Author: Hill Castle

States are paying contractors such as Deloitte, Accenture, and Optum millions of dollars to help them comply with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — a law that will strip safety-net health and food benefits from millions. State governments rely on such companies to design and operate computer systems that assess whether low-income people qualify for Medicaid or food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps. Those state systems have a history of errors that can cut off benefits to eligible people, a KFF Health News investigation showed. States are now racing to update their…

For years, the pain in Christine Wallace’s shoulder steadily worsened. What began as a dull ache became a constant, grinding stiffness – until the retired teacher could barely lift her left arm more than an inch. Simple tasks such as getting dressed or washing her hair became an ordeal, forcing her to rely on trips to a salon. Even tending to her beloved garden was no longer possible. After tests ruled out tears or fractures, she was diagnosed with frozen shoulder – a condition affecting around one in 20 adults, in which the capsule surrounding the joint becomes inflamed…

More than 3 million eye drops are being recalled over fears they could be contaminated and harm vision. Manufacturer K.C. Pharmaceuticals, based in California, issued the alert for its over-the-counter generic eye drop products due to a ‘lack of assurance of sterility’. It is not clear whether any are contaminated, but the FDA has said this is a Class II recall, meaning there is a temporary, and reversible, risk to the eyes and vision if the products are used. The eye drops were sold nationwide in 0.5 fl oz bottles and were on shelves at CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, H-E-B…

After many years of ‘paralysing’ headaches, Megan Jackson was used to just grinning and bearing it. But when the busy mother-of-two, 27, from Sunderland, found that one particular headache simply wouldn’t shift, she decided to pay a visit to her GP and discovered that she was living with a potentially fatal brain aneurysm. Ms Jackson said: ‘Knowing I have something in my brain that could instantly kill me is terrifying. ‘I fear my children growing up without their mum and also leaving behind my husband. ‘It’s so scary; there’s a ticking time bomb in my head that could go…

Brimming with sugar, high doses of caffeine, and a cocktail of additives, it’s little wonder energy drinks are scarcely recommended as part of a healthy diet. Yet, they remain among the most popular beverages lining supermarket fridges and shelves across Britain. Marketed as quick fixes for boosting energy and sharpening focus, they have become a staple for everyone from gym enthusiasts to worn out office workers trying to get through the day. For many, it comes down to convenience and cost. They’re often cheaper than a coffee from a high-street chain and, in many cases, deliver a far more…

Tax time can come with big surprises for some people who have Affordable Care Act coverage, including owing money back to the government for premium subsidies received during the previous year. More changes lie ahead that make it important for those getting subsidies in 2026 to track their income and take steps to protect against that kind of financial hit. First, the basics of how the subsidies work. Enrollees pay a percentage of their household income toward their health insurance premiums based on a sliding scale, ranging in 2025 from nothing for very low-income people to 8.5% at higher income…

A new variant of Covid could soon become the dominant strain in the UK, officials have warned, prompting experts to call for Covid vaccines to be included in preschool immunisation programmes. Dubbed the ‘Cicada’ variant, the BA.3.2 virus is already rapidly spreading across the US, with cases now having been detected in 23 other countries including the UK. UKHSA bosses have not revealed how many cases of the strain have been detected in the UK so far, but experts are concerned that the mutations it carries will allow it to sidestep immune defenses provided by existing vaccines. Symptoms remain similar…

Britons with obstructive sleep apnoea may be at a significantly higher risk of death or major cardiovascular problems than those without the condition, a new study has found. New findings indicate that individuals with the breathing disorder – known as OSA – could be 71 per cent more likely to experience events such as heart attacks and strokes, or to die from any cause. As excess weight is the leading cause of OSA, experts say the results – due to be presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Turkey next month – ‘underscore the need for effective obesity…

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Older adults who receive a high-strength flu jab may have a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a major study suggests. Researchers found those given the vaccine had a 55 per cent lower risk of the condition, compared with a 40 per cent reduction among those receiving a standard jab. The findings, based on nearly 200,000 adults aged 65 and over and published in Neurology, add to growing evidence that routine vaccinations may help protect the brain as we age. Previous studies have suggested that getting a flu shot each winter could help reduce the risk of dementia.…

Marketed as a natural, hangover-free alternative to alcohol and sold at trendy cafes and vape shops, the plant-based drink kava is fueling a dramatic spike in poisonings across the US. Researchers from the University of Virginia Health’s Blue Ridge Poison Center found that calls to poison centers involving kava rose 256 percent, from 57 in 2011 to 2023 in 2025. Kava, a plant native to the Pacific Islands, has been used for centuries in traditional ceremonies. In the US, it is sold as unregulated concentrated extracts, capsules and trendy ready-to-drink beverages, often promoted as a healthy way to relax without…

Andrew Hulbert was thrilled when he lost 125lbs. After eight months on a punishing diet, the father-of-two was no longer worried about dying young and could finally run around with his children. But his weight loss created a whole new problem he hadn’t expected. ‘My wife told me that she didn’t find me attractive,’ he told the Daily Mail. ‘There was some concern that I had gone too far. I just looked too skinny, my skin was going gray.’ So Hulbert, then 37, who had gone from 335 to 210lbs, decided to regain 25lbs in an effort to balance…

