Nuclear Radiation Health Risks in Japan: Minimal - For Now

Here's the latest in health and health journalism news from Reporting on Health.

Oversight: California lawmakers are considering merging the state's two agencies that oversee health insurance, Kathy Robertson reports for the Sacramento Business Journal. The Department of Managed Health Care oversees HMOs, while the Department of Insurance regulates PPOs and traditional indemnity insurance. But the HMO watchdog agency has more oversight over quality and continuity of care, and some critics worry that additional authority could get lost in a merger.

Radiation: Katherine Hobson of The Wall St. Journal reports on the health risks of the radiation from Japan's earthquake-damaged nuclear facilities. So far, the risks appear to be relatively limited, but the situation is volatile and could worsen at any time.

Disabled: A New York Times investigation by Danny Hakim found widespread and serious problems with group homes for the developmentally disabled in New York state, including abuse of residents and little oversight of caregivers.

Pregnancy: Many bromides about what women should do during their pregnancies aren't grounded in science, in part because research on pregnant women is so difficult to conduct, Kendall Powell reports for the Los Angeles Times.

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