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Latest KFF Health News Stories

Lawmakers, Health Groups Resist Their States’ Rural Health Fund Plans

KFF Health News Original

Some Republican state lawmakers and state health associations are pushing back against spending plans under the Trump administration’s $50 billion federal rural health fund. Federal administrators already approved states’ plans, but in many cases, state lawmakers must greenlight spending.

Federal Aid for Lead Cleanup Is Receding. That’s a Problem for Cash-Strapped Cities.

KFF Health News Original

Congress and the Trump administration are rolling back some lead remediation resources. Case studies of two cities and a state that faced lead contamination problems could give cash-strapped cities ideas of how to address such pollution themselves.

Families Defend Disability Services Amid Medicaid Cuts

KFF Health News Original

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.

Medicaid Is Paying for More Dental Care. GOP Cuts Threaten To Reverse the Trend.

KFF Health News Original

More than three dozen states cover dental services for low-income and disabled individuals on Medicaid, in recognition of such care’s importance to overall health. But with about $900 billion in funding cuts expected to hit states over the next decade, many programs could roll back dental coverage.

To Avoid Care Disruptions, Know When the Clock Runs Out on Your Prior Authorization

KFF Health News Original

A Massachusetts woman knew the medicine her doctor prescribed required preauthorization, but she didn’t realize the approval had an expiration date. It took nearly three weeks of phone calls and paperwork to get her prescription refilled.

He Needs an Expensive Drug. A Copay Card Helped — Until It Didn’t.

KFF Health News Original

Diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, a California man was prescribed a drug that costs thousands of dollars a month. He said he was reassured that the drugmaker’s copay card would cover his share, but after two months, the card was empty.

What the Health? From KFF Health News: What About the State of Health?

Podcast

Health care got barely a mention in President Trump’s State of the Union address. Ahead of the midterms, the Trump administration has presented few concrete plans to address what Americans say is the biggest problem with health care: its skyrocketing costs. Meanwhile, Trump’s pick for surgeon general, Casey Means, got her long-delayed nomination hearing in the Senate, where she faced skeptical questions from Democrats and Republicans alike. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.

‘You Aren’t Trapped’: Hundreds of US Nurses Choose Canada Over Trump’s America

KFF Health News Original

More than 1,000 American nurses have successfully applied for licensure in British Columbia since April, a massive increase over prior years. Ontario and Alberta have also seen more interest from Americans.

‘Kind of Morbid’: Health Premiums Threaten Their Nest Egg. A Terminal Diagnosis May Spare It.

KFF Health News Original

Chaz and Jean Franklin were facing a sevenfold increase in their health premium payments with the expiration of enhanced federal subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans at the end of 2025. Then Jean received a crushing diagnosis that will claim her life but save the couple money.

Democrats Decry Meager Medical Care for Detainees in Funding Fight

KFF Health News Original

A growing body of evidence indicates that immigrants in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement face medical consequences because of serious gaps in basic health care services. It’s adding to the political backlash against the Trump administration’s aggressive deportation policies.

En batalla por fondos, demócratas denuncian falta de atención médica para detenidos por el ICE

KFF Health News Original

El esfuerzo de deportación masiva del presidente Donald Trump ha llevado a un número récord de inmigrantes detenidos en centros federales, cárceles locales y prisiones privadas. La situación pone en riesgo la salud de los detenidos.

As More Americans Embrace Anxiety Treatment, MAHA Derides Medications

KFF Health News Original

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized the broadening use of anxiety medications, claiming they’re harmful. Doctors and researchers say the MAHA movement is misrepresenting drugs that have been proved to safely treat chronic anxiety and point to broader social changes to explain their increased use.

New Orleans Brings Back the House Call, Sending Nurses To Visit Newborns and Moms

KFF Health News Original

Louisiana is one of the worst-performing states when it comes to health outcomes of mothers and infants. New Orleans is trying to catch health issues early and get families off to an easier start by adding health visits during the crucial first months of life.