Latest KFF Health News Stories
CMS Calls On Hospitals To Swap Out Junk Food For Wholesome Options
In line with MAHA messaging, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has asked facilities to prioritize whole grains, get rid of sugary drinks, and provide meals that have fewer than 10 grams of added sugar. Plus, the American Heart Association’s new dietary guidelines buck those issued by the government.
Twice As Many People Are Now Paying Over $500 A Month For ACA Premiums
CMS data show total enrollment in ACA plans dipped by about 5%. The decline is expected to deepen as people who can’t pay the higher-priced premiums drop off plans. Plus, more than half of Medicaid beneficiaries could be at risk of losing coverage for not meeting work requirements, a study found.
First Edition: Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Pelvic Scans Offer New Understanding Of Women’s Sexual Function, Anatomy
Researchers say they have created the first 3D scans of the entire network of clitoral nerves. The insight could provide crucial information about the organ’s role in sexual arousal and orgasm and also is likely to help with reconstructive surgery after female genital mutilation. The work has not yet been peer-reviewed, The Guardian noted.
Colorado’s Medicaid Cuts Could Double 7-Year Wait For Adult Disability Care
Because of the funding cuts, the state will now add one person to the adult developmental disabilities waiver for every two who exit, potentially doubling the waitlist to 14 years. Other states in the news: Connecticut, Illinois, Alabama, California, and Texas.
Ex-ACIP Panelist Slams White House For Stifling RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Policy
The Trump administration is making a political calculation that silencing Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s talk about vaccines could help Republicans in the midterms, says Robert Malone, who quit as vice chair of the committee. It’s a move that is alienating the MAHA base, he warns.
Trump Administration Looks To Shave 20% Off NIH Research Funding: Sources
The White House denies that it will call for less funding for the National Institutes of Health. Lawmakers last year rebuffed such a suggestion, even increasing the amount set aside for the biomedical research agency.
Opinion writers discuss these public health issues.
ACA Exchange Plan Carriers Denied Nearly 1 in 5 Claims In 2024: Report
Fewer than 1% of denials were appealed by members, and insurers stood by their original decisions in 66% of challenges. The trade and advocacy group AHIP said in a statement: “The vast majority of denials are due to incorrect or incomplete claim submissions from providers, duplicate claims, claims for unproven or unsafe treatments and services, or for services that are not part of covered benefits.”
GOP Eyeing ACA Subsidy Cuts, Other Health Care Moves To Pay For Iran War
But redirecting health care funding during an election year might be a sticking point for moderate Republicans, who could thwart efforts that appear to chip away at constituents’ needs. Plus, the war is pinching health care supply chains.
First Edition: Monday, March 30, 2026
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers weigh in on these topics and others.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today’s selections are on aging, Parkinson’s disease, women’s health, and more.
Fewer Adults Than Ever Are Smoking Cigarettes, But Vaping Rates Are Rising
CDC data show that in 2024, nearly 10% of U.S. adults smoked cigarettes, down from 11% in 2023. However, 7% of adults used e-cigarettes in 2024, an increase from 6.5% in 2023 and almost double the rate of 3.7% in 2020.
For Those Who Raised Alarm On Social Media Harms, Verdicts Are Validation
Even though Meta and Google are weighing whether to pursue appeals, the findings by two juries indicate public perception of tech companies has shifted, with more people willing to push for changes to protect children’s online safety. Minnesota lawmakers have advanced a bill they hope will do just that.
FDA Approves Gene Therapy For Rare Disorder After Rejecting It 2 Years Ago
The therapy marketed as Kresladi was initially rejected in 2024 because of manufacturing concerns. It treats leukocyte adhesion deficiency type 1 (LAD-1), an ultra-rare disease — affecting about one in a million — that makes children vulnerable to life-threatening infections and can lead to death.
Safety Net Hospital Sees Temporary Shutdown Over Faulty Billing System
West Suburban Medical Center in Illinois has been facing difficulties with a new computerized billing system for a year, and that has translated into a lack of revenue to cover normal operating expenses and has led to its temporary closure. Plus: Health care AI company OpenEvidence has just launched a feature to automate the medical coding and billing process.
Conservative House Republicans derided the deal for omitting money for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, the two agencies responsible for carrying out President Trump’s immigration crackdown, The New York Times reported.
In Anti-DEI Push, Trump Officials Demand Data From 3 Medical Schools
The Department of Justice has opened inquiries into how race might be considered in the admissions policies at Stanford, Ohio State, and the University of California, San Diego. The department also sued NewYork-Presbyterian and launched an inquiry over trans prisoners in California and Maine.
First Edition: Friday, March 27, 2026
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
