Health insurance companies seek average 17.1% premium increase for Pennie
Pennsylvanians who buy their health insurance through Pennie, the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, could see significantly higher premiums in 2027 as insurers have requested an average rate increase of 17.1%. The proposed increases, announced by the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, would affect residents who purchase coverage on the individual market....
FDA panel narrowly backs unapproved peptide drug touted by Joe Rogan and other influencers
WASHINGTON — Health advisers met Thursday to review more than a half-dozen peptides, unproven substances that have become a growing wellness trend despite little evidence they are safe or effective. In the first of several votes, the panel of Food and Drug Administration experts narrowly voted 8-6 in favor of...
Biking to work: Tips to get started, stay safe and look presentable when you arrive
NEW YORK — When 72-year-old Michael Roper rides his bicycle to and from the pub he owns in Chicago, he can’t imagine a better way to commute. He’s getting exercise, drifting through fresh air and catching glimpses of neighborhood life — a recently opened coffee shop or a diving owl...
FDA investigating another cyclospora parasite outbreak
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it’s investigating yet another outbreak of the diarrhea-causing cyclospora parasite, with 72 cases tied to an unknown source. The latest infections disclosed by the agency on Wednesday add to the surge of cases centered in the Midwest. Those were linked to Taylor Farms...
Congo’s Ebola outbreak has killed nearly 1,000 people
BUNIA, Congo — At least 999 people have died from the Ebola outbreak in Congo, according to official data published overnight into Wednesday, a grim toll in what’s already been declared the fastest Ebola outbreak in history. The latest update from Congo’s Ministry of Health shows that as of Monday,...
Keystone Research Center report released on Allegheny County proposed parental leave plan
A new report asserts the economic cost of Allegheny County’s proposed 18-week paid parental leave would be minimal while delivering significant public health benefits. The study, released on Friday, was conducted by the Keystone Research Center. The economic policy think tank, based in Harrisburg, describes itself as seeking “strategies to...
Trump administration says it’s deferring $1B in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota
The Trump administration on Tuesday said it was deferring more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments to Minnesota and California because of “suspected fraud and noncompliance,” the latest in a series of punitive steps it has linked to allegations of fraud in mostly Democratic-led states. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy...
West Nile virus triggers pesticide spraying in 6 Allegheny County neighborhoods
The Allegheny County Health Department will be treating six neighborhoods with pesticides, after samples tested positive for the mosquito-borne West Nile virus. On Wednesday, Edgewood, Garfield, Homewood, Point Breeze, Regent Square, and Wilkinsburg will be sprayed for West Nile, a type of virus that, according to the Centers for Disease...
Taylor Farms lettuce that tested positive for cyclospora was a false positive, FDA says
The U.S. Food & Drug Administration walked back a notification that lettuce from Taylor Farms tested positive for the Cyclospora that has been causing illness across the country in recent weeks. FDA officials said Sunday that the sample provided by Taylor Farms de Mexico, which was reported positive July 18,...
Taylor Farms recalls lettuce shipped to 27 states over cyclospora risk
Taylor Farms has expanded a voluntary recall of its iceberg lettuce products sourced from central Mexico because of a potential link to the multistate cyclospora outbreak that has sickened people across the U.S. Products with the potential to be contaminated with the diarrhea-causing parasite were shipped to 27 states including...
After rare cancer diagnosis, North Huntingdon woman shares journey to help others
Jessica Tarosky’s blue and white spaghetti strap dress billowed as she walked into a windowless room at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Shadyside. She slipped off her tan sandals and set her small purse on a chair. With her brown hair curled and makeup done, she looked more ready for...
What is adenomyosis? Pittsburgh area women, doctors aim to spread awareness
When Andrea Murray decided to undergo a hysterectomy after debilitating menstrual pain that began when she was around 15 years old, her life drastically changed for the better. “I would have abnormally extreme pain to the point where something was wrong and go to the emergency room,” she said. “It...
In a heartbeat: How to choose between the ER and urgent care at a moment’s notice
When a normal day becomes an unexpected health catastrophe, the difference between an unbearably long evening at the hospital and a quick fix — and between a fully covered co-pay and thousands of dollars in medical bills depending on insurance coverage — can hinge on a single decision: Urgent care...
