Californians already struggling to afford day-to-day necessities will be hit even harder next year when a hefty increase in health insurance rates goes into effect. Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace, announced this month that its private health plans will see prices rise on average 9.9% in 2027 for the second straight year. This … Read more
Californians who are divorced, widowed or single for any reason may be charged higher car insurance prices after a shocking court ruling. A California Court of Appeal upheld a state regulation Thursday that’s been in place since 1996 that permits auto insurers to use marital status as a factor in determining premiums for its “substantial … Read more
Cancer diagnoses worldwide are expected to climb to 35 million annually by 2050, up from 20.6 million in 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a new report. Despite major progress in some areas — like decreased tobacco use that’s associated with 16 types of cancer — cancer is still a leading cause of … Read more
Ozempic and its ilk are inescapable. While those on the weight loss drug often face more judgment and stigma, it’s undeniable that the medications have had an effect on many people’s health. As GLP-1 medications continue to evolve and become more popular, they’re having both a major moment and impact in the health landscape. Weight … Read more
Pam Bondi, 60, has been undergoing treatment for thyroid cancer. The former attorney general was diagnosed shortly following her dismissal from the Trump Administration in early April, according to Axios. “Pam has been quietly kicking cancer’s ass the last few weeks,” podcast host and former White House official Katie Miller wrote on X. Former attorney general Pam … Read more
An alarming shift is emerging in US hospitals. A new study has revealed a disturbing rise in life-altering amputations nationwide, with one unexpected at-risk population seeing a particularly sharp increase in recent years. Even more concerning, those cases tended to be more severe, often involving loss of an arm or the upper leg above the … Read more
Americans should be rightly alarmed that the country’s birth rates have declined to yet another new low — falling by 23% over the last nearly two decades. But they aren’t dropping for political reasons — the drop is as stark in Texas as it is in New York. They’re dropping, I fervently believe, because America … Read more
Rising fuel costs and supply chain hiccups are prompting some companies to pass the costs of war in Iran on to customers. While some US shippers have been transparent about new war-related charges, other fees are not so clear about how the consumer foots the company’s bill. “Companies tend to look for ways to get … Read more
Cancer statistics have reached new heights — in good and not-so-good ways. The American Cancer Society (ACS) released its annual report on cancer trends this week, showing for the first time that more people are surviving cancer than ever before. The five-year survival rate for all cancers combined in the US reached a landmark 70% … Read more
It’s a taxing time for sweethearts in China. After a 30-year exemption, the country is slapping a 13% sales tax on condoms, birth control pills and devices, hoping to boost its declining birth rates and offset the long-term impact of an aging population and declining workforce. And with contraception more expensive under the new law, which takes … Read more
Senior citizens, rejoice. While getting older has long been linked to higher cancer risk, new research suggests that after a certain age, the odds don’t just plateau — they may actually drop. “The implications of this story could be huge,” Dr. Dmitri Petrov, senior author of the paper and a biology professor at Stanford University, … Read more
The Change is causing big changes in marriages. While the divorce rate overall has been steadily declining over the past few decades, divorce among adults aged 50 and older is rising. As women go through menopause, some feel as though getting help for their symptoms, helping their partner understand menopause and talking with friends about … Read more
Don’t stall — your butt is on the line. Nearly 53,000 Americans are expected to die of colorectal cancer this year, making it one of the deadliest cancers in the US. Though the death rate has been declining in older adults, it has been steadily rising among people younger than 55 since the 1990s. Because of this … Read more
U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates inched down again last year and the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to federal data posted Thursday. The fraction of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 4.1%, up from 3.7% the year before. It’s the third record-breaking year in a row for the exemption rate, and … Read more
A Missouri creek has allegedly led to a higher risk of cancer in neighboring residents. Coldwater Creek, a Missouri River tributary north of St. Louis, has been a known radioactive waste site since the 1980s. Researchers have now confirmed that exposure to the creek, which is said to be polluted with nuclear waste from the development of the first … Read more
It’s a growing problem. Cancer deaths tied to obesity have tripled in the US over the last two decades, according to sobering new research presented Sunday at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Francisco, California. The study analyzed more than 33,000 deaths from obesity-associated cancers between 1999 and 2020 and found that the age-adjusted … Read more
Nip/tuck nope. One board-certified plastic surgeon is speaking out about the procedures he wouldn’t recommend, including a popular facial surgery that can cause premature aging and others that just carry too many risks. “I don’t think that any of these procedures are going away since they’re all money makers for the types of providers that … Read more
A three-year exercise program improved survival in colon cancer patients and kept disease at bay, a first-of-its-kind international experiment showed. With the benefits rivaling some drugs, experts said cancer centers and insurance plans should consider making it a new standard of care for colon cancer survivors. “This is about as high a quality of evidence … Read more
Whether it’s dating apps, doom-scrolling, delayed rites of passage, lofty living expenses or straying from pro-family values, Americans are having fewer babies – and they’re not the only ones falling victim to the trend. Could phones be to blame? A recent Vox article proposed the idea in contrast with more politically-charged theories, like the one taking aim … Read more
Cervical cancer rates are on the rise among younger women, owing in part to a lack of awareness, screening and prevention. A new study found that the percentage of women screened for cervical cancer dropped from 47% in 2019 to 41% in 2023. Among the most preventable cancers, cervical cancer has been increasing in women … Read more