Midterm Voters Split on Abortion and Trans Healthcare Ballot Questions
The nationwide blue wave in the midterm election didn’t necessarily carry over to ballot measures on abortion and transgender issues.
Virginia
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Medicare Drug Plans Are Hiking Premiums While Trump Claims Victory on Medicine Prices
Millions of Medicare enrollees who buy stand-alone prescription drug plans will see their average monthly premiums rise by 50% in 2027, a new analysis finds. But enrollees can avoid the average increase by switching to lower-cost plans.
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Your Phone Knows You’re at the Doctor, and Data Brokers Do, Too — Then Profit From It
The Federal Trade Commission told a data company it could no longer sell data it collected from hundreds of millions of Americans’ mobile devices when people visited hospitals, dialysis clinics, or abortion clinics. But little is stopping other companies from doing so. In the absence of federal protections, some states are passing their own rules.
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She Needed an EpiPen. But First, an Urgent Care Asked Her To Pay.
An uninsured woman sought help at a Virginia urgent care center after being stung by a wasp. She said she was stunned when the center asked her to pay before giving her a shot to reverse her allergic reaction.
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US Poised To Boot Legal Immigrants From Medicaid, Including Refugees and Sex-Trafficking Victims
The Congressional Budget Office estimated 100,000 more immigrants will be uninsured by 2034 because of Medicaid eligibility changes under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act that take effect Oct. 1. A KFF Health News survey of nine states found many more are at imminent risk of losing health coverage.
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Abortion Is on the Ballot Again as Post-Roe Policies Continue To Evolve
Four states will vote on abortion-related ballot measures in November, marking the fourth time in five years that millions of Americans will weigh in on their states’ abortion rules. The measures follow the Supreme Court’s “Dobbs” decision, which upended federal abortion protections.
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Black Lung Disease Remains a Threat, but Federal Officials Delay Effort To Address It
The disease has long been a risk of coal mining, an industry the Trump administration is trying to reinvigorate.
By Taylor Sisk -
States Bet Big on Rural Health Startups, With a Silicon Valley Twist
States are spending rural health dollars on tech startups, betting that untested companies will succeed where doctors have vanished and hospitals have collapsed. Louisiana’s call for innovative technology drew more than 200 pitches, seeking from $250,000 to $3 million in seed money.
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$50B Rural Health Transformation Program Needs More Transparency, Groups Say
States must submit Rural Health Transformation Program progress reports to the federal government, but they aren’t required to proactively post those reports, or related information, publicly.
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A Camp for Children With Brain Injuries Zips Ahead, Despite Federal Uncertainty
Federal programs that support brain injury research and services are in flux, with lapsed legislation and a diminished injury-tracking workforce. Still, in rural Pennsylvania, children with acquired brain injuries gathered for a summer camp that emphasized community, confidence, and fun.
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Many States Cover Doula Care, but Access to a ‘Birthing Bestie’ Is Often Out of Reach
Virginia Medicaid started covering doula care four years ago. But logistical and administrative challenges leave many expectant parents without the support of a doula.
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People With Disabilities Fear Service Cuts as Trump’s DOJ Questions Legal Protections
The Department of Justice in June issued a legal opinion saying states aren’t required to provide services that help people with disabilities remain in their homes. The new position has added momentum to states’ existing legal challenges to the requirement and triggered worries among people who rely on these services.
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Federal Loan Caps Add Barriers — And Likely Debt — for Healthcare Students
The government will cap how much graduate students may borrow in federal loans. The new policy could leave many at the mercy of private lenders with higher interest rates. The borrowing limits will affect students pursuing expensive healthcare careers, and some worry they may impede efforts to diversify the healthcare workforce.
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Tracking State Rural Health Transformation Plans
KFF Health News is working to collect and post approved plans as more states respond to emails and public records requests for their documents.
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Violence Repeatedly Erupts at Dementia Care Facilities Despite Warnings, Inspections Show
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities can be fertile ground for violence between residents with dementia, including fatal assaults. A KFF Health News examination of health reports and court records shows how warning signs are missed and safeguards fall short.
By Jordan Rau -
Patients Face a Thicket of Red Tape Trying To Maintain Consistent Health Coverage
Many Americans are shopping around for affordable options as the cost of health insurance soars. But some who hope to keep the same doctors and medications face a thicket of red tape and disruption after they switch plans.
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Tennessee Pharmacies Sell Potent Ivermectin, Led by Anti-Vaccine Doctor Who’s Taken ‘Bucketloads’
Four years after the Volunteer State enacted the nation’s first law allowing drugstores to sell ivermectin without patient-specific prescriptions, dozens of pharmacies dispense the drug in highly concentrated pills — many with the help of one anti-vaccine physician.
By Brett Kelman and Rachana Pradhan -
Millions of Kids Could Lose Insurance as GOP Healthcare Cuts Start To Bite
Big cuts to healthcare programs in the 2025 GOP budget law are creating an affordability crunch for many Americans: Higher health insurance premiums. Confusion about who Medicaid will cover under the new rules. KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner explains how the changes could leave nearly 2 million children uninsured.
By Julie Rovner -
License To Deliver: Some Midwives Break the Law To Assist With Home Births
Some states bar professional midwives from attending home births if they don’t have a nursing license. Their advocates say laws to allow midwife licensing would make home birth safer and more accessible, plus help address a maternity care shortage.
By Lisa Rab -
Listen: With Little Federal Regulation, States Are Left To Shape the Rules on AI in Health Care
As artificial intelligence embeds itself into health care, some physicians and patient advocates worry it could be used by insurance companies to refuse payment for care. Maryland passed one law banning AI from acting alone on a denial. Meanwhile, Virginia’s then-governor vetoed that state’s attempt at regulating AI in health insurance.