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Inherited mutations of some genes can contribute to breast cancer risk. There are tests for a range of these uncommon mutations, but whether an insurer will pay for them varies, too.

Most health plans accept a credit card for the first month's premium and then require customers to pay monthly with a check or an electronic transfer from a bank account. For people without a banking relationship, these transactions can be tricky.

New federal guidelines say every child should be screened for high cholesterol once between the ages of 9 and 11 and again between 17 and 21. The testing aims to find kids with extremely high cholesterol caused by a genetic condition. But the testing will find others whose cholesterol may not need treatment.

A voluntary approach to flu vaccination of health care workers has fallen short. To protect patients, vaccination should be mandatory, consumer and business groups said in Washington. They back a requirement for annual vaccination of all health workers with only limited exemptions.

Hospitalized patients are going home sooner and sicker than ever before. And without clear and comprehensive instructions about what to do after a hospital stay, they may wind up back in the hospital, or worse. That's where a checklist can help.

Move over restaurants. Now hospitals are getting letter grades based on their patient safety performance from the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit that's looking to improve the quality and safety of health care.

Oregon created a simple two-page form that has helped people exert control over their care at the end of life. A statewide database that contains the information is providing insight into what people prefer.

Women's health advocates hope that the law's coverage requirements will encourage large companies to step up to the plate and provide maternity benefits for dependents.

Would you get tested for your potential risk for Alzheimer's disease, even though the prediction is imperfect and there is no cure for the condition? Studies suggest people can handle the results just find.

The prefrontal cortex, the brain's executive control center, develops more slowly than the limbic system, which controls arousal and reward. The mismatch makes it harder for teens to maintain concentration behind the wheel.