CA Dems could stick families with higher insurance costs — and new tax on software downloads

CA Dems could stick families with higher insurance costs — and new tax on software downloads

California Democrats agreed this week to tax-related proposals that could raise health insurance premiums and slap a new tax on software downloads — as critics blast the deal for piling on costs at the worst possible time. California lawmakers inked a $356 billion state budget late Monday that will be negotiated and finalized with Gov. … Read more

Two simple habits may outperform a popular longevity wonder drug: study

Two simple habits may outperform a popular longevity wonder drug: study

A buzzy diabetes drug that’s been hailed as a longevity booster may have some competition. The decades-old medication metformin has been touted for everything from treating Type 2 diabetes and reducing the risk of long COVID to potentially slowing the aging process. But a new study published in JAMA found that another intervention did a … Read more

How a bad hygiene habit might increase your risk of depression

How a bad hygiene habit might increase your risk of depression

You really can feel down in the mouth. We tend to think of depression as something that exists in the mind, but the reality is that it affects the whole body — and the whole body can have an impact on depression, including your teeth and gums. “Poor oral hygiene can lead to gum disease. … Read more

Baby cured of rare epilepsy syndrome after doctors inject missing gene directly into his brain

Baby cured of rare epilepsy syndrome after doctors inject missing gene directly into his brain

An eight-month-old infant with rare but severe epilepsy was cured after receiving an experimental gene replacement in a historic medical moment. The child was one of the first in the world to be treated with gene replacement therapy to restore the function of a crucial gene that regulates nervous system development. It was delivered via … Read more

Which NYC-area hospitals got top marks in new safety ratings — and which landed Ds

Which NYC-area hospitals got top marks in new safety ratings — and which landed Ds

Over two dozen NYC-area hospitals earned strong patient safety grades in a new watchdog report card, while a few failed to make the mark. Hospitals overseen by Catholic Health, Mount Sinai, NewYork-Presbyterian, Northwell Health and NYU Langone Health garnered “As” from the Leapfrog Group on Wednesday. Over 2,300 US hospitals were rated “A” through “F” … Read more

California Dems gives middle finger to pro-lifers with plot to let nurses take over late-term abortions

California Dems gives middle finger to pro-lifers with plot to let nurses take over late-term abortions

A controversial California bill that would significantly expand who can perform abortions — and at what stage of pregnancy — is advancing through the state legislature after clearing a key committee along party lines. Assembly Bill 1973, introduced by Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and coauthored by Assemblymember Dawn Pellerin, passed out of committee last week and … Read more

Dad with stage 4 cancer dies after insurance company said tumor-shrinking treatment was ‘not medically necessary’

Dad with stage 4 cancer dies after insurance company said tumor-shrinking treatment was ‘not medically necessary’

It didn’t matter that Eric Tennant’s oncologist had recommended the medication to shrink his tumors. The patient’s health insurance allegedly stood in the way — until it was too late. In early 2025, after more than two years of chemotherapy that hollowed him out from the inside, the frail 58-year-old was deemed a good candidate … Read more

Patient claims luxe NYC hospital known for Chanel gift bags gave her fleas

Patient claims luxe NYC hospital known for Chanel gift bags gave her fleas

New York’s moms-to-be are itching to deliver there. But for one woman, the itching didn’t stop when she got home. After a successful scheduled Cesarean birth — her second at the Alexandra Cohen Hospital for Women and Newborns at 68th and York — one woman claims she came home with a flea infestation that would require … Read more

Ozempic, Wegovy are getting generics as low as $15 around the world — what it means for Americans

Ozempic, Wegovy are getting generics as low as  around the world — what it means for Americans

The weight-loss world is on the brink of a major shake-up. Pharmaceutical companies in India will get the green light this weekend to start selling generic versions of Ozempic and Wegovy, with several other countries set to follow in the months ahead. The move is expected to unleash a wave of cheaper alternatives, dramatically widening … Read more

Young women are shunning birth control because of the ‘nocebo effect’

Young women are shunning birth control because of the ‘nocebo effect’

When a teen girl recently posted on TikTok about the “pros and cons of birth control,” almost 120,000 people hit the “like” button. Of the pros, the girl said her birth control made her period disappear and referenced its “99%” success rate at preventing pregnancy. Of the cons, she said it’s made her constantly bloated … Read more

How to negotiate your hospital bill to save money — with or without health insurance

How to negotiate your hospital bill to save money — with or without health insurance

