Month: October 2013

There’s a lot of (very) hopeful news on how to treat the condition more permanently and less painfully, find it at an earlier (and more beatable) stage and even keep from getting it in the first place. Read on for reassurance and empowerment.        

By Sue Zeidler LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – When Britney Spears takes the stage this December for the first of a heavily hyped 100-show two-year residency at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas, the loudest cheers may come from her insurance underwriters. Along with the sound engineers and roadies who help stage a concert, insurance underwriters play a large role in making sure a star can get onstage and grab the microphone. Insurers are also key during those times when stars do not show and concerts get canceled. …

By Daniel Trotta (Reuters) – Science was put on hold, normally bustling stores went quiet and families depending on government aid feared losing their baby food as a government shutdown rippled across the country. The budget impasse in Washington shut all but essential U.S. government services for the second straight day on Wednesday, while neither political party appeared willing to budge. Republicans want to tie continued government funding to measures that would undercut Obama’s signature healthcare law, while Obama and his Democrats say that is a non-starter. …

The pressure is on for the federal government and states running their own health insurance exchanges to get the systems up and running after overloaded websites and jammed phone lines frustrated consumers for a second day as they tried to sign up for coverage using the new marketplaces.

Wisconsin researchers studying the effect of a shortage of zinc in yeast have concluded that a deficiency of the element in humans might have a link to certain illnesses. If their work can be replicated in human subjects, it could suggest a relationship between zinc deficiency and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

By Susan Kelly (Reuters) – Patients and investors gauging the impact of President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law on hospitals, clinics and other providers need look no further than Tenet Healthcare Corp, the country's No. 3 for-profit hospital chain. The Dallas, Texas-based company stands out among its peers for experimenting with a core concept of the legislation – the lofty goals of coordinating treatment in a single, integrated system that reins in costs by improving care. …

By Curtis Skinner NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stephanie Desaulniers is among the millions of Americans seeking information on new Obamacare health insurance plans launched this week, not because she lacks coverage, but because she's ready for a better deal. The 26-year-old geologist has health benefits through her employer, an environmental consulting firm in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. "My insurance premiums are going to double next year through my work. Part of it is we are switching companies, but even last year, we were showing substantial increases," she said in an interview. …

Expecting twins? You probably don't need to schedule a cesarean section. Most moms can safely give birth without surgery, a big study finds.