Millions of American smokers suffer from a potentially serious lung disease that’s not technically chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a new study finds. They would benefit from a clear diagnosis, though, and the new findings demonstrate a major gap in care for people with a history of tobacco use, the researchers said. Among folks who…  read on >  read on >

Large numbers of Americans who were dropped from Medicaid this spring lost their coverage because of paperwork problems, and not because they weren’t still eligible for the public health insurance program. “I am deeply concerned about high rates of procedural terminations due to ‘red tape’ and other paperwork issues,” Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier…  read on >  read on >

Sleep apnea may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke as erratic breathing causes oxygen levels to drop, new research shows. “These findings will help better characterize high-risk versions of obstructive sleep apnea,” said co-author Ali Azarbarzin, director of the Sleep Apnea Health Outcomes Research Group at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical…  read on >  read on >

When parents meet U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, one concern comes up time after time. “The most common question parents ask me is: ‘Is social media safe for my kids,’ ” Murthy said. “The answer is that we don’t have enough evidence to say it’s safe, and in fact, there is growing evidence that…  read on >  read on >

When it comes to falling down stairs, young women are more prone to take a tumble than their male counterparts. According to a new study, this is because they are more likely to be distracted or to wear impractical footwear. Going down a staircase while talking or texting on the phone or engaging in other…  read on >  read on >