Nation Unprepared for Natural Disasters, Terrorism Attacks

More than five years after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States, many states are still unprepared to handle a major crisis, the nonpartisan Trust for America's Health (TFAH) said in its fourth annual Ready or Not? report.

Bush Unveils New Health Insurance Plan

Washington - President George W. Bush on Saturday proposed tax breaks to make health insurance more affordable to the nearly 47 million Americans who lack it, while removing some tax benefits for the most expensive employer-provided health care plans.

Study: Nicotine Increasing in Cigarettes

Boston - Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health say they have confirmed a study by the state that found nicotine levels in cigarettes increased from 1997 until 2005

Government to List Hospitals That Falter in Heart Attack Care

In a dramatic bid to improve hospital performance, the government plans to post a consumer-friendly comparison of hospitals' heart attack and heart failure death rates on the Internet.

Health Care Spending Rose at Twice the Rate of Inflation in '05

Spending on health care rose at twice the rate of general inflation in 2005, with consumers facing increased deductibles and co-pays finding themselves spending more of their own money, government researchers said in a report out Tuesday.

Obesity of China's Kids Stuns Officials

China is super-sizing its children as fast as its economy, prompting fears of an American-style obesity crisis here.

New figures from the Health Ministry show that urban Chinese boys age 6 are 2.5 inches taller and 6.6 pounds heavier on average than Chinese city boys 30 years ago