Health News

CULVER CITY – November 10, 2026 -- Patients in Los Angeles looking for lung care have a new data point: Southern California Hospital Culver City/Hollywood ranked among the top 5 in California for pulmonary care, according to Healthgrades.

Five national awards put the hospitals in the top 10%

Southern California Hospitals, which operates in Culver City, Hollywood and Van Nuys, earned five Specialty Excellence Awards from Healthgrades. The awards place the hospital in the top 10% nationwide for emergency hospitalization, pulmonary care, gastrointestinal care and gastrointestinal medical care.

Twelve Five-Star Ratings cover heart, stroke and sepsis care

The hospitals also earned twelve Five-Star Ratings. They cover treatment of:

Los Angeles – November 10, 2026 -- Men in Southern California looking for a urologist have a new peer-vetted name to consider: Dr. Justin Houman, MD, FACS, of Tower Urology at Cedars-Sinai, has been selected for the 2027 Southern California Super Doctors Rising Stars list in urology. The list will be published in Super Doctors Magazine with the Los Angeles Times in January.

Only about 2.5 percent of regional physicians made the cut

Super Doctors selects physicians through a multi-step process. It combines peer nominations, independent research into each nominee's credentials and achievements, and a review by a Blue-Ribbon Panel of top-scoring physicians in each specialty. The Rising Stars list is reserved for doctors who have been in practice for roughly 10 years or less. About 2.5 percent of Southern California physicians were chosen for the 2027 list.

HAUPPAUGE – November 10, 2026 -- Long Island patients with retinal disease can now see a new fellowship-trained retina specialist at SightMD's Smithtown and Bay Shore offices. Eva Raparia, MD, a board-certified ophthalmologist, is accepting patients at both locations.

She treats macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and vein occlusions

Dr. Raparia focuses on the medical management of retinal diseases. These include age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusions and other complex retinal conditions.

She also performs in-office procedures, including intravitreal anti-VEGF injections and retinal laser treatments.

Vero Beach – November 06, 2026 -- United Vein & Vascular Centers (UVVC) opens a new vein clinic at 3755 7th Terrace, Suite 202, in Vero Beach, Florida, on Oct. 26, 2026. Appointments are already being scheduled at (800) 952-5954.

The clinic sits near Vero Beach's 37th Street medical corridor

The location offers vein screenings, diagnostic evaluations and individualized treatment for varicose veins, swelling, leg heaviness, skin changes and other concerns that may be linked to vein disease. It is set up to serve patients from Vero Beach, Sebastian, Fellsmere, Indian River Shores and neighboring Treasure Coast communities. Care that needs several visits for evaluation, treatment and follow-up can now start inside the community.

St. Petersburg – November 06, 2026 -- United Vein & Vascular Centers (UVVC) will open a clinic at 5858 Central Ave., Suite 1010, St. Petersburg, FL 33710, on August 24, 2026, offering vein screenings and minimally invasive treatment for varicose veins and related symptoms.

The clinic covers western Pinellas County

The Central Avenue location is meant to serve residents of St. Petersburg, Treasure Island, Gulfport, Kenneth City, Seminole, and nearby communities. Dr. Romina Deldar, a board-certified surgeon and vein specialist, will see patients. She has advanced training in general surgery and in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Oceanside – October 06, 2026 -- All About Smiles Dentistry has relaunched its website and completed a full renovation of its office at 3471 Long Beach Road, marking three decades of serving families on Long Island.

The practice, founded in 1996 by Dr. Pamela L. Sands, DDS, now operates as a fully digital office. Its new site, allaboutsmilesoceanside.com, lets patients browse services, meet its three specialists, and access care resources online.

Dr. Sands built the practice around pediatric and special-needs dentistry

Dr. Sands earned her DDS at Stony Brook University and trained in pediatric dentistry at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she served as chief resident. She has specialized training in treating patients with developmental and physical disabilities.

Vienna, Va. – October 05, 2026 -- MyEyeDr. is marking its 25th anniversary this fall with limited-edition eyewear collaborations from Ray-Ban and Tom Ford, now available through the vision care chain.

Ray-Ban reimagines its 1952 Wayfarer with MyEyeDr. blue

The limited-edition Original Wayfarer features a layer of MyEyeDr.'s signature blue beneath a classic black frame, revealing a subtle pop of color depending on the angle. The silhouette was first introduced in 1952.

Tom Ford adds two exclusive frames to the lineup

The Tom Ford 25th anniversary collection includes one exclusive frame for men and one for women, each built around the designer brand's signature details.

Philadelphia – October 05, 2026 -- Christopher Ahmed, MD, a cataract surgeon and comprehensive ophthalmologist, will begin seeing patients at Keystone Eye Associates | OCLI Vision's Philadelphia office on November 2, 2026.

Dr. Ahmed treats cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic eye disease

Dr. Ahmed's practice focuses on advanced cataract surgery and personalized lens selection based on each patient's lifestyle and vision goals. He also manages glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, dry eye and general eye health issues. For glaucoma patients, he offers medical therapy, selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT), and minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS).

He trained at Temple University Hospital

Dr. Ahmed completed his ophthalmology residency at Temple University Hospital, where he received training in advanced cataract surgery and anterior segment care.

Woonsocket – October 03, 2026 -- Aetna, a CVS Health company, has unveiled its 2027 Medicare Advantage lineup, expanding plans that will reach 57 million Medicare-eligible beneficiaries across 41 states and Washington, D.C.

The insurer is widening access to its Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans while growing programs aimed at members with chronic conditions and those dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

Every plan includes $0 copays for preventive care and Tier 1 drugs

All 2027 Aetna Medicare Advantage plans will offer $0 copays for annual physicals, colonoscopies, mammograms, and routine eye and hearing exams at in-network providers. Tier 1 drug copays at preferred pharmacies remain at $0, and many vaccines will also carry no cost at in-network pharmacies. In every county where plans are offered, Aetna will provide at least one option with a $0 monthly premium and low or no primary care copays.

VIENNA – October 02, 2026 -- New research from CeraVe, surveying 6,000 adults across the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, finds a wide gap between what people know about skin health and what they actually do about it.

Nine in ten adults worry about their skin, but few take protective action

The study found 90% of respondents are concerned about at least one environmental factor affecting their skin, and 81% recognise that protection beyond sun exposure matters. Despite this, only 22% use products specifically designed to support the skin barrier.

Nearly half report their skin has become more sensitive in five years

Forty-seven percent of those surveyed say their skin is more sensitive than it was five years ago, and 50% report dryness they link to environmental or weather changes. Even so, just 10% adjust their skincare routine when pollution levels rise, and 55% say they will abandon a routine altogether if it isn't simple.