Author: MAK Gojar

This is a MedPage Today story. The federal Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program (CICP) fielded a massive influx of claims due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). CICP received approximately 27 times more claims in response to the COVID pandemic than it had received in the whole first decade of the program, which began in 2009 — a total of 13,333 claims compared to just 491. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which runs the CICP, had made a decision on 3,483 of those claims, or 25%, as of June of…

This is a MedPage Today story. A western New York health insurance provider for seniors and the CEO of its medical analytics arm have agreed to pay a total of up to $100 million to settle Justice Department allegations of fraudulent billing for health conditions that were exaggerated or didn’t exist. Independent Health Association of Buffalo, which operates two Medicare Advantage plans, will pay up to $98 million. Betsy Gaffney, CEO of medical records review company DxID, will pay $2 million, according to the settlement agreement. Neither admitted wrongdoing. “Today’s result sends a clear message to the Medicare Advantage community…

Oregon authorities say a house cat died after eating raw frozen pet food that tested positive for bird flu  Oregon authorities say a house cat died after eating raw frozen pet food that tested positive for bird flu ​ PORTLAND, Ore. — An Oregon house cat died after eating pet food that tested positive for bird flu, Oregon authorities said, prompting a recall of raw frozen pet food that was sold nationwide. Northwest Naturals, a pet food company based in Portland, Oregon, said Tuesday it had voluntarily recalled one batch of its two-pound Feline Turkey Recipe raw frozen pet food after…

This is a MedPage Today story. This story was originally published by ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. Anthony Olson wanted a career, children, a partner with whom he could hike Montana’s trails. Despite the diabetes diagnosis at age 4, the anemia, the kidney transplant that failed at age 29, the dialysis, he clung to those dreams. He attended community college and later moved from his parents’ house in Helena to study accounting at Montana Tech in Butte. He thought he might…

Sierra Leone’s brutal civil war from 1991-2002 created about 28,000 amputees  Sierra Leone’s brutal civil war from 1991-2002 created about 28,000 amputees ​ FREETOWN, Sierra Leone — Lahai Makieu struck the bamboo with a machete until it cracked and fell. Balancing on his crutch, he reached to pick it up. But colleagues pulled the bamboo’s other end, and he tumbled into the dense grass. “They forgot I had one leg,” the 45-year-old said, laughing. The trainer at a center for amputee farmers picked himself up and added: “We fall and we rise.” The phrase encapsulates his journey since the civil war…

A genetic analysis suggests the bird flu virus mutated inside a Louisiana patient who contracted the first severe case of the illness in the United States  A genetic analysis suggests the bird flu virus mutated inside a Louisiana patient who contracted the first severe case of the illness in the United States ​ A genetic analysis suggests the bird flu virus mutated inside a Louisiana patient who contracted the nation’s first severe case of the illness, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week. Scientists believe the mutations may allow the virus to better bind to receptors in…

Even with abortion bans in place in most Republican-controlled states, the number of people obtaining them has grown slightly  Even with abortion bans in place in most Republican-controlled states, the number of people obtaining them has grown slightly ​ Abortion has become slightly more common despite bans or deep restrictions in most Republican-controlled states, and the legal and political fights over its future are not over yet. It’s now been two and a half years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and opened the door for states to implement bans. The policies and their impact have been in…

If you’re planning on ringing in the new year quietly at home, you’re not alone  If you’re planning on ringing in the new year quietly at home, you’re not alone ​ NEW YORK — If you’re planning on ringing in the new year quietly at home, you’re not alone. A majority of U.S adults intend to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. “As I’ve gotten older over the last few years, it’s like if I don’t make it to midnight, it’s not a big deal, you know?”…

The latest government data shows that cases of a fast-spreading stomach bug are surging in parts of the United States  The latest government data shows that cases of a fast-spreading stomach bug are surging in parts of the United States ​ Cases of a wretched stomach bug are surging in parts of the United States this winter, according to government data. The most recent numbers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show there were 91 outbreaks of norovirus reported during the week of Dec. 5, up from 69 outbreaks the last week of November. Numbers from the past…

Anmol Bishnoi ordered Baba Siddiqui’s murder to strike fear: Police chargesheet ​Anmol Bishnoi ordered Baba Siddiqui’s murder to strike fear: Police chargesheet Anmol Bishnoi ordered Baba Siddiqui’s murder to strike fear: Police chargesheet    The Mumbai Police on Monday filed a chargesheet against 26 accused in the Baba Siddiqui murder case. The Crime Branch had invoked MCOCA in the case, and so the chargesheet, which has been filed in the Mumbai Sessions Court, will now be sent to a Special MCOCA Court. The chargesheet contains approximately 4,590 pages of witness statements and evidence, with three of the accused listed as wanted. The…

