Understanding why health care costs in the U.S. are so high
The high cost of medical care in the U.S. is one of the greatest challenges the country faces and it affects everything from the economy to individual behavior, according to an essay in the May-June 2020 issue of…
History of neonatal deaths could help identify high-risk pregnancies
Mothers in India who had a history of neonatal death—defined as losing a child within 27 days of birth—were at the greatest risk of experiencing additional neonatal deaths, according to new research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School…
Perspective: The case for expanding Medicaid in the time of coronavirus
Expanding Medicaid in the 14 states that have not done so yet would provide health insurance for millions at a time when they desperately need it without hurting state budgets, according to a new Perspective piece in the…
Report urges comprehensive food policy reform
Combating diet-related disease, reducing nutrition-related disparities and creating a more sustainable food system should be top priorities in the U.S., according to a new report released in honor of the 50th anniversary of the White House Conference on…
The moral and economic imperative of improving global cancer care for kids
Over the next 30 years, more than 11 million children age 14 and younger could needlessly die from cancer, with the vast majority of deaths occurring in low- and lower-middle-income countries—but millions of these deaths can be averted…
Africa CDC head is driving a new public health agenda on the continent
African nations are making a concerted effort to develop a continent-wide strategy for improving public health, says the director of the Africa CDC.
Opinion: How cutting public health budgets imperils America’s health at large
President Trump’s proposal to cut the annual budget for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by just over 10% is short-sighted and would further strain the nation’s already struggling health system, according to a March 3,…
Raising doubts about presidential candidates’ claims on health care
Recent articles by Kaiser Health news and Politifact examined the factual accuracy of recent claims made by Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg about health care policy, raising doubts about the men’s statements. Both articles featured…
What would health care reform mean for Massachusetts hospitals?
Nearly every hospital in Massachusetts would be affected by the different health care reform policies currently being debated by Democratic presidential candidates because Medicare almost always pays hospitals less than private health insurance companies, according to a February…
Op-ed: Medicare for All not politically feasible
Medicare for All has been a hotly debated topic during the 2020 presidential campaign season so far. John McDonough argued in a February 21, 2020 op-ed in Health Affairs that too much time has been spent discussing the…