You searched for - Page 38 of 773

Cutting Medicaid Is Hard — Even for the GOP

Episode 396

May 8, 2025

Republicans on Capitol Hill are struggling to reach consensus on cutting the Medicaid program as they search for nearly a trillion dollars in savings over the next decade — as many observers predicted. Meanwhile, turmoil continues at the Department of Health and Human Services, with more controversial cuts and personnel moves, including the sudden nomination of Casey Means, an ally of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s, to become surgeon general. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Maya Goldman of Axios, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Lauren Sausser, who co-reported the latest “Bill of the Month” feature, about an unexpected bill for what seemed like preventive care.

Listen Now

A photo of Senator Ron Wyden speaking at the dais during a Senate hearing.

Sen. Ron Wyden Seeks Answers on RFK Jr.’s Purge of FOIA Staff

“Citizen oversight is a cornerstone of a functioning democracy,” Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., demanding answers to more than two dozen questions, including who was involved in decisions to fire staff who handled Freedom of Information Act requests.

By Rachana Pradhan

May 8, 2025

A photo of the exterior of a community hospital in rural Colorado. Two pedestrians walk across the sidewalk in front of it.

Seeking Spending Cuts, GOP Lawmakers Target a Tax Hospitals Love To Pay

Republicans, on the hunt for spending cuts, are eyeing a special kind of Medicaid tax that nearly every state uses to boost funding for hospitals, nursing homes, and other providers.

By Phil Galewitz

May 8, 2025

A photo of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. receiving a tour of a food distribution center. Shelves behind him show crates filled with orange bell peppers.

Meet the Florida Group Chipping Away at Public Benefits One State at a Time

The Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” platform has boosted the agenda of a conservative think tank that’s been working for more than a decade to reshape the nation’s public assistance programs.

By Katheryn Houghton and Samantha Liss

May 8, 2025

A mother leans over her child, who is in a wheelchair. They are both smiling.

As Republicans Eye Sweeping Medicaid Cuts, Missouri Offers a Preview

Congressional Republicans are looking to cut at least $880 billion from a pool of federal funding that includes Medicaid — and the program is likely to take a major hit. A previous budget crunch in Missouri offers a window into how cuts ripple through people’s lives.

By Bram Sable-Smith

May 7, 2025

Watch: How the FDA Opens the Door to Risky Chemicals in America’s Food Supply

To a great extent, the FDA leaves it to food companies to determine whether their ingredients and additives are safe. Some chemicals and additives are tied to health risks while others are absent from product labels. Watch this video explainer to learn more.

By David Hilzenrath, Hannah Norman, and Oona Zenda

May 7, 2025

A photo illustration shows the exterior of the White House seen behind a blurred picture of an American flag waving in the wind against a blue sky.

Trump Policies at Odds With ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Push

On the surface, President Donald Trump embraced the MAHA movement with a pledge to end the nation’s high rates of chronic disease. But the broader Trump agenda may prove to be the biggest barrier this effort confronts.

By Stephanie Armour

May 7, 2025

A photo of a mail package containing mifepristone and misoprostol.

Despite Historic Indictment, Doctors Will Keep Mailing Abortion Pills Across State Lines

When a New York physician was indicted for shipping abortion medications to a woman in Louisiana, it stoked fear across the network of doctors and medical clinics who engage in similar work. But some physicians vowed not to stop.

By Rosemary Westwood, WWNO

May 6, 2025

A woman sits in a folding chair in front of a blue van.

HIV Testing and Outreach Falter as Trump Funding Cuts Sweep the South

A disruption in federal funds has jeopardized HIV testing and outreach in Mississippi, and researchers warn of a resurgence of the epidemic in the South.

By Amy Maxmen

May 6, 2025

A photo of a large, modern office building in Maryland. In front of it are the American flag, a flag with insignias for six military branches, and the National League of Families POW/MIA flag.

At Social Security, These Are the Days of the Living Dead

In recent weeks, Social Security has been plagued by problems related to technology, system errors, and even the marking of living people as dead.

By Darius Tahir

May 6, 2025

An Arm and a Leg

Why ‘The Pitt’ Is Our Fave New Drama

Season 13, Episode 6

May 5, 2025

An emergency room doctor says what the TV show “The Pitt” gets right about hospitals, including why they’re so crowded and the bills so high.

Listen Now

A photo of a man sitting in a Senate hearing room, speaking into a microphone at a desk.

Alabama Can’t Prosecute Groups Helping Patients Get Abortions Elsewhere, Judge Rules

Although most abortions remain illegal in Alabama, a judge’s decision in early April allows doctors and advocacy groups to tell patients about abortion options in other states, and help with travel and other costs.

By Drew Hawkins, Gulf States Newsroom

May 5, 2025

An illustration in watercolor of a syringe and vaccine vial against a soft background of dotted light.

Trump Team’s $500 Million Bet on Old Vaccine Technology Puzzles Scientists

Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s HHS said an enormous, noncompetitive flu vaccine development grant to two favored NIH leaders would ensure “transparency, effectiveness, and comprehensive preparedness.” But their vaccine is in early stages, relies on old technology, and is just one of scores of similar efforts.

By Arthur Allen

May 5, 2025

KFF Health News On Air

Journalists Explore Medicaid Work Rules, CDC Layoffs, and RFK Jr.’s ‘MAHA’ Mission

KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national or local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

May 3, 2025

A photo of the insignia for the Food and Drug Administration.

In Reversal, FDA Rehires Staff Tasked With Releasing Public Records

At least some workers who process public records in response to Freedom of Information Act requests have been reinstated, agency employees say.

By Rachana Pradhan

May 2, 2025

The Week in Brief

Work Requirements Might Cut Medicaid Spending. But at What Cost?

Get our weekly newsletter, The Week in Brief, featuring a roundup of our original coverage, Fridays at 2 p.m. ET.

By Renuka Rayasam and Sam Whitehead

May 2, 2025

Spotlight

Covered California Pushes for Better Health Care as Federal Spending Cuts Loom

Monica Soni, Covered California’s chief medical officer, oversees an effort to hold health plans financially accountable for the quality of care they provide, including childhood vaccination rates, which have fallen in California and nationwide. She worries federal spending cuts could soon bring turbulence to the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace.

By Bernard J. Wolfson

May 2, 2025

A photograph showing the ornate ceiling of the dome in the Montana Capitol.

Montana Lawmakers Approve $124M To Revamp Behavioral Health System

The legislation calls for a new mental health facility in eastern Montana, upgrades to existing state facilities, expansion of community services, and revisions to commitment procedures.

By Sue O'Connell

May 2, 2025

A photo of the exterior of a concrete office building: the headquarters of the Government Accountability Office.

Government Watchdog Expects Medicaid Work Requirement Analysis by Fall

This fall, the U.S. Government Accountability Office expects to release a report on how much it costs to run Georgia Pathways to Coverage — the country’s only active Medicaid work requirement program — as other states and Congress consider similar programs.

By Sam Whitehead and Renuka Rayasam

May 2, 2025

What the Health? From KFF Health News

100 Days of Health Policy Upheaval

Episode 395

May 1, 2025

Members of Congress are back in Washington, and Republicans are struggling to find ways to reduce Medicaid spending without cutting benefits. Meanwhile, confusion continues to reign at the Department of Health and Human Services. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.

Listen Now

Trump 2.0

Public Health

Audio Reports

Special Reports

More Topics

Search

Filter