Readers Curse Medical Debt and Defend Spelling Therapy
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Healthcare Costs
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Democrats Seek To Spotlight Rising Health Costs by Forcing Vote on Trump Regulation
Congressional Democrats are seeking to overturn a Trump administration rule they say will hamper Obamacare coverage. Whether they win or lose any floor vote, they’ll likely use it in campaign messaging ahead of the midterms.
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Long-Awaited Rule Aims To Boost ACA Choices While Embracing Higher Deductibles
The Trump administration finalized a rule that embraces new types of Obamacare coverage, including 30% higher out-of-pocket costs for some plans, and a more novel approach that allows insurers to offer coverage without set networks of doctors and hospitals.
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They’re Uninsured After Obamacare Became Too Costly. And They’re Far From Alone.
After congressional Republicans let expanded subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans expire at the end of last year, some families have decided the price is too great of a financial burden and canceled their coverage.
By Andrew Jones -
Final Rules for Medicaid Work Requirements Are Out. Here’s What You Need To Know.
The Trump administration has laid out what millions of Americans on Medicaid must do to prove they’re working or completing other activities. Health policy researchers and consumer advocates say there are some important takeaways.
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1 in 4 Covered California Enrollees Could Get State Aid Under Newsom Proposal
California is considering expanding financial help for low-income residents struggling to pay high health insurance premiums after losing federal subsidies. But relief for state marketplace customers will be limited. Here’s who may get help and what it could mean for premiums.
By Christine Mai-Duc and Jackie Fortiér The Drip, Drip, Drip of Declining Coverage
Episode 450As predicted, the expiration of enhanced tax subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans is causing many people to lose coverage for failing to make premium payments. Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. responded angrily to a New York Times article suggesting he’s not actively engaged in the work of his sprawling department. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Lizzy Lawrence of Stat, and Sandhya Raman of Bloomberg Law join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF’s Tricia Neuman, who is retiring this month as a senior vice president and the executive director of the Program on Medicare Policy.
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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 -
Upcoming Billing Change Could Make Pregnancy Pricier
Come January, pregnancy care physician billing codes will change from a bundled system to an à la carte one. Many obstetricians say this approach will better reflect the amount and type of care they provide. But it could incentivize providers to pile on visits and services.
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Louisiana’s Reporting Law Chills Immigrant Medicaid Applications
A year after the measure’s passage, a state law is keeping immigrants and their children from accessing Medicaid even when they qualify.
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Telehealth Booms as Demand for GLP-1s Surges and Questions Mount About Safety, Oversight
Many telehealth companies have emerged in recent years offering easy access to GLP-1 weight loss drugs as demand has exploded. Meanwhile, researchers and doctors are concerned that some of these online companies aren't properly screening or monitoring patients. “It gives a black eye to telemedicine,” one researcher said.
By Lauren Sausser and Maia Rosenfeld -
Baffling. Frustrating. Frightening. What It’s Like To Be Sued Over Medical Debt.
Patients’ experiences encapsulate breakdowns in a healthcare system that traps patients in debt. The industry’s key players blame one another.
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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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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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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.
By Sarah Kwon -
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.
By Julie Rovner and Hannah Norman -
Eroding ACA Enrollment Portends Higher Insurance Rates
An uptick in people skipping Obamacare premium payments in many states suggests the Affordable Care Act’s rising costs — driven partly by lower subsidies to help people buy plans — are hitting home for 2026 enrollees. The trend adds to voter concerns about affordability ahead of the midterm elections.
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Kids Keep Getting Stuck in Hospitals, Even After Being Cleared for Discharge
Some children are healthy enough to leave the hospital after a medical stay but have no place to go. Across the country, the practice of allowing children to remain hospitalized “beyond medical necessity” has become a costly problem, and states have struggled to address the issue.
By Cara Anthony -
Minnesota Lawmaker Proposes Using Hospital Tax To Fill Charity Care Gap
A Minnesota Star Tribune-KFF Health News investigation found charity care at hospitals in the state is offered at low and arbitrary levels, prompting Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to say, “There is more work in front of us.”
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License To Deliver: Some Midwives Break the Law To Assist With Home Births
Some states bar professional midwives from attending home births if they don’t have a nursing license. Their advocates say laws to allow midwife licensing would make home birth safer and more accessible, plus help address a maternity care shortage.
By Lisa Rab