Latest KFF Health News Stories
Oz Escalates Medicaid Fraud Claims Against States After Focus on Minnesota
The Trump administration’s unprecedented actions targeting Medicaid funding in Minnesota are part of what could become a playbook as officials turn pressure toward California, Florida, Maine, and New York.
Oz Says California’s Not Fighting Health Care Fraud, but Data Shows It’s Part of a Larger Battle
Trump administration officials say the state allows rampant fraud and have promised to investigate, blaming the “Russian, Armenian mafia” in the hospice and home health care industry. But data shows hotbeds of health care fraud throughout the country, with California outperforming most other states in recovering fraud dollars.
Evidence Shows ACA’s Mandated Benefits Alone Don’t Drive Up Costs. The Debate Continues.
The Affordable Care Act put in place a package of benefits that health insurance plans must cover. Critics contend this mandate has jacked up premiums. Evidence supporting that claim is mixed.
Doctores alertan sobre una complicación mortal asociada a los brotes de sarampión
El sarampión causa complicaciones —que van desde diarrea hasta la muerte— en 3 de cada 10 personas infectadas. Algunas aparecen de inmediato, mientras que otras tardan semanas o meses en manifestarse.
In Switching to Original Medicare, Beware of Medigap Plan Refusals
Open enrollment season lasts until March 31 for people enrolled in Medicare Advantage who want to switch to original Medicare, but there’s a potential hitch.
Doctors Warn of a Deadly Complication From Measles Outbreaks
U.S. doctors are getting the word out about how to spot a rare measles complication that had been a relic of the past: subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. It affects a person years after a measles infection, often starting with mobility issues and progressing to paralysis. It’s nearly always fatal.
Newsom se enfrenta a Trump y RFK Jr. por la salud pública
El gobernador de California, Gavin Newsom, se ha posicionado como un líder nacional en salud pública al impulsar políticas respaldadas por la ciencia, en contraste con el gobierno federal.
Newsom Picks a Dogfight With Trump and RFK Jr. on Public Health
Scientists are cheering California Gov. Gavin Newsom as he builds a public health bulwark against health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vaccine stance and President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization. Still, federal cuts have sapped morale and left local health departments less prepared for outbreaks.
Federal Aid for Lead Cleanup Is Receding. That’s a Problem for Cash-Strapped Cities.
Congress and the Trump administration are rolling back some lead remediation resources. Case studies of two cities and a state that faced lead contamination problems could give cash-strapped cities ideas of how to address such pollution themselves.
As More Americans Embrace Anxiety Treatment, MAHA Derides Medications
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized the broadening use of anxiety medications, claiming they’re harmful. Doctors and researchers say the MAHA movement is misrepresenting drugs that have been proved to safely treat chronic anxiety and point to broader social changes to explain their increased use.
Más personas toman medicamentos para tratar la ansiedad, aunque el gobierno critica su uso
La proporción de adultos en el país que tomaron medicamentos para la ansiedad aumentó de 11,7% en 2019 a 14,3% en 2024, y la mayor parte del incremento se registró durante la pandemia de covid.
Arizona, Maryland, Nebraska y Texas aprobaron el año pasado leyes que limitan el uso de la IA en los seguros de salud. Otros dos, Illinois y California, habían aprobado leyes similares el año anterior.
Red and Blue States Alike Want To Limit AI in Insurance. Trump Wants To Limit the States.
A revolt is afoot in both red and blue states against the use of artificial intelligence in health insurance determinations — and against efforts led by President Donald Trump to tie states’ hands.
Ante el aumento en los precios del seguro médico, las familias enfrentan decisiones difíciles
Millones de personas de clase media con planes de salud de ACA enfrentan aumentos drásticos en las primas en 2026, al no contar con el respaldo de los subsidios mejorados que el Congreso no ha renovado.
As Insurance Prices Rise, Families Puzzle Over Options
Millions of middle-class Americans who have Affordable Care Act marketplace plans are facing soaring premium payments in 2026. Some people are contemplating big life changes to deal with new rates that kicked in on Jan. 1.
This California Strategy Safeguarded Some Medicaid Social Services Funding From Trump
Programs like Jamboree Housing Corp. have leveraged Medi-Cal funding to offer residents access to social services that experts say are key to keeping them off the streets. California intends to keep it that way, despite federal cuts.
Nuevas alternativas para resolver la crisis del cuidado de salud en casa
El cuidado en el hogar ya es una de las ocupaciones de más rápido crecimiento en el país: el año pasado había 3,2 millones de asistentes de salud en el hogar y de cuidado personal, frente a 1,4 millones una década atrás.
Solving the Home Care Quandary
Paid home care is buckling under the surging demands of an aging population. But there are alternatives that could upgrade jobs and improve patient care.
Older Americans Quit Weight Loss Drugs in Droves
In some studies, half of patients stopped taking GLP-1s within a year despite the benefits, citing the expense and side effects.
Disability Rights Lawyers Threatened With Budget Cuts, Reassignments
The Trump administration wants deep funding cuts for state-based legal services for disabled people, as rights advocates say the Justice Department pushed out many of its lawyers who worked on such issues.
