Tagged: Health and Medicine

Small business owners are also trying to gauge what the health care ruling means for them. Their views are sharply divided.

People across the Northwest have been reacting to today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold President Obama’s health care overhaul. Correspondent Anna King spoke to people outside the Kadlec Medical Center in Richland in southeast Washington.

The Washington state Hospital association is weighing in on their concerns about the possible aftermath of a US Supreme Court ruling that could overturn all or part of the Affordable care act.  Steve Jackson has more.

The U.S. Supreme Court could rule any day now on the Constitutionality of President Obama's health care overhaul. The decision could have broad implications for state health care policies in the Northwest.

Washington State’s health insurance exchange got a boost. Wednesday the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the state more than $127 million in federal grants. That money will help develop and implement the state’s Health Benefits exchange. The exchange is a marketplace where consumers will be able to compare and shop for health insurance plans.

Secretary of health Kathleen Sebelius says so far 34 states are in different stages of creating their own exchange…

Mothers in Washington are carrying their babies longer in the womb to protect against complications. Just a few years ago, if a baby was born at 37 weeks which is two weeks early it was still considered full-term. Now, research has shown babies born two weeks early are more likely to have medical problems.

More people are dying from overdoses of prescription painkillers. Some Northwest hospitals say they're combating the problem by drastically reducing the amount of prescriptions they write for the medications. Salem Hospital is the latest.

Experts say many users become addicted after initially taking painkillers for legitimate medical reasons. That's what happened to Matt Harp. He hurt his back playing college baseball. His doctor realized Harp was becoming addicted, but the Oregon man told a Salem news conference he simply visited different doctors and hospitals.