How artificial intelligence controls your health insurance coverage

Over the past decade, health insurance companies have increasingly embraced the use of artificial intelligence algorithms. Unlike doctors and hospitals, which use AI to help diagnose and treat patients, health…

How to stay safe during heat waves – and the heat stroke warning signs to watch for

Beach trips, cookouts and other outdoor activities are in full swing as summer arrives and the first widespread heat wave of 2025 hits the U.S. For many people, summer is…

Ticks carry decades of history in each troublesome bite

When you think about ticks, you might picture nightmarish little parasites, stalking you on weekend hikes or afternoons in the park. Your fear is well-founded. Tick-borne diseases are the most…

Gay Men’s Health Crisis showed how everyday people stepped up when institutions failed during the height of the AIDS epidemic – providing a model for today

The story of the AIDS movement is one of regular people: students, bartenders, stay-at-home mothers, teachers, retired lawyers, immigrants, Catholic nuns, newly out gay men who had just arrived in…

When you lose your health insurance, you may also lose your primary doctor – and that hurts your health

When you lose your health insurance or switch to a plan that skimps on preventive care, something critical breaks. The connection to your primary care provider, usually a doctor, gets…

Nostalgic foods and scents like fresh-cut grass and hamburgers grilling bring comfort, connection and well-being

Walking around my neighborhood in the evening, I am hit by the smells of summer: fresh-cut grass, hamburgers grilling and a hint of swimming pool chlorine. These are also the…

When developing countries band together, lifesaving drugs become cheaper and easier to buy − with trade-offs

Procuring lifesaving drugs is a daunting challenge in many low- and middle-income countries. Essential treatments are often neither available nor affordable in these nations, even decades after the drugs entered…

Sleep loss rewires the brain for cravings and weight gain – a neurologist explains the science behind the cycle

You stayed up too late scrolling through your phone, answering emails or watching just one more episode. The next morning, you feel groggy and irritable. That sugary pastry or greasy…

Data on sexual orientation and gender is critical to public health – without it, health crises continue unnoticed

As part of the Trump administration’s efforts aimed at stopping diversity, equity and inclusion, the government has been restricting how it monitors public health. Along with cuts to federally funded…

Colorado’s fentanyl criminalization bill won’t solve the opioid epidemic, say the people most affected

Colorado passed the Fentanyl Accountability and Prevention Bill in May 2022. The legislation made the possession of small amounts of fentanyl a felony, rather than a misdemeanor. Felonies are more…