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Why poverty rates are likely to rise this year
By Emily Peck On February 28, 2023 One of the last remaining major COVID relief programs — the expansion of SNAP benefits, aka food stamps — ends this month, pushing about 32 million Americans off a “hunger cliff.” Why it matters: Since 2020, massive expansions of funding for programs that serve low-income Americans have meaningfully lowered poverty…
Wages Are Rising for Low-Skill Workers, Driving Down Poverty and Inequality
By Elizabeth Nolan Brown On March 10, 2023 Income inequality and poverty are falling, thanks to rising wages for workers in low-skill jobs. A lot of low-wage work is, in fact, becoming middle-wage work. The shift stems—at least in part—from low unemployment, which means companies of all sorts must compete harder for workers. And they’re…
‘Devastating’: One in four EU children at risk of poverty, says NGO
By EuroNews On March 6, 2023 The number of children driven to the brink of poverty in the European Union grew by 200,000 in 2021 to reach 19.6 million, according to Save the Children. A report by the NGO released on Tuesday states that one in four children in the bloc was on the brink…
Pandemic-era SNAP benefits end for millions of Americans as costs rise
By Nancy Chen, Kerry Breen On March 1, 2023 As pandemic-era food benefits come to an end and food costs continue to rise, many are wondering how they’ll be able to afford groceries. Wednesday marks the end of extra food benefits for more than 30 million people in the United States. Low-income families in 32 states who…
Chronic Pain Among Adults — United States, 2019–2021
By Rikard SM, Strahan AE, Schmit KM, Guy GP Jr.. On April 14, 2023 Summary What is already known about this topic? An estimated 50 million adults in the United States experienced chronic pain (i.e., pain lasting ≥3 months) in 2016, resulting in substantial health care costs and lost productivity. What is added by this…
Most Adults With Past-Due Medical Debt Owe Money to Hospitals
The Issue Nonprofit hospitals—which account for 60 percent of U.S. hospitals—must provide charity care and community benefits to maintain tax-exempt status. However, these hospitals determine their own charity care eligibility criteria and researchers note financial assistance policies are often difficult to find and understand. Key Findings Conclusion Medical debt is a persistent challenge across the country…
Does Cost-Sharing for Screening Result in Missed Cancer Diagnoses?
By Sara Heath On March 29, 2023 Patients facing higher cost-sharing and out-of-pocket costs for follow-up breast cancer screening do not access those procedures, research has found. March 29, 2023 – Patients who face cost-sharing and high out-of-pocket healthcare costs for breast cancer screening might not access any applicable follow-up tests they need, according to research published in JAMA Network…
Severe mental illness associated with breast cancer treatment disparities
By Kalie VanDewater On March 27, 2023 Compared with other people with breast cancer, those with a preexisting severe mental illness were less likely to receive appropriate treatment and more likely to experience delays in receiving treatment, findings in Psycho-Oncology showed. Steve Kisely, PhD, MD, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Queensland School of Clinical Medicine…
Five First Steps For Addressing Workplace Ageism
By Sheila Callaham On March 26, 2023 Ageism is discrimination against individuals or groups based on their age. When the late Dr. Robert N. Butler coined the term more than 50 years ago, he intended to raise awareness of the blatant denigration of the aging population. Butler, the first to publicize age-related stereotyping, focused his…