Barbara Feder Ostrov

<p>In California’s agricultural Central Valley, clean water is surprisingly hard to come by, and expensive, for some of the region’s poorest residents. It’s not hard to make the connection between poor health and water that has been tainted by nitrates from agricultural runoff.</p>

<p>Why did Aetna back off from raising health insurance premiums by as much as 17 percent in California? Plus more from our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>Why does Bakersfield have such awful air quality? How do Vitamin D levels affect your risk for diabetes? Answers and more in our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>Who knew that Tennessee had the highest percentage (41%) of high school kids who drank more than one sugary soda a day? Check out these story ideas from a new CDC state-by-state report on “food environments” for children.</p>

<p>New community health laws proposed in California, noisy health care is bad for patients, no fast-track Supreme Court decision on health reform, plus more from our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>Why are part-time elected officials in California getting such expensive full-time health benefits? Answers and more in our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>Could a penny-an-ounce soda tax in California save public schools and help children's health? Answers and more in today's Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>Dramatic progress in lowering sepsis rates in California hospitals, the latest on smoking bans, and medical marijuana news, plus more from our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>Why do Mexican-American schoolchildren in California have seven times more flame retardant in their systems than their peers in Mexico? Answers and more in our Daily Briefing.</p>

<p>Redefining Alzheimer's disease could dramatically change the way this disease of aging is diagnosed, treated. Plus more from our Daily Briefing.</p>