Latest KFF Health News Stories
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.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Creating Chaos at HHS
President Donald Trump was sworn in Monday and by Wednesday had virtually stopped scientific policymaking at the Department of Health and Human Services. While incoming administrations often pause public communications, the acting HHS head ordered an unprecedented shutdown of all outside meetings, travel, and publications. Meanwhile, Trump issued a broad array of mostly nonbinding executive orders, but notably none directly concerning abortion. Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Rodney Whitlock, a former congressional staffer, who explains the convoluted “budget reconciliation” process Republicans hope to use to enact Trump’s agenda.
Trump’s Return Puts Medicaid on the Chopping Block
Republicans in Washington are working on plans to shrink Medicaid, the nearly $900-billion-a-year government health insurance program that covers 1 in 5 Americans.
Cinco cambios críticos que puede sufrir Medicaid bajo Trump
Los republicanos en Washington afirman que planean utilizar recortes de financiamiento y cambios regulatorios para reducir drásticamente Medicaid, el programa de salud federal gerenciado por los estados
Health Care Is Newsom’s Biggest Unfinished Project. Trump Complicates That Task.
As Gov. Gavin Newsom enters the second half of his final term, health care stands out as his most ambitious but glaringly incomplete initiative for California residents. The issue will likely shape his national profile for better or worse. And now, Donald Trump brings a new wrinkle.
La salud, un proyecto inconcluso del gobernador de California
Algunas de las iniciativas emblemáticas de Newsom en materia de salud, que podrían definir su perfil en el escenario nacional, están en peligro con el regreso de Donald Trump a la Casa Blanca.
Health Insurers Limit Coverage of Prosthetic Limbs, Questioning Their Medical Necessity
Advocates say it is discrimination and are arguing for “insurance fairness” on the grounds that people who have joints surgically replaced typically don’t face the same kinds of coverage challenges.
Federal ACA Marketplace Enrollment Lagging
It’s open enrollment season for the Affordable Care Act — and there are ongoing challenges. First up, enrollment. New and returning sign-ups through healthcare.gov — the federal marketplace that serves 31 states — are well below last year’s rate. New enrollments were just over 730,000 in early December, compared with 1.5 million at the same time last year. To give consumers in those states more time to […]
Obamacare Sign-Ups Lag After Trump Election, Legal Challenges
The number of new and returning enrollees using healthcare.gov — the federal marketplace that serves 31 states — is well below last year’s as of early December. Also, a Biden administration push to give “Dreamers” access to Obamacare coverage and subsidies is facing court challenges.
Elección de Trump y desafíos legales retrasan las inscripciones en el Obamacare
Las nuevas inscripciones bajo la Ley de Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio (ACA) parecen ser hasta un millón menos que el número récord del año pasado, especialmente por problemas con el programa que enfrenta la saliente administración Biden.
Juez bloquea en 19 estados la norma que permite a Dreamers inscribirse en planes de salud de ACA
Además de Kansas y Dakota del Norte, los estados que se unieron a la demanda son Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Carolina del Sur, Dakota del Sur, Tennessee, Texas y Virginia.
Federal Judge Halts Dreamers’ Brand-New Access to ACA Enrollment in 19 States
A federal judge sided with 19 states seeking an injunction against a Biden administration rule allowing recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals to enroll in Affordable Care Act coverage and qualify for subsidies amid the annual open enrollment period.
Journalists Dig Into Vaccine Debate and America’s Obesity Rates
KFF Health News staff made the rounds on national and local media in recent weeks to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
9 States Poised To End Coverage for Millions if Trump Cuts Medicaid Funding
About 3.7 million people are at immediate risk of losing health coverage should the federal government cut funding for Medicaid expansions, as some allies of President-elect Donald Trump have proposed. Coverage could be at risk in the 40 states that have expanded Medicaid.
Si Trump recorta fondos, millones de personas en nueve estados podrían perder Medicaid
Los estados son Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, Carolina del Norte, Utah y Virginia.
Efforts To Curb ACA Enrollment Fraud Face Real-World Test
The current Affordable Care Act open enrollment season is the first big test of new federal guardrails against fraud. The rules aim to head off unauthorized ACA plan enrollments or switches by rogue agents and entities looking to make money via enrollment commissions. Such sign-ups triggered more than 274,000 consumer complaints through August this year. […]
Anti-Fraud Efforts Meet Real-World Test During ACA Enrollment Period
The federal government put guardrails in place to limit unauthorized plan sign-ups and switches. But the changes could prove to be a burden to consumers.
Dicen que los esfuerzos contra el fraude en ACA han dado resultados. Pero hay que estar alerta
Los Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid atribuyen esta reducción a las medidas adoptadas para prevenir problemas de inscripción y cambios de planes, que ya habían generado más de 274,000 quejas hasta agosto.
Washington Power Has Shifted. Here’s How the ACA May Shift, Too.
With a new Trump administration poised to move into the White House and Republicans set to control both chambers of Congress, party leaders are making a to-do list for the Affordable Care Act.
El poder en Washington ha cambiado. ACA podría cambiar también
El futuro gobernante prepara el terreno para hacer cambios potencialmente sísmicos que podrían limitar la expansión de Medicaid, aumentar la tasa de personas sin seguro, debilitar las protecciones para los pacientes y elevar los costos de las primas para millones de personas.
