Latest KFF Health News Stories
She Owed Her Insurer a Nickel, So It Canceled Her Coverage
When medical bills started rolling in, a teacher’s aide in Florida wondered why her insurance suddenly wasn’t covering them. The answer? She owed a balance of 5 cents, so her insurer canceled her policy.
What the Health? From KFF Health News: A Headless CDC
The Trump administration this week missed a deadline to nominate a new director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Without a nominee, current acting Director Jay Bhattacharya — who is also the director of the National Institutes of Health — has to give up that title, leaving no one at the helm of […]
An Arm and a Leg: Steep Health Care Costs Steer Americans to Tough Decisions
Two Americans explain how the skyrocketing cost of health insurance influenced their decision to buy — or skip — health insurance in 2026.
Aunque tengas seguro dental, la factura puede ser muy alta
Una encuesta revela que 1 de cada 4 adultos con seguro dental reportó que el costo es una barrera para recibir atención.
Algunos adultos de mediana edad deciden posponer la atención médica hasta tener Medicare
Las personas con planes de ACA que están cerca de retirarse fueron de las más afectadas por los aumentos de precios luego de la suspensión de los subsidios federales mejorados, a finales de diciembre.
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.
Rising Health Costs Push Some Middle-Aged Adults To Skip the Doc Until Medicare
Adults ages 50 through 64 faced some of the steepest increases in out-of-pocket costs for Obamacare plans after a set of federal subsidies expired at the end of December. Some say they are putting off care or considering dropping health insurance coverage until Medicare picks up the bill.
In the Affordability Alphabet Soup of the ACA and EHBs, a Link to Higher Premiums Isn’t Clear-Cut
Get our weekly newsletter, The Week in Brief, featuring a roundup of our original coverage, Fridays at 2 p.m. ET.
Oz Escalates Medicaid Fraud Claims Against States After Focus on Minnesota
The Trump administration’s unprecedented actions targeting Medicaid funding in Minnesota are part of what could become a playbook as officials turn pressure toward California, Florida, Maine, and New York.
What the Health? From KFF Health News: RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Schedule Changes Blocked — For Now
A federal judge in Massachusetts this week sided with public health groups to block changes to the federally recommended schedule of childhood vaccines, dealing at least a temporary setback to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s efforts to remake the schedule. Meanwhile, Congress has put its debate over the future of the Affordable Care Act on the back burner, but the issue of rising health care costs is still front and center for the voting public. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF President and CEO Drew Altman to kick off a new series looking at health care solutions, called “How Would You Fix It?”
Many ACA Customers Are Paying Higher Premiums. Most Blame Trump and Republicans, Poll Finds.
A KFF poll offers insights into people’s insurance coverage decisions and how those choices could play into their vote in November’s midterm elections.
Watch: Affordability Plagues Health Care in Its Shift From Nonprofit to Profit Machine
On “What the Health? From KFF Health News,” distributed by WAMU, chief Washington correspondent and host Julie Rovner sat down with Drew Altman, president and CEO of KFF, to talk about the likelihood of a national health care debate.
Evidence Shows ACA’s Mandated Benefits Alone Don’t Drive Up Costs. The Debate Continues.
The Affordable Care Act put in place a package of benefits that health insurance plans must cover. Critics contend this mandate has jacked up premiums. Evidence supporting that claim is mixed.
Psiquiatras podrían adoptar biomarcadores en el diagnóstico de la salud mental
En un documento de enero, la Asociación Americana de Psiquiatría incluyó ideas sobre cómo podría incorporar biomarcadores —indicadores biológicos de enfermedad mental que pueden aparecer en pruebas diagnósticas— en futuras versiones de su Manual Diagnóstico y Estadístico de los Trastornos Mentales.
Psychiatrists’ Use of Biomarkers Could Open a New Window Into Mental Health Diagnoses
The world’s largest professional psychiatry organization is preparing for the day when biological indicators can help diagnose and treat mental illness.
La Junta de Supervisores del condado aprobó la propuesta en febrero para incluirla en la boleta de las elecciones primarias del 2 de junio.
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.
Cada año millones de pacientes enfrentan negativas a través del proceso de autorización previa, que exige que sus doctores obtengan aprobación anticipada de las aseguradoras antes de continuar con la atención médica.
Journalists Talk Medicaid Work Mandate in Georgia and Wage Garnishment Bill in Colorado
KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Families Scramble To Pay Five-Figure Bills as Clock Ticks on Promised Preauthorization Reforms
Last summer, the Trump administration announced a voluntary pledge by health insurers to reform prior authorization, which often requires patients or their doctors to seek preapproval from insurers before proceeding with medical care. Patient advocates and medical providers remain skeptical.
