Agency Watch Archives

A Blue Wave Hits Healthcare

Episode 470

Nov. 5, 2026

The predicted blue wave in the 2026 midterms not only appeared — it overperformed, with Democrats sweeping into majorities in the House and Senate. That sets up a new focus on health policy, with Democrats seeking to undo cuts imposed by President Donald Trump and the GOP-led Congress and advance their own agenda to increase coverage and lower costs. In this special episode, host Julie Rovner is joined by Mollyann Brodie, executive vice president and chief operating officer at KFF; Larry Levitt, KFF’s executive vice president for health policy; and Amanda Seitz, Washington health policy reporter for KFF Health News.

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A child's coloring with writing, including "te amo Mami"

Growing Up Scared

Stuck in Shelters for Months, Some Migrant Children Abandon Hopes of Staying in US

The federal Office of Refugee Resettlement is supposed to care for migrant children who arrive in the country alone. But new policies are stranding kids in shelters and undermining their mental health. Some children have chosen to return to the countries they fled.

By Claudia Boyd-Barrett and Renuka Rayasam

Nov. 4, 2026

A photo of a page in the Medicare & You 2026 handbook entitled, "Section 6: Medicare drug coverage (Part D)"

Medicare Drug Plans Are Hiking Premiums While Trump Claims Victory on Medicine Prices

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.

By Phil Galewitz

Oct. 30, 2026

A woman wearing glasses and a black sweatshirt puts a blood pressure cuff on her arm

Rural Health Payout

Many Medicare Patients Could Lose Access to Remote Monitoring Devices

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.

By Arielle Zionts

Oct. 26, 2026

A photo of President Trump surrounded by various Republican members of Congress at an event on the South Lawn of the White House. Trump, seated, holds up a signed bill.

Health Hub

Medicaid at Risk for Hundreds of Thousands of Lawfully Present Immigrants

Hundreds of thousands of lawfully present immigrants could lose government health coverage. This change stems from healthcare cuts in a GOP budget law. KFF Health News’ Andrew Jones tells WAMU’s “Health Hub” which Medicaid enrollees are affected and shares resources for newly uninsured people in the Washington, D.C., area.

By Andrew Jones

Oct. 23, 2026

A photo of HealthCare.gov seen on a computer screen.

Shopping for an ACA Plan This Year? Here’s What You Need To Know

As open enrollment for Affordable Care Act health insurance kicks off, consumers face rising premiums, additional identity checks, and fewer brokers.

By Julie Appleby

Oct. 23, 2026

A sign on the side of a building has a seal and the words, "U.S. Customs and Border Protection," next to it.

‘Go to Canada’: Trump Touted Americans’ Access to Cheaper Drugs. A New Rule Threatens It.

The Trump administration pushed back a rule — until after the midterm elections — that would complicate Americans’ access to less expensive medication imports from Canada and other countries.

By Arthur Allen

Oct. 22, 2026

Sen. Ron Wyden speaks to a group of reporters holding their phones at him on Capitol Hill.

Democrats Demand Tougher Standards for Companies Running Medicaid Systems

A year after launching an inquiry into companies, including Deloitte, that receive billions in taxpayer dollars to build complex computer systems determining Medicaid eligibility, senators are urging the federal government to impose stricter rules.

By Samantha Liss and Rachana Pradhan

Oct. 20, 2026

Two passersby walk past a wellness clinic. It has a sign that advertises peptides alongside weight-loss injections, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, and botox.

Four Red Flags and One Truth Amid the Peptide Hype

Experimental peptides are all the rage on longevity and “optimization” podcasts, but a lot of the chatter is misleading.

By Amy Maxmen

Oct. 19, 2026

Vice President JD Vance (center) speaks alongside (left/right) Kimberly Brandt, Mehmet Oz, Andrew Ferguson Chris Klomp during a press conference. A large backdrop poster behind them says, "$2.2 BILLION RECOVERED."

GOP Focuses on Fraud, Seeking To Redirect Voters’ Ire Over Healthcare Costs

The anti-fraud efforts highlight a broader political fight ahead of the midterms. Republicans say they’re protecting taxpayer dollars by going after bad actors. Democrats contend the administration is — with insufficient evidence — targeting blue states to cut programs the GOP has long sought to shrink.

