Author: Nicole Roney

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently handed down a ruling that could have significant implications for transgender individuals seeking healthcare coverage in West Virginia and North Carolina. The court ruled that the states’ refusal to cover certain health care for transgender people with government-sponsored insurance is discriminatory. Specifically, the ruling involves the coverage of gender-affirming care by North Carolina’s state employee health plan and the coverage of gender-affirming surgery by West Virginia Medicaid. The court found that these coverage exclusions discriminate on the basis of sex and gender identity and are not substantially related to an important government…

Six years ago, a day spa in Albuquerque, New Mexico, made headlines when it was shut down due to its unregulated practice of “vampire facials”. This controversial procedure, which involves drawing blood, separating platelets, and reinjecting them using microneedling, was the center of attention as it came under scrutiny by health officials. A report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed five suspected cases of HIV linked to procedures at the spa. The New Mexico Department of Health was able to trace the source of HIV infection in a woman back to a facial procedure at the…

In a shocking turn of events, a day spa in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been thrust back into the spotlight after a troubling investigation into its practice of ‘vampire facials’ led to the closure of the spa six years ago. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a report detailing five suspected cases of HIV that were traced back to unsanitary procedures at the spa. The New Mexico Department of Health uncovered the source of one woman’s HIV infection to a facial procedure at the spa in 2018. This ‘vampire facial’ procedure involves separating platelets from a…

Award-winning screenwriter and director Aaron Sorkin has placed the blame for the January 6, 2021 insurrection on the Capitol squarely on Facebook, accusing the social media platform of promoting divisive content to boost engagement. During a recent appearance on “The Town” podcast, Sorkin hinted at a possible sequel to his hit film “The Social Network”, which explored the founding of Facebook. He revealed that he had previously written a script about the January 6 insurrection that was ultimately shelved, but now he is taking a new approach to the story. Sorkin expressed his desire to shine a light on the…

In recent weeks, universities across the country have been grappling with the impact of student protests on their commencement ceremonies. USC made headlines when it announced the cancellation of its main commencement ceremony due to safety concerns related to ongoing student protests on campus. This decision has left many graduating students disappointed and uncertain about how they will celebrate their achievements. Meanwhile, students at Columbia University in New York are also on edge as anti-war demonstrations recently led to arrests on campus. There is a growing fear among students that their own commencement could be disrupted by protests, similar to…

St. Luke’s Health System in Idaho has reported a concerning trend in the number of patients needing emergency flights out of state for abortions since the state’s ban went into effect. The ban on abortions, which only allows for the procedure in cases where the life of the mother is at risk, has led to a sharp increase in patient transfers for emergency pregnancy terminations. In 2023, only one patient needed to be sent out of state for an emergency abortion. However, after the Supreme Court lifted the hold on the ban, six patients had to be airlifted to neighboring…

Medicare Coverage for Weight Loss Drug Wegovy Raises Cost Concerns More than 3 million people with Medicare may be eligible for coverage of Novo Nordisk’s weight loss drug Wegovy, which has recently been approved in the U.S. for heart health. However, some eligible beneficiaries may still face out-of-pocket costs for the expensive drug, with certain Medicare prescription drug plans potentially delaying coverage until 2025. The potential strain on Medicare’s budget is a concern, as more plans begin to cover Wegovy. It is estimated that there could be an additional $2.8 billion in costs if 10% of the eligible population uses…

Colorectal Cancer Rates Rising Among Millennials Recent data has shown a concerning trend in the rise of colorectal cancer rates among individuals 55 and younger. Since the mid-1990s, rates have been increasing by 1% to 2% per year, with deaths from the disease also on the rise by about 1% per year since the mid-2000s. Colorectal cancer currently stands as the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Of particular concern is the increased risk for millennials, born around 1990, who now have twice the risk of colon cancer compared to individuals born around the 1950s. Additionally,…

Hamas Releases Video of Israeli-American Man Held Captive in Gaza In a shocking turn of events, Hamas has released a video of an Israeli-American man identified as Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who is being held captive in Gaza. Goldberg-Polin was last seen at the Tribe of Nova music festival in southern Israel before his captivity. The video shows Goldberg-Polin criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for not securing the release of captives like himself. Qatar, acting as a mediator between Hamas and Israel, shared the video with both countries before its release. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has called for swift…

A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine has revealed that patients treated by female doctors have lower rates of mortality and higher rates of remission compared to those treated by male doctors. This groundbreaking research conducted by Dr. Yusuke Tsugawa and colleagues analyzed Medicare claims data from 2016 to 2019 and has shed light on the important role that gender plays in patient outcomes. Despite the proven benefits of female physicians, they only make up 37% of doctors in the United States. However, the study found that female doctors tend to spend more time with their patients,…