Vested Interests. Influence Muscle. At RFK Jr.’s HHS, It’s Not Pharma. It’s Wellness.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lambasted federal agencies he accused of being overly influenced by the pharmaceutical industry. But he and other “Make America Healthy Again” notables have their own financial ties to the vast and largely unregulated $6.3 trillion global wellness industry that ethicists say raise red flags.
Who’s Policing Opioid Settlement Spending? A Crowdsourced Database Might Help
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.
World’s Premier Cancer Institute Faces Crippling Cuts and Chaos
After spearheading a 34% cut in cancer mortality, the National Cancer Institute at the NIH is bleeding resources and staff and could see its budget cut by nearly 40%.
Workplace Mental Health at Risk as Key Federal Agency Faces Cuts
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.
Peligran servicios de salud mental en lugares de trabajo por recortes federales
El lugar de trabajo es la nueva zona cero para abordar la salud mental. Esto significa que las empresas, tanto empleados como supervisores, deben hacer frente a crisis que van desde la adicción hasta el suicidio.
GOP Governors Mum as Congress Moves To Slash Medicaid Spending for Their States
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
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.
‘MAHA Report’ Calls for Fighting Chronic Disease, but Trump and Kennedy Have Yanked Funding
Scientists and public health advocates see disconnects between what the Trump administration says about health — notably, in its “MAHA Report” — and what it’s actually doing.
HHS Eliminates CDC Staff Who Made Sure Birth Control Is Safe for Women at Risk
The Trump administration eliminated the CDC team that developed national guidelines for prescribing contraception safely for millions of women with underlying medical conditions.
Kennedy’s Vaccine Advisers Sow Doubts as Scientists Protest US Pivot on Shots
A new vaccine advisory panel appointed by the HHS secretary, a longtime anti-vaccine activist, reflected his unsupported claims about the safety of childhood inoculations.
Dual Threats From Trump and GOP Imperil Nursing Homes and Their Foreign-Born Workers
Understaffed nursing homes face a workforce crisis if President Donald Trump and Republicans further curtail immigration and cut Medicaid.
What RFK Jr. Isn’t Talking About: How To Make Vaccines Safer
Vaccines are under fire from the top of the Trump administration. Federal programs to monitor them and make them safer have always been underfunded.
5 Takeaways From Health Insurers’ New Pledge To Improve Prior Authorization
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.
‘We Need To Keep Fighting’: HIV Activists Organize To Save Lives as Trump Guts Funding
While Congress fails to stave off cuts to HIV care, community leaders in Mississippi and beyond race to limit the damage.
Many Older People Embrace Vaccines. Research Is Proving Them Right.
Newer formulations are even more effective at preventing illnesses that commonly afflict seniors — perhaps even dementia.
Federal Proposals Threaten Provider Taxes, Key Source of Medicaid Funding for States
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.
With Enhanced Subsidies Set To Expire, Consumers Could Face Higher Obamacare Costs
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Q&A: What Does the Budget Bill Mean for Your Health?
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
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
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.
