Latest KFF Health News Stories
US Judge Names Receiver To Take Over California Prisons’ Mental Health Program
A federal judge has named a receiver to run California’s troubled prison mental health system. Colette Peters, a reformist with a rocky tenure as director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, will have four months to develop a plan to adequately care for tens of thousands of prisoners.
Amid Plummeting Diversity at Medical Schools, a Warning of DEI Crackdown’s ‘Chilling Effect’
Enrollment of underrepresented groups at medical schools fell precipitously this academic year after the Supreme Court’s 2023 ban on affirmative action. Education and health experts worry the Trump administration’s anti-DEI measures will only worsen the situation, even in states like California that have navigated bans on race-conscious admissions for years.
In New York, Providers Must Put Patient Costs on the Table
The governor’s fiscal year 2026 budget revises a law designed to limit unexpected bills that can put people at risk for unfair medical billing practices and reduce medical debt. Consumer groups say it doesn’t go far enough.
Tribal Health Leaders Say Medicaid Cuts Would Decimate Health Programs
As Congress mulls significant cuts to Medicaid, Native American tribes are bracing for potentially devastating financial fallout. That’s because Medicaid is the largest third-party payer for Native American health programs, funding that has helped address chronic underfunding of the Indian Health Service.
Indiana Lawmakers Seek To Forbid Hospital Monopolies, but One Merger Fight Remains
Union Health has made a new bid to buy its only rival hospital in Terre Haute, Indiana. The system passed one hurdle after lawmakers watered down a bill that threatened the proposed deal. That means the merger will now face a likely showdown with Indiana’s new governor.
Her Case Changed Trans Care in Prison. Now Trump Aims To Reverse Course.
President Donald Trump ordered a halt to gender-affirming medical care for transgender prisoners in federal custody, and to housing trans women in female prisons. The new policies raise alarms for a formerly incarcerated trans woman. She said the order denies lifesaving medical care and creates a road map for rape.
Congressman Blames Trump Team for Ending Telehealth Medicare Benefit. Not Quite Right.
Rep. Ro Khanna of California warned of Trump administration “cuts” to Medicare telehealth access hitting March 31. But if Medicare recipients lose telemedicine benefits that day, it will be because Congress failed to act.
Watch: The Dr. Oz Show Comes to Congress
The Senate Finance Committee questioned Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. KFF Health News reporters discussed the biggest takeaways from the hearing.
Verificando cinco mitos sobre los latinos y Medicaid
Los recortes de gastos, la inmigración y Medicaid están bien arriba en la lista de prioridades en la agenda de Washington. Este clima politico ofrece un terreno fértil para que la desinformación y los mitos se multipliquen en las redes sociales.
Checking the Facts on Medicaid Use by Latinos
Republicans’ moves to scale back Medicaid are leading to more misinformation about immigrants, especially Latinos, circulating on social media platforms. The misconceptions include the myths that Latinos covered by Medicaid don’t work and that they use Medicaid significantly more than others.
Without Federal Action, States Wrestle With Kratom Regulation
A bill proposed by kratom industry advocates is prompting consideration — and some concern — in the Montana Legislature.
Scientist Whose Work Led FDA To Ban Food Dye Says Agency Overstated Risk
Almost 40 years ago, Joseph Borzelleca published a study on red dye No. 3, a petroleum-based food coloring. The FDA cited his work to ban the additive in January. But Borzelleca says it’s safe.
Scientists Say NIH Officials Told Them To Scrub mRNA References on Grants
Two senior scientists say National Institutes of Health officials advised them to remove references to mRNA vaccines in grant applications, and they fear the Trump administration will abandon a promising field of medical research.
Journalists Share How Additives Enter Food Supply and Measles Harms Kids’ Immune Systems
KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national and local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
‘Dead Zones’ Where Internet and Health Care Lag
Get our weekly newsletter, The Week in Brief, featuring a roundup of our original coverage, Fridays at 2 p.m. ET.
Progressives Seek Health Privacy Protections in California, But Newsom Could Balk
Democratic state lawmakers in California have proposed bills to protect women, transgender people, and immigrants in response to concerns that their health data could be used against them. If the measures reach his desk, Gov. Gavin Newsom could lay such legislation aside to focus on securing federal funds.
Barbershop Killing Escalates Trauma for Boston Neighborhood Riven by Gun Violence
American communities plagued by gun violence, including Four Corners in Boston, honor pockets of safety as sacred spaces. A brazen barbershop killing was a new and traumatic violation.
California Borrows $3.4 Billion for Medicaid Overrun as Congress Eyes Steep Cuts
Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program, borrowed $3.4 billion from the state — and will likely need even more — due to higher prescription costs and increased eligibility for seniors and immigrants. The top Republican in the state Senate is demanding a hearing “so the public knows exactly where their tax dollars are going.”
Can House Republicans Cut $880 Billion Without Slashing Medicaid? It’s Likely Impossible.
A Republican House resolution, which needs the Senate’s buy-in, directed a committee to propose ways to reduce the deficit by at least $880 billion over a decade. Lawmakers have taken Medicare off the table for cuts, which makes it impossible to reach $880 billion without cutting Medicaid.
Hospital Gun-Violence Prevention Programs May Be Caught in US Funding Crossfire
Hospital-based violence intervention programs have operated in the U.S. since the mid-1990s. The public health approach to gun violence works, by many accounts. But recent moves by the White House are raising anxiety about the programs’ future.
