Who’s Policing Opioid Settlement Spending? A Crowdsourced Database Might Help

KFF Health News Original

Billions in opioid settlement money was meant to be spent on treating and preventing addiction — but what happens if it’s misspent? Some advocates say attorneys general need to pay closer attention. If they don’t, a new tool might empower the public.

Workplace Mental Health at Risk as Key Federal Agency Faces Cuts

KFF Health News Original

Efforts to decrease alarmingly high rates of suicide among construction workers and prevent burnout in health care workers are in jeopardy after the firing of hundreds of employees at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

GOP Governors Mum as Congress Moves To Slash Medicaid Spending for Their States

KFF Health News Original

In 2017, when President Donald Trump tried to repeal Obamacare and roll back Medicaid coverage, Republican governors helped turn Congress against it. Now, as Trump tries again to scale back Medicaid, Republican governors — whose constituents stand to lose federal funding and health coverage — have gone quiet on the health consequences.

Republican Megabill Will Mean Higher Health Costs for Many Americans

KFF Health News Original

Spending cuts hitting medical providers, Medicaid and Affordable Care Act enrollees, and lawfully present immigrants are just some of the biggest changes the GOP has in store for health care — with ramifications that could touch all Americans.

5 Takeaways From Health Insurers’ New Pledge To Improve Prior Authorization

KFF Health News Original

Dozens of health insurance companies pledged on Monday to improve prior authorization, a process often used to deny care. The announcement comes months after the killing of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson, whose death in December sparked widespread criticism about insurance denials.

Federal Proposals Threaten Provider Taxes, Key Source of Medicaid Funding for States

KFF Health News Original

Republican proposals to tighten the use of special taxes to fund Medicaid programs could deprive states of billions of dollars for safety net health care. In California, any such limit would come on top of Medicaid cuts proposed by California Democrats in response to a $12 billion state deficit.

Q&A: What Does the Budget Bill Mean for Your Health? 

KFF Health News Original

KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner answers listeners’ questions about how the “One Big Beautiful Bill” could affect health care in Washington, D.C., and beyond.

Trump Team’s Reworking Delays Billions in Broadband Build-Out

KFF Health News Original

A Trump administration reworking of a $42 billion broadband expansion program will trigger delays as millions of rural Americans wait for promised connections and the telehealth services they bring.

Have Job-Based Health Coverage at 65? You May Still Want To Sign Up for Medicare

KFF Health News Original

Patient advocates say they frequently hear from people who thought they didn’t need to sign up for Medicare when they turned 65 because they had group health coverage. That delay sometimes forces people to cover medical expenses themselves.

A Revolutionary Drug for Extreme Hunger Offers Clues to Obesity’s Complexity

KFF Health News Original

A new drug is helping families who’ve spent years padlocking fridges, chaining garbage cans, and hiding food as their children with Prader-Willi syndrome deal with unrelenting hunger. But additional progress — and a broader understanding of obesity — is now under threat as the government dismantles the pipeline for promising new research.