Latest KFF Health News Stories
Trump’s Order on Gender-Affirming Care Escalates Reversal of Trans Rights
The Jan. 28 executive order directs federal regulators to cut insurance coverage for hormonal or surgical treatments that help in young people’s gender transitions and cut federal funding for medical professionals or institutions that provide such care. It will likely be challenged in court.
Drawn-Out Overhaul of Troubled Montana Hospital Leaves Lawmakers in Limbo
Unsure how to help the troubled psychiatric facility, legislators look to shore up other parts of the state’s mental health system.
Most Insurance Covers IUDs. Hers Cost More Than $14,000.
The Affordable Care Act requires most insurance plans to cover preventive care, including many forms of contraception, without cost to patients — but not if they’re “grandfathered” plans, which predate the law.
Orden de Trump sobre procedimientos de afirmación de género pone en peligro los derechos trans
Aunque está dirigida principalmente a programas de salud del gobierno, la orden también podría tener implicaciones para el sector privado y es probable que enfrente litigios por parte de los estados o grupos de defensa.
Recapping the RFK Jr. Hearings: A Live Discussion With KFF Health News Journalists
KFF Health News reporters break down the biggest takeaways from Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s confirmation hearings for secretary of Health and Human Services.
Trump Administration’s Halt of CDC’s Weekly Scientific Report Stalls Bird Flu Studies
An unprecedented freeze on the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report sparks new concerns about political meddling in science.
Readers Offer Their Takes on the Opioid Crisis, Family Doctor Shortage, and Vaccine Policies
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Telehealth Companies Boost Ad Spending While Taking on More Complex Medicine
Telehealth startups including Ro and Nurx are spending millions to promote themselves as easy dispensers of medicines. Some companies offer care for birth control, sexual dysfunction, and more complex conditions, including behavioral health disorders and obesity.
Led by RFK Jr., Conservatives Embrace Raw Milk. Regulators Say It’s Dangerous.
Controversy over raw milk reflects the push-pull the Trump administration faces in rolling back regulations and offering consumers more choices. For now, the CDC still recommends against consuming raw milk and the FDA bans its interstate sale.
Sports Betting Is Coming to Missouri. A Fund To Help Prevent Problem Gambling Will Follow.
Can a $5 million compulsive-gambling fund help Missouri avoid the mistakes of other states that have legalized sports betting?
Trump’s Funding ‘Pause’ Throws States, Health Industry Into Chaos
A sweeping Trump administration order threw the nation’s health system into disarray Tuesday, as states and the health industry tried to make sense of what looked like a freeze on federal Medicaid funding.
What RFK Jr. Might Face in His Nomination Hearings This Week
Two Senate committees are expected to question Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on how his disproven views of science and medicine qualify him to run the $1.7 trillion, 80,000-employee federal health system.
Schools Aren’t as Plugged In as They Should Be to Kids’ Diabetes Tech, Parents Say
With continuous glucose monitors, students with Type 1 diabetes no longer have to visit the school nurse for a finger prick. But some parents say it falls to them to keep an eye on blood sugar levels from home or work — even though they may not be able to quickly reach their child when something’s wrong.
Las escuelas no están conectadas como debieran a la tecnología para afrontar la diabetes infantil
En las escuelas, los maestros están atentos a las alarmas de los MCG de los teléfonos de los alumnos. Sin embargo, muchos dicen que no hay garantía de que un maestro pueda escucharlas.
Montana Eyes $30M Revamp of Mental Health, Developmental Disability Facilities
The moves under consideration include relocating a residential facility for people with developmental disabilities, renovating the state’s psychiatric hospital, and opening a new unit of the hospital in Helena.
Reporter Assesses Rise in Vaccine Exemptions, Gives Other Stories To Watch in 2025
KFF Health News Southern correspondent Sam Whitehead made the rounds on local radio recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of his appearances.
Health Providers Gird for Immigration Crackdown
Different states are offering starkly different guidelines to hospitals, community clinics, and other health facilities for interacting with immigrant patients as President Donald Trump issues a flurry of executive orders on immigration.
What a US Exit From the WHO Means for Global Health
By withdrawing from the World Health Organization and overhauling aid, Trump’s new executive orders endanger Americans and the globe, researchers warn. The move also cedes U.S. power to other nations.
What Trump’s Executive Order on Gender Means for Trans Health Care
In his first days in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on gender that affects transgender health care. The order aims to directly limit care for trans people incarcerated in federal prisons, but the broader implications on health aren’t clear-cut.
A Program To Close Insurance Gaps for Native Americans Has Gone Largely Unused
Health leaders say a tool to boost medical coverage for Native Americans, a population that has long faced worse health outcomes than the rest of the nation, has been underused by many states and tribes since it was written into the Affordable Care Act more than a decade ago.