By Stephanie Armour

Oct. 19, 2026

A photo of President Donald Trump speaking at a podium by Mehmet Oz in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House.

After Booting 760K People From ACA Plans, Trump Administration Has Added Some Back

The Trump administration has provided few details about its process for canceling hundreds of thousands of Affordable Care Act marketplace enrollments — even as the next stage of the anti-fraud effort is underway.

By Julie Appleby

Oct. 16, 2026

A photo illustration shows a syringe and capsules. Surrounding it are comments, "BPC absolutely wrecked my nervous system," "Panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia, muscle twitching, headaches," "My vision became blurry," "Burning skin all over my body," "Severe brain fog, severe cognitive issues."

People Say These Peptides Hurt Them. Their Stories Are Muffled in MAHA’s Push for Medical Freedom.

People who have taken experimental peptides, such as BPC-157, complain of migraines, eye pain, fatigue, and more. Learning whether these popular but unproven drugs are to blame may become harder if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fulfills a promise to make them more accessible.

By Amy Maxmen

Oct. 13, 2026

A photo of President Donald Trump, Mehmet Oz — holding up a cell phone — and Amy Gleason seated at an event in the White House.

Data Grab

AI, Tech Leaders Are Lobbying Trump Health Officials in a Government-Run Chat Room

A Slack workspace managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has served as an extraordinary war room for AI industry insiders and Trump administration officials to launch a rapid campaign aimed at persuading Americans to manage their healthcare and medical records on apps.

By Amanda Seitz, Maia Rosenfeld, and Darius Tahir

Oct. 9, 2026

A woman stands outside in front of a house and looks into the distance.

Food Aid Enrollment Tanks After SNAP Rule Changes

It’s been more than a year since President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and SNAP enrollment is down more than 20% in Louisiana. Anti-hunger groups say far more people could lose access if states are required to cover more of the food program’s cost.

By Halle Parker, Verite News

Oct. 7, 2026

A man stands in front of an altar inside a church.

Rural MAHA Followers Say Trump Health Policies Haven’t Reached Their Communities

President Donald Trump has championed sprawling health policy changes under the Make America Healthy Again movement, but a KFF-Associated Press survey of rural voters found people aren’t seeing the initiatives reach their communities.

By Ali Swenson, The Associated Press, Sarah Jane Tribble, and Linley Sanders, The Associated Press

Sept. 30, 2026

A shopper examines the back of a bagged salad kit at a grocery store.

Food Safety Finds a Place Among ‘Kitchen-Table’ Political Issues

Recent outbreaks of foodborne illness and high-profile recalls have made this issue a concern of voters.

By Stephanie Armour

Sept. 28, 2026

A photo of an memorial for the workers killed in the Hawks Nest Tunnel disaster.

Black Lung Disease Remains a Threat, but Federal Officials Delay Effort To Address It

The disease has long been a risk of coal mining, an industry the Trump administration is trying to reinvigorate.

By Taylor Sisk

Sept. 24, 2026

The Week in Brief

A Cancer Survivor Lost Coverage. Medicaid Work Rules Prompt Fears of Similar Stories To Come.

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

By Katheryn Houghton

Sept. 18, 2026

The Drugs and Devices Have Been on the Market for Years. But FDA-Ordered Studies Still Aren’t Done.

To get drugs and devices out faster, the FDA lets companies conduct studies of safety or efficacy after the products are approved. In many cases, such “postmarket” studies are behind schedule or overdue, records show.

By David Hilzenrath

Sept. 18, 2026

Volunteers serve meals at a soup kitchen

Cost-Saving Medicaid Meal Deliveries Threatened by Cuts, Policy Uncertainty

An experiment to provide meals to some Medicaid recipients shows food can be cost-effective medicine. But even as federal officials tout the power of nutrition, Medicaid budget cuts could lead states to think twice about covering healthy food for sick residents. One has already reconsidered.

By Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, WBUR

Sept. 18, 2026

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