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Inherited mutations of some genes can contribute to breast cancer risk. There are tests for a range of these uncommon mutations, but whether an insurer will pay for them varies, too.

Most health plans accept a credit card for the first month's premium and then require customers to pay monthly with a check or an electronic transfer from a bank account. For people without a banking relationship, these transactions can be tricky.

Hysterectomy are among the most common surgical procedures for women. With the advent of surgical robots, more doctors and women are opting for that approach. Does a robot, which costs more, make it better?

A baby's delivery may not be covered for women insured as dependents on their parents' plans, even though office visits and prenatal care would be. Although the health care overhaul mostly improves coverage for young adults, it also leaves some odd holes in coverage.

Waste and aggressive treatment might not explain Medicare cost variations after all. Differing levels of health by region could account for most of the cost variation, an analysis finds.

Local officials in Washington D.C., are on the verge of approving two high-tech radiation facilities for treating cancer at a total cost of $153 million. The treatment these hospitals would offer costs twice as much as standard radiation, but hasn't been shown to work any better for most cancers.

Rewards to policyholders for claims that don't meet the annual deductible can be a boon for healthy people. But the approach might not pass the smell test in 2014 when the federal health law bans discriminating against people based on their health status.

Hospitalized patients are going home sooner and sicker than ever before. And without clear and comprehensive instructions about what to do after a hospital stay, they may wind up back in the hospital, or worse. That's where a checklist can help.

NPR's Scott Simon talks with Michele Steele of ESPN about horse deaths, suspicious sports betting, and upsets in the NHL playoffs.

As details of Noor Jehan's neglect came to light, the revelations sparked a national conversation about the neglect and abuse of animals in Pakistan — and of vulnerable humans as well.

NPR's Scott Simon speaks to Washington Post columnist Geoffrey Fowler about the privacy issues individuals face if they use Amazon's new health care service, Amazon Clinic.

With pandemic border restrictions set to lift in less than a week, shelter operators and immigrant advocates say they're fighting a constant battle against rumors and misinformation.

What's working from home have to do with the banking crisis? Falling real estate values for office buildings could lead to defaults on loans banks made for the buildings.

Colorado has passed the nation's first "right to repair" law for farm equipment. Farmers have complained for years that not being able to fix their own equipment costs them time and money.

A new cookbook offers kitchen techniques that reduce physical exertion. It aims to make home cooking accessible again for those with chronic back pain.

Some companies are adding drug dispensaries to their on-site health clinics. Others are offering concierge services that deliver drugs right to workers' desks. The companies hope to improve workers' compliance with doctors' orders by making it easier to get prescriptions filled.

More than 40 states have systems in place to monitor prescription drugs, but budget strains and unwieldy databases have hindered their use by doctors and pharmacists to curb drug abuse.

Oregon created a simple two-page form that has helped people exert control over their care at the end of life. A statewide database that contains the information is providing insight into what people prefer.

Criminals who defraud public health care programs to the tune of billions of dollars a year are now up against sophisticated computer systems designed to catch them. But the new efforts may yield far more leads than the current team of investigators and analysts can handle.

Women's health advocates hope that the law's coverage requirements will encourage large companies to step up to the plate and provide maternity benefits for dependents.

Would you get tested for your potential risk for Alzheimer's disease, even though the prediction is imperfect and there is no cure for the condition? Studies suggest people can handle the results just find.

Women spend $1 billion more annually on their health premiums than they would if they were men. But under the recently upheld health law, insurers won't be allowed to charge higher rates based on gender starting in 2014.

The U.S. Treasury Department last week released proposed rules to protect patients from abusive debt collection practices at nonprofit hospitals. The rules are required by the Affordable Care Act of 2010. If the Supreme Court votes to strike down the health care law, the new debt collection rules would go away.

Bipartisan bills are pending again in both the House and Senate to give buyers of hearing aids a small tax break. But, once again, it looks as though the legislation has a long way to go before it could become law.

As biotech investments and medical device development falters, hospitals are turning to other avenues to help cut costs: streamlining billing systems and investing in simpler medical products.