Health
McConnell ‘fine’ after fall, won’t let polio’s ‘lingering effects’ disrupt work, says spokesperson
Republican U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky fell at the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, according to media reports.? McConnell, 82, reportedly fell down a small set of stairs leaving the Senate and was later spotted in a wheelchair.? A spokesperson for Kentucky’s senior senator said McConnell is “fine.” “The lingering effects of polio in his left […]
Kentucky hospitals testify they need drug discount program under attack by pro-Trump group
FRANKFORT — A bill aimed at strengthening access in Kentucky to a federal program that generates income for charity health care passed a Senate committee Wednesday, with several rural hospital executives telling lawmakers it has helped keep them in business. The program “undoubtedly saved our hospital,” said Angela Portman, CEO of Breckinridge Health Inc., a […]
Birthing centers bill clears first legislative hurdle in 2025 session
FRANKFORT — A bill that could pave the way for Kentucky to get freestanding birth centers sailed out of a Senate committee Wednesday.? Senate Bill 17 would, among other things, remove the certificate of need requirement for freestanding birth centers, which advocates have said is the main hurdle blocking them in the state.? Members of […]
Top Republicans say Kentucky lawmakers must wait to respond to new Trump policies
FRANKFORT —?Top Republicans in Kentucky’s legislature are waiting to see what federal mandates come from the Trump administration before enacting policies based on them at the state level.? Both House Speaker David Osborne, of Prospect, and Senate President Robert Stivers, of Manchester, told reporters this week that the General Assembly would be “reactionary” or “reactive” […]
KY health care providers depend on drug discount program that’s facing fire on several fronts
Smaller hospitals say a little-known government program to funnel more money to charity care is a lifeline in Kentucky — helping some keep the doors open. “We use the program to increase access to care to the most vulnerable patients,” Ashley Herrington, CEO of Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center, testified at a legislative hearing […]
Kentucky is not doing enough to prevent smoking and vaping, says annual report
The American Lung Association gave Kentucky mostly failing grades when it comes to preventing tobacco use — and helping people access recovery — in a 2025 report released Wednesday. The new “State of Tobacco Control” report “evaluates state and federal policies on actions taken to eliminate use and recommends proven-effective control laws and policies to […]
Trump orders ban on foreign aid, rescinds federal funds guidance for abortion
In a move that global health workers say will likely have devastating consequences for women and girls throughout the world, President Donald Trump has reinstated a policy that bans foreign aid workers from offering information about abortion and doubled down on an existing domestic policy that bans federal funding for abortion. The so-called Mexico City […]
Exit from Addiction Recovery Care has nothing to do with FBI investigation, says departing exec
A top official at Addiction Recovery Care, or ARC, is leaving the state’s largest alcohol and drug treatment program, citing a desire to “pursue the next challenge in my personal and professional life.” Matt Brown, chief administration officer of the private company based in Louisa, said he is leaving Feb. 28. Brown, who worked at […]
Roe vs. more than Roe: On the landmark decision’s anniversary, a look at abortion rights and limits
Erika Christensen decided to become a patient advocate for abortion later in pregnancy after she had to travel from New York to Colorado to get a third-trimester abortion. Christensen found out her wanted pregnancy wasn’t viable around 30 weeks. At that time in 2016, New York banned abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy, and only […]
Woman alleges Louisville police, dispatchers mishandled 911 call while ex assaulted her for hours
A Kentucky woman is suing multiple Louisville police officers and emergency dispatchers, alleging they mishandled a 911 call for help — not showing up for hours — while her ex-boyfriend beat and threatened her in her apartment.? The lawsuit, filed in Jefferson Circuit Court, alleges that neighbors called 911 on behalf of Donna Stukenborg on […]
Kentucky shelters are struggling to meet need as cold, state law drive people inside
When temperatures plunge to dangerous levels as they have this week, Jessica Lee’s nonprofit in Somerset runs low on space for all the people seeking to come indoors. So she gets on the phone to shelters around the region. Sometimes she’s helped shuttle people as far as Owensboro or Chattanooga. But that doesn’t work for […]
Study shows growing support nationwide for expanded access to abortion pills
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in 2022 to allow states to regulate abortion access, support for expanded access to abortion pills has significantly increased, including among those living in states with abortion bans, according to a new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association. A sample of more than 7,000 women nationwide […]