Vital Signs: Top health stories this week

As a March 31 deadline looms, Maine health advocates are pulling out all the stops to get Mainers enrolled in health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. New statistics show Maine leading the pack in hitting sign-up targets set by the federal government, but the push for coverage continues during these final weeks of open enrollment.

Maine beats Affordable Care Act enrollment target

Other top health stories this week:

Bangor center helps children struggling with sleep apnea, night terrors

Eight-year-old Emma Brasier wears her green-and-blue owl pajamas, preparing for an overnight sleep study at the Sears Sleep Center in Bangor, one of just a few sleep labs in the state that evaluate kids with sleep problems. Children as young as 18 months old visit the center, with problems ranging from sleep apnea to night terrors.

Maine Senate passes Medicaid expansion bill but falls short of veto-proof majority

After more than three hours of debate, a bill to expand Maine’s low-income health care program, known as MaineCare, passed Wednesday in the state Senate, but shy of enough votes to stay safe from a Gov. Paul LePage veto.

From our bloggers:

Wendy Watkins, Gym Class Dropout

Secrets to sculpting a bikini butt

As I’m writing this it’s snowing outside, but we know that eventually it’ll be shorts and swimsuit weather, right?

Catching Health, Diane Atwood

Thanks to Love and a Conscientious Doctor Chuck Kelley Caught His Colon Cancer Early

Chuck says he now has a message he wants to promote: The importance of screening and early detection.

From the source:

Edward Li, an associate professor at the University of New England’s College of Pharmacy, is among the authors of a new report predicting a three to five percent jump in medication costs in 2014. The annual report helps hospitals and health systems plan their budgets for prescription drugs, which account for about 11 percent of U.S. health care expenditures.

 

Jackie Farwell

About Jackie Farwell

I'm the health editor for the Bangor Daily News, a Bangor native, a UMaine grad, and a weekend crossword warrior. I never get sick of writing about Maine people, geeking out over health care data, and finding new ways to help you stay well. I live in Gorham with my husband Nick and our hound dog Riley.