HHS Archives - Page 8 of 28

Trump Further Politicizes Science

Episode 410

Aug. 14, 2025

President Donald Trump’s latest executive order about science and medicine seeks to take funding decisions out of the hands of career scientists and give them to political appointees instead. And a gunman, reportedly disgruntled over covid vaccines, shoots at the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, killing a law enforcement officer. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Aaron Carroll, president and CEO of the health services research group AcademyHealth, about how to restore the public’s trust in public health.

Listen Now

A photo of someone holding a pack of chicken legs at a grocery store.

Listen: Regulatory Rollbacks and Federal Layoffs Threaten America’s Food Supply

The Trump administration’s anti-regulatory approach and cost-cutting moves risk unraveling the system of checks and balances that helps ensure the safety of the U.S. food supply, say consumer advocates and former employees of the FDA and Department of Agriculture.

By Stephanie Armour

Aug. 11, 2025

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Kennedy Cancels Vaccine Funding

Episode 409

Aug. 7, 2025

The Health and Human Services secretary is winding down nearly $500 million in mRNA research funding, citing false claims that the technology is ineffective against respiratory illnesses — and notching a victory for critics of the covid vaccines. And President Donald Trump is demanding drugmakers drop their prices, quickly, but it’s unclear how he could make them comply. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more.

Listen Now

A photo of three medical workers in surgical garb treating a patient in front of an MRI machine.

Patient Numbers at NIH Hospital Have Plummeted Under Trump, Jeopardizing Care

The renowned research hospital that cares for people with rare or life-threatening diseases has been pummeled by an employee exodus and the gutting of research, both driven by the Trump administration.

By Rachana Pradhan

Aug. 7, 2025

A close-cropped shot of a doctor wearing blue gloves giving second adhesive bandage to a young woman after administering vaccines.

Sorting Out Covid Vaccine Confusion: New and Conflicting Federal Policies Raise Questions

Should you get vaccinated? Will your insurer pay for it? And will you still be able to find a vaccine? KFF Health News tries to sort out where things stand.

By Michelle Andrews

Aug. 4, 2025

A lawn sign near a sidewalk reads, "support federal workers."

Deep Staff Cuts at a Little-Known Federal Agency Pose Trouble for Droves of Local Health Programs

The workforce of a federal agency that oversees billions in grants for primary health care, HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health services, and workforce training has been slashed, sparking fears of what’s to come.

By Sarah Jane Tribble and Henry Larweh

Aug. 1, 2025

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Next on Kennedy’s List? Preventive Care and Vaccine Harm

Episode 408

July 31, 2025

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of Health and Human Services, is eyeing an overhaul of two more key entities as part of his ongoing effort to reshape health policy. And President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week that would enable localities to force some homeless people into residential treatment. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Shefali Luthra of The 19th join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also, Rovner interviews Sara Rosenbaum, one of the nation’s leading experts on Medicaid, to mark Medicaid’s 60th anniversary this week.

Listen Now

Letters to the Editor

Readers Weigh In on Making American Health Care Affordable Again

KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.

July 31, 2025

A photo of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaking in front of a building. Two microphones are seen next to him.

Chronically Ill? In Kennedy’s View, It Might Be Your Own Fault

In their zeal to “Make America Healthy Again,” top Trump administration officials depict patients and the doctors who treat them as partly responsible for whatever ails them.

By Stephanie Armour

July 31, 2025

A photo of the front of a research building. A sign on the front reads, "National Cancer Institute."

Listen: Some Scientists Speak Out on Deep Cuts to National Cancer Institute, While Others Flee

The U.S. has made enormous progress reducing cancer mortality since the 1990s, partly due to significant investment in research at the National Cancer Institute. But scientists say the Trump administration has been hollowing out the agency in its push to dramatically shrink the federal government.

By Rachana Pradhan

July 25, 2025

Alcohol pads, syringes, vaccines, and bandages lie on a tray at a pediatrician's office

Fearing Medicaid Coverage Loss, Some Parents Rush To Vaccinate Their Kids

Worried parents are hurrying to get their children vaccinated, fearing future federal policy changes will limit access to free immunizations. Pediatricians worry that any changes to the childhood vaccine schedule will leave families without affordable options for essential shots.

