Author

Lauren Weber

Lauren Weber, Midwest correspondent, is covering how America’s health system is working - and not working - for patients in that region. Based in St. Louis, her hometown, she tackles everything from rural hospital closures to health system consolidation to state and national reform promises made on the campaign trail.

Business

Obamacare’s Star Ratings Offer A Glimmer Of Insight ― But Not For All

Lauren Weber Nov 2, 2019

A Press conference where President Obama discussed the quality of health plans due to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, nick-named 'Obamacare, and the insurance on the marketplace. File photo: Pixabay. ST. LOUIS — As…

Health

‘We Vape, We Vote’: How Vaping Crackdowns Are Politicizing Vapers

Lauren Weber Oct 10, 2019

Vapers were mobilized for two congressional campaigns with postcards produced by political operative Mark Block, who also started the Vape PAC political action committee. Photo credits: Lydia Zuraw/KHN Illustration; Mark Block; Getty…

Business

They Enrolled in Medical School To Practice Rural Medicine. What Happened?

Lauren Weber Oct 9, 2019

Dr. Sara Ritterling Patry, one of University of Kansas School of Medicine-Salina's first graduates, practices internal medicine in Hutchinson, Kansas. With a population under 41,000, Hutchinson, Kan., isn’t the most rural community, but…

Health

Meet The Health Officials Who Alerted To Mysterious Vaping Illness

Lauren Weber Sep 25, 2019

The epidemic has prompted outrage about federal oversight of vaping, but there is also a local public health success story to be told. Doctors and regional officials in Wisconsin, Illinois and elsewhere pieced together that this…