thirds have policies that allow them to sue patients or take other legal actions against them, such as garnishing wages.This includes high-profile medical centers such as the Mayo Clinic. Kerem Yucel/AFP via Getty […]
The case of the two Grace Elliotts: A medical bill mystery
In 2013, Grace E. Elliott spent a night in a hospital in Florida for a kidney infection that was treated with antibiotics. Eight years later, she got a large bill from the health system that bought the hospital. This bill was for an unrelated surgical procedure she didn’t need and never received. It was a […]
COVID nearly killed him, then the hard part began
Gabe Pastores is walking on a treadmill and cracking jokes. Given what he’s been through the past two years, he’d count those as giant steps. “Next, I’m gonna sing…‘Cover of the Rolling Stone,’” he half-seriously tells his pulmonary rehab specialist. Pastores, 58, loves classic rock, and the intro to that ‘70s song by Dr. Hook […]
A drastically different life: Minneapolis woman shares her continued COVID struggle
CATHY WURZER: Glad you’re with us here on Minnesota Now on MPR news. I’m Cathy Wurzer. COVID cases are going up again. New infections are rising just ahead of the holidays. While many people may shrug at that news, the risk of developing long COVID symptoms if you do get infected are real. About 10% […]
Fewer abortions, more vasectomies: Why the procedure may be getting more popular
Dr. Esgar Guarín with his mobile vasectomy clinic parked at a Planned Parenthood in St. Louis, Mo. Sarah McCammon/NPR Restrictions on abortion in many states are prompting some men to rethink their reproductive health decisions. Since this summer’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, some doctors say they’re hearing from a growing number […]