Health & Wellness

St. Louis – October 15, 2026 -- St. Louis residents eligible for Medicare can choose Essence Healthcare Medicare Advantage plans for 2027 with premiums starting at $0 and Flex Card benefits of up to $2,900 on select plans. Annual enrollment runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2026, for coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2027.

All major St. Louis health systems stay in-network

Essence, founded by doctors, has served Medicare members in St. Louis for more than two decades. The 2027 lineup keeps all major St. Louis health systems in-network. Dental, vision, hearing and fitness benefits are included, with offerings varying by plan. Flex Card amounts also vary by plan and apply to eligible expenses.

Approximately 98% of covered medications will remain on the formulary for 2027. Essence president Jordan Reigel said the plans reflect what members say matters most: trusted local doctors, strong benefits and affordable options.

United States – October 15, 2026 -- The Brady Protocol, a 30-minute robotic massage session co-designed with Tom Brady, is available starting today at every Aescape location for $39 and up. Pricing varies by location.

Brady helped design the sequence down to the stroke

Over the past year, licensed therapists and trainers built the Protocol with Brady involved from initial concept through design and testing. He helped shape the sequence, intensity and intent of the session, down to the individual stroke.

The approach draws on principles from Brady's more than two decades of work with his longtime body coach, Alex Guerrero. Those principles center on muscle pliability, consistent bodywork and recovery, and they have been adapted for Aescape's platform.

Brady says he kept refining the pressure, speed, sequence and stroke placement until it felt like the work he has relied on for years.

Fauquier County – October 15, 2026 -- Virginia Cancer Specialists will open its relocated, larger Fauquier office at 410 Rosedale Court, Suite 270, in Warrenton, VA on November 9, 2026. The move keeps oncology care local for patients in Fauquier County and the surrounding region.

Patients keep their doctors in a bigger space

Patients will continue to see the physicians and care team they already know. The practice says the new facility is designed for a smoother, more compassionate patient experience.

Care under one roof includes medical oncology, hematology, supportive services, care coordination and patient navigation. The larger site is meant to meet growing demand, so patients can be treated without traveling far from family, work and support systems.

Minneapolis – October 15, 2026 -- Men in the U.S. can now get Roxus, a prescription nasal spray for erectile dysfunction (ED), through the telemedicine platform Mavrox, which ships it to their door.

Roxus comes from Australian pharmaceutical company LTR Pharma (ASX: LTP). It delivers vardenafil, the same type of ED medicine as Viagra, which has been used in tablets for more than 20 years. Instead of a pill, it uses LTR's proprietary intranasal spray technology.

Peak blood levels arrive in about 10 minutes in company studies

Roxus uses the same intranasal vardenafil formulation as SPONTAN, LTR's nasal spray that has been prescribed in Australia for the past two years. In clinical studies, including a peer-reviewed Phase 1 study, the spray reached peak blood levels in a median of about 10 minutes. Vardenafil tablets take 45 to 60 minutes.

Washington – October 15, 2026 -- Medicare-eligible Americans can now compare insurers using the 2027 U.S. News & World Report ratings for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D, published as Open Enrollment begins. Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7, for coverage that takes effect January 1, 2027.

Five insurers top the Medicare Advantage list

The best Medicare Advantage companies are Aetna Medicare, Devoted Health, Humana Inc., Kaiser Permanente and UnitedHealth Group, Inc. For Part D prescription drug coverage, the top companies are Centene and Humana Inc. The 2027 edition also highlights the best Medicare Advantage companies in each state.

Greenwich, Conn. – October 14, 2026 -- Patients at The Hair LabTM in Greenwich can now discuss Acorn YOUTM Secretome, a hair and scalp product made from their own preserved hair follicle cells, as part of a consultation at NicholsMD.

NicholsMD is a Connecticut dermatology practice founded by board-certified dermatologist Dr. Kim Nichols. The Hair LabTM is its dedicated destination for personalized hair and scalp care at the Greenwich flagship.

The product is built from a patient's own follicle cells

Acorn describes YOUTM Secretome as a cell-free blend of signaling molecules, including exosomes, growth factors, peptides and proteins, that help cells communicate. The molecules are intended to support the scalp's follicle environment and natural hair renewal. The stated goals are stronger, thicker-looking hair and better hair amount and quality.

Oakland – October 14, 2026 -- Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) may shut off power to about 88,000 customers in 29 California counties, starting Wednesday evening, October 14, as a statewide fire weather system moves through.

The planned outage is called a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). Customers have already received multiple notices, and PG&E says it will notify them again within four hours of their planned shutoff. Six Tribes may also be affected.

Check your address and prepare for a long outage

Customers can see whether their address is in scope and read the latest updates at pge.com/PSPSupdates. PG&E advises those who have been notified to prepare for extended outages:

Syracuse – October 14, 2026 -- Patients who get a portable x-ray need no fasting, no gown and no paperwork on the day of the appointment, according to a HelloNation article featuring Ken Andrews of K & A Radiologic Technology Services, Inc. in Syracuse, New York.

Scheduling is coordinated between the provider and the imaging service

The ordering physician or nurse practitioner places the request and specifies the type of study. The portable imaging service then arranges a visit time that fits the patient's existing care schedule. Caregivers and facility staff receive an expected arrival window so they can be present when the technologist arrives.

Ventura County – October 14, 2026 -- Tickets are available for the St. John's Healthcare Foundation's 2027 gala, Adventure. Seats cost $450 each, and all proceeds go to cancer care in Ventura County. The black-tie evening takes place Saturday, May 1, 2027, at the Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village.

Every dollar raised supports St. John's Cancer Services

The foundation says 100 percent of gala funds will support St. John's Cancer Services. The money is meant to continue and expand access to advanced imaging technology, infusion treatments and oncology services across the county.

The event starts at 4:30 p.m. with a reception featuring tasting stations. It continues with a multi-course meal, wine, entertainment, and silent and live auctions. This year's Spain-inspired theme is "Beneath the Spanish Sky: Rhythm, Recognition and Rich Tradition."

Miami – October 14, 2026 -- Girls who added a prebiotic soluble corn fiber powder to their usual diets for 12 months built more bone than girls who took a placebo, according to a clinical trial led by Florida International University nutrition researcher Cristina Palacios. Bone mineral content rose 18.8% in the fiber group, versus 12.9% in the placebo group.

Boys did not see the same bone gain

The effect did not appear in boys. The researchers say one possible explanation is that boys were at a different stage of puberty and skeletal development. The study was not designed to detect differences between boys and girls, so larger trials need to confirm the finding.