Health

Kentucky doctors could get burnout help under bill with Senate approval

BY: - February 21, 2023

This story discusses suicide, burnout and mental health. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. The Kentucky Senate unanimously passed a bill aimed at preventing burnout among physicians on Tuesday.? Republican-backed Senate Bill 12 cleared committee last Wednesday, also unanimously.? The bill […]

Kentucky House approves bill aimed at increasing Alzheimer’s awareness

BY: - February 21, 2023

FRANKFORT — The Kentucky House unanimously passed a bill aimed at spreading awareness about Alzheimer’s disease on Tuesday.? The bipartisan House Bill 125 would require the Kentucky Department of Public Health to include information about Alzheimer’s in regularly published materials in health departments around the state and online.? The goal, the bill states, is to […]

Postpartum mental health support bill sails out of committee?

BY: - February 21, 2023

This story discusses suicide and mental health. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. FRANKFORT — A bill aimed at providing education and resources for new Kentucky parents sailed unanimously out of a committee Tuesday morning. ? Republican-sponsored Senate Bill 135 would […]

Jim and Sharon Jackson

University of Kentucky works to understand how to prevent Alzheimer’s. You might be able to help.

BY: - February 21, 2023

FRANKFORT – Every two weeks, Jim and Sharon Jackson travel an hour from Morehead to Lexington to help scientists better understand how to treat Alzheimer’s disease.? Jim is a study participant in a clinical trial called AHEAD, and the University of Kentucky is one of about 75 study sites around the country.? During regular visits, […]

Rural hospitals gird for unwinding of pandemic Medicaid coverage

BY: - February 21, 2023

Donald Lloyd, CEO and president of St. Claire HealthCare in Morehead, has spent more than a year dealing with higher costs for food and medical supplies for his regional hospital. Now he’s trying to prepare for another financial hit — the loss of Medicaid reimbursements for treating people in rural Appalachia. “We are all being […]

Beshear signs bill providing $16.3 million to complete Bowling Green Veterans Center

BY: - February 15, 2023

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear on Wednesday signed a bill providing $16.3 million to complete construction of the Bowling Green Veterans Center. House Bill 2 provided an appropriation from the Budget Reserve Trust Fund to complete construction of the $53 million facility expected to be finished next year. The Veterans Centerwill be the state’s fifth long-term […]

Bill assuring Kentucky physicians confidential access to mental health support clears committee

BY: - February 15, 2023

This story discusses suicide and mental health. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. A bill aimed at preventing burnout in Kentucky’s physician ranks by supporting mental health access sailed out of committee Wednesday morning.?? Republican-sponsored Senate Bill 12 easily passed the […]

Kentucky bill would offer scholarships to bolster health care workforce

BY: - February 8, 2023

A house bill introduced Tuesday would provide health care scholarships for underprivileged Kentuckians through a private-public partnership aimed at lessening the state’s health care workforce shortages in the future. House Bill 200, seeks to create a healthcare workforce fund administered by the Council on Postsecondary Education. Most of the money in the fund – 65% […]

Mental health support needed to curb Kentucky’s maternal deaths

BY: - February 8, 2023

This story discusses suicide and mental health. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. At least 8.4% of Kentucky’s maternal deaths between 2017 and 2019 were from suicide, according to a new state report presented to the Senate Standing Committee on Health […]

Kentucky bill would require health insurers to cover biomarker testing for cancer

BY: - February 7, 2023

A Kentucky bill filed Tuesday would require health benefit plans to cover biomarker testing with the goal of improving the state’s cancer statistics.? Kentucky Rep. Kimberly Poore Moser, R-Taylor Mill, said prior to filing the legislation that “it’s highly important that we pay attention to science.”? Biomarker testing “is a way to look for genes, […]

Humana supports prenatal care for Black moms with $120,000 in grants, goal is ‘health equity’

BY: - February 7, 2023

To “improve access to quality prenatal care in Kentucky for Black moms,” Humana announced Tuesday it will give $120,000 in grants to three organizations.? Humana’s Healthy Horizons made the move in response to a March of Dimes report last year that awarded Kentucky a failing grade on key indicators of maternal health. The commonwealth was […]

Elementary school students sitting at desks wearing masks

Paducah health department engages Kentucky students in vaccine awareness

BY: - February 7, 2023

Paducah’s Purchase District Health Department announced a “Become a Vaccine Champion” competition for Kentucky students on Friday.? The vaccine awareness competition is open until 11 a.m. on Feb. 24. Three students — one in each age group — will win $250. Student participants, which can include homeschooled students, should “illustrate the importance of routine childhood […]