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Oregon Health & Science University researcher Jonah Sacha is a senior co-author of a study published in the journal Nature Communications on an experimental flu vaccine designed to protect against all variants of the virus. | COURTESY/CHRISTINE TORRES HICKS OF OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY

Study holds hope for revolutionary flu vaccine, OHSU researchers say

A study conducted on monkeys suggests a new approach could help reduce the harms of a wide range of future influenza variants, but more needs to be done to prove safety and effectiveness

Jul 23, 2024
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The Biden administration says its trade policy puts people over corporations. Documents on baby formula show otherwise.

The U.S. government lobbied abroad to fight safety regulations addressing lead levels In Europe and microbiological contaminants in Colombia. The U.S. also sought to alter labeling in Taiwan that highlighted the health benefits of breastfeeding.

Jul 23, 2024

Patients who contract measles, a highly contagious disease, develop a skin rash. | WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Oregon’s measles outbreak, biggest in five years, expands to six people

The outbreak comes amid others also involving a preventable disease – pertussis or whooping cough – which has infected more than 350 people in just over a dozen counties this year.

Jul 19, 2024

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State dashboard peers inside individual hospitals’ finances

The state's look at hospital payments from insurers is intended to help curb the growth of health care costs

Jul 18, 2024
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Angry patients spur new state watchdogs to bring down drug prices

Oregon is one of 11 states with prescription drug affordability boards exploring measures to cap the drug prices paid by insurers, sparking pushback from the pharmaceutical industry

Jul 18, 2024

ADAM SATRIA/UNSPLASH

OHSU study finds benefits of using telehealth to help treat an opioid addiction

Patients said video visits gave them a greater sense of autonomy and control over their treatment

Jul 18, 2024

Caitlyn Mai underwent cochlear implant surgery with her insurer’s approval, expecting it would be covered in full. Then she started getting bills for $139,000. Health providers often send bills for covered care as they haggle with insurers over reimbursement. It’s stressful and annoying — but legal. | NICK OXFORD/KFF HEALTH NEWS

Her hearing implant was preapproved. Nonetheless, she got $139,000 bills for months.

Providers and insurers often have disagreements over how a bill is submitted or coded, and until they are resolved the patient is left holding the bag, sometimes facing huge bills

Jul 18, 2024

The Oregon Health Authority in Salem. | OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY

Investigations detail Oregon Health Authority equity director's complaints

In the wake of Leann Johnson's termination, one agency is labeling her a whistleblower and newly disclosed reports detail her allegations against top managers. Most of them were not deemed substantiated.

Jul 18, 2024
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Insurers have joined with HealthSherpa, the largest private sector enrollment site used by brokers signing people up for Affordable Care Act coverage through the federal marketplace, in an effort to thwart an ongoing problem of unauthorized ACA sign-ups. | ERIC HARKLEROAD/KFF HEALTH NEWS

HealthSherpa and insurers team up to curb unauthorized ACA enrollment schemes

With consumers complaining of spam calls, rogue brokers and bogus enrollments, a web broker has announced a plan to look for illegalities. Critics say the algorithms used could lead to false accusations.

Jul 18, 2024