Health

(Super)heroes, celebrities join forces to raise money for AIDS organization: Sunday, April 14, 2013; Fundraisers:; By William D'Urso; Thousands of people gathered at the UNLV campus Sunday to walk for AIDS. Some were there to help build awareness for the disease or raise money for people who are most in need, and others gathered to remember those who have been lost to the illness.

Nevada buses hundreds of mentally ill patients to cities around the country: Sunday, April 14, 2013; Mental Health:; By Cynthia Hubert, Phillip Reese and Jim Sanders, The Sacramento Bee; Over the past five years, Nevada's primary state psychiatric hospital has put hundreds of mentally ill patients on Greyhound buses to cities across America.

Man’s journey to California casts a pall on Nevada’s mental health system: Thursday, April 11, 2013; By Cynthia Hubert, The Sacramento Bee; By the time his Greyhound bus hissed to a stop on Richards Boulevard in Sacramento on the morning of Feb. 12, James Flavy Coy Brown was in a mild panic. It was 6:30 a.m., 15 hours and 11 stops after a taxi had scooped him up in front of Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital in Las Vegas, where he had spent the previous 72 hours, and deposited him at a bus station.

Nevada jury orders HMO to pay $500 million in hepatitis case: Tuesday, April 9, 2013; By Ken Ritter, Associated Press; A Nevada jury has ordered the state's largest health management organization to pay $500 million in punitive damages to three plaintiffs in a civil lawsuit stemming from a Las Vegas hepatitis outbreak.

5 most common communicable diseases reported in Clark County schools: Monday, April 8, 2013; By Paul Takahashi; Even though they are often seen as incubators of communicable diseases, schools can play a profound role in maintaining public health. Before a child can enroll in school, parents must vaccinate them for a number of infectious diseases. From a young age, schoolchildren are taught to be vigilant about washing their hands. In later grades, students are required to take gym and health classes to learn about healthy living.

Jury: HMO liable for $24 million in Las Vegas hepatitis C outbreak: Thursday, April 4, 2013; Plaintiffs to seek $1 billion in punitive damages; By Ken Ritter, Associated Press; A Nevada jury found the state's largest health management organization liable Thursday for $24 million in compensatory damages to three plaintiffs in a negligence lawsuit stemming from a Las Vegas hepatitis C outbreak.

Southern Nevada Medicare patients told to find a new insurance provider: Wednesday, April 3, 2013; Health Care:; By Eli Segall; Hundreds of Medicare recipients in Southern Nevada have been forced to change insurance carriers after their provider was liquidated amid fraud allegations. Universal Health Care Insurance Co., which had about 1,800 customers in Clark County, was placed into receivership last month and liquidated Monday. Members were automatically enrolled in a government-run Medicare program and will not face a gap in coverage, federal officials said. However, the cost of their medical care could change under the new program.

Clark County issues air quality advisory, with nod to ozone effects: Monday, April 1, 2013; By Jackie Valley; It’s that time of year again. Officials have issued an air quality advisory, effective through Sept. 30, related to ground-level ozone in Southern Nevada.

Diagnosing the side effects of the Affordable Care Act: Monday, April 1, 2013; Health care reform is expected to expand patient coverage, increase hospital profits but also raise costs, increase wait times; By Eli Segall; Stephanie Nessmith once relied on a payday lender to get money for her daughter’s respiratory medicine. Skylar, 3, used to have insurance from the state but lost it because Nessmith earns too much – $11.50 an hour working at a Henderson UPS Store.

Regent's idea for Las Vegas-based medical school has merit and drawbacks, observers say: Thursday, March 28, 2013; Education:; By Paul Takahashi; Regent Mark Doubrava's proposal for a new medical school at UNLV will likely exacerbate longstanding North-South tensions in higher education amid a fierce debate over equitable funding for Nevada's seven colleges and universities.

Boulder City Hospital getting $16 million expansion, renovation: Wednesday, March 27, 2013; Health Care:; By Eli Segall; Federal agriculture officials have put the finishing touches on a deal to finance a $16 million expansion and renovation at the Boulder City Hospital. Construction is expected to start in the coming months and wrap up next year.

Study: Health overhaul to raise claims cost 32 percent: Tuesday, March 26, 2013; By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, Associated Press; Medical claims costs — the biggest driver of health insurance premiums — will jump an average 32 percent for Americans' individual policies under President Barack Obama's overhaul, according to a study by the nation's leading group of financial risk analysts.

The Henderson cancer doctor who earned more than Steve Wynn and Sheldon Adelson: Tuesday, March 26, 2013; By Richard N. Velotta; Dr. Rajesh C. Shrotriya earned $25.2 million last year – millions more than Gary Loveman, Steve Wynn and Sheldon Adelson. Shrotriya was the highest paid executive in the Las Vegas Valley in 2012.

Allergies got you down? Fight back with these tips: Friday, March 22, 2013; Health:; By Tovin Lapan; Ask allergists in Las Vegas, and they will tell you they see them in their waiting rooms every spring. A lot of seasonal-allergy sufferers move to the desert with visions of clear, non-itchy eyes and voices that are no longer scratchy or nasal-toned. But sufferers of allergic rhinitis, or hay fever as it's commonly called, who move to desert environments like Southern Nevada in search of relief from seasonal allergies frequently are sorely disappointed.

Sarah Palin to speak next month at Las Vegas fundraiser: Thursday, March 21, 2013; By Sun Staff; Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will be the keynote speaker next month in Las Vegas at a fundraiser for the Women’s Resource Medical Centers of Southern Nevada.