Federal law keeps insurers from using genetic test results when pricing and issuing health insurance. But the tests might keep you from being able to get life insurance or a long-term-care policy.
Disabled Americans working in medicine are speaking up about their role in the profession. Not only can they perform the work of doctors but they offer a level of empathy others may lack.
Sam Vogelstein used to suffer a hundred seizures a day. Then he tried a marijuana-based drug that wasn't available in the U.S. It stopped his seizures and has just been approved by the FDA.
State Medicaid programs already get much more money from the federal government than Puerto Rico Medicaid gets — and the storm-ravaged U.S. territory's safety net for the poor is barely hanging on.
The richness of human vocal communication turns partly on our ability to control pitch, scientists say. Consider the difference you hear between "Let's eat, Grandma" and "Let's eat Grandma."
The government changed the complaint process for families trying to improve the accessibility of schools, resolve racial discrimination and address other equal-access issues. A lawsuit has been filed.
Only about half the people with Alzheimer's symptoms get a diagnosis, partly out of fear of an incurable decline, doctors suspect. But Jose Bolardo says facing the future allows him to plan for it.
Doctors are closer to a test in live brains that could help diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a disease that's been linked to concussions and other repeated brain assaults.
As cities and companies — including Starbucks — move to oust straws in a bid to reduce pollution, people with disabilities say they're losing access to a necessary, lifesaving tool.
As the number of people with Alzheimer's climbs, so does the number of loved ones caring for them. The health of 16 million unpaid U.S. caregivers has become a focus for Alzheimer's advocacy groups.
A nationwide program helps parents of children with developmental disabilities — and people with disabilities themselves — advocate for their rights, from the school yard to Congress.
An NPR investigation found people with intellectual disabilities have one of the nation's highest rates of sexual assault. Now states, communities and advocates are proposing changes to prevent abuse.
The Trump administration has declined to defend key provisions of the Affordable Care Act in court, saying protections for people with pre-existing conditions should be declared unconstitutional.
The anesthetic ketamine first wowed the medical world with its ability to relieve severe depression in hours. Now it's showing promise for other psychiatric disorders, including bipolar and PTSD.
The Army tells NPR of plans to monitor blast exposure across a military career, to enforce limits on firing certain weapons, and to even look into whether special helmets could help stop blast waves.
Up to 16 million people in the U.S. have undiagnosed or uncorrected vision errors that could be helped by glasses, contact lenses or surgery. But many health plans don't include routine vision care.
A proposed change in immigration policy from the Trump administration could make it harder for immigrants to obtain a green card if family members use Medicaid, WIC or other federal medical benefits.
Across the U.S., community groups, hospitals and government agencies are stepping up to support the estimated 42 million stressed and strained family caregivers, who are often untrained and unpaid.
Alisa Roth's new book suggests U.S. jails and prisons have become warehouses for the mentally ill. They often get sicker in these facilities, Roth says, because they don't get appropriate treatment.
An FDA advisory committee last week urged approval of a drug containing cannabidiol to treat a form of epilepsy. Other scientists wonder if CBD might ease anxiety or other disorders, too.
Six months after Hurricane Maria pounded Puerto Rico, patience in the remote mountain village of Castañer is wearing thin. Mental anguish persists among people still waiting for reliable electricity.
The measure would allow Medicare to reimburse audiologists for a range of services, including helping patients learn how to use and adjust their hearing aids for different social situations correctly.
Suffering Americans seek medical marijuana as an alternative to opioids and other powerful pharmaceuticals. Though legal in 29 states, doctors say the lack of strong data make it hard to recommend.
