Borenstein is AP Science Writer.
April 8, 2020
A statistical model cited by the White House generated a slightly less grim figure Monday for a first wave of deaths from the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. – a projection designed to help officials plan for the worst, including …
July 15, 2019
The U.S. government is growing the largest crop of research marijuana in five years, responding to interest in varieties with high levels of THC and CBD. The government is the only source of pot for nearly all research in the …
June 12, 2019
A new study shoots down the notion that medical marijuana laws can prevent opioid overdose deaths, challenging a favorite talking point of legal pot advocates. Researchers repeated an analysis that sparked excitement years ago. The previous work linked medical marijuana …
June 11, 2019
Marijuana has been shown to help ease pain and a few other health problems, yet two-thirds of U.S. states have decided pot should be legal to treat many other conditions with little scientific backing. At least 1.4 million Americans are …
October 25, 2018
The number of U.S. drug overdose deaths has begun to level off after years of relentless increases driven by the opioid epidemic, health secretary Alex Azar said Tuesday, cautioning it’s too soon to declare victory. “We are so far from …
January 24, 2017
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration has sent a letter to GOP congressional leaders asking them to avoid “hasty” or “incomplete” action as they proceed with a planned repeal of the Affordable Care Act. The Jan. 17 letter says Congress and …
August 16, 2016
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is taking the rare step of weighing in on the state’s handling of a hefty health insurance rate increase request, asking Illinois regulators to press the state’s leading insurer of families and small businesses to reduce …
August 5, 2016
Illinois officials posted new forms this week for doctors and patients in the state’s medical marijuana program to reflect changes in the law, and announced that July retail sales reached a new high at $2.9 million. Gov. Bruce Rauner signed …
July 14, 2016
An Illinois health insurance co-op with 49,000 policyholders in the state has become the latest casualty among a dwindling group of nonprofit alternative insurers set up under the Affordable Care Act. Illinois regulators took steps on July 12 to shut …
July 8, 2016
The state of Illinois has tried an unusual maneuver to save a health insurer with 49,000 Illinois policyholders from possible financial failure by blocking it from paying a $31.8 million bill to the federal government. Illinois Department of Insurance Acting …