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California’s Shasta County stopped a measles outbreak from spreading, enlisting teachers, church leaders, and others.
California’s Shasta County stopped a measles outbreak from spreading, enlisting teachers, church leaders, and other trusted community members to get the public on board with health guidelines. | DREW ASKELAND/REDDING RECORD SEARCHLIGHT

In a vaccine-skeptical California county, a potential playbook to contain measles

In a series of small, sometimes-tense meetings and personal conversations, health officials worked aggressively to trace and contain measles cases
May 28
Asian Health and Service Center in Portland in May 2026.
Meals are distributed to seniors at the Asian Health and Service Center in Portland, Ore., on May 21, 2026. The organization distributes free lunches to seniors from Tuesdays to Thursdays. | SASKIA HATVANY / OPB

Portland clinic helps Asian immigrants navigate life and mental health amid immigration enforcement fears

The Asian Health and Service Center in Southeast Portland provides mental health counseling and other support services, as providers say immigration crackdowns have heightened fear and worsened mental health challenges among some immigrant patients
May 26
A man gets a checkup in a mobile clinic in Parlier, Calif., in May 2025.
A man gets a checkup at the Saint Agnes Mobile Health Unit mobile clinic parked at the City Heritage Park in Parlier, Calif., on May 16, 2025. California is one of at least five states plus the District of Columbia that have scaled back state-funded healthcare coverage in response to federal Medicaid cuts and the expiration of Obamacare subsidies. | LARRY VALENZUELA|CALMATTERS/CATCHLIGHT LOCAL

States that cover healthcare for immigrants scale back

Federal Medicaid cuts, end of Obamacare aid force tough decisions
May 26
Melanie Miller sought an alternative to sharply rising premiums.
Melanie Miller, a retired teacher who lives in Michigan, looked outside the Affordable Care Act marketplace for health insurance because her premium payment was set to nearly triple. She now has two plans, one for routine and urgent care and another that pays fixed amounts for hospital stays, but neither meets federal standards for comprehensive coverage. | JORDAN MILLER

Cheaper, alternative health plans are having a moment, but critics urge caution

Congress' decision not to extend enhanced marketplace tax credits has boosted the appeal of alternative health coverage with lower monthly premiums
May 26
Mature male doctor with mature female patient.
@BELAHOCHE | DREAMSTIME

Three medical routines that older people may not need

Recently, investigators have taken on questions about common skin lesions that probably don’t need to be removed, a widely used thyroid medication that many older patients can safely discontinue, and colonoscopies that reduce colon cancer mortality so slightly that the risks may outweigh the benefits.
May 26

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