Budget-Strapped Montana Will Stress-Test Trump’s Medicaid Work Rules
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After Her Bout of Amnesia, a $59,000 Billing Dispute Wouldn’t Go Away
Last spring, a woman started exhibiting unusual memory problems after a hike in Arizona. It turns out she was experiencing a disorder called transient global amnesia. She has fully recovered, but a dispute over nearly $60,000 in hospital charges has been a source of stress for over a year.
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A Trump Stronghold Grapples With Health Risks of ICE Detention Sites
Several rural communities were thrust into a charged national debate over the Trump administration’s mass deportation strategy when federal officials sought to place new detention centers in them. In Social Circle, Georgia, locals fear the effort will overburden its modest healthcare infrastructure.
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More Kids Without Coverage
When Republicans passed their big budget bill in 2025, they thought the effects of cuts to health programs wouldn’t show up until after the 2026 midterms. They were wrong. Meanwhile, the party is trumpeting its efforts to lower drug prices. Maya Goldman of Axios, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner discusses Ebola with KFF Health News’ Céline Gounder.
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In a Vaccine-Skeptical California County, a Potential Playbook To Contain Measles
Conservative Shasta County stopped a measles outbreak from spreading, enlisting teachers, church leaders, and other trusted community members to get the public on board with health guidelines. Infectious disease specialists say the successful effort could be a guide for other communities struggling to contain the highly contagious virus.
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Listen to the Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’
The “KFF Health News Minute” brings original health care and health policy reporting from our newsroom to the airwaves each week.
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Nurse Convicted in Patient’s Death Turns Fatal Drug Error Into a Cautionary Tale
RaDonda Vaught was convicted of negligent homicide for accidentally dispensing a deadly drug to a patient. She now gives speeches about hospital safety in an era of automation and artificial intelligence.
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Montana Hurries To Adopt Trump’s Medicaid Work Rules Amid Budget Woes
The state is ramping up to implement the federal work requirements six months ahead of the deadline. But Montana is one of several states already struggling to pay for health services.
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Readers Address Drugged Driving, Suicide Prevention, Worker Shortages
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
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Listen to the Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’
The “KFF Health News Minute” brings original health care and health policy reporting from our newsroom to the airwaves each week.
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Cheaper, Alternative Health Plans Are Having a Moment, but Critics Urge Caution
Congress’ decision not to extend enhanced marketplace tax credits has boosted the appeal of alternative health coverage with lower monthly premiums. Consumer advocates dismiss the plans as “junk insurance,” while proponents say patients need alternatives to pricey marketplace options.
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Journalists Distill News on Ebola, Licensing Midwives, and California’s Budget
KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national or local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
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Trump Bought Stock in Eli Lilly as His Policies Gave the Drugmaker a Big Boost, Documents Show
Get our weekly newsletter, The Week in Brief, featuring a roundup of our original coverage, Fridays at 2 p.m. ET.
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3 Medical Routines That Older People May Not Need
Some screenings and treatments no longer make sense for patients as they age. Researchers have just added a few more to the list.
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Trump’s $50B Rural Health Bet Meets a Healthcare Desert in North Carolina
Republicans promise that $50 billion in new health funding will help rural America. But it’s not expected to aid the years-long effort in North Carolina’s Martin County to reopen its only hospital.
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Sen. Cassidy Unleashed
In the days after losing his reelection bid in Louisiana, Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy is already signaling that his loyalty to President Trump has waned. But how much Cassidy will try to accomplish toward his health agenda in his last months in office remains to be seen. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss this story and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews health policy professor Miranda Yaver, the author of a new book about health insurance denials.
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ICE Arrests Are Separating Families. Here’s How To Plan Ahead.
As immigration authorities carry out President Donald Trump’s promise to conduct what’s billed as the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history, several states are passing laws to protect the children of detained immigrants. Guardianship can become complicated when no family or friends are available to take temporary custody.
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Colorado Charts Its Own Course on Vaccines Amid Federal Pullback
Doctors, lawmakers, and other advocates are joining forces to promote recommended childhood vaccines.
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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.
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What the Health? From KFF Health News
Watch: The Tug-of-War Over Taxpayer Dollars
Podcast host Julie Rovner chats with Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a top Democrat on health issues, about President Donald Trump’s stewardship of federal spending and the effectiveness of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
