health care

What You Still Don’t Know About Obamacare

the conversation with ross reynolds — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:48:04 +0000

Coming up on The Conversation, May 21 at noon.

Over 40 percent of Americans don’t know Obamacare is the law according to a non-partisan study by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Even more Americans don’t know what’s in the law or how the Affordable Care Act will affect them. To clear up the confusion, Ross Reynolds speaks with Mike Kreidler, the Washington state insurance commissioner about what the Affordable Care Act means for you.

Liberia: America's Original Self-Deportation Scheme

Producer — Wed, 15 May 2013 20:29:13 +0000

In the decades leading up to the civil war, white Americans uncomfortable with the rising numbers of free blacks came up with a plan. Get rid of them. Specifically, convince them to resettle in Liberia. It was America's original "self-deportation" scheme. But things didn't go exactly according to plan.

List of stories from KUOW Presents, May 15:

The NBA Meets, The SIFF Festival Opens And The Cost Of Health Care

Weekday — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000

The End Of The Seattle/Sacramento Kings Saga?
Months of speculation about the NBA’s return to Seattle could end today. League owners are in Dallas to vote on Chris Hansen’s deal to buy the Sacramento Kings and move the team to Seattle. Meanwhile, a rival group of NBA-backed Sacramento investors is waiting in the wings to keep the team in town. Seattle Times reporter Bob Condotta joins us from Dallas.

Seattle International Film Festival Opens
It’s mid-May, which means summer is around the corner. But before you frolic outdoors, you’ll probably head into a movie theater for the annual Seattle International Film Festival. Organizers bill it as the biggest film festival in North America. Get a sneak preview with the minds behind the madness.

The Cost Of Health Care
Last week the government released costs for 100 common procedures at hospitals around the country. The numbers varied wildly between geographic regions, but also between hospitals in the same city. University of Washington professor Aaron Katz explains what that means for consumers.

Seattle Children’s Hospital Opens Nation’s First Cancer Clinic For Young Adults

Ruby de Luna — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 23:25:18 +0000

Every four weeks, Anna Stephens comes to Seattle Children’s Hospital for chemotherapy. But she’s not a child. Stephens is 23 years old, and she’s one of thousands of young people with cancer who wind up being treated in facilities that typically deal with much younger or much older patients.

Seattle Children's New Cancer Treatment Program For Teens, Young Adults

Ruby de Luna — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 23:38:26 +0000

Seattle Children’s Hospital is opening a new cancer unit Sunday specifically designed for teens and young adults.

When young cancer patient age 15 to 29 goes in for treatment, they end up either in a pediatric or adult facility. A designated place for this age group could play a crucial role in their survival, according to Dr. Becky Johnson.

How Doctors Are Handling 'Death With Dignity'

Weekday with Steve Scher — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 00:17:53 +0000

A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine looks at how one Seattle medical institution has managed the state’s 2009 Death With Dignity law. The report shows how rarely Washington state residents have pursued a legal prescription to end their own life, and describes the early debate among physicians over whether to participate. We talk with study author Dr. Elizabeth Loggers of Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.

Keeping A Lid On The Cost Of Health Care

Weekday with Steve Scher — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 22:55:46 +0000

As the cost of health care continues to rise, what can patients do to help? Dr. John Santa is director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center. We talk with him about Choosing Wisely, a campaign to encourage doctors and patients to ask questions to avoid unnecessary medical tests and procedures.

Greendays Gardening: Open Phones

Weekday with Steve Scher — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 17:00:00 +0000

With temperatures near 60 in the forecast, gardening season is in full swing. Did your plants survive last week's cold snap and snow? How do you keep your garden alive in the ever-changing weather? Our experts are here to answer your questions. Call us at 206.543.5869 or send an email to weekday@kuow.org.

Don't Eat That! You Could Be Allergic

Producer — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:00:15 +0000

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of food allergies in the US has more than doubled over the past decade. The New York Times recently estimated that there are now about 5.9 million children in the United States with food allergies, not to mention another 2.3 million adults. So what’s new in food allergy research? Ross Reynolds talks with Dr. Dave Naimi, board certified in pediatrics and allergies and immunology. Dr. Naimi treats patients in the Everett branch of the Northwest Asthma and Allergy Center.

Striking Providence Hospital Workers Criticize Nonprofit CEO’s $6 Million Pay

John Ryan — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 00:17:22 +0000

More than 500 workers at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia are on strike.