The Week in Brief: Friday, Aug. 8, 2025
Watch: Millions of Americans Live Where Telehealth Is Out of Reach
By Sarah Jane Tribble and Holly K. Hacker and Caresse Jackman, InvestigateTV
In this video report, InvestigateTV and KFF Health News take viewers to Alabama, Idaho, and West Virginia to explore how gaps in internet connectivity and telehealth access cause residents to live sicker and die younger on average than their peers in well-connected regions.
Even in States That Fought Obamacare, Trump’s New Law Poses Health Consequences
By Daniel Chang and Sam Whitehead
GOP lawmakers in 10 states have refused for a decade to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. But when President Donald Trump got another whack at Obamacare, these holdout states went unrewarded.
New Medicaid Federal Work Requirements Mean Less Leeway for States
By Katheryn Houghton and Bram Sable-Smith
More than a dozen states are seeking their own versions of Medicaid work requirements. But the incoming federal standards pose questions around how much leeway states have to design their rules.
Work Requirements and Red Tape Ahead for Millions on Medicaid
By Jess Mador, WABE
Work requirements are coming for the millions of Americans on Medicaid, due to the Republican tax and spend bill that President Donald Trump signed into law July 4. Currently, Georgia is the only state with a work requirement. Eligible Georgians say it’s very hard to get the system to confirm they qualify, putting their benefits at risk.
Sorting Out Covid Vaccine Confusion: New and Conflicting Federal Policies Raise Questions
By Michelle Andrews
Should you get vaccinated? Will your insurer pay for it? And will you still be able to find a vaccine? KFF Health News tries to sort out where things stand.
Kennedy Cancels Vaccine Funding
The Health and Human Services secretary is winding down nearly $500 million in mRNA research funding, citing false claims that the technology is ineffective against respiratory illnesses — and notching a victory for critics of the covid vaccines. And President Donald Trump is demanding drugmakers drop their prices, quickly, but it’s unclear how he could make them comply. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more.
This Physician-Scientist Is Taking on Trump on Behalf of Disadvantaged Communities
By Don Thompson
California researcher Neeta Thakur is leading a challenge to President Donald Trump’s new administration — one that pits public health science against political ideology. Whether she prevails could influence both the future of academic research and the health of those she’s spent her life trying to help.
Patient Numbers at NIH Hospital Have Plummeted Under Trump, Jeopardizing Care
By Rachana Pradhan
The renowned research hospital that cares for people with rare or life-threatening diseases has been pummeled by an employee exodus and the gutting of research, both driven by the Trump administration.
Congress Looks To Ease Restrictions on Veterans’ Use of Non-VA Clinics and Hospitals
By Tony Leys
Veterans often face hurdles when they want the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay for care from clinics and hospitals outside the federal system. A bill in Congress, coupled with a major funding request from the Trump administration, could help clear the path for many rural veterans.
Journalists Distill $50B Rural Health Fund and Newsmaking Diagnoses
KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national and local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.