A new year brings new goals  A new year brings new goals ​ New York — A new year is the time to set new goals. Yet studies have shown that most people don’t tend to uphold their New Year’s resolutions much past the first month. In an attempt to reframe the thinking around new year goal-setting, a new wellness trend has popped up online. It’s called the ’Winter Arc.’ Here’s what to know. The goal-setting challenge was created online by fitness and wellness influencers, so there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach or standard definition. There are over 400,000 posts on Instagram…

This is a MedPage Today story. In late September, Hurricane Helene damaged a major supplier of intravenous (IV) fluids. In this report, we follow up on what has happened since. Hurricane Helene brought unprecedented and catastrophic flooding to western North Carolina, damaging a Baxter manufacturing site that was a major supplier of IV fluids. Hospitals across the country continue to grapple with the ensuing shortage of critical supplies. Baxter’s North Cove, North Carolina, facility provided about 60% of the IV solutions used across the U.S. as well as several other fluids vital to patient care, noted Nancy Foster, vice president…

Arvind Kejriwal claims CBI to raid Manish Sisodia’s house in coming days ​Arvind Kejriwal claims CBI to raid Manish Sisodia’s house in coming days Arvind Kejriwal claims CBI to raid Manish Sisodia’s house in coming days    Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has alleged that sources have informed him about an impending Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raid on the residence of senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia. The claim comes just days after Kejriwal predicted the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on fabricated charges and warned of raids targeting other AAP leaders in the lead-up to the Delhi Assembly elections.…

Colorado becomes the second state to allow psychedelic therapy this week after two years of rulemaking  Colorado becomes the second state to allow psychedelic therapy this week after two years of rulemaking ​ COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — As Colorado becomes the second state to legalize psychedelic therapy this week, a clash is playing out in Colorado Springs, where conservative leaders are restricting the treatment over objections from some of the city’s 90,000 veterans, who’ve become flagbearers for psychedelic therapy to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Colorado residents voted to legalize the therapeutic use of psilocybin, the chemical compound found in psychedelic mushrooms,…

Five years after the virus that causes COVID emerged in China it still holds some mysteries  Five years after the virus that causes COVID emerged in China it still holds some mysteries ​ Five years ago, a cluster of people in Wuhan, China, fell sick with a virus never before seen in the world. The germ didn’t have a name, nor did the illness it would cause. It wound up setting off a pandemic that exposed deep inequities in the global health system and reshaped public opinion about how to control deadly emerging viruses. The virus is still with us, though…

This is a MedPage Today story. In what has become a routine event in rural America, a hospital maternity ward closed in 2023 in this small Oregon town about an hour from the Idaho border. For Shyanne McCoy, 23, that meant the closest hospital with an obstetrician on staff when she was pregnant was a 45-mile drive away over a mountain pass. When McCoy developed symptoms of preeclampsia last January, she felt she had the best chance of getting the care she needed at a larger hospital in Boise, Idaho, 2 hours away. She spent the final week of her…

From delivery boy to civil judge: A 29-yr-old Malayali’s tale of tenacity ​From delivery boy to civil judge: A 29-yr-old Malayali’s tale of tenacity From delivery boy to civil judge: A 29-yr-old Malayali’s tale of tenacity    ‘Naan veezhven endru ninaithayo?’ (Did you think I will fall?) These poetic words by the great poet C Subramanian ‘Bharatiyar’ kept Yaseen Shan Muhammed going every time a hurdle tried to knock him down. His ‘never say never’ spirit helped him on his eventful journey from being a delivery boy to a magistrate. The accomplishment of Yaseen Shah Mohammad, who came second in the Kerala…

Flu is taking off in the U.S., with 40 states reporting high or very high levels of flu-like illness last week  Flu is taking off in the U.S., with 40 states reporting high or very high levels of flu-like illness last week ​ The holidays came with a side of flu for many Americans, with 40 states reporting high or very high levels of illness last week, according to the latest government health data. “A lot of flu out there,” said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Carrie Reed. Of course, there are a number of bugs that cause fever,…

Winter weather brings various hazards that people have to contend with to keep warm and safe  Winter weather brings various hazards that people have to contend with to keep warm and safe ​ HOUSTON — HOUSTON (AP) — Winter weather brings various hazards that people have to contend with to keep warm and safe. These dangers can include carbon monoxide poisoning, hypothermia and frozen pipes that can burst and make homes unlivable. Public safety officials and experts say there are multiple ways people can prepare themselves to avoid these winter weather hazards and keep themselves safe. The hazards are on the…

Indonesia’s new government has begun an ambitious project to fight malnutrition by feeding nearly 90 million children and pregnant women that is expected to cost $28 billion through 2029, although critics question whether the program is affordable  Indonesia’s new government has begun an ambitious project to fight malnutrition by feeding nearly 90 million children and pregnant women that is expected to cost $28 billion through 2029, although critics question whether the program is affordable ​ JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesia’s new government started an ambitious $28 million project Monday to feed nearly 90 million children and pregnant women to fight malnutrition and…