Search

COURTESY OF CDC

Oregon joins nearly 30 states with illnesses linked to mushroom-derived candies

Nearly 60 people in 27 states – from the East Coast to the West – are part of the outbreak linked to microdosing products, federal officials said, and 30 have been hospitalized while one death is under investigation.

Jul 11, 2024

Jonna Tallant, a longtime TMJ patient, displays a pile of medical records and billing documents at her home in Knoxville, Tennessee. She has spent a small fortune on TMJ treatment over three decades, but remains in agony and is unable to eat solid food. | BRETT KELMAN/KFF HEALTH NEWS

‘A bottomless pit’: How out-of-pocket TMJ costs drive patients into debt

Treatment for temporomandibular joint disorders, a condition that is often disabling, is typically not covered by insurance although the condition afflicts as many as 33 million Americans, most of them women.

Jul 11, 2024

SHUTTERSTOCK

Oregon beefs up help lines, support services for youth of color

A new state report cites progress in helping young people get help to deal with mental health challenges, but says more culturally specific services are needed to address disparities in the risk of suicide among young people

Jul 9, 2024

BRUNO/PIXABAY

State’s low-income climate benefit takes effect in time for heat wave

The Oregon Health Authority says hundreds of air conditioners have been distributed so far

Jul 9, 2024

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, abstractly illustrated. | COURTESY/LARISSA BEYLA POPANDA VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Beyond PMS: a poorly understood disorder means periods of despair for some women

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder is a reaction to natural hormonal changes before a menstrual period that can cause debilitating symptoms. Those suffering from it hope a White House initiative will lead to better care

Jul 9, 2024

The Measure 110 Oversight and Accountability Council discusses during its July 3, 2024 meeting a new formula for grants that is intended to set a funding floor for rural counties. | SCREENSHOT

Measure 110 spending plan means Portland area will lag despite size, diversity

New rules to help rural counties mean the Portland region will receive an estimated $13 million a year in recovery services less than what its population calls for, showing challenges in funding for recovery services

Jul 9, 2024
Premium

When David Engler, a resident of Portland, Oregon, decided he did not want to have children, he asked his health insurance provider about the cost of a vasectomy. Engler says a representative with his insurer told him the procedure would be free, but he received a bill for $1,080. | KRISTINA BARKER/KFF HEALTH NEWS

If lawsuit ends federal mandates on birth control coverage, states will have the say

Portland man's failure to get vasectomy coverage illustrates the byzantine patchwork of rules consumers face, even as a lawsuit tries to strike down federal coverage requirements for private insurers nationwide

Jul 9, 2024

Smoke rises from the Darlene 3 Fire near La Pine, Oregon on June 25, 2024. | COURTESY/DESCHUTES COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

How to prepare for wildfire smoke

Wildfires have burned hundreds of thousands of acres in Oregon in recent years. With wildfire season underway, there are ways to prepare and stay safe

Jul 9, 2024

The silhouette of two children under a mister in the evening.

CHILDREN COOL UNDER A MISTING STATION DURING NATIONAL NIGHT OUT AT BEAVERTON CITY PARK. PHOTO COPYRIGHT: PAMPLIN MEDIA GROUP/JAIME VALDEZ (USED WITH PERMISSION)

5 suspected heat-related deaths reported across western Oregon

The Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office reported Monday that it’s looking into four possible heat-related deaths between Friday and Sunday. Another suspected heat death has been reported in Coos County

Jul 9, 2024