By MARTI STELLING, HEALTH REPORTER Published: 11:00 EDT, 2 April 2026 | Updated: 11:04 EDT, 2 April 2026 Blood pressure medications taken by millions of Britons may increase the risk of a dangerous drop in blood sodium, new research suggests. The condition, called hyponatremia, can cause confusion, fatigue, headaches, nausea and, in severe cases, seizures. A large Swedish study, published in JAMA Network Open, followed more than 159,000 adults who had started treatment with either thiazide diuretics – often called ‘water pills’ – or calcium channel blockers. Patients were tracked for several years to see who developed low…

The Host Recent polling finds that health costs are a top worry for much of the American public, while Republicans in Congress are considering still more cuts to federal health spending on programs such as Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court ruled that Colorado cannot ban mental health professionals from using “conversion therapy” to treat LGBTQ+ minors, a decision that’s likely to affect other states with similar laws. This week’s panelists are Julie Rovner of KFF Health News, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sandhya Raman of Bloomberg Law. Among…

By LUKE ANDREWS, US SENIOR HEALTH REPORTER Published: 12:08 EDT, 2 April 2026 | Updated: 12:24 EDT, 2 April 2026 Parents are being urged to check their freezers for a popular children’s snack amid fears they could be laced with a dangerous toxin. Investigators at the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) have issued a health alert after tests found Walmart’s Great Value brand ready-to-eat dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets may contain elevated levels of lead. There is no safe level of lead exposure, experts warn. The toxic heavy metal is linked to developmental delays, a higher risk of cancer and autism —…

When most people think of dementia, a specific image comes to mind. The condition, which affects 7 million Americans, is primarily defined by memory issues, forgetfulness and gradual changes in personality. Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, makes up 60 percent of cases. Other forms that have gained attention in the past several years include frontotemporal dementia, suffered by actor Bruce Willis, Lewy Body dementia and vascular dementia. However, dementia is an umbrella term referring to more than 100 subtypes, which do not always cause stereotypical memory loss and can be more difficult to diagnose. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease…

A common virus that causes mononucleosis – the ‘kissing disease’ – could more than triple the risk of developing multiple sclerosis, a devastating autoimmune disease that ravages the central nervous system. Infectious mononucleosis is the symptomatic form of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), one of the most common human viruses, infecting approximately 95 percent of the US population. Now, a major new study quantifies just how dangerous being infected with both viruses can be. Researchers tracked nearly 19,000 people and found that children and young adults who had lab-confirmed EBV followed by symptomatic mono were significantly more likely to develop multiple sclerosis…

It is often described by doctors as one of the most merciless diseases – difficult to detect, fast-moving and, although few will say it publicly, often hopeless. Pancreatic cancer typically develops silently, with few clear warning signs, and is all too often only discovered once it has already spread, and prognosis is bleak. Just last week it was alleged that Prince Philip was diagnosed with it eight years before his death in 2021. For most, however, the outlook is far bleaker. The most optimistic estimates suggest just 12 per cent of patients survive more than five years after diagnosis.…

Thousands of obese Britons have undergone weight loss surgery in a desperate bid to slim down – but one patient claims that recovery is far from straightforward. Charlene Buchanan, 44, from Fife, Scotland, lost six stone after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery and a further three stone after taking Mounjaro. She said: ‘People say getting a gastric sleeve it’s a quick fix, but it’s definitely one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. ‘For the first year I was sick every day. I can only eat tiny portions, and it’s been hard figuring out how much I can eat without being…

A new study has found that even one heavy drinking session a month could triple the risk of severe liver damage. The occasional alcohol binge might seem like a safer choice than regularly drinking less, but that assumption may be dangerously misplaced – particularly for people with metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). MASLD – which was formerly called non-alcoholic fatty liver disease – affects an estimated one in three British adults, making it the most common liver condition in the UK. It develops when fat builds up in the liver and is often symptomless. Those most at risk include people who…

Piles. Haemorrhoids. The thing nobody wants to talk about but almost everyone will deal with at some point. As a GP, I can tell you this: if you have a bottom, you’re in the club. Yet despite how common they are, piles remain one of the most awkward, misunderstood, and quietly suffered conditions I see in clinic. Patients will happily tell me about chest pain, sex problems, even bowel habits – but mention bleeding from the back passage and suddenly voices drop, eyes avert, and we’re speaking in code. So, let’s cut through the embarrassment. Piles are swollen blood…

Ollie Super has moved in and out of cancer treatment since she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma as a toddler in foster care. Now 8, the second grader is dealing with it again. Her cancer came back late last year. Ollie’s parents, who adopted her in 2020, tried to sign her up for a clinical trial using CAR T-cell therapy — which genetically reprograms a patient’s white blood cells to help them fight cancer — at UNC Health in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, an hour-and-a-half drive from their home in Eden. Her mother, Britany Super, described it as Ollie’s “last option.”…