The Week in Brief: Friday, Dec. 19, 2025
How To Pick Health Insurance — In the Worst Year Ever
Dan Weissmann
As millions face skyrocketing health insurance premiums, the “An Arm and a Leg” team navigates their own limited options.
Scorpion Peppers Caused Him ‘Crippling’ Pain. Two Years Later, the ER Bill Stung Him Again.
Elisabeth Rosenthal
Homemade hot sauce sent a Colorado man to the emergency room with what he called “the worst pain of my life.” But stomach cramps were only the beginning. Two years later, the bill came.
In the Vast Expanses of Indian Country, Broadband Gaps Create Health Gaps, Too
Sarah Jane Tribble
On Idaho’s remote Fort Hall Reservation, thousands live without reliable high-speed internet, which supports health care, education, and daily life. Facing delays and wavering federal policy, Frances Goli is determined to spend more than $22 million in federal grant money before she runs out of time.
Oregon Hospital Races To Build a Tsunami Shelter as FEMA Fights To Cut Its Funding
Hannah Norman and Daniel Chang
Columbia Memorial Hospital near Oregon’s coastline planned to add a tsunami shelter, counting on a FEMA grant. After the Trump administration cut the funding, hospital officials are building anyway, saying waiting is too risky. A judge ruled Dec. 11 that the administration unlawfully ended the program without congressional approval.
Judge in Nursing Home Bankruptcy Case Gives Families Fresh Hope of Compensation for Injuries, Deaths
Jordan Rau
Genesis HealthCare’s controlling investor, Joel Landau, had sought to rebuy the nursing homes while gaining protection from settlement payments over allegations of poor care. A judge rejected the proposal and ordered a new auction. A KFF Health News investigation found Genesis settled hundreds of lawsuits but didn’t pay them out fully.
Guns Marketed for Personal Safety Fuel Public Health Crisis in Black Communities
Fred Clasen-Kelly and Daniel Chang
During the covid pandemic, gun marketers told many Americans they needed firearms to defend against criminals and protesters. Then firearm deaths mounted rapidly in racially segregated and low-income neighborhoods, according to federal data.
Washington’s Homeless Hide in Plain Sight, Growing Sicker and Costing Taxpayers More
Angela Hart
The White House says encampment sweeps have enhanced the capital, but city leaders estimate nearly 700 homeless people roam by day and bed down outdoors by night. Some have scattered to the suburbs while others avoid detection, making it hard for medical providers to care for them.
Inside the FDA’s Vaccine Uproar
Céline Gounder
An internal email claiming covid vaccines killed children triggered a formal response from a dozen past FDA commissioners. The email, sent by the head of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, outlines a framework that could have significant impact on the nation’s vaccine policies.
States Advance Medical Debt Protections as Federal Support Turns to Opposition
Rae Ellen Bichell
Federal officials reversed their stance on medical debt credit reporting, then came a lawsuit in Colorado. As lawmakers in other states forge ahead with attempts to protect consumers from medical debt, some are reconsidering how they go about it.
One Big Beautiful Bill Act Complicates State Health Care Affordability Efforts
Bernard J. Wolfson
The federal budget bill President Donald Trump signed into law in July is creating uncertainty for states trying to rein in health care spending. In California, a lawsuit by the hospital industry challenging state spending caps cites the law, which will slash Medicaid spending, as one of many financial pressures.
Call 911 or Risk Losing the Baby? Raids Force Some Immigrants To Avoid Care
Halle Parker, Verite News
More immigrants in New Orleans and Mississippi are skipping important health care appointments and experiencing heightened stress amid federal immigration raids.
Disability Rights Lawyers Threatened With Budget Cuts, Reassignments
Tony Leys
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.
FDA Panelists Questioned Antidepressants in Pregnancy. But Doctors Call Them a Lifeline.
Lisa Rab
Participants in an FDA panel discussion warned the public about risks from using antidepressants in pregnancy. But mental health issues, including suicide and overdoses, are the leading cause of maternal death in the United States. Antidepressants are a safe, well-studied way to help prevent those deaths, medical experts say.
Time’s Up for Expanded ACA Tax Credits
A last-minute push from Democrats and four moderate Republicans will force a House vote on renewing enhanced premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans, but not until January. That means millions will have to choose between paying dramatically more or dropping coverage next year. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially drops the federal recommendation for newborns to receive a hepatitis B shot. Tami Luhby of CNN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Lizzy Lawrence of Stat join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Tony Leys, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” feature, and the panel discusses the year’s biggest developments in health policy.
Listen to the Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’
The "KFF Health News Minute” brings original health care and health policy reporting from our newsroom to the airwaves each week.
Journalists Talk Increasing Insurance Costs, From Marketplace Plans to Employer Coverage
KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national and local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Readers Make Their Wish Lists, Checking Up on Health Care
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.