State Health Clinics Closing

Nine Health Department clinics across Mississippi will be closing next week, and 37 others will reduce hours of operation.  About 64 employees -- both full time and contract workers -- will lose their jobs. There will also be new county clinic hours at some locations. Mississippi State Department of Health spokesperson Liz Sharlot says several factors led to the changes. She tells MPB's Maura Moed at the end of the day -- it's all about the changing needs of Mississippians.

ACA Deadline Approaching

If you're going to a healthcare provider, it helps to have insurance. And if you don't have insurance or you're looking to get new coverage, it might interest you to know the deadline to apply for health coverage through Healthcare Dot Gov is quickly approaching. In fact, it's at the end of this month. Nearly 98,000 Mississippians have signed up for coverage since the Affordable Care Act became law. Healthcare Dot Gov CEO Kevin Counihan expects a surge of new applications in the days before the deadline.  He spoke to MPB's Evelina Burnett during a recent visit to the Gulf Coast.

Prediabetes In Mississippi

In 2012, Mississippi ranked second in the nation for diabetes, with more than 276,000 adults in the state living with Type 2 diabetes -- that's roughly 12.5 percent of the adult population. But many don't realize there is a diagnosable medical condition for some in the stages BEFORE diabetes. It's call prediabetes and more than one in three adult Americans have it, though ninety percent of them are unaware of the condition. Prediabetes is associated with high blood glucose levels, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. While there are several long-term risks like stroke and heart attacks, prediabetes can be reversed. But diagnosis is key. To raise awareness about prediabetes and its health risks, the American Diabetes Association, the American Medical Association, and the Centers for Disease Control have teamed with the Ad Council to spread awareness of prediabetes. We spoke with Doctor Ann Albright of the CDC and Doctor Andrew Gurman of the AMA about the condition.

Iranian Student In Mississippi On Lifting Of Sanctions

An Iranian student studying at Mississippi State University says he's relieved crippling sanctions against his home country have been lifted by the United States. Daniel -- whose real name is withheld -- says he doesn't support the Iranian regime. But he has family and friends there still. Daniel says the sanctions made the costs of food so expensive people were suffering. The P-H-D student shares his concerns with MPB's Desare Frazier.