Healthcare
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Iowa hospitals brace for impact as federal Medicaid cuts loom
Federal Medicaid cuts are expected to strip health care from 86,000 Iowans over the next ten years. One rural hospital administrator warns the financial impact could be felt in months, not years. When Dr. Robin Plattenberger retired from her Washington County practice eight years ago, she left behind patients who depended on Medicaid for everything…
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The link between Iowa’s worsening water quality and rising cancer rate
Iowa’s rising cancer rate has many causes. Our worsening water quality is one.
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Iowa’s abortion ban creates costly travel for women seeking care, data shows
After a 74% drop in abortion services, Iowans increasingly cross state lines for care, while Illinois and other neighbors shoulder a regional burden. Tuesday marks one year since a law that bans most abortions in Iowa went into effect, and new data reported by providers show the impacts of the ban have been felt far…
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Cancer in Iowa: Remembering those we’ve lost amid our joy
Iowa Starting Line editor reflects on the loss of her mom to cancer as her brother’s family welcomes a new baby.
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What are the most common types of cancer in Iowa?
Here are the most common types of cancer in Iowa in 2025, according to the Iowa Cancer Registry.
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What are some cancer screening and treatment options in Iowa?
Finding the right options for cancer screenings and treatment can be overwhelming. But Iowa has more options than you might expect. We’ve assembled some resources to help.
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What is behind Iowa’s cancer crisis?
Iowa has the second-highest cancer rate in the US, and the numbers keep climbing. What’s driving these cases?
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Free or low-cost resources for those facing cancer in Iowa
From cancer support groups in Iowa, to financial assistance for cancer patients, to wig donations and more, here are some places to start. Many of these places offer services at no charge.
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The Hot Spot: Why we’re investigating cancer in Iowa
Iowa Starting Line is launching “The Hot Spot: Investigating Cancer in Iowa,” a comprehensive look at why our state stands alone in its rising cancer rates.
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States can cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, the Supreme Court rules
A divided Supreme Court allowed states to cut off Medicaid money to Planned Parenthood in a ruling handed down Thursday amid a wider Republican-backed push to defund the country’s biggest abortion provider.
