Category: Health
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Mass. Doctor Shortage Most Severe at Community Hospitals
By Andy Metzger STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE BOSTON, OCT. 1, 2012…..While the number of uninsured Massachusetts residents has fallen since 2006 and the number who have visited a doctor has increased, the state’s shortage of physicians continues, with “critical” levels in a few specialties. This year, neurosurgery joined internal medicine, urology and psychiatry as fields…
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Testing, Testing…HIV: Taking the Stigma Out of AIDS Testing
Noelle Swan Spare Change News “College-educated black women who live in the suburbs and date lawyers don’t get HIV and AIDS. This just doesn’t apply to you,” Kimberly Wilson remembers her doctor saying back in 2004. That was the first time she asked her physician for an HIV-test. Four years, seven bouts of shingles and…
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'Hunger Doesn't Take a Summer Holiday'
Emily Kahoud Spare Change News Imagine the childhood relics of summertime: endless days of playing outdoors, the overwhelming aroma of a neighbor’s hamburgers and hot dogs on charcoal, or licking melty ice cream cones fast enough to stop the dribbles from reaching your hands and next your clothes. Now imagine this being tainted by the…
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Affordable Health Care Ruling: Reason for Joy/Reason for Sadness
A shout of joy. A sigh of relief. A bit of puzzlement. A sense of disappointment. These are all feelings that those who hoped that the Supreme Court would uphold the Affordable Care Act most likely experienced upon hearing of the Supreme Court decision issued on Thursday, June 28, which upheld in part and rejected…
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Patrick Signs $32.5 Billion State Budget, Vetoes $32.1 Million in Spending
By Michael Norton STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE JULY 8, 2012…Gov. Deval Patrick on Sunday signed a $32.5 billion state budget that raises state aid for public schools by 4.5 percent and counts on $700 million in health care cost savings to achieve balance. Patrick found only $32.1 million in objectionable spending in the budget crafted…
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Food Stamps Focus of U.S. Deficit Debate
Suzanne Hanney StreetWise Food stamps are at the heart of dramatically different federal budget deficit reduction proposals in the U.S. House and Senate, to the consternation of both recipients and advocates. “Once they start chipping away at the program and try to reduce SNAP [Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program] funding or restrict eligibility or reduce the…
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What the Walk for Hunger Accomplishes
Robert Sondak Spare Change News On May 6, 41,000 walkers participated in the 44th Walk for Hunger and helped to raise $3.6 million for a wide range of hunger relief organizations in Massachusetts. The executive director of Project Bread, Ellen Parker, addressed the crowd of walkers: “We’re all heartened that our economy is showing signs…