Stacker-Medical Care

Every October, Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) gives beneficiaries a six-week window between Oct. 15 through Dec. 7 to reconsider their coverage. Most years, that’s a matter of choice: People can shop around if they want to. But this year, in a growing number of states, it isn’t optional. Their current plan may simply no

When acne keeps coming back, it is easy to end up with a bathroom shelf full of products and no clear idea of what is actually helping. A cleanser may improve things for a week. A spot treatment can dry out one pimple. Then there are hundreds of acne face washes and moisturizers to choose from.

As the colder seasons approach, many people start preparing for fall and winter routines. For most people, this should include getting a yearly flu shot. The flu vaccine is effective and safe and provides protection against flu illness — both for you and for those around you. Getting a flu vaccine can keep you from missing work

While both OCD and anxiety involve worry and distress, they’re distinct mental health conditions with different symptoms, triggers, and treatment approaches. Understanding these differences is crucial for proper diagnosis and effective care. Many people experience intrusive thoughts or feel overwhelmed by worry, but knowing whether these symptoms point to OCD or an anxiety disorder can be challenging.

You probably know that high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or the “bad” cholesterol, can raise your risk for heart attack and stroke. But you may not have heard about apolipoprotein B (ApoB).  The usual numbers in your cholesterol test (lipid profile) may leave out this important measure of your risk for heart disease. Scientists and lipid

Some people taking a GLP-1 medication who also take thyroid medication describe symptoms such as fatigue, constipation, feeling cold, hair thinning and stalled weight loss. This can result in self-questioning that is difficult to answer without looking further: Is it the GLP-1 medication or is it my thyroid? Many of these patients have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis,

You book a doctor’s appointment and pick up a GLP-1 prescription expecting your healthcare routine to get simpler. Take the shots, lose some weight, move on. What happens in the months that follow, though, is a different story. Key takeaways Zocdoc patients who book an initial GLP-1 visit are 21% more likely to book follow-up

A new formulation of the popular acne drug Accutane, the common brand name for isotretinoin, is entering the U.S. market. It promises fewer side effects and a gentler experience for patients. Some are calling it “topical Accutane.” More accurately known as topical isotretinoin, it is a cream that delivers the active ingredient in oral isotretinoin

Have you ever taken a prescription to the pharmacy only to find out that your pharmacist can’t fill it? The chances of this happening are low. But when it does, it’s usually for a good reason, like protecting you from potentially dangerous health risks. The good news is that there are steps you can take

Sleep has become something to optimize. Consistent bedtimes, blue-light glasses, white noise machines, supplements, and wearable trackers all promise to improve rest. The interest makes sense: In 2024, 30.5% of U.S. adults reported sleeping less than seven hours a night. But a better nighttime routine cannot address every reason someone sleeps poorly. Sleep apnea, insomnia

Most American adults get their cholesterol tested regularly. But a lesser-known marker called lipoprotein(a) can expose the cardiovascular risk hiding behind an otherwise normal cholesterol panel — and most doctors don’t test for it. A landmark 2026 analysis of data from three National Institutes of Health trials shows the value of taking an lp(a) test:

Standing in front of a light therapy device, many people face a simple but confusing question: which color light does their skin actually need? Blue light vs. red light therapy both use LED technology to improve skin health, but they work in completely different ways. Blue light sits at the shorter end of the visible

Every year, there are over 850 million cases of food poisoning worldwide. It occurs when you eat or drink contaminated food or beverages, and most people know the telltale signs. Sometimes, it starts with waves of nausea and vomiting. Other times, belly cramps and diarrhea seem to come out of nowhere. Most of the time,

Weight loss can improve your health in many ways. But it can also come with some drawbacks, like bone loss. Losing too much bone can make your bones weaker and raise your risk of fractures. The good news is that there are steps you can take to help protect your bones during weight loss. GoodRX,

