Health

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CVS Health hiked its 2025 forecast above Wall Street’s expectations after improving Medicare benefits contributed to a better-than-expected first quarter. The health care giant said Thursday that it also got a boost from better star ratings for its Medicare Advantage plans, which are privately run versions of the federal government coverage program. CVS Health and other health insurance providers have been struggling for several quarters now with rising costs from their Medicare Advantage customers.

Caring for your eyes is about more than just seeing clearly. From protecting against UV rays to managing screen time and chronic conditions, healthy vision starts with everyday choices. And even though you may be young now, a little preparation can go a very long way. While aging does raise the risk of eye issues, vision loss is not guaranteed. With a few smart habits and regular checkups, you can keep your eyes healthy at every stage of life. 1. Know your risk level for eye diseases Knowing what things...

L on the metal cladding of an office block in the City of London, a blue plaque marks the birthplace of Thomas More. In 1516 he published “Utopia”, sketching out a vision of free hospitals, compulsory schooling and full employment—a forerunner of sorts to the welfare state. Nearby, blue plaques of a different kind are spray-painted on the flagstones of London’s pavement. A cack-handed publicity stunt by the local police, each commemorates a spot where a Londoner’s phone was recently stolen.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr intends to shift the way vaccines are tested, The Washington Post reported on Wednesday, citing a spokesperson from the HHS. The potential change would require all new vaccines to undergo placebo testing - a procedure in which some people receive the vaccine and others receive an inert substance - before the results are compared, the paper said. "All new vaccines will undergo safety testing in placebo-controlled trials prior to licensure — a radical departure from past practices," a HHS spokesperson told...

The Chicago Department of Public Health and Cook County Department of Public Health have identified two confirmed cases of measles. These are the first two cases in Cook County this year. One case was identified as an adult who is a suburban Cook County resident, and whose vaccination status is unknown. They presented to a local Hospital for medical care on Monday, April 28 and was quickly isolated. Another case was identified in an adult Chicago resident who traveled internationally through O’Hare Airport in early April. The individual had 1...

CVS Health Corp.’s drug-benefits unit negotiated a deal to make Novo Nordisk A/S’s Wegovy more widely available to its members, a blow to rival Eli Lilly & Co.’s Zepbound that was moved off the company’s list of preferred drugs. Starting July 1, Zepbound will no longer be preferred on CVS Caremark’s standard formulary, while Wegovy and other anti-obesity medicines will be, according to the company. The change means that Lilly’s drug may cost more to insurers or employers that opt to pay for weight-loss drugs and who use CVS Caremark...

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Bereaved families have been traumatised by "distressing and appalling delays" to inquest proceedings, a landmark inquiry heard. The Lampard Inquiry is examining the deaths of more than 2,000 mental health patients who died under NHS care in Essex between 2000 and 2023. Fiona Murphy KC told the hearing "institutional defensiveness" by health providers was hindering inquests and preventing families from getting closure. Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) has apologised to those affected.

Dr. Hector Ocaranza knew El Paso would see measles the moment it began spreading in West Texas and eastern New Mexico. Highways connect his border city with the epicenter of Texas’ massive outbreak, which is up to 663 cases. They’re the same roads used by thousands of families and commercial truckers who cross into Mexico and back each day. “Diseases know no borders,” said Ocaranza, El Paso’s top public health doctor, “so as people are mobile, they’re going to be coming and receiving medical attention in El Paso but they...