Texas Democrats Swept Statewide Races. Now Comes the Hard Part of Solving Healthcare Angst.
The blue wave in the state on Nov. 3 now runs headlong into the reality of Texas politics and a compressed legislative calendar.
State Watch
A KFF Health News examination of how the Trump administration is reshaping health care in America.
1-20 of 106 results
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A Blue Wave Hits Healthcare
Episode 470The 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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Midterm Voters Split on Abortion and Trans Healthcare Ballot Questions
The nationwide blue wave in the midterm election didn’t necessarily carry over to ballot measures on abortion and transgender issues.
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IVF Patients, Doctors Navigate Fetal Personhood Laws’ Unknowns
People trying to start families and clinics trying to help them have been left confused and worried since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, triggering fetal personhood laws in several states.
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A GOP Congressman Backed Medicaid Work Requirements. His Voters Might Be Exempt.
A California congressman voted for the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which is projected to reduce Medicaid spending by $900 billion. Now Rep. David Valadao, whose House race will help decide control of Congress, is telling his constituents they may not have to follow the new rules.
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Georgia Helped Inspire the Medicaid Work Rules. Its Own Rules Could Soon End.
For years, Georgia was the only state to require some Medicaid enrollees to work to obtain and keep coverage. Those rules could expire just as the federal Medicaid work requirements they helped inspire roll out across most of the country.
By Briah Lumpkins and Sam Whitehead -
Data Center Health Worries Animate Midterm Campaigns
Opposition to the rapid emergence of data centers in states such as Ohio and Arizona has ginned up activism and unified voters. A range of public health issues have played into the resistance.
By Stephanie Armour and Amanda Seitz -
The Campaign To Defend Trans Healthcare in Missouri Is Slow Going, on Purpose
The campaign to defend access to transgender healthcare for young people in Missouri is taking an unhurried approach to talking with voters about how the ban on midterm ballots would play out.
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In California and Other States, Dads Are Now Even With Moms in Paid Leave Claims
The U.S. has no law guaranteeing paid parental leave. But in states with their own programs, more dads are using the benefit, surpassing moms in some states. The growth in popularity comes as Americans increasingly say raising children is unaffordable.
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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.
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GOP Congressman in California Swing-District Race Defends Vote for Medicaid Cuts
In a race that could help decide control of Congress, Republican U.S. Rep. David Valadao is trying to hold on to his swing-district seat. The congressman didn’t mention healthcare at a recent campaign rally in Bakersfield, but voters can't stop talking about it.
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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 -
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.
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Trump Dangles Rural Health Dollars To Push States To Change Hospital Laws
The Trump administration has tied billions in rural health funding for states partly to the policy commitments they make, including ending their certificate of need, or CON, laws governing the construction of new hospitals.
By Andrew Jones -
New Arrivals in the ER? Georgia Gears Up To Solve Rural Maternal Health Crisis
Most of Georgia’s counties are without a labor and delivery unit. To fill the gap, the state is looking to equip emergency rooms to handle obstetric emergencies. Advocates and doctors worry, however, that the ER is being used as a stopgap.
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Hidden Help
States Are Forcing Hospitals To Offer More People Financial Aid. In Oregon, It’s Working.
Oregon passed a law to require hospitals to proactively screen patients to see if they qualify for financial aid. Patients got immediate relief. Hospitals pushed to roll back the law following federal cuts to Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies.
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Next Governor To Face Thorny Choices After California’s Rapid Medicaid Expansion
Medi-Cal, the nation’s largest Medicaid program, was in trouble even before the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Rapid expansion, spiraling costs, and billions in federal funding cuts will mean tough challenges for California’s next governor. On the campaign trail, the two men running for the job have offered few answers.
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Hidden Help
What Texas Reveals About the Obstacles to Getting Hospital Financial Aid
Hospitals can prevent medical debt by offering financial help before sending big bills. A Tradeoffs investigation found that nearly half of nonprofit facilities in Texas say they will bill patients before screening them for aid. And most will not offer refunds to patients who pay and are later found to qualify for free care.
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California’s Billionaire Tax Promises Healthcare Relief. The Fine Print Is Murkier.
An initiative on the California ballot would levy the nation’s first wealth tax on billionaires. Supporters say the proceeds would help offset President Donald Trump’s sweeping healthcare cuts. But critics argue that the temporary infusion of cash is a giveaway to politicians.
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Hidden Help
Medical Debt Is Crushing Hospital Patients in Los Angeles. Health Officials May Have a Fix.
In Los Angeles County, the nation’s most populous, a new system could screen hospital patients for financial aid, preventing hundreds of thousands from getting bills they can’t pay.