How people in Western Pennsylvania can stay safe if they need to be outdoors
With a toxicity level that is higher than typical air pollution, the thick blanket of smoke from Ontario wildfires currently blanketing a good portion of the East Coast can pose a big risk for those whose jobs don’t allow them to remain inside. According to the EPA, wildfire smoke contains...
Lettuce at Taco Bell in 5 states confirmed as source of a diarrhea-causing parasite outbreak
ATLANTA — Federal health officials have identified lettuce from Mexico served by Taco Bell locations across five U.S. states as a source of the widespread outbreak of diarrhea-causing parasite cyclospora. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention late Thursday confirmed the source and warned consumers not to eat shredded iceberg...
New cholesterol drug could ‘transform treatment’ — but statins aren’t going anywhere, doctors say
Pittsburgh doctors on Thursday hailed government approval of a highly effective anti-cholesterol pill that had previously been available only as an injection, but they cautioned that cheap, traditional statins are likely here to stay. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved New Jersey-based drugmaker Merck’s Lipfendra, a once-daily pill that...
1 hospitalized in cyclosporiasis outbreak; Allegheny County Health Department officials give update
Allegheny County Health Department officials say one person has been hospitalized with cyclosporiasis, a parasitic-driven intestinal disease, and a common source of the cases remains unknown. Dr. Iulia Vann, director of the Allegheny County Health Department, gave an update on the outbreak at the county’s Board of Health meeting Wednesday....
How to soothe thumb pain when texting and scrolling
NEW YORK — Do your hands hurt when you use your phone? All that texting and scrolling might be stressing out your fingers. The term texting thumb can describe a wide range of phone-related pains caused by tired-out tendons and achy joints — like general stiffness, throbbing near the knuckle...
Pete Hegseth announces new policy to test troops for low testosterone
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday that he is rolling out a new screening program for “testosterone deficiency” among troops, calling it necessary to allow them to operate at their “absolute best.” The screenings will be conducted annually as part of service members’ required medical screenings for those...
Tips for staying safe from cyclosporiasis, the parasitic-driven intestinal disease inflicting parts of the U.S.
The parasite cyclospora has embedded itself firmly in the summer news cycle and in the small intestines of thousands of Americans with often unpleasant results. But how much does the public have to fear from the resulting, typically nonfatal disease called cyclosporiasis, and what can people do to protect themselves?...
Allegheny County Council endorses UPMC Magee nurses’ call for improved staffing during contract talks
Allegheny County Council on Tuesday unanimously backed UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital nurses and advanced practice providers, voicing support for their push for national staffing standards as union contract negotiations with the health system continue. Council approved a resolution urging UPMC to work collaboratively with the union to reach a fair contract...
More health workers strike as Ebola cases in Congo exceed 2,000, including 754 deaths
BUNIA, Congo — The number of confirmed cases of Ebola in Congo has reached 2,011, including 754 deaths, according to government data released overnight in what authorities say is the fastest-growing outbreak on record. Health workers at Bunia General Hospital, the region’s largest medical center, went on strike Wednesday and...
Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato announces pregnancy
Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato became emotional Tuesday as she announced she is pregnant with her first child, a son, during her third quarterly address of the year. Innamorato used the announcement to highlight her proposed paid parental leave legislation, saying she hopes other families will have the same opportunity...
Allegheny County confirms diarrhea-causing parasite infections as nationwide outbreak grows
A growing nationwide outbreak of diarrhea-causing parasite infections has reached Allegheny County, where health officials have confirmed 11 cases of cyclosporiasis and are urging residents to take extra care when washing and preparing fresh produce. “Right now, to be under 30 cases (at the state level), we’re not sounding the...
How to protect your roses from black spot disease
Few garden plants attract as much admiration as roses. They’re as beautiful in the garden as they are in a vase, and their flowers are almost universally a symbol of love. Unfortunately, they don’t always grow without challenges. Wilting, infestations and infections are not uncommon. And none are more dreaded...
