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New Year, Same Health Fight

Episode 428

Jan. 8, 2026

Congress returned from its break facing a familiar question: whether to extend the expanded subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans that expired at the end of 2025. Meanwhile, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. broke a promise to Bill Cassidy, the chairman of Senate health committee, by overhauling the federal government’s childhood vaccine schedule to reduce the number of diseases for which vaccines will be recommended. Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.

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A photo of a home health aide helping an older woman sit down.

The New Old Age

Solving the Home Care Quandary

Paid home care is buckling under the surging demands of an aging population. But there are alternatives that could upgrade jobs and improve patient care.

By Paula Span

Jan. 8, 2026

A man with long dark hair pulled into a ponytail and wearing a dark blue t-shirt stands near a building under construction.

In Lodge Grass, Montana, a Crow Community Works To Rebuild From Meth’s Destruction

Meth is a problem most everywhere, but particularly in Indian Country. On the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, new buildings serve as symbols of a town trying to rebuild after being devastated by addiction.

By Katheryn Houghton

Jan. 8, 2026

A photo of an open glass doorway. Writing on the top of the doorway reads, "Welcome to the MVP Program."

Homeless Shelters for Seniors Pop Up, Catering to Older Adults’ Medical Needs

Seniors are the fastest-growing segment of homeless Americans. Shelters are struggling to take in people with mobility issues and other chronic health conditions that can make living in a shelter nearly impossible. But specialized shelters for seniors are cropping up around the country to fill the gap.

By Aaron Bolton, MTPR

Jan. 7, 2026

Inside the Battle for the Future of Addiction Medicine

The experiences of one doctor in Louisiana reveal the tensions around trying to get people to engage in addiction treatment, even if they’re not ready to stop using drugs.

By Aneri Pattani

Jan. 7, 2026

A woman holds a young child, who is wearing a tie-dye shirt and a bandage, on her hip

The CDC Just Sidelined These Childhood Vaccines. Here’s What They Prevent.

The CDC is recommending fewer childhood vaccines, although the ones it has jettisoned from the recommended schedule have successfully battled serious illness for years. Experts warn that if vaccine uptake falls, millions could be hospitalized — or worse — as a result of preventable diseases.

By Arthur Allen and Jackie Fortiér

Jan. 6, 2026

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.

Jan. 6, 2026

The New Old Age

Older Americans Quit Weight Loss Drugs in Droves

In some studies, half of patients stopped taking GLP-1s within a year despite the benefits, citing the expense and side effects.

By Paula Span

Jan. 6, 2026

A photo of a historic downtown area of Auburn, California. Old buildings are seen alongside trees. A rotunda is seen on top of a tall building in the background.

On the Hook for Uninsured Residents, Counties Now Wonder How They’ll Pay

Millions of people gained health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, reducing pressure on counties in states that fund care for the uninsured. With federal policies expected to reverse that trend, county officials wonder how they will fill the gap — and who will pay for it.

By Christine Mai-Duc and Claudia Boyd-Barrett

Jan. 6, 2026

HealthCare Helpline

To Knock Down Health-System Hurdles Between You and HIV Prevention, Try These 6 Things

It’s been more than 10 years since the FDA first approved an HIV prevention drug. Today, people who could benefit from preexposure prophylaxis often struggle to access the lifesaving medicine or run into doctors without the education or empathy to offer affirming care. And those lapses can produce billing headaches.

By Zach Dyer

Jan. 5, 2026

An exhausted health care worker crouches down to rest, exhibiting exhaustion.

Iowa Doesn’t Have Enough OB-GYNs. The State’s Abortion Ban Might Be Making It Worse.

Abortion bans like Iowa’s have put OB-GYNs under increasing strain and surveillance, complicating the standard medical treatments for miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, premature membrane rupture, and other pregnancy problems. As many rural areas face worsening maternity care deserts, some physicians fear these laws could drive much-needed doctors out of state and dissuade others from moving in and establishing a practice.

By Natalie Krebs, Iowa Public Radio

Jan. 5, 2026

A photo of a Black woman standing by water. She holds a framed photo of her deceased mother.

The Body Shops

Advertisements Promising Patients a ‘Dream Body’ With Minimal Risk Get Little Scrutiny

While federal officials say they are cracking down on misleading drug ads, cosmetic surgery remains a “buyer beware” market.

By Fred Schulte

Dec. 31, 2025

An Arm and a Leg

A Few More Good Things From 2025

Season 14, Episode 6

Dec. 23, 2025

"An Arm and a Leg" looks back on state laws passed in 2025 aimed at removing medical debts from credit reports and reining in corporate influence on medicine.

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Surgery tools sit in the foreground as surgeons work in the background

The Body Shops

After Outpatient Cosmetic Surgery, They Wound Up in the Hospital or Alone at a Recovery House

Some patients who had liposuction or other surgeries later required emergency hospital care — and some died, court records show.

By Fred Schulte

Dec. 23, 2025

BILL OF THE MONTH

Medical Bills Can Be Vexing and Perplexing. Here’s This Year’s Best Advice for Patients.

As the crowdsourced investigative series from KFF Health News approaches its eighth anniversary, “Bill of the Month” offers its top takeaways of 2025 to help patients manage, decipher, and even fight their medical bills.

By Emmarie Huetteman

Dec. 23, 2025

A mother holds her 3-year-old daughter in her arms on their porch. The daughter is wearing a big smile.

It’s the ‘Gold Standard’ in Autism Care. Why Are States Reining It In?

States facing yawning budget shortfalls have begun cutting Medicaid reimbursements for a wide variety of services. In some states, dramatic cuts are targeting therapies that many families of autistic people say are essential to caring for their loved ones.

By Bram Sable-Smith and Andrew Jones

Dec. 23, 2025

A photo of two women in cold weather wear. The woman on the left has a laptop and keyboard in front of her. The woman on the right is speaking to her. Paperwork and pamphlets are on the table in front of them.

Postcard From Orange County, California

Medicaid Health Plans Step Up Outreach Efforts Ahead of GOP Changes

Even as President Donald Trump and GOP lawmakers say the One Big Beautiful Bill Act targets waste, fraud, and abuse, Medicaid health plans are hosting events across the U.S. to prevent low-income families from losing health insurance and food benefits next year.

By Claudia Boyd-Barrett

Dec. 22, 2025

A photo of a man in a bright orange hoodie standing outside.

Guns, Race, and Profit

Baltimore Drove Down Gun Deaths. Now Trump Has Slashed Funding for That Work.

A spike in shootings during the covid pandemic propelled community violence intervention, a field that aims to stop gun deaths at the root. Baltimore used federal funds to launch a violence prevention office. But President Donald Trump has throttled such funds and instead is sending troops into cities.

By Renuka Rayasam

Dec. 22, 2025

A portrait of a woman wearing a shirt that has a picture of her family at a reunion celebration.

Criminally Ill: Systemic Failures Turn State Mental Hospitals Into Prisons

There has been a steep rise in the share of people with severe mental illnesses being sent to state psychiatric hospitals on court orders after being accused of serious crimes. The shift has all but halted patients’ ability to get care before they have a catastrophic crisis.

By Sarah Jane Tribble and Doug Livingston, The Marshall Project - Cleveland

Dec. 22, 2025