Once strangers who sought privacy and quiet, PFAS has forced unexpected alliances in northern Kent County. This week, one group took their stories to Boston, fueled by a love of community.
Michigan Health Watch
In-depth reporting on the intersection between public policy and important health topics ‒ such as insurance coverage, hospital admissions, opioid abuse, access to care, medical research and the business of health care ‒ that impact nearly every Michigan resident.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Suicide, depression on rise in rural Michigan, but psychiatrists are scarce
Doctors in the Upper Peninsula and other rural regions report long waits for psychiatric care; child specialists are even harder to find. Can student loan forgiveness for medical residents and telemedicine reduce the gap?
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
More than a dozen hospitals in rural Michigan at ‘high risk’ of closing
A devastating trend shows few signs of slowing, which means longer waits for an ambulance, distant maternity care and a brutal cycle that may lead more residents (and medical workers) to abandon rural communities.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
In Alabama, one rural town reached for its wallet to keep its hospital open
Residents who depended on the hospital in tiny Haleyville agreed to pay hikes in sales and property taxes. Their sacrifice in tax-averse Alabama may portend what it will take to keep other rural medical facilities in business.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
See if your child is eligible for free Michigan dental care from Medicaid
Many of Michigan’s poor children and adults have gone years without dental care, losing teeth and risking serious health problems. Here is how to find free help for your child’s oral health.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan offers free dental care to poor kids; more than 400,000 don’t use it
Nearly half the state’s poor young people don’t take advantage of the Medicaid program, compromising their health. Explanations are complicated. But the problem is fixable.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Michigan lawmaker: Require dental screenings for school children
A West Michigan representative said he originally dismissed the need for such a law. Then he noticed his own daughter’s teeth.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Unvaccinated student rates rise for third straight year in Michigan schools
The unvaccinated rate is still lower than in 2014, but the increase comes as Michigan battles a measles outbreak. A bill that would require schools with higher rates to post warning signs faces obstacles in the House.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
High blood pressure is rampant in Michigan. Better data may lead to a cure.
An ambitious effort from Wayne State University correlates blood pressure and demographic data. The findings are surprising, and could hold a key to reducing preventable deaths in Michigan.
Posted inMichigan Health Watch
Dan Gilbert health crisis spotlights strokes, one of Michigan’s top killers
Detroit developer Dan Gilbert is hospitalized with a stroke. What you should know about the ailment