Healthcare Costs Archives - KFF Health News

Early Voting Begins

Episode 467

Oct. 15, 2026

As early voting begins in some states, the Trump administration is working to keep its crackdown on healthcare fraud, waste, and abuse in the headlines. Also, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has unveiled a new initiative to identify vaccine injuries. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Sandhya Raman of Bloomberg Law, and Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Sun join KFF Health News’ Mary Agnes Carey to discuss these stories and more. Also, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews Dan Weissmann, host of the podcast “An Arm and a Leg.”

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A woman with brown hair, wearing a green shirt, sits at a table in a park

Hidden Help

What Texas Reveals About the Obstacles to Getting Hospital Financial Aid

Hospitals can prevent medical debt by offering financial help before sending big bills. A Tradeoffs investigation found that nearly half of nonprofit facilities in Texas say they will bill patients before screening them for aid. And most will not offer refunds to patients who pay and are later found to qualify for free care.

By Melanie Evans, Tradeoffs

Oct. 15, 2026

Hidden Help

7 Takeaways From an Investigation Into Financial Aid at Texas Hospitals

Hospitals can prevent medical debt by preemptively wiping out a patient’s bill. But a Tradeoffs analysis finds that few nonprofit facilities in Texas use this tool to the maximum benefit of patients.

By Melanie Evans, Tradeoffs, Jo Craven McGinty, Tradeoffs, and Ryan Levi, Tradeoffs

Oct. 15, 2026

A stack of 100-dollar-bills and a stethoscope rest on top of a California resident tax sheet.

California’s Billionaire Tax Promises Healthcare Relief. The Fine Print Is Murkier.

An initiative on the California ballot would levy the nation’s first wealth tax on billionaires. Supporters say the proceeds would help offset President Donald Trump’s sweeping healthcare cuts. But critics argue that the temporary infusion of cash is a giveaway to politicians.

By Jackie Fortiér

Oct. 14, 2026

KFF Health News On Air

Journalists Go Behind Health Headlines From Georgia, Michigan, and Russia

KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national and local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

Oct. 10, 2026

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Midterm Madness

Episode 466

Oct. 8, 2026

A new KFF poll suggests that health costs are still a top concern for voters and that Democrats have the edge over Republicans on the issue. And in an apparent attempt to close the gap, President Donald Trump is sending checks to millions of Medicare and Affordable Care Act enrollees. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Sun join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also, Rovner interviews Michelle Andrews, who wrote the latest KFF Health News “Bill of the Month.”

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A photo of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Abdul El-Sayed, and Bernie Sanders on stage at a rally. The three are holding hands with their arms raised.

News analysis

‘Medicare for All’ Is Back. Now Comes the Hard Part.

At a time when more than 100 million Americans carry medical debt, it’s easy to get behind a promise of free, or free-ish, no-hassle health care. But turning an inspirational slogan into law gets gnarly.

By Elisabeth Rosenthal

Oct. 8, 2026

A doctor in a white coat with a stethoscope stands in front of a staircase and a sign that reads "Monrovia Health Center"

Hidden Help

Medical Debt Is Crushing Hospital Patients in Los Angeles. Health Officials May Have a Fix.

In Los Angeles County, the nation’s most populous, a new system could screen hospital patients for financial aid, preventing hundreds of thousands from getting bills they can’t pay.

By Noam N. Levey

Oct. 8, 2026

A photo of Christina Starks-Clay standing outside on a sunny day. She is leaning against a tree.

‘Medicare for All’ Message Attracts Voters Buckling Under Medical Bills

The idea of scrapping the U.S. health insurance system for a massive expansion of government-funded healthcare isn’t new. But voters hit by ballooning private health insurance costs are rallying behind midterm candidates calling for universal coverage.

By Kate Wells

Oct. 7, 2026

An Arm and a Leg

Medicare Is More Broken Than We Thought

Season 16, Episode 2

Oct. 5, 2026

At least 2 million seniors will receive notice this fall that their Medicare Advantage plans will disappear at year’s end, some without a comparable alternative. Here’s a look at this increasingly common problem with Medicare Advantage, and what it says about Medicare as a whole.

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Plastic lawn signs that say "Health Care Is A Human Right" line a sidewalk. In the background, a tent with information about Oregon Healthcare For All is visible.

