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By Paula Span KFF Health News SEPTEMBER 15, 2025 For a while, walking the dog felt hazardous. Earl Vickers was accustomed to taking Molly, his shepherd-boxer-something-else mix, for strolls on the beach or around his neighborhood in Seaside, California. A few years ago, though, he started to experience problems staying upright. “If another dog came toward us, every single time I’d end up on the ground,” recalled Vickers, 69, a retired electrical engineer. “It seemed like I was falling every other month. It was kind of craz... Full story
From Montana Department of Health and Human Services State and local health officials confirmed the first detections of West Nile virus (WNV) in Montana for summer 2025. WNV activity appears to be widespread across the state, and the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) is urging all Montanans to take increased precautions against mosquito bites. Four mosquito pools have tested positive for WNV, including three in Lewis and Clark County and one in Cascade County. Detection of WNV in mosquitoes is an early...
By Noam N. Levey JULY 25, 2025 President Donald Trump rode to reelection last fall on voter concerns about prices. But as his administration pares back federal rules and programs designed to protect patients from the high cost of health care, Trump risks pushing more Americans into debt, further straining family budgets already stressed by medical bills. Millions of people are expected to lose health insurance in the coming years as a result of the tax cut legislation Trump signed this month, leaving them with fewer...
By Daniel Chang MIAMI — Josefina Muralles works a part-time overnight shift as a receptionist at a Miami Beach condominium so that during the day she can care for her three kids, her aging mother, and her brother, who is paralyzed. She helps her mother feed, bathe, and give medicine to her adult brother, Rodrigo Muralles, who has epilepsy and became disabled after contracting covid-19 in 2020. “He lives because we feed him and take care of his personal needs,” said Josefina Muralles, 41. “He doesn’t say, ‘I need this or tha...
By Jenna Pringle, LifeCenter Northwest Do you have a little red heart on your license? You could be a lifesaver. Your decision to donate organs, corneas, or healing tissues like skin, bones, or veins, can save up to eight people, restore sight, and improve the quality of life for dozens more. But if not - April is Donate Life Month, which aims to bring awareness to the life-saving impact of organ donation and the 100,000+ patients across the country waiting for an organ...
By CARLA K. JOHNSON AP Medical Writer Employees across the massive U.S. Health and Human Services Department began receiving notices of dismissal Tuesday in an overhaul ultimately expected to lay off up to 10,000 people. The notices came just days after President Donald Trump moved to strip workers of their collective bargaining rights at HHS and other agencies throughout the government. The cuts include researchers, scientists, doctors, support staff and senior leaders, leaving the federal government without many of the key...
By Jessica Ophus Big Sandy Medical Center is pleased to welcome Amber Groves, PA, to our full-time staff. Amber lives full time in Wisconsin, but is no stranger to the area or to Big Sandy Medical Center. She worked for IHS for six years and helped out as a locum provider here during that time. She fell in love with the place and has continued to come and help out a few weeks per year, until 2025 when she decided to come on full time. In the recent past she has been working in...
It has been a privilege to serve you over the past 12 years as an Internal Medicine physician and hospitalist. It was always my goal to return to a rural community to practice medicine, and I am glad it was my hometown. I have accepted the position of Chief Executive Officer and will be transitioning out of full-time medicine on April 1, 2025. With this transition, I will have a very limited practice, and there will inevitably be limited appointments and availability over the...
By Jessica Ophus Less than ten years ago, the Big Sandy Medical Center saw record lows in patient census. With only eleven people living here, there was a dire need to figure out how to get more folks in the door. Goals were set, big changes were made, and now the facility is bursting at the seams! For the first time, Big Sandy Medical Center has a wait list for those who desire to come live in the facility. What does that mean for you and your loved ones? Simply, you cannot move in with us tomorrow. You may not be able to mo...
By Julie Appleby The Trump administration issued its first major set of proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act on Monday that federal officials said are intended to crack down on fraud in the program. Policy experts said they will make it harder for consumers to sign up for coverage, potentially reducing enrollment. Details were released Monday after a draft press release was inadvertently posted earlier. About 24 million Americans signed up for insurance plans sold under the ACA, known popularly as Obamacare, for 2025....
Each New Year, thousands of people across Montana resolve to improve their lives, vowing to give up their bad habits in exchange for healthy lifestyles. The Quit Now Montana (formerly Montana Quit Line) wants to help people who attempt to quit tobacco and has free programs designed for all Montanans. The Quit Line has expanded services to many groups and aims to help those with New Year’s resolutions to quit using tobacco products, e-cigarettes, or other nicotine delivery devices by offering free support, a personalized q...
Katheryn Houghton and Arielle Zionts KFF Helth News Tescha Hawley learned that hospital bills from her son’s birth had been sent to debt collectors only when she checked her credit score while attending a home-buying class. The new mom’s plans to buy a house stalled. Hawley said she didn’t owe those thousands of dollars in debts. The federal government did.Hawley, a citizen of the Gros Ventre Tribe, lives on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana. The Indian Health Service is a federal agency that provides free healt...
