Health Care Helpline
Health Care Helpline helps you navigate the hurdles between you and good care. This crowdsourced project is from NPR and KFF Health News.
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HealthQ
HealthQ is a health series from reporters Cara Anthony and Blake Farmer, approachable guides to an unapproachable health care system. It’s a collaboration between Nashville Public Radio and KFF Health News.
Our Podcasts
Listen to KFF Health News’ ongoing and completed podcasts.
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Listen to the Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’
The "KFF Health News Minute" brings original healthcare and health policy reporting from our newsroom to the airwaves each week.
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Could Your Kid Benefit From Counseling? Experts Offer 3 Questions To Help You Decide
Anxious kids can benefit from counseling, but therapy demands a commitment of money and time. Therapists recommend using three criteria to help determine when challenging behavior rises to the level of needing professional help.
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Millions of Kids Could Lose Insurance as GOP Healthcare Cuts Start To Bite
Big cuts to healthcare programs in the 2025 GOP budget law are creating an affordability crunch for many Americans: Higher health insurance premiums. Confusion about who Medicaid will cover under the new rules. KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner explains how the changes could leave nearly 2 million children uninsured.
By Julie Rovner -
Focused on Work, Needed at Home: A Federal Caregiving Policy Might Help
The Family and Medical Leave Act gives eligible employees up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave for caregiving. But the federal policy has noteworthy limitations. The HealthQ team explains.
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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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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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Listen: A Federal Agency Is After Workers’ Health Data, and Critics Are Alarmed
The Trump administration is seeking unprecedented access to medical records of federal workers and retirees, and their families. The data could be used to implement cost-saving measures, but it would also give the administration access to reams of personal information. Legal experts and insurers say the pursuit is overbroad.
By Amanda Seitz -
Listen: Cheap Health Insurance Isn’t Always Cheap
Across the country, people are choosing lower monthly premiums in exchange for higher out-of-pocket risk. Reporter Jackie Fortiér explains what the shift means for Americans’ health and wallets.
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Listen: With Little Federal Regulation, States Are Left To Shape the Rules on AI in Health Care
As artificial intelligence embeds itself into health care, some physicians and patient advocates worry it could be used by insurance companies to refuse payment for care. Maryland passed one law banning AI from acting alone on a denial. Meanwhile, Virginia’s then-governor vetoed that state’s attempt at regulating AI in health insurance.
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Rural Nebraska Dialysis Unit Closes Despite the State’s $219M in Rural Health Funding
A rural Nebraska dialysis unit that was hemorrhaging money closed, upending patients’ lives. That’s despite a federal rural health program that granted the state more than $200 million this year to improve health care in rural communities.
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How To Make a High-Deductible Health Plan Work for You
Lower premiums often mean higher costs when you get sick and need care. Among the ways to plan ahead and soften the financial hit: health savings accounts, which act like a medical piggy bank.
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Can I Opt Out of Having My Doctor Take Notes With AI?
Your doctor might ask to have an AI tool listen during your next appointment. If you opt in, you will likely get more of your doctor’s attention. But the technology is not perfect. Here’s what to know.
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Listen: What the Vaccine Schedule Whiplash Means for Your Kids
Big swings in federal vaccine policy are giving some parents and clinicians whiplash. KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner appeared on WAMU’s “Health Hub” to break down the latest developments and their relation to growing cases of vaccine-preventable illnesses in the Washington, D.C., region.
By Julie Rovner -
Taking a GLP-1? Doctors Say Not To Forget About Movement and Mental Health
So you’ve decided to go on a GLP-1 to lose weight. These medicines might seem like an easy way to drop unwanted pounds, but you’ll likely need to do a few other things to be successful long-term.
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Even With Dental Insurance, You Still Could Face a Large Bill
Costs keep many Americans, even those with insurance, from getting dental care. Understanding how dental insurance works and leaning into preventive care can help keep dental problems — and bills — manageable.
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Listen: Trump’s NIH ‘Reset’ Is Driving Away Scientists
In President Donald Trump’s second term, federal data shows, the National Institutes of Health has lost about 4,400 workers. Scientists say the departures harm the nation’s ability to respond to disease outbreaks, develop treatments, and confront public health problems. KFF Health News spoke with six scientists about why they left.
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Is It Worth Your Time and Money To Set Up an HSA?
If you have a high-deductible health insurance plan, you’re probably eligible to use a health savings account. It can be an administrative headache, but it can save you money in the long run. Here’s what you need to know.
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Six Federal Scientists Run Out by Trump Talk About the Work Left Undone
Cancer treatments, disease outbreaks, addiction science: Scientists say an exodus from the National Institutes of Health will harm the nation's ability to respond to illness.
By Rachana Pradhan and Katheryn Houghton -
The People — And Research — Lost in the NIH Exodus
Government data shows the National Institutes of Health lost about 4,400 people — more than 20% of its staff — as the Trump administration slashed the federal workforce. Hear from six scientists on why they walked out the door and the work they left behind.
By Rachana Pradhan and Katheryn Houghton -
As ICE Moved In, Minnesotans Set Up a Shadow Medical System. It’s a Lesson for Other Cities.
President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis forced families into hiding and catalyzed informal medical networks to deliver critical health care services.
By Arthur Allen and Kate Wells