Health Care

UMass Memorial Health Care had to marshal all of its resources to fight the coronavirus pandemic in the spring and delay revenue-generating procedures until the worst of the outbreak had passed. The Worcester-based health system, however, turned a $9.6-million operating profit in the three months ending June 30.

Despite dramatic leaps in unemployment claims during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, coverage in employer-sponsored health insurance did not experience a correspondingly high decline, according to a new state report.

While people were rightfully focused on the coronavirus pandemic, as May turned to June, Massachusetts hit a public health milestone, effectively banning flavored tobacco and other smoking products, including menthol, and levying a steep new tax on vaping products.

TikTok is many things: a social media app specializing in snappy, one-minute-or-shorter videos; an opportunity for unknown citizens of the internet to go viral at a dizzying clip; a never-ending loop of practical jokes and dog videos. For some, it has become a place to learn about and commune around mental health.

If debates about the Affordable Care Act and proposed universal health care haven’t already made it clear, the idealized version of access isn’t the norm for many Americans, especially not for those who belong to vulnerable population groups who struggle with mental health challenges.

The U.S. has some of the highest maternal mortality and morbidity rates compared to other developed countries.

Senior citizens continue to be a population largely affected by the coronavirus pandemic, as senior care facilities, nursing homes, senior centers, and programs adapt and fight to protect the well-being of elders.

An unusually large share of coronavirus deaths in Worcester County — nearly four out of five — have taken place in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, according to state data.

After a small spike in confirmed Worcester County coronavirus cases at the end of July and the start of August, the number of positive tests is again on the decline, falling for the last two weeks.

Massachusetts has the highest unemployment rate in the country for the second month in a row, despite a small decline from June to July.