From Crystal Glade Northern Montana Health Care marketing and public relations coordinator As part of National Rural Health Day, Northern Montana Hospital recently announced it has earned a 2024 Performance Leadership Award for excellence in patient outcomes. Compiled by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, the Performance Leadership Awards recognize top quartile performance (i.e., 75th percentile or above) among rural hospitals in Quality, Outcomes, and/or Patient Perspective. “This recognition is a testament to the d...
Press release Northern Montana Hospital representatives said they are thrilled to announce the acquisition of two state-of-the-art TOM 2 Pediatric Cribs, made possible through a generous donation from the hospital's dedicated volunteer organization. The TOM 2 Pediatric Cribs are fully electrically operated beds designed specifically for children, featuring a modern design that brings comfort and safety to pediatric care. These cribs are not only designed for comfort but also...
Press release As part of the 2024 National Skilled Nursing Care Week, the Administration at the Northern Montana Care Center presented Sierra Kannberg, RN, with the Max E. Kuhr Memorial Award for Outstanding Caregiver. National Skilled Nursing Care Week, formerly known as National Nursing Home Week, is one of the most important events of the year for nursing homes. Held annually since 1967 and always beginning on Mother's Day, National Skilled Nursing Care Center Week (NSNCW)... Full story
Press release Officials with the Department of Public Health and Human Services report the Montana Tobacco Quit Line has served more than 115,000 Montanans since it was first launched in May 2004. And, more than 36,000 of those served by the program have successfully quit using tobacco and nicotine products. In celebration of its 20th Anniversary, the Quit Line is getting a new logo and new name: Quit Now Montana. Quit Now Montana still offers free quit coaching over the...
Press release Shores Floral, a Chinook floral shop, recently held a very successful fundraiser for the "Serving of Hope" fund. Tomi Simonson, owner of Shores Floral presented Christen Obresley, vice president of regulatory and community services at Northern Montana Health Care, a check for $7,015 for the fund. The Serving of Hop" fund was created in 2009 when the Men Who Cook for Women Who Wine event was looking for a new cause to support. That event was started in 2007 to hel...
KFF Health News In 2023, our nationwide reporting team has been hard at work on a holiday gift to you: a packet of advice for navigating the labyrinthine American medical system. In the sixth year of KFF Health News-NPR’s “Bill of the Month” series, readers shared more than 750 tales of medical billing problems, contributing to our ongoing effort to investigate the financial consequences of becoming sick or injured in the United States — and empower patients to advocate for themselves. Reporters analyzed more than $730,00...
Press release Alzheimer’s disease is expected to impact nearly 13 million Americans by 2050, including 22,000 Montanans today, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. So, as you contemplate your New Year’s resolutions for 2024, consider there are steps you can take yourself to maintain and improve your cognitive function. Research has shown lifestyle changes like improving diet and exercising regularly have helped drive down death rates from cancer, heart disease and other major diseases. These same lifestyle changes may al...
Press release The Orthopedic Surgery Team at Northern Montana Hospital - NMH - is now offering Persona IQ®, the world's first and only smart knee implant granted "De Novo status" by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for total knee replacement surgery. Persona IQ combines the proven and trusted knee implant, Persona® The Personalized Knee®, with implantable sensor technology that measures range of motion, step count, walking speed and other gait metrics. "We're...
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks A free youth pheasant and waterfowl weekend kick-off event is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 19, from 5:00-7:30 p.m. at the Havre Trap Club for any youth aged 10 and older. Parents or other mentors planning to hunt with the youth are expected to attend as well. The event is planned ahead of the youth pheasant and waterfowl weekend of Sept. 23-24, which is open for properly licensed youth ages 10-15. The kick-off will include a barbecue “open house” for youth and their adult-hunting partners to...
Press release HAVRE - A soothing musical therapy that helped patients at Northern Montana Health Care that was canceled due to the pandemic is back. As part of the public health emergency for COVID-19, Northern Montana Hospital discontinued allowing visitors into their facility. Unfortunately, this included many Northern Montana Hospital volunteers. Mary Stevens, a local musician, was one of those volunteers. But recently, volunteers have resumed their activities at Northern...
Marijuana is a product of the cannabis plant and its main active chemical is THC. It poses substantial health and safety risks to young people, yet it is the most widely used drug among this population. According to the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA), teen and early adult years are when children are most vulnerable to marijuana’s harmful effects. It can affect brain development, academic achievement, relationships, and physical health. The risk for addiction increases as well. Why do young people u...
Press release For newborns in distress in rural hospitals, for travelers in car wrecks, for injured wilderness explorers, for farmers and ranchers wounded on the job, and for so many more Montanans and visitors, Mercy Flight has been a critical element of survival. "Mercy Flight is a godsend," one Choteau dad said after his children were injured in a utility terrain vehicle accident. "I was happy to have them take my princess to Great Falls." Monday, Jan. 16, marked the 4...
Press release Sarah Spangler, RN, has been promoted to the vice president of patient care services at Northern Montana Hospital, replacing Erich Koch, RN, who is retiring. Spangler was the director of Northern Montana Hospital Medical/Surgical Department. She is also on the Montana Board of Nursing and has recently been appointed to the National Council for State Boards of Nursing NCLEX Item Review Subcommittee. Spangler started her career at Northern Montana Hospital eight...
