Martha Bebinger

Correspondent

Martha Bebinger is a correspondent for WBUR. She covers health care and other general assignments for the outlet.

Recently published

A young woman who feels ill. (Roos Koole/Getty Images)

Flu comes 'back in force' to Massachusetts

Flu is surging in Massachusetts. State numbers show more cases than in at least five years. Some doctors say it's more severe and is lasting longer than usual. Vaccination rates...

Health

Feb 11, 2025

Mass. communities fought for opioid settlements but aren’t spending the money

Massachusetts cities and towns are sitting on $84 million dollars in opioid settlement funds. Some communities have yet to spend any of the funding they have received from lawsuits meant...

Health

Feb 10, 2025

A vial of testosterone is prepared for injection. (Laura Bargfeld/AP file photo)

Mass. clinics still provide trans care for kids. The future is uncertain

Hospitals and clinics that treat transgender and nonbinary youth in Massachusetts said that care will continue while they review a funding ban signed by President Trump. The order, issued Tuesday,...

Health

Jan 31, 2025

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at the New York State Capitol. (Hans Pennink/AP)

What to know ahead of RFK Jr.'s confirmation hearing Wednesday

Robert F. Kennedy comes before congress Wednesday and Thursday. Here's what we know about his nomination and plans for the Department of Health and Human Services.

Health

Jan 28, 2025

A Massachusetts state driver's license. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Gender-neutral IDs remain valid in Mass., despite federal ban

Massachusetts residents can still chose "X" rather than male or female when applying for a driver's license or identification card. This option is based on state policy. It's not subject...

Health

Jan 22, 2025

While earth warmed, cold weather killed more Americans

Deaths linked to cold shot up dramatically in recent years even as the U.S. set summer heat records and temperatures increased, on average, year-round. The cause of death was often...

Health

Dec 27, 2024

This undated photo provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows a blacklegged tick, which is also known as a deer tick. Deer ticks, which spread Lyme, are a day-to-day fact of life in the warm months in New England and the Midwest. (CDC via AP, File)

Shrews, not mice, emerge as main driver of Lyme disease on Martha's Vineyard

Researchers at Tufts veterinary school say shrews, not mice, are the main source of Lyme disease on Martha's Vineyard. They don't know how to curb Lyme in these tiny mammals....

Health

Dec 23, 2024

In this courtroom sketch, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, center, is depicted between defense attorneys Miriam Conrad, left, and Judy Clarke, right, during his federal death penalty trial, Thursday, March 5, 2015, in Boston. (Jane Flavell Collins/AP)

Victims, local politicians react to Biden's decision to leave Boston Marathon bomber on death row

The president commuted the sentences of 37 of 40 men on federal death row. He left out those accused of hate crimes and terrorism, including Tsarnaev. One 2013 Marathon runner...

Local Coverage

Dec 23, 2024

A view of the Massachusetts State House from the corner of Tremont and Park Streets. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Lawmakers drop safe injection sites from compromise substance abuse bill

Lawmakers dropped the controversial idea to pursue so-called safe injection sites in a compromise addiction and substance use disorder bill they filed Tuesday after months of private negotiations.

Local Coverage

Dec 17, 2024

Anthony Brown, at home in Orleans, straps a blood pressure cuff on his arm. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

How remote blood pressure data helps fight strokes and the effects of racism

To detect warning signs of heart problems in high-risk patients, some hospitals and health centers use remote blood pressure monitoring. Patients take their readings at home on devices that send...

Health

05:03Dec 16, 2024