In Michigan, nearly 1 in 5 children have obesity. Some doctors say weight loss drugs can help patients get ahead of the problem before the extra weight triggers lifelong — and expensive — conditions.
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.
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West Nile virus detected in mosquitoes in at least 2 Michigan counties
As many people head out to state parks and beaches for Fourth of July weekend, officials in Kent and St. Clair counties are reminding residents to protect themselves against mosquito bites. Both counties have detected West Nile virus in insect samples.
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As crisis rages, Michigan speeds up opioid spending in new budget
The state will pump close to $50 million into addiction services next year from opioid settlement funds. It’s a big increase over current spending.
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ACLU challenges Michigan’s ban on Medicaid-funded abortions
Lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan are challenging the state’s ban on using Medicaid dollars for abortion procedures, calling the prohibition ‘burdensome and discriminatory.’
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Michigan judge suspends abortion law mandating 24-hour wait
Michigan’s 24-hour waiting period law “exacerbates the burdens that patients experience seeking abortion care,” the judge wrote.
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Before it even opens, a U.P. addiction clinic has 225 patients
There’s a ‘huge need’ for addiction services in the Upper Peninsula, as the Sault Tribe opens a medically assisted treatment center.
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In Michigan, cases of whooping cough hint at post-pandemic comeback
The infection, known for causing a can’t-catch-your-breath, whoop-like cough, usually causes only a mild illness, but can be deadly to infants.
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Michigan rolls out relief for dairy farmers hurt by bird flu
The Michigan Department of Agriculture is offering financial assistance to dairy farms that have been impacted by the recent outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza.
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Millions to help opioid users still unspent in half of Michigan’s counties
As a crisis mounts that kills 3,000 per year, Michigan’s counties have been slow to distribute tens of millions of dollars in funds meant to fight the opioid crisis.
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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan won’t cover popular weight-loss drugs
Beginning Aug. 1, the state’s largest health insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, will start phasing out coverage of popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.