PROVINCETOWN — A multitude of changes to health care in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that was signed into law on July 4 have experts in Massachusetts sounding two […]
Health & Healthcare
HUNGER
Outer Cape Food Pantries Prepare for Rising Need
Local organizations assess how cuts to SNAP and Medicaid will hit home here
WELLFLEET — With a new federal budget that cuts SNAP benefits (known as food stamps) and Medicaid, local food pantries are preparing to address what they expect will be an […]
PUBLIC HEALTH
Federal Cuts Could Imperil Local Sexual Health Programs
About $1.5 billion in HIV funds are on the chopping block
PROVINCETOWN — A Supreme Court ruling on June 27 preserved a requirement in the Affordable Care Act that insurance companies cover preventive care at no cost to patients — including […]
HEALTH CARE
State Makes Moves to Protect Transgender Care
A new trust fund would try to replace threatened federal dollars
This article was updated on July 14, 2025. PROVINCETOWN — This spring, the U.S. House of Representatives took a cue from the 27 Republican-controlled states that have restricted gender-affirming health […]
PUBLIC HEALTH
The Lone Star Tick Settles In, Bringing New Risks
As the species becomes widespread on the Cape, prevention is key
PROVINCETOWN — There’s a newcomer on the Cape’s tick scene. It bites hard, reproduces fast, and, in some cases, leaves victims allergic to red meat. It’s the lone star tick. […]
SHERIFF’S DEPT.
Barnstable County Jail Has Brought Health Care In-House
Almost two years after ending Wellpath’s contract, Buckley has hired counselors and case managers
PROVINCETOWN — When Barnstable County Sheriff Donna Buckley announced her campaign for that office in March 2022, she told the Independent that “the sheriff’s responsibility is not to do law […]
PUBLIC HEALTH
Vaccine Clinics Aim to Head Off Measles Threat
No cases have been reported here, but summer travel has officials planning ahead
EASTHAM — For the past month, clinics across Cape Cod have been offering free measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccinations. Measles — which had been eliminated in the U.S. in […]
PUBLIC HEALTH
Hepatitis Case at Restaurant Provokes Wide Alert
Cases can appear even when strict rules are followed, says health board chair
This article was updated on May 29, 2025. PROVINCETOWN — On the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, the traditional kickoff of summer on Cape Cod, an alert went out from […]
HEALTH CARE
Budget Cuts Could Cost MassHealth $2 Billion Per Year
Medicaid is vital to OCHS — but a state bill could help steady the books
PROVINCETOWN — A 10-year budget resolution that could strip up to $880 billion from Medicaid passed the U.S. House in February, raising the prospect of large cuts in the MassHealth […]
MENTAL HEALTH
Healey Pauses Pocasset Closure After Local Pushback
Governor’s plan still cuts number of mental health case managers in half
BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey has put plans to close the Pocasset Mental Health Center in Bourne on hold after facing bipartisan opposition from families, local officials, mental health advocates, […]
HEALTH CARE ACCESS
Navigating Abortion Care on the Outer Cape
National anti-abortion efforts have an effect on local access
PROVINCETOWN — Despite Massachusetts laws protecting access to abortion, logistical and institutional barriers persist for Outer Cape residents seeking care. Most abortions in the U.S. today are early in pregnancy: […]
PUBLIC HEALTH
Outer Cape Prepares for Federal Ruling on HIV Prevention Meds
Public health leaders focus on shoring up state support and private donations
PROVINCETOWN — When Jeff Schaffer learned in January that the Supreme Court would hear a case that threatened coverage of lifesaving HIV-prevention medications, he was not surprised. Schaffer, a registered nurse […]
CUTTING CARE
Mental Health Center Closing Would Ripple Across Cape, Officials Say
State budget cuts would affect access to the Cape’s only inpatient psychiatric care
Editor’s note: Because of a production error, the last section of this article did not appear in the print version of the Feb. 13 edition. The full text of the […]
H5N1
Avian Flu Is Spreading, Affecting Wild Birds Most
Waterfowl hit hardest, with poultry and pets at risk; more surveillance underway
WELLFLEET — If you feel like you’ve been noticing a lot of dead birds lately, you’re not alone. According to State Ornithologist Andrew Vitz, we are in the midst of […]
BLOODSUCKERS
Ticks — and Their Diseases — Are a Winter Problem, Too
Adult deer ticks, which carry Lyme disease, are most active in colder months
WELLFLEET — Life on Cape Cod includes ticks — and increasingly, tick-borne diseases. According to the state Dept. of Public Health, 113 people on Cape Cod were diagnosed with illnesses […]
