Photos show Liberia's health clinics shuttered after US aid cuts
Clinics, undernourished children and overwhelmed families are grappling with the sudden loss of support that once funded health care, medicine and basic services across the country.
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Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Some of those who supported Trump have concerns about what's in his megabill
Some Trump supporters living in rural areas say they have concerns about the impact of President Donald Trump's tax and policy megabill, which he signed into law on Friday. The bill's potential health care impacts, both personally and on their communities, were top of mind for some, while others anticipated a positive impact on business but were wary of the bill's price tag. ABC News spoke with these people after the Senate passed the bill on July 1 but before the House did two days later. Provisions in the bill enacting stricter eligibility requirements for Medicaid could impact finances for rural hospitals, which tend to rely more on Medicaid funding than urban hospitals and often already operate on tight margins. The American Hospital Association called the potential impact on rural hospitals and patients 'devastating.' In the leadup to the bill's passage, Democratic senators working with researchers from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill compiled a list of 338 rural hospitals that could be at risk of 'financial distress,' 'service reductions' or closure. Some Republican senators, including Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., a physician, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, had expressed concerns about the bill impacting health care providers in their states. In response to these worries, Senate Republicans included a measure setting aside $50 billion over five years in the bill to support these rural hospitals, but advocates and experts say it may not be enough to prevent hospital shutdowns and loss of care. The National Rural Health Association said in a statement that the fund would 'fall short of' offsetting the impact of other provisions. James, a 62-year-old man who lives in a semi-rural area in North Carolina, is on Medicaid and gets Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. He said the bill would cut around $300 worth of those benefits for him per month. 'It's going to be hard to pay the rent and everything else,' he said. He added that he didn't have family that could help support him, now that his brother has died and his mother was in a nursing home. MORE: How soon will you feel the effects of Trump's megabill? Identifying as an independent, James said he did not vote in 2024 but had liked Trump as a candidate more than Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. 'I thought Trump was the lesser of two evils,' he said. 'But I was wrong … If you want to make the poor people poorer, he's doing real good.' Insurance agent Bryan Shaver, who lives in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, voted for Trump in 2024. Shaver, 62, said he was not worried about the Medicaid provisions in the bill affecting his clients. 'Because they're elderly and they make very little money,' he was confident they would meet the new criteria. However, Shaver said he was 'absolutely worried' that the Medicaid cuts could affect rural hospitals in Mississippi, some of which he had worked with in the past. 'It was extremely difficult for them to take care of who they needed to take care of … it's very difficult for them to survive in Mississippi,' Shaver said. He said hospitals' financial struggles sometimes reduced access to care for the people living around them. 'A lot of the hospitals here can't afford [to provide care for] maternity,' Shaver said. 'For example, a hospital up in Batesville, Mississippi. [Patients] have to drive to Memphis to deliver a baby, and that's kind of ridiculous.' Shaver said he would wait to see how the provisions in the bill would affect voters. If there was a negative impact, he said he hoped Republican lawmakers would 'correct it' or otherwise 'get booted out.' Stephen Caraway, who also voted for Trump, lives in a rural area around 70 miles east of Cincinnati. He said he anticipated a positive effect for himself and his community from the bill. Caraway was appointed to the state's Elections Commission by Ohio Governor Mike Dewine in 2023 and will serve until 2027. 'There are service jobs, a lot of restaurant positions in my part of Ohio, and I absolutely think that no tax on tips or overtime would be great for the middle class and for those employees,' Caraway said. He said he would personally benefit from some of the tax cuts the bill extended. To Caraway, the tightened eligibility requirements for Medicaid seemed reasonable, and he did not buy into worries that the bill would take millions of people off the benefits and potentially hurt rural hospitals like the one he lives near. Caraway's one concern is the effect the bill would have on U.S. debt. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that it would add $3.4 trillion to the deficit over a decade. MORE: Why some economists say the deficit increase in Trump's bill is dangerous 'Regardless of what party was in control, I would tell you that the federal government needs an overhaul, and has needed it for a long time. The only thing that would give me pause is some of those CBO projections,' Caraway said. 'But I believe that those projections can just as easily be incorrect as they can be correct. And I'm going to trust my national leaders to do what is right and be fiscally responsible.'
