Insured and uninsured Californians alike saw their medical debt rise between 2007 and 2009.

Nakita Garcia, a 24-year-old San Diegan, is battling breast cancer, a disease that's almost unheard of in women her age.

San Diego isn't America's finest city when it comes to tobacco control.

UC San Diego researchers have identified the second half of the first trimester of a woman's pregnancy as an especially risky time to drink alcohol.

Only three counties and 20 cities in California have laws that ban or limit smoking in multifamily housing.

All ten U.C. campuses plan to be smoke-free by 2014.

A new report reveals underage drinking cost California more than $6.5 billion in 2010.

The maker of Bufferin, Excedrin, NoDoz, and Gas-X is issuing a nationwide recall.

Critics say the governor's proposed budget cuts would hurt poor children's access to health care.

A new survey reveals health insurance premiums for California employers rose 153 percent over the last decade.

Scripps Mercy Hospital is scheduled to open its new state-of-art expanded emergency room and trauma center next week.

UC San Diego researchers are looking for new treatments for myeloma, a blood cancer for which there is no cure.

State officials says they'll ask the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn an injunction blocking cuts to Medi-Cal providers.

The new year brings a slate of new health laws in California.

Doctors are livid about Congress's failure to delay a 27 percent cut in Medicare payments.

It's been a bad year for data security, with a number of high profile medical data breaches reported.

On KPBS Midday Edition, we look at San Diego's top health stories of the year. Reporter Kenny Goldberg discusses some of the issues he's covered, from prescription drug abuse to healthcare reform.

Sharp HealthCare will provide Medicare services to nearly 32,000 San Diego seniors through a new model.

Prescription drug overdoses have surpassed car crashes to become the number-one cause of accidental death in San Diego.

Doctors say when it comes to treating colds and flu during pregnancy, less is more.

For the sixth time in the last four years, state regulators have fined Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla for putting a patient's life at risk.

The nation's largest study focusing on Hispanic health has been launched in San Diego, Chicago, Miami, and the Bronx.

The third time wasn't the charm, so proponents of a ballot measure requiring doctors to notify parents 48 hours before performing an abortion on a minor will try again.

A new San Diego County initiative aims to encourage more people to get an HIV test.

A statewide effort to fight hospital-associated infections is paying off.

It's back to the drawing board for HIV prevention researchers, after a clinical trial of a vaginal gel was found to be ineffective.

A California man has come up with a novel way to fund a state database that tracks doctor shopping.

The trade group representing California hospitals is suing the state to block a 10-percent rate cut to Medi-Cal providers.

Some 2400 expecting and new moms in San Diego have signed up for a free service that sends out text messages with health tips and resources.

Some 35,000 frail seniors and disabled adults in California may still be able to get skilled day care services, thanks to a new settlement.

Use of devices like iPods are on the rise, and so is hearing loss among children. Coincidence?

Hospice care offers an alternative to dying in a hospital hooked up to machines. But most people don't know about it.

A survey reveals most mental health providers at Kaiser Permanente facilities in California believe patients aren't getting timely care.

A new report reveals the percentage of overweight or obese children fell by 3.7 percent over the last five years; but the percentage remains alarming.

The Food and Drug Administration has given the green light to an artificial heart valve that can be inserted into the body through a small incision in the leg.

Doctors warn the recently approved 10 percent pay cut for treating Medi-Cal patients will hurt access to care for poor Californians.

Despite having one the country's lowest smoking rates, California has millions of children who are exposed to secondhand smoke in their own homes.

About 15 percent of San Diego Latinos have asthma; a new report takes a look at some of the contributing factors.

There are few things more harrowing for parents than having a child with cancer. A San Diego Foundation tries to make things a little easier.

Kaiser Permanente mounted a massive effort today to encourage women to get a mammogram. Research suggests routine mammograms might do more harm than good.

A high percentage of women in the military are subject to sexual harassment and assault. Survivors are at high risk for developing PTSD.

California is one of a minority of states that doesn't regulate health insurance premiums. State Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones says it's time to change that.

High doses of vitamin E may be harmful to men's health. A new study finds daily use of vitamin E supplements increases the risk of prostate cancer.

UC San Diego is now home to the world's largest surgery simulation lab. It's part of a new $70 million state-of-the-art medical training center on the La Jolla campus.

Researchers at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology say they've discovered how the body generates immune cells at ports of entry like the mouth. The finding could help scientists design better vaccines.

Drunk driving deaths have declined nationwide, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the percentage of driving fatalities that are alcohol-related have not.

The U.S. Supreme Court has heard arguments in a case brought by a San Diego physician. The court will decide whether a doctor can sue the state over cuts to the Medi-Cal program.

Untreated depression is the number one risk factor for suicide. Mental health experts say economic crises can also be a trigger for people who may be considering taking their own life.

A new report reveals lung cancer rates have declined nationwide, led by California and other western states.

Scripps Hospital officials in Chula Vista are trying to figure out why their generator failed during the blackout. Officials point out power was restored within 90 minutes.