December 12, 2019 - PBS NewsHour full episode

Americans spend more on prescription drugs than any other country in the world: about $1,200 per person every year. One in four say the cost is problematic, and some say they haven’t taken their medicine as directed as a result. In Congress, both parties are looking to address the problem -- but with different approaches. William Brangham talks to Emmarie Huetteman of Kaiser Health News.

Digital communication and social media have revolutionized our culture, but for some people, they worsen feelings of isolation and depression. Scott Galloway, a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, specializes in human wellbeing and has learned how to keep perspective amid his own emotional battles. Galloway shares his Brief But Spectacular take on the algebra of happiness.

The House Judiciary Committee clashed all day Thursday over impeachment charges against President Trump. The panel’s Republicans dismissed Democrats' belief that Trump’s actions amount to high crimes and misdemeanors and disputed the fairness of the process. Still, behind the scenes, negotiators managed to agree on a budget deal. Lisa Desjardins reports and joins Judy Woodruff to discuss.

In our news wrap Thursday, Israel is officially headed for its third election in less than a year. Lawmakers set a date after both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and rival Benny Gantz failed to form a governing coalition. Also, search crews in Chile have found the remains of a military transport plane that disappeared Monday on its way to Antarctica. It’s believed all 38 people on board died.

The United Kingdom has voted in its third parliamentary election since 2015. The country is sharply divided, and the outcome will result in fundamental changes to British policy for generations to come. Nick Schifrin reports on what appears to be a decisive Conservative victory, according to exit polls, and talks to Chatham House’s Robin Niblett and CSIS’s Heather Conley about what it means.

Trees can add beauty and serenity to a neighborhood -- but can they also improve the health of its residents? In Kentucky, the University of Louisville — with help from the National Institutes of Health and The Nature Conservancy — aims to find out. Called Green Heart Louisville, the initiative involves a large-scale scientific study of how greenspaces affect public health. John Yang reports.

Collectively, Americans owe nearly a trillion dollars of medical debt, and Congress is trying to figure out a policy response. But in the meantime, economics correspondent Paul Solman reports on an unusual non-profit’s effort to relieve the burden of medical debt for those in need.