Idaho 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 photo of Mehmet Oz, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and President Donald Trump.

Rural Health Payout

Trump Administration Delays Awards Slated To Improve Rural America’s Health

State leaders who scrambled to win and begin spending their first-year shares of Republicans’ five-year, $50 billion fund are in the dark about how much they’ll receive in the Rural Health Transformation Program’s second year after a federal office notified states that more time is needed to make allocations.

By Sarah Jane Tribble, Arielle Zionts, and Bram Sable-Smith

Nov. 5, 2026

The illuminated screen of a phone in someone's hand in a dark room shows a map of Missouri.

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.

By Bram Sable-Smith

Nov. 5, 2026

A hand-drawn, digital illustration showing a web of connecting medical objects (a pill bottle, a hospital portal website), with cell phones and data tracking tools. The silhouette of a person is in the center of the image, below a large security camera shaped like an eye.

Your Phone Knows You’re at the Doctor, and Data Brokers Do, Too — Then Profit From It

The Federal Trade Commission told a data company it could no longer sell data it collected from hundreds of millions of Americans’ mobile devices when people visited hospitals, dialysis clinics, or abortion clinics. But little is stopping other companies from doing so. In the absence of federal protections, some states are passing their own rules.

By Michael Scaturro

Oct. 30, 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

The Week in Brief

Healthcare Workers Have To Pay for Insurance, Too. And They’re Also Feeling the Pinch.

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

By Hayat Norimine

Sept. 25, 2026

A photo of a yard sign that reads, "NO on 3. End Missouri's abortion ban." The "NO" on the sign is in duct tape.

Abortion Is on the Ballot Again as Post-Roe Policies Continue To Evolve

Four states will vote on abortion-related ballot measures in November, marking the fourth time in five years that millions of Americans will weigh in on their states’ abortion rules. The measures follow the Supreme Court’s “Dobbs” decision, which upended federal abortion protections.

By Bram Sable-Smith and Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez

Sept. 25, 2026

A woman and man sit indoors in an office.

Priced Out

As Health Insurance Costs Soar, Healthcare Workers Also Feel the Pinch

Like many Americans, Joshua and Ashley Durham saw their health insurance premiums rise by hundreds of dollars a month this year. Despite being healthcare practitioners all too aware of the risks, they chose to go uninsured. Others, though, can’t afford to go without.

By Hayat Norimine

Sept. 22, 2026

A digital rendering of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria at the microscopic level.

Cyclospora Boosts Fears That Worse Foodborne Outbreaks Are Ahead

The recent outbreak of a foodborne parasite sickened thousands and hospitalized hundreds across the U.S. before federal investigators identified the suspected source. Food safety experts say cuts to the public health system hobbled the response — and that the next outbreak could be much worse.

By Kate Wells and Stephanie Armour

July 28, 2026

Two paramedics wheel a patient on stretcher from an ambulance through sliding doors into a hospital emergency room.

Data Grab

Trump Administration Demands Hospitals Share Emergency Room Records

The tiny federal agency that tracks consumer product safety is pressuring hospitals to turn over patient records from emergency room visits, including about injuries that have nothing to do with consumer products.

By Amanda Seitz, Maia Rosenfeld, and Darius Tahir

July 27, 2026

Rural Health Payout

Tracking State Rural Health Transformation Plans

KFF Health News is working to collect and post approved plans as more states respond to emails and public records requests for their documents.

By Arielle Zionts, Sarah Jane Tribble, and Lydia Zuraw

July 27, 2026

A night photograph of a billboard that shows an advertisement for ivermectin.

Tennessee Pharmacies Sell Potent Ivermectin, Led by Anti-Vaccine Doctor Who’s Taken ‘Bucketloads’

Four years after the Volunteer State enacted the nation’s first law allowing drugstores to sell ivermectin without patient-specific prescriptions, dozens of pharmacies dispense the drug in highly concentrated pills — many with the help of one anti-vaccine physician.

By Brett Kelman and Rachana Pradhan

June 17, 2026

A woman sits in a chair at a crisis pregnant center. The wall behind her has Biblical scripture written on it: "Come to me & I will give you rest." A TV monitor next to her shows a slide that reads, "Be a role model. What you do and say and how you act becomes what they want to be."

Religious Anti-Abortion Center Finds Opportunity in Town Without OB-GYNs

A crisis pregnancy center in Sandpoint, Idaho, wants to expand women’s healthcare three years after the labor and delivery unit at the town’s hospital closed and its OB-GYNs moved out of state.

By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez

May 20, 2026

A pregnant woman has her bump measured with tape by a midwife.

License To Deliver: Some Midwives Break the Law To Assist With Home Births

Some states bar professional midwives from attending home births if they don’t have a nursing license. Their advocates say laws to allow midwife licensing would make home birth safer and more accessible, plus help address a maternity care shortage.

By Lisa Rab

May 14, 2026

A doctor writes notes in an examination room while talking to a patient out of frame.

New Federal Medicaid Rules Require One Month of Work. Some States Demand More.

Starting next year, about 18.5 million adults will be subject to new Medicaid work rules in 42 states and Washington, D.C. Applicants must show they’ve been working for at least a month before receiving benefits. Some Republican-controlled states want to triple the required work period.

By Samantha Liss

April 16, 2026

A woman sitting on a couch indoors, appearing focused and concerned while looking at her smartphone.

States Face Another Challenge With Medicaid Work Rules: Staffing Shortages

Some states already don’t have enough staff to quickly process Medicaid applications and answer enrollees’ phone calls. Researchers say they may not be prepared to handle new Medicaid work rules, predicting people will lose coverage as a result.

By Sam Whitehead

April 9, 2026

A doula stands next to a young mother sitting in a chair draped with colorful fabric. She holds a young baby in her arms.

This Northern Cheyenne Doula Was About To Start Getting Paid — Then Medicaid Cuts Hit

Montana was on track to start reimbursing doulas, who support new and expectant parents, through Medicaid this year. But state officials halted that plan amid a budget shortfall. Other such services deemed optional under Medicaid are at risk nationwide as states brace for federal cuts.

By Katheryn Houghton

April 7, 2026

Two men sort racks of clothes in a Goodwill store.

Trump’s Cuts to Medicaid Threaten Services That Help Disabled People Live at Home

Iowa patient advocates say that in the face of federal Medicaid cuts, the state is quietly reducing in-home services that help people avoid being institutionalized. National groups are bracing for similar cuts elsewhere.

By Tony Leys

March 5, 2026

An older mother and father sit on a bed beside a smiling woman, laying down. The woman is living with a disability.

Families Defend Disability Services Amid Medicaid Cuts

Idaho is positioning to slash Medicaid funding as state lawmakers grapple with the effects of the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law last year. On the table are in-home care services.

By Bram Sable-Smith

March 2, 2026

A photo of a woman sitting in a chair from the shoulders down. She is taking her blood pressure.

Priced Out

Obamacare Sign-Ups Drop, but the Extent Won’t Be Clear for Months

Experts say Affordable Care Act sign-up data won’t be clear until people who were enrolled have paid — or haven't paid — their new, often much higher, premiums.

By Julie Appleby

Feb. 10, 2026

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