Premium | Lexington County Chronicle

Indiana librarians to get mental health training

Hoosiers suffering mental health crises are visiting public libraries for help — transforming the role of librarians who act simultaneously as researchers, archivists and quasi-social workers. Mental Health America of Indiana is stepping in to train librarians in how to respond to these crises and direct patrons to reliable information on suicide prevention, addiction treatment […] more

Mackenzi Klemann | 7/9/26 04:30 AM

How financing options help keep small businesses competitive

(BPT) - Key takeaways:In today's economic climate, customers need financing options to help them shop at small businesses.Small business owners can offer a variety of financing options to help boost … more

7/9/26 04:01 AM

Ohio saw the largest drop in enrollment after Trump/Republican Affordable Care Act cuts

Ohio is the state that saw the biggest drop in enrollment in health plans under the Affordable Care Act, according to federal data first reported by the Associated Press. The losses come after the Republican-controlled Congress last year allowed pandemic-era subsidies to buy insurance on ACA exchanges to expire. That caused premiums to double for […] more

Marty Schladen | 7/9/26 04:00 AM

Ohio children unable to access mental healthcare because of insurance, costs, and lack of providers

Costs, provider availability, and health insurance limitations were the top reasons Ohio children were not able to access mental healthcare, according to a recent study from the Health Policy Institute of Ohio. Nearly half said unaccepted health insurance was the reason their child did not receive mental healthcare treatment while 40% said provider availability and […] more

Megan Henry | 7/9/26 03:55 AM

Hospital CEOs field questions over out-of-state acquisition of Robbinsdale and Maple Grove hospitals

South Dakota-based Sanford Health has committed to maintaining core services at its Robbinsdale hospital for two years if it successfully acquires North Memorial Health. “We would have loved to say that we would make that a 25-year commitment, right? Because that’s our hope, that’s our goal. But the reality is … healthcare is incredibly challenging […] more

Alyssa Chen | 7/8/26 07:31 PM

More than a hundred protest new Medicaid rules at Capitol

HELENA — More than 100 people from across the state gathered in the Montana Capitol rotunda on Wednesday to protest cuts to Medicaid as well as new work requirements to access the health insurance program. Catalyst Montana, an advocacy-focused nonprofit, hosted the gathering, which included speeches from healthcare professionals, politicians and others impacted by the […] more

Jordan Hansen | 7/8/26 07:26 PM

Halal, Arabic and French are among the skills Lawrence honed to be good hosts to the Algerians

LAWRENCE — Bidding for a spot as a host city seemed nearly impossible. Until it wasn’t. The University of Kansas, Explore Lawrence, Rock Chalk Park, and Lawrence city government teamed to argue that their small city could play, or host, on the World Cup Stage. Their bidding preparation started before Kansas City was announced as a host city in […] more

Emma Noble | 7/8/26 06:03 PM

Iowa confirms first case of measles in 2026

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday that a vaccinated Iowa adult has contracted the measles virus. The confirmation marks the first case of measles in Iowa in 2026 after nine were reported in 2025. Measles, also known as rubeola, is a highly contagious viral disease. Symptoms include a fever, cough, runny […] more

Kadin Luhmann | 7/8/26 05:43 PM

State panel winnows applicants for utility regulator opening; interviews set for next week

The nominating committee will interview 12 of 25 applicants next week to fill a spot on the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. more

Leslie Bonilla Muñiz | 7/8/26 05:13 PM

One year after ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’: 98K fewer Pennsylvanians on SNAP

The Department of Human Services said that an estimated 98,000 Pennsylvanians had lost SNAP coverage due to work requirements. more

Whitney Downard | 7/8/26 05:07 PM

Medicaid meal deliveries reduce hospital visits and costs

About a dozen states offer “medically tailored meals” to people with conditions such as diabetes and heart disease who get their insurance through Medicaid. Such programs significantly improve the health of the people in them, according to a new study. Medically tailored meals are fully prepared, home-delivered meals that are customized by a registered dietitian nutritionist […] more

Anna Claire Vollers | 7/8/26 04:54 PM

Oregon awards the largest round of federal rural healthcare grants

The Oregon Health Authority has so far awarded $175.3 million in grants from a new federal program meant to support rural healthcare. The Rural Health Transformation Program, established by the massive tax and spending law Congressional Republicans passed in July 2025, dedicates funding until 2030 for projects aimed at improving the health of people living […] more

Mia Maldonado | 7/8/26 04:34 PM

Public worker health plans poised for another year of premium hikes

Premiums under New Jersey’s public worker health plans should rise by double digits, with current and former local government workers again poised to face the steepest increases, state officials learned Wednesday. Premiums for local government workers should increase by 17.3%, with a 15.1% increase for their counterparts in state government, actuaries from Aon told the […] more

Nikita Biryukov | 7/8/26 04:33 PM

Slot machine gamblers will face more scrutiny as NM tries to nix federal food program errors

The Health Care Authority is working on a partnership that will alert it if a SNAP recipient receives substantial gambling winnings. more

Patrick Lohmann | 7/8/26 04:18 PM

Iowa will host ‘America’s Harvest Festival’ in October as part of America250 celebrations

Iowa will host “America’s Harvest Festival” at the Iowa Capitol grounds Oct. 24 as part of national celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding, Gov. Kim Reynolds, state officials and sponsors announced Wednesday. “It’s been four days since the Fourth of July, and while the parades, picnics, and fireworks are over here in […] more

Robin Opsahl | 7/8/26 03:48 PM

Some state behavioral healthcare operations to shift to private Oklahoma providers

OKLAHOMA CITY — In a bid to strengthen care, an Oklahoma agency plans to shift to a privatized model for many of its behavioral and mental health services in some areas of the state. The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services announced it has awarded one-year contracts to four private providers to […] more

Emma Murphy | 7/8/26 03:45 PM

Urban Alaska’s high costs of living driven by health care and groceries

Alaska’s three major cities continue to have higher living costs than most of the nation’s urban areas, according to a newly released analysis published by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Juneau, Anchorage and Fairbanks are in the top 25 among 257 metropolitan national areas. Among the three, Juneau had the highest overall […] more

Yereth Rosen | 7/8/26 03:00 PM

Which states have the biggest gap between home sleep therapy need and access

Vitality Medical reports that Hawai‘i faces the largest gap between sleep therapy needs and access, with 45.4% of residents not getting enough sleep and minimal Medicare spending on therapy. more

Kimberly Davenport for Vitality Medical | 7/8/26 02:30 PM

Federal Grad PLUS loan program eliminated for new borrowers as of July 1: How to navigate the changes

College Ave reports the federal Grad PLUS loan program is eliminated for new borrowers as of July 1, 2026, requiring students to explore funding alternatives. more

Rebecca Safier for College Ave | 7/8/26 02:30 PM

State: Nursing home caregiver stole painkillers, worked while under the influence

A Howard County nursing home worker accused of stealing residents’ painkillers and working under the influence has agreed to surrender his license. The Iowa Board of Nursing alleges that in November 2025, it fielded a complaint that licensed practical nurse John Patrick Kollman of Cresco, while employed at a nursing home in Elma, stole skin […] more

Clark Kauffman | 7/8/26 02:27 PM