Es 2026 y no tienes seguro médico. ¿Y ahora qué?
By Renuka Rayasam
February 2, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Los cambios en las políticas de salud en Washington están teniendo repercusiones en todo el país y haciendo que millones de personas pierdan su cobertura de Medicaid o de ACA. Pero hay opciones.
Trump’s Covid Views Don’t Track With Reality That Recent Studies Suggest
By Stephanie Armour
January 30, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Get our weekly newsletter, The Week in Brief, featuring a roundup of our original coverage, Fridays at 2 p.m. ET.
Priced Out
January 30, 2026
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Covid Exposure In Utero Could Affect Brain Development, Researchers Find
January 30, 2026
Morning Briefing
Scientists investigating the mysteries of SARS-CoV-2 are finding subtle differences in brain structure among babies exposed to the virus before they were born. They say their findings underscore the need for vaccination. Also, a study debunks the theory that covid vaccines affect fertility.
Genetics Play Greater Role In Lifespan Than Previously Thought, Study Shows
January 30, 2026
Morning Briefing
A study published Thursday suggests the genetic contribution to a person’s longevity could be as high as 55%, which is in stark contrast to the previously estimated 6% to 33%. Plus: GLP-1s are linked to pancreatitis; a lower risk of amputation for people with diabetes on GLP-1s; B6 toxicity; and more.
Colorado Democrats Move To Update Red Flag Law And Regulate Gun Barrels
January 30, 2026
Morning Briefing
Democrats in the Colorado legislature have given approval of Senate Bill 4, which would allow behavioral health co-responders to ask a judge to order the removal of an individual’s firearms. Also in the news: Iowa, Texas, Mississippi, Florida, and California.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
January 30, 2026
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today’s selections are on lung transplants, male birth control, a power struggle at the NIH, and more.
Morning Briefing for Friday, January 30, 2026
January 30, 2026
Morning Briefing
We want to see your clever, heartfelt, or hilarious tributes to the policies that shape health care. Submit your poem — whether conventional, free-form, or haiku — by noon ET on Wednesday, Feb. 4. The winning poem will receive a custom comic illustration in the Morning Briefing on Feb. 13. Click here for the rules and to enter!
Nurse’s Death Looms Large As Senators Make Last Attempts To Avoid Shutdown
January 30, 2026
Morning Briefing
The Senate will reconvene at 11 a.m. Friday to see if they can reach an agreement, ABC News reported. Modern Healthcare explains how health care would be affected if no deal is reached before Saturday. Plus: Nurses across the U.S. hold vigils for slain Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti.
Trump Unveils Plan To Prevent Drug Use, Boost Treatment And Recovery
January 30, 2026
Morning Briefing
The president’s executive order is intended “to help Americans struggling with all forms of addiction … get the help and the support they need.” Plus, TrumpRx won’t launch this month after all.
Finalized CMS Rule Sets Limits On State Provider Taxes Funding Medicaid
January 30, 2026
Morning Briefing
The new regulation will crack down on the provider taxes states use to help finance their share of Medicaid spending. CMS is expecting the policy to reduce federal expenditures by $78 billion over the next decade. Also, tech firms are vying to implement Medicaid work requirements; CMS incentivizes hospitals to buy American; and more.
First Edition: Friday, Jan. 30, 2026
January 30, 2026
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Blurry Line Between Medical and Vision Insurance Leaves Patient With Unexpected Bill
By Tony Leys
January 30, 2026
KFF Health News Original
A Wisconsin retiree with glaucoma needed her eyes examined. Her Medicare Advantage plan from UnitedHealthcare listed her optometrist’s clinic as in-network, but she learned the hard way that a clinic can be in-network and out-of-network at the same time.
‘I Can’t Tell You’: Attorneys, Relatives Struggle To Find Hospitalized ICE Detainees
By Claudia Boyd-Barrett
Illustration by Oona Zenda
January 30, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Some hospitals are registering patients detained by federal immigration officers under pseudonyms and prohibiting staff from contacting family members. Attorneys and health care workers say the practices facilitate rights violations and create ethical concerns. Hospitals say they’re trying to protect patients.
“No sabemos dónde están”. Abogados y familiares enfrentan obstáculos para encontrar a detenidos por el ICE hospitalizados
By Claudia Boyd-Barrett
January 30, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Enfrentan grandes barreras para localizar a los pacientes, saber cómo están de salud y brindarles apoyo legal y emocional.
What the Health? From KFF Health News: The Hazards of ICE for Public Health
January 29, 2026
Podcast
The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown is not just roiling politics but also directly affecting the provision of health care, medical groups say. Meanwhile, in Washington, federal spending bills have been stalled by the fight over immigration enforcement funding after the shooting death of a second person in Minneapolis this month. Maya Goldman of Axios, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.
Walmart Invests In Pharmacy Workers, Raises Pay As Clinics Lose Popularity
January 29, 2026
Morning Briefing
Axios reports how Walmart’s approach comes at a time when its major competitors are cutting back hours and closing pharmacies across the U.S. Millions of Americans prefer to use pharmacies over clinics, with 75% of Walmart’s testing-and-treatment visits happening outside normal business hours.
US Life Expectancy Hits Record High Thanks To Drop In Overdose Deaths
January 29, 2026
Morning Briefing
CDC data for 2024 shows the life expectancy at birth for the average American to be 79, up 0.6 years from 2023. Other public health news is on U.S. obesity, the health effects of traditional sleep-wake schedules, and more.
Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs
January 29, 2026
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of health policy studies and briefs.
