Healthcare

Update, June 26: Nashua's Division of Public Health has moved its testing site to the parking lot of the Nashua Public Library as of Thursday, June 25. Tests will continue every Thursday there from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. 

Since early May, health worker Lisa Vasquez has spent most of her Thursday afternoons in the parking lot of St. Aloysius of Gonzaga Church in Nashua — which, at 3 p.m. on those days, transforms into a COVID-19 testing site.

Many businesses across New Hampshire are closed right now because of the coronavirus pandemic.

But some are busier than ever.

Birthing centers are in that last group. The small, midwife-led facilities are getting inundated with calls from expectant parents. The new patients say they’re concerned that the hospital will no longer be a safe place to deliver their baby so they’re looking to change their birth plan.

But all this new attention is putting a strain on midwives as they try to maintain a more personalized birth experience.

As hospitals take steps to prepare for a wider outbreak of coronavirus in New Hampshire, industry experts say the virus will take a toll on their balance sheets.

Health care providers across New Hampshire are adjusting to a new coronavirus reality. They’re also preparing for an even bleaker possible future – one that includes a surge in patients requiring critical care as the virus continues to spread.

From the state’s biggest hospitals, to community health centers, to local doctors’ offices, medical facilities in New Hampshire are taking dramatic steps to keep their patients, and their employees, safe from the coronavirus.

State health officials are monitoring two potential cases of coronavirus in New Hampshire.

The individuals developed respiratory symptoms after recent travel to Wuhan, China. They are in isolation and are undergoing testing, according to the state health department.

Note: This story has been updated.

"Medicare-for-all" is a phrase we hear a lot lately on the presidential trail, but we're taking a step back to talk about how Medicare, which was designed to provide health insurance for older Americans and those with disabilities, has evolved since its creation. We look at how Medicare is working now. 

Original air date: Wednesday, January 22, 2020.

Disparities in healthcare quality and outcomes for gender (including people who are transgender) and race are receiving more attention: for example, recent reports show black women have much higher mortality rates during and after pregnancy, and women and people of color receive less medical intervention for pain management and cardiovascular care. We discuss the history, systems, and personal biases that contribute, in a multitude of ways, to these disparities. 

Original air date: September 16, 2019 at 9 a.m. 

Disparities in healthcare quality and outcomes for gender (including people who are transgender) and race are receiving more attention: for example, recent reports show black women have much higher mortality rates during and after pregnancy, and women and people of color receive less medical intervention for pain management and cardiovascular care. We discuss the history, systems, and personal biases that contribute, in a multitude of ways, to these disparities. 

Original air date: September 16, 2019 at 9 a.m. 

As a new work requirement for beneficiaries of New Hampshire’s expanded Medicaid program takes effect this month, some in the healthcare industry say early signs are pointing to a bumpy road ahead.

New Hampshire has joined a handful of states that mandate some Medicaid recipients to engage in certain activities: for example, a job, school, or community services. But recent federal changes tightening certain aspects of the program, as well as proposed legislation, have renewed debate over the Granite State's approach. 

In the midst of the opioid epidemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is addressing the need for alternative pain management. The department recently released a draft federal report on best practices — and opened a public comment period. Pain specialists recommend an interdisciplinary approach, combining physical treatments, pharmacology and mental health therapy. Many Granite Staters encounter hurdles with insurance coverage, access to health care providers, and stigma in treating their pain holistically.

We talk to physicians about the best approaches to acute and chronic pain. We also hear how health insurance companies are adjusting coverage to meet changing trends in pain management.

Chris Pappas, Democratic candidate in the 1st Congressional District, says we bipartisan legislation is needed to bring down insurance costs, and that patient protections will rein in profit-driven insurance companies.

All Things Considered host Peter Biello spoke with Pappas on health care policy in our final interview for this series. In the past two weeks, All Things Considered spoke with all of New Hampshire's gubernatorial and Congressional candidates.

[This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.]

The Republican candidate in New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District Eddie Edwards says he supports the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. For people who currently rely on expanded Medicaid, he says, increasing access to insurers across the country would bring down costs.

All Things Considered Host Peter Biello spoke with Edwards about healthcare policy. All Things Considered is speaking with all congressional candidates this week.

(This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity.)

Democratic Congresswoman Annie Kuster says if she is re-elected, her proposals for healthcare in New Hampshire, including a plan for Medicare expansion, will increase access and stabilize health insurance markets.

All Things Considered Host Peter Biello spoke with Kuster, incumbent in the 2nd Congressional District, on healthcare policy. All Things Considered is speaking with all Congressional candidates this week.

(This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity.)