  Timing isn’t just about remembering to take your pills—it’s about maximizing their therapeutic benefit while minimizing side effects through strategic scheduling. Many people assume that as long as they take their medication daily, the specific time doesn’t matter. However, emerging research in chronopharmacology reveals that your body processes medications very differently depending on whether

  Every blood sample begins degrading the moment it’s drawn, and most of what can go wrong with a laboratory result goes wrong before the specimen ever reaches an analyzer. This is the preanalytical phase — collection, handling, transport, storage — and it is estimated to account for the large majority of laboratory errors, far

  Health insurance is supposed to protect people from high medical costs and help them get the care they need. But a new survey of 1,887 people with health insurance conducted from May through July of this year by GoodRx, a platform for medication savings, shows that having coverage doesn’t always mean having affordable access

  At-home DNA tests have revolutionized personal health insights, but understanding their accuracy requires examining the underlying technology. These tests typically analyze single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which represent common genetic variations found throughout the population. Major providers like 23andMe and AncestryDNA achieve impressive accuracy and best results for raw genetic data, with laboratory processing standards

  When you’re young, it’s easy to feel invincible. As you age, however, the things once taken for granted in youth become the reasons you end up in the hospital. This can look like a misstep that would be no big deal in your 20s, a case of the flu that would have been barely

  The end of summer brings a sharp reset in daily routines (see: crowded commutes, earlier bedtimes, overstuffed calendars). But its impact on healthcare is often misunderstood. While parents across the U.S. navigate a summer-long scramble for required school forms and sports physicals, other care gets backburnered. After Labor Day, those backlogged health needs overlap

  Patients don’t always tell their doctors everything. They round down the number of drinks they have per week, or skip over the medication they forgot to take. The newest omission? Taking health advice from AI. A Zocdoc-commissioned national survey of more than 1,000 patients and 1,000 healthcare providers conducted in February 2026 reveals why.

  Poison ivy rash is not contagious. You cannot give it to a family member by touching them, and no one in your household will break out simply by being near you. The rash itself poses no risk of transmission. What does spread is the substance that causes the rash: urushiol (pronounced yoo-ROO-shee-ol), the colorless,

  When you’re standing in the pharmacy aisle faced with rows of pain relievers, the choice between aspirin and ibuprofen can feel overwhelming. Both are trusted medications that have been helping people manage pain for decades, but they work differently in your body and are better suited for different situations. Understanding the key differences between

  In Texas, fifty rural hospitals are at risk of closure. That is more than any other state in the country. Behind Texas, in descending order: Kansas (44), Tennessee (27), Georgia (25), and Mississippi (24). Behind those numbers is a typical Friday afternoon at a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) that takes patients from those vulnerable

  Someone walks away from a collision, waves off the ambulance, and drives home sore but more or less functional. Then morning comes with a headache that won’t quit, a hand that’s gone numb, or a stomach that feels tight and wrong. But those injuries didn’t appear overnight: They were slowly coming to the surface

  Summer brings increased risk of uncomfortable skin conditions that can dampen outdoor fun and limit time spent enjoying warm-weather activities. Heat rash and sunburn are two common warm-weather problems often confused due to similar timing and some overlapping symptoms, particularly when both occur during outdoor summer events. However, these conditions have fundamentally different causes,

  A glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) weight-loss program is one that combines GLP-1 agonist medications like Wegovy (semaglutide) or Zepbound (tirzepatide) with additional support, such as nutrition counseling and medical guidance. In some cases, insurance plans may even require that you enroll in one of these programs in order to have your medications covered. But insurance

  A child who’s been treated for cancer walks down the hall of a medical facility, nurses and doctors smiling at them from all corners of the room. The child rings a bell, and everyone cheers as the kid hugs their loved ones. These heartfelt videos appear regularly across social media. What helps make each

  For many chronic skin conditions, the most important advantage of teledermatology is shortening the distance between a problem, a clinical decision, and the next adjustment. Skin problems rarely respect calendars. A painful acne flare does not wait for a convenient week, nor does eczema pause because a patient has used all their paid time