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
How to Create a Cancer Caregiver Toolkit
Caregiving for someone with cancer can be intensely rewarding but also challenging. Creating a cancer caregiver toolkit can help you effectively manage the responsibilities and benefit both your loved one and yourself. Getting organized can increase efficiency and decrease stress. Find a place where you can gather the information you need close at hand. You can use digital and printed tools. Separate the documents you will need and the records you receive into clearly labeled folders: Contact information for doctors, including medical specialists, therapists, nurses, and other providers Contact information for friends and family Emergency contacts Insurance paperwork List of medications, dosages, and timing Medical records Passwords Treatment plans Schedules can become complex. You can keep a calendar in any of several ways, including on your phone, computer, printed out, or handwritten. You might find it easier to visualize when you can pin it up on a wall or a corkboard. Make it a habit to check the calendar before bed and in the morning. You can also try task management software that helps you schedule, prioritize, and organize your daily tasks. Ensure that relevant friends and family have access to the calendar, along with any necessary passwords, so that they can assist you when needed. Use the calendar to: Track appointments Time medications Schedule visitors: Keep this flexible. Your loved one may not feel like having a guest on a particular day, no matter what was planned. Schedule respite for yourself: Build in time for self-care time, and don't hesitate to ask friends, family, or professional caregivers to take a shift and give you time off. Schedule daily tasks: Set a schedule for the person with cancer, yourself, and other caregivers. Attend to household duties: Set time aside to pay bills, perform household maintenance, care for pets, and handle necessary shopping and errands. Set reminders and alerts, such as in apps or in online calendars As a caregiver, you may experience significant stress. Gather tools to help support your emotional health, such as: Journals: Writing things down can help you process them. You can express your levels of fatigue, as well as fears and other emotions. You can also reflect on what the person with cancer has given you and continues to give you. Inspirational quotes and affirmations: If your thoughts are stuck in a dark place, reading hopeful and insightful sentiments can help you shift gears. Support groups: Sharing your experiences can help you and others. You might find a local support group or an online group through resources such as Cancer Care Support Groups, CanCare Emotional Support for Cancer Caregivers, and the Family Caregiver Alliance. Caregiver podcasts: Check out examples like Caregiver Dave, Cancer Out Loud, or the Cancer Survival Toolbox. Self-care ideas to recharge include: Find enjoyment: Get a massage or manicure, meditate, read a good book or see a movie, or take a 10-minute walk, maybe in a quiet place like a park, garden, or nature trail. Stay social: Remember to see friends and attend events you enjoy, such as music or sports. Stay healthy: Eat well, get plenty of rest, and exercise regularly. The more you understand about the type and stage of cancer your loved one is dealing with, the better prepared you will be to make important or difficult decisions together, solve problems, and find the professional and medical care that's needed. Your tool kit could contain: Reliable information and guides: Ask one of the healthcare professionals you are working with to recommend materials or assess the sources you are using. Information about symptoms, medications, and side effects: Learn the signs of progression, symptoms to expect, side effects of medication, and ways to manage them. Know when to call a healthcare provider. Tips on how to communicate: It's essential to be able to share concerns and feelings with one another and with healthcare providers. Dietary advice: Work with the cancer care team's dietitian to understand which foods align with your loved one's preferences and tolerances, as well as what is safe to eat and what may benefit their overall health. End-of-life planning (if applicable): Become informed and discuss end-of-life care and wishes with your loved one while they can clearly express their wishes. Along with your folders, create a resource list that includes contact information for: The caregiving team: All providers, the insurer's case manager, social worker, physical and mental health therapists, and helpful friends and family Transportation services: Free and paid transportation options for medical appointments, including family and friends Meal deliveries or food assistance: Including paid delivery services from restaurants and grocery stores, and assistance provided by nonprofit organizations in your area Financial aid programs: A social worker can help you identify these programs if they are needed Online resources: American Cancer Society's Caregiver Resource Guide National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship: Caring for the Caregiver Caregiver Action Network Cancer Caregivers CaringBridge National Cancer Institute's Support for Caregivers of Cancer PatientsMedically reviewed by Forest Miller, MSOT, OTR/LRead the original article on People
WebMD
an hour ago
- WebMD
Pill Fatigue
When you live with a chronic condition like HIV, meds are usually a daily occurrence. Something that has to be done to prevent further illness and maintain a positive health status. But it's monotonous. Pill fatigue is real. My pill fatigue is more subconscious, which I'll get into later. I consider daily meds like any other daily routine, like brushing my teeth. Sometimes it's a grind, but it has to be done to maintain good health and a good quality of life. Taking my HIV meds was something I did religiously because it's literally lifesaving. It was no big deal to me. Taking a pill for HIV, diabetes, high blood pressure, or just daily vitamins was all the same to me. But for many, pill fatigue is more serious, to the point they may leave their treatment and take 'pill holidays.' That's where you take a break from taking pills, but it has risks. When you leave HIV treatment, you don't get sick or die immediately. It could take years for the virus to spread and ravage your immune system enough to give opportunistic infections a suitable environment to breed and do damage. Even years away from treatment may not seem abnormal at all. You may feel fine, look fine, and act fine. But your bloodstream is not fine. Your blood is actively at war to save you and losing. As HIV destroys white blood cells that protect you from infection, it becomes more free to breed, and spread throughout your body. It also becomes highly transmissible. Did you catch that last part? And did you catch the implication that meds make the virus untransmittable? Because U=U is a campaign that the advocacy community has been trying to teach people for the last decade. But some have hardened themselves toward HIV and those who live with it, because HIV stigma hasn't changed. Some people still feel fear at the mere mention of HIV. They refuse to accept that HIV is not only treatable, it's completely harmless and untransmittable with effective treatment. But alas, treatment is only effective when taken. As I said, I've had no problem taking meds. But lately, I find myself forgetting to take them. I usually catch it before the day is over, but some of my meds need consistency to be most effective, taken at the same time every day. It could be a serious issue if I continue to forget. I risk my medication losing effectiveness, and that runs the risk of losing access to an entire class of medications. I used to be religious about taking my meds. But over the years, my zeal has diminished. This is what I referred to earlier when I mentioned subconscious pill fatigue (a term I made up). Is that what I'm experiencing? Subconscious pill fatigue? I've taken pills every day for the past 25 years. I didn't think it bothered me, yet I'm forgetting more doses than ever. Am I subconsciously allowing myself to forget? My memory and mental state are certainly factors. Many people who live with HIV develop forgetfulness associated with a neurocognitive decline syndrome, which can happen with HIV. I don't know if I'm experiencing this or just normal aging. But I need to find out. I'm currently working with my doctor to get answers. But forgetting your pills isn't exactly pill fatigue.
