The Week in Brief: Friday, Oct. 30, 2026
Digging Into the Money Behind the US Healthcare System
By Lydia Zuraw and Renuka Rayasam
Healthcare makes up a growing share of the U.S. economy — and household budgets. We break down how much money the nation is spending and on what.
Data Center Health Worries Animate Midterm Campaigns
By Stephanie Armour and Amanda Seitz
Opposition to the rapid emergence of data centers in states such as Ohio and Arizona has ginned up activism and unified voters. A range of public health issues have played into the resistance.
For Californians Drowning in Healthcare Costs, Governor’s Race Offers Few Answers
By Christine Mai-Duc
In California, healthcare costs are rising faster than income and inflation, and 4 in 10 adults in the state say they’re paying down medical debt. With the governor’s race in full swing, it’s still not clear what the candidates would do to fix it.
The Campaign To Defend Trans Healthcare in Missouri Is Slow Going, on Purpose
By Bram Sable-Smith and Hannah Norman and Kyle Pyatt
The campaign to defend access to transgender healthcare for young people in Missouri is taking an unhurried approach to talking with voters about how the ban on midterm ballots would play out.
Medicare Drug Plans Are Hiking Premiums While Trump Claims Victory on Medicine Prices
By Phil Galewitz
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.
A New Era for the ACA
Open enrollment for 2027 Affordable Care Act plans kicks off in most states Nov. 1, and consumers can expect higher premiums and more bureaucracy. Meanwhile, Democrats are planning a major health agenda if they win majorities in Congress. Julie Appleby of KFF Health News, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Victoria Knight of Bloomberg Government join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also, Rovner announces the winners of the KFF Health News Halloween haiku contest.
Your Phone Knows You’re at the Doctor, and Data Brokers Do, Too — Then Profit From It
By Michael Scaturro and Oona Zenda
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.
Many Medicare Patients Could Lose Access to Remote Monitoring Devices
By Arielle Zionts
A proposed federal rule could dramatically reduce access to remote patient monitoring programs for people on Medicare. The services aim to keep patients out of the hospital by giving them devices to monitor their health at home, but critics say there isn’t enough oversight.
Hospital Beds for the Nation’s Sickest Kids Are Disappearing
By Katheryn Houghton
Hospitals nationwide are cutting intensive services for kids in critical care. Many cite too few patients, staffing shortages, and money problems. As a result, kids who need lifesaving care must travel farther. Pediatricians expect more cutbacks in the wake of federal Medicaid cuts.
In California and Other States, Dads Are Now Even With Moms in Paid Leave Claims
By Elly Yu, LAist
The U.S. has no law guaranteeing paid parental leave. But in states with their own programs, more dads are using the benefit, surpassing moms in some states. The growth in popularity comes as Americans increasingly say raising children is unaffordable.
She Needed an EpiPen. But First, an Urgent Care Asked Her To Pay.
By Phil Galewitz and Eric Harkleroad
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.
Jacksonville, Florida’s Gun Violence Is Rooted in Redlining and Homes Built on Toxic Waste
By Fred Clasen-Kelly and Daniel Chang and Olga Pierce, The Trace and Yona Gavino, Action News Jax
Poisons from Jacksonville, Florida’s “Brown’s Dump” seeped into the lifeblood of residents. The harm to their physical and mental health is tied today to another public health crisis: high rates of gun violence among children.
Frights, Fangs, and Healthcare Nightmares in Winning Halloween Haikus
This year’s winning Halloween haikus take on measles, the high cost of dental care, and AI-powered insurance denials.
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The "KFF Health News Minute" brings original healthcare and health policy reporting from our newsroom to the airwaves each week.
Remember This Acronym Next Time You’re Facing a Big Medical Decision: B.R.A.I.N.
By Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio and Cara Anthony and Emily Siner, Nashville Public Radio
If your doctor recommends a big test or procedure, this tool can help you talk through options collaboratively. It works at a routine checkup or in high-stakes medical situations like childbirth.