By Jackie Fortiér

July 25, 2025

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Here Come the ACA Premium Hikes

Episode 407

July 24, 2025

Medicaid may have monopolized Washington’s attention lately, but big changes are coming to the Affordable Care Act as well. Meanwhile, Americans are learning more about what’s in Trump’s big budget law, and polls suggest many don’t like what they see. Julie Appleby of KFF Health News, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews historian Jonathan Oberlander to mark Medicare’s 60th anniversary.

Listen Now

A photo of a Black woman posing for a portrait in the produce section of her grocery store. A sign behind her bears the store's name: A Better Way Grocers.

Cuts to Food Benefits Stand in the Way of RFK Jr.’s Goals for a Healthier National Diet

The Trump administration has said improving American nutrition is a priority, but deep cuts to federal food assistance could lead people to forgo healthy food in favor of cheaper alternatives.

By Renuka Rayasam

July 22, 2025

What the Health? From KFF Health News

The Senate Saves PEPFAR Funding — For Now

Episode 406

July 17, 2025

The Senate narrowly approved the Trump administration’s request to claw back about $9 billion for foreign aid and public broadcasting but refused to cut funding for the international AIDS/HIV program PEPFAR. Meanwhile, a federal appeals court ruled that West Virginia can ban the abortion pill mifepristone, which could allow states to block other FDA-approved drugs. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.

Listen Now

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaking in a House of Representatives hearing room. He is also seen on a screen behind him broadcasting the hearing.

Vested Interests. Influence Muscle. At RFK Jr.’s HHS, It’s Not Pharma. It’s Wellness.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. lambasted federal agencies he accused of being overly influenced by the pharmaceutical industry. But he and other “Make America Healthy Again” notables have their own financial ties to the vast and largely unregulated $6.3 trillion global wellness industry that ethicists say raise red flags.

By Stephanie Armour

July 14, 2025

The Week in Brief

Trump Team’s Actions on Health Policy Clash With Its ‘MAHA Report’

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

By David Hilzenrath

July 11, 2025

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Digesting Trump’s Big Budget Law

Episode 405

July 10, 2025

President Donald Trump’s big budget bill became his big budget law on July 4, codifying about $1 trillion in cuts to the Medicaid program. But the law includes many less-publicized provisions that could reshape the way the nation pays for and receives health care. Meanwhile, at the Department of Health and Human Services, uncertainty reigns as both staff and outside recipients of federal funds face cuts. Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Bloomberg News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Julie Appleby, who reported the latest KFF Health News’ “Bill of the Month” feature, about some very pricey childhood immunizations.

Listen Now

A man stands before a room of seated construction workers wearing high-vis clothing and hard hats.

Workplace Mental Health at Risk as Key Federal Agency Faces Cuts

Efforts to decrease alarmingly high rates of suicide among construction workers and prevent burnout in health care workers are in jeopardy after the firing of hundreds of employees at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

By Aneri Pattani

July 8, 2025

A photo of a White House event with three people sitting at the end of the table: Brooke Rollins, Donald Trump, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

‘MAHA Report’ Calls for Fighting Chronic Disease, but Trump and Kennedy Have Yanked Funding

Scientists and public health advocates see disconnects between what the Trump administration says about health — notably, in its “MAHA Report” — and what it’s actually doing.

By David Hilzenrath

July 2, 2025

An outside view of the University of Michigan Hospital, a tan building with a large M on the outside

Feds Investigate Hospitals Over Religious Exemptions From Gender-Affirming Care

Federal health officials are investigating claims that a Michigan health system fired an employee who sought a religious exemption to avoid calling transgender patients by their pronouns or referring them for gender-affirming care. Legal experts say the investigation escalates the Trump administration’s effort to curb medical care for transgender patients.

By Kate Wells, Michigan Public

July 1, 2025

Trump 2.0

Public Health

Audio Reports

Special Reports

More Topics

HHS