You thought that medical procedure hurt? Just wait ’til you see the bill. The average cost of a one-day hospital stay in the US topped $3,200 in 2024, with California recording the highest costs ($4,700) and Mississippi the lowest ($1,400). It’s no wonder that about 36% of American households carry medical debt, with the average … Read more

What is mitochondrial dysfunction? Health issue Surgeon General nom Dr. Casey Means says is at the root of chronic illness

What is mitochondrial dysfunction? Health issue Surgeon General nom Dr. Casey Means says is at the root of chronic illness

Almost every American has some degree of metabolic dysfunction — at least that’s what President Trump’s nominee for surgeon general would say. Dr. Casey Means, a graduate of the Stanford School of Medicine and lapsed functional medicine practitioner, began her Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday to become “America’s doctor,” putting her health views under a … Read more

Alabama’s ‘pretty cool’ plan for maternity care robots is criticized as ‘dystopian horror story’

Alabama’s ‘pretty cool’ plan for maternity care robots is criticized as ‘dystopian horror story’

It sounds like something from a science fiction novel, but Alabama officials’ plan to use robots to improve care for rural pregnant women and their babies is real. During a January White House roundtable touting the first grants to states under a new $50 billion rural health fund, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator … Read more

These NYC-area hospitals aced patient safety in new rankings — see which ones nearly flunked

These NYC-area hospitals aced patient safety in new rankings — see which ones nearly flunked

Two dozen NYC-area hospitals earned top marks for patient safety — while six are barely making the grade, a new watchdog report card shows. Hospitals overseen by NewYork-Presbyterian, Northwell Health and NYU Langone Health, as well as Mount Sinai Queens, among others, received an “A” safety rating from the Leapfrog Group on Thursday. Nearly 3,000 … Read more

Paralyzed man walks again thanks to experimental drug trial

Paralyzed man walks again thanks to experimental drug trial

An experimental drug could help to improve movement for patients with spinal cord injuries.  NVG-291, an injectable peptide, has been tested in a phase 2 trial with eligible patients — some of whom noted remarkable outcomes. Larry Williams, a trial participant based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, shared with Fox News Digital that he’s been able to walk again after an … Read more

NYC’s NYU Langone tops major health care ranking for fourth year in a row

NYC’s NYU Langone tops major health care ranking for fourth year in a row

New York City hospitals have once again earned top spots in national health care rankings, with NYU Langone Health earning number one recognition as a “comprehensive academic medical center” for the fourth year in a row. Vizient, a health care improvement company, announced its rankings in several categories in Las Vegas this week. Langone’s Brooklyn … Read more

Exclusive | Long Island mom moonlights as Olympian and champion race walker — and is hoping for glory at world games

Exclusive | Long Island mom moonlights as Olympian and champion race walker — and is hoping for glory at world games

Good luck walking a mile in her shoes. An overachieving Long Island mom of two who has won nearly 50 national race walking titles and made two trips to the Olympics is gearing up for more glory at the sport’s world championships in Tokyo this month. “I just want to race and enjoy. There’s always … Read more

Dr. Oz touts $200B investment in Medicaid: ‘I’m trying to save this beautiful program’

Dr. Oz touts 0B investment in Medicaid: ‘I’m trying to save this beautiful program’

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz says the Trump administration plans to invest more than $200 billion “more dollars” into Medicaid following the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill.”  “I’m trying to save this beautiful program, this noble effort, to help folks, giving them a hand up,” Oz told … Read more

Stop obsessing over protein goals — the latest health craze — and just enjoy your food

Stop obsessing over protein goals — the latest health craze — and just enjoy your food

The cookbook section of any used bookstore is a museum of past health trends. Browse through the stock and you’ll trace the rise and fall of nutritional villains: eggs, butter, red meat and more — first demonized, then rehabilitated by the next wave of experts. We’ve all seen America’s food rules shift beneath our feet, … Read more

4 NYC-area hospitals among the nation’s best in latest US News rankings

4 NYC-area hospitals among the nation’s best in latest US News rankings

Four NYC-area hospitals made a nationwide Top 20 list in US News & World Report’s annual “honor roll” that recognizes medical centers providing high-quality care. Mount Sinai Hospital, New York-Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia and Cornell, NYU Langone Hospitals and Hackensack University Medical Center at Hackensack Meridian Health in Hackensack, NJ, earned top honors in the “Best Hospitals” … Read more