Midterms Have Revived Universal Healthcare Debate. These States Are Ahead of Everyone.

While Democratic congressional candidates are floating the restoration of federal Affordable Care Act subsidies and Medicaid funding, Oregon officials are crafting a more ambitious plan to implement universal coverage in their state.

By Markian Hawryluk

Oct. 2, 2026

What the Health? From KFF Health News

The MAHA Metamorphosis

Episode 465

Oct. 1, 2026

The Make America Healthy Again movement held a shindig in Washington, D.C., this week. But rather than moms arguing to get chemicals out of their kids’ food, the room was full of Trump administration officials and industry representatives looking to promote health-related products. Meanwhile, the administration for the second year in a row is refusing to spend money Congress appropriated. Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Rachana Pradhan of KFF Health News, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also, Rovner interviews Aaron Carroll of AcademyHealth.

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A human-made, hand-drawn illustration of a woman holding her hands up to a floating, disintegrating hospital bill that has been pressed with a stamp that says "PAID."

Hidden Help

Hospitals Have a Little-Known Tool To Prevent Medical Debt. Here’s How It Works.

Getting financial assistance from hospitals often involves filling out cumbersome forms. Some states now require hospitals to identify and automatically enroll patients eligible for charity care.

By Melanie Evans, Tradeoffs and Oona Zenda

Oct. 1, 2026

A man stands in front of an altar inside a church.

Rural MAHA Followers Say Trump Health Policies Haven’t Reached Their Communities

President Donald Trump has championed sprawling health policy changes under the Make America Healthy Again movement, but a KFF-Associated Press survey of rural voters found people aren’t seeing the initiatives reach their communities.

By Ali Swenson, The Associated Press, Sarah Jane Tribble, and Linley Sanders, The Associated Press

Sept. 30, 2026

A senior woman is lying on her back in bed and looking up at the camera.

Memory Gaps

Drugs Are Widely Used To Sedate Dementia Patients. Her Sons Wanted To Keep Her Off Them.

Potent sedating medications are often used on agitated people with dementia in long-term care facilities despite federal efforts to discourage their use. A clash over whether to drug a Michigan woman illuminates the wrenching decisions families and guardians face.

By Jordan Rau

Sept. 30, 2026

A woman sits at a table for a portrait, holding a copy of her medical bill.

Bill of the Month

She Left After Waiting Hours in the Emergency Room. The ER Billed Her Anyway.

Autumn Daniels went to the hospital with a severe migraine. After four hours in the waiting room, she left to try a different facility — but the ER still charged her.

By Michelle Andrews

Sept. 29, 2026

A photo of Rep. Mary Caferro speaking at a podium. Behind her stand several women holding signs that read, "Keep the care in healthcare," and "Medicaid saves lives. Hands off Medicaid."

Confusion and Angst Follow State’s Early Rollout of Medicaid Work Rules

In most states, people with Medicaid coverage will have to prove they’re working, volunteering, or studying starting Jan. 1. But Montana put the rules into effect early, and they’re sowing uncertainty and anxiety.

By Aaron Bolton, MTPR

Sept. 29, 2026

A photo of a couple seated at a table. Amye Joseph holds a piece of paper.

Common Ground

Republicans and Democrats Find a Unifying Target: Pharmacy Benefit Managers

Some states have considered barring companies that own a PBM from also owning brick-and-mortar pharmacies, as CVS does. Two states have followed through. A similar proposal at the federal level has gained prominent sponsors, aligning conservative, business-friendly Republicans with Democrats traditionally more open to government regulation.

By Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio

Sept. 28, 2026

The Week in Brief

Healthcare Workers Have To Pay for Insurance, Too. And They’re Also Feeling the Pinch.

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

By Hayat Norimine

Sept. 25, 2026

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Healthcare a Vague but Potent Issue for Election 2026

Episode 464

Sept. 24, 2026

Healthcare in general, and health costs in particular, are a top issue for voters in 2026. But it remains unclear exactly how voters want lawmakers to fix the problem. Meanwhile, the Trump administration doubled down on its fraud-fighting efforts. Tami Luhby of CNN, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Sarah Jane Tribble of KFF Health News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.

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