Healthcare Costs Archives - Page 6 of 94

New Year, Same Health Fight

Episode 428

Jan. 8, 2026

Congress returned from its break facing a familiar question: whether to extend the expanded subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans that expired at the end of 2025. Meanwhile, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. broke a promise to Bill Cassidy, the chairman of Senate health committee, by overhauling the federal government’s childhood vaccine schedule to reduce the number of diseases for which vaccines will be recommended. Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.

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A photo of a historic downtown area of Auburn, California. Old buildings are seen alongside trees. A rotunda is seen on top of a tall building in the background.

On the Hook for Uninsured Residents, Counties Now Wonder How They’ll Pay

Millions of people gained health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, reducing pressure on counties in states that fund care for the uninsured. With federal policies expected to reverse that trend, county officials wonder how they will fill the gap — and who will pay for it.

By Christine Mai-Duc and Claudia Boyd-Barrett

Jan. 6, 2026

Health Care Helpline

To Knock Down Health-System Hurdles Between You and HIV Prevention, Try These 6 Things

It’s been more than 10 years since the FDA first approved an HIV prevention drug. Today, people who could benefit from preexposure prophylaxis often struggle to access the lifesaving medicine or run into doctors without the education or empathy to offer affirming care. And those lapses can produce billing headaches.

By Zach Dyer

Jan. 5, 2026

A mother holds her 3-year-old daughter in her arms on their porch. The daughter is wearing a big smile.

It’s the ‘Gold Standard’ in Autism Care. Why Are States Reining It In?

States facing yawning budget shortfalls have begun cutting Medicaid reimbursements for a wide variety of services. In some states, dramatic cuts are targeting therapies that many families of autistic people say are essential to caring for their loved ones.

By Bram Sable-Smith and Andrew Jones

Dec. 23, 2025

BILL OF THE MONTH

Medical Bills Can Be Vexing and Perplexing. Here’s This Year’s Best Advice for Patients.

As the crowdsourced investigative series from KFF Health News approaches its eighth anniversary, “Bill of the Month” offers its top takeaways of 2025 to help patients manage, decipher, and even fight their medical bills.

By Emmarie Huetteman

Dec. 23, 2025

An Arm and a Leg

A Few More Good Things From 2025

Season 14, Episode 6

Dec. 23, 2025

"An Arm and a Leg" looks back on state laws passed in 2025 aimed at removing medical debts from credit reports and reining in corporate influence on medicine.

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The Week in Brief

State Exchange Directors Seeing Consumers’ Fears — In Real Time — About Obamacare Premium Hikes

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

By Julie Appleby

Dec. 19, 2025

A vector illustration of a hand holding a phone with a credit score on the screen. A white outline of the the United States on a gray background is behind the hand and phone.

States Advance Medical Debt Protections as Federal Support Turns to Opposition

Federal officials reversed their stance on medical debt credit reporting, then came a lawsuit in Colorado. As lawmakers in other states forge ahead with attempts to protect consumers from medical debt, some are reconsidering how they go about it.

By Rae Ellen Bichell

Dec. 19, 2025

A photo of a man sitting at a desk indoors.

Bill of the Month

Scorpion Peppers Caused Him ‘Crippling’ Pain. Two Years Later, the ER Bill Stung Him Again.

Homemade hot sauce sent a Colorado man to the emergency room with what he called “the worst pain of my life.” But stomach cramps were only the beginning. Two years later, the bill came.

By Elisabeth Rosenthal

Dec. 19, 2025

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Time’s Up for Expanded ACA Tax Credits

Episode 427

Dec. 18, 2025

A last-minute push from Democrats and four moderate Republicans will force a House vote on renewing enhanced premium tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans, but not until January. That means millions will have to choose between paying dramatically more or dropping coverage next year. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially drops the federal recommendation for newborns to receive a hepatitis B shot. Tami Luhby of CNN, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Lizzy Lawrence of Stat join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Tony Leys, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” feature, and the panel discusses the year’s biggest developments in health policy.

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Orange stethoscope forming a dollar sign on blue background.

Worried About Health Insurance Costs? There May Be Cheaper Options — But With Trade-Offs

As the clock ticks down on the 2026 Obamacare open enrollment season, frustrated consumers may have to make sacrifices on coverage to get a price they can stomach. But cheaper alternatives come with risks.

By Julie Appleby

Dec. 18, 2025

A young child in a wheelchair plays in a sidewalk with his mother to his left and his father to his right.

Disability Rights Lawyers Threatened With Budget Cuts, Reassignments

The Trump administration wants deep funding cuts for state-based legal services for disabled people, as rights advocates say the Justice Department pushed out many of its lawyers who worked on such issues.

By Tony Leys

Dec. 16, 2025

Letters to the Editor

Readers Make Their Wish Lists, Checking Up on Health Care

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

Dec. 16, 2025

One Big Beautiful Bill Act Complicates State Health Care Affordability Efforts

The federal budget bill President Donald Trump signed into law in July is creating uncertainty for states trying to rein in health care spending. In California, a lawsuit by the hospital industry challenging state spending caps cites the law, which will slash Medicaid spending, as one of many financial pressures.

By Bernard J. Wolfson

Dec. 16, 2025

An Arm and a Leg

How To Pick Health Insurance — In the Worst Year Ever

Season 14, Episode 5

Dec. 15, 2025

As millions face skyrocketing health insurance premiums, the “An Arm and a Leg” team navigates their own limited options.

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KFF Health News On Air

Journalists Talk Increasing Insurance Costs, From Marketplace Plans to Employer Coverage

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

Dec. 13, 2025

A laptop screen shows Idaho's Affordable Care Act marketplace website, with "Open Enrollment Ends December 15" in all-cap tyoe.

Sticker Shock: Obamacare Customers Confront Premium Spikes as Congress Dithers

With subsidies that give consumers extra help paying their health insurance premiums set to expire, lawmakers are again debating the Affordable Care Act. The difference this time: It’s happening in the middle of ACA open enrollment.

By Julie Appleby

Dec. 12, 2025

A close-up image of a black stethoscope wrapped around a stack of U.S. dollar bills.

Health Care Consolidation and Rising Costs Happen, but Obamacare Is Not the Key Culprit

The debate over expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits has given Republicans room to resurface old criticisms — such as blaming the ACA for mergers and consolidation within the health care industry.

By Julie Appleby

Dec. 11, 2025

A mother and father sit on the floor in a well-lit room with their two young children in their laps for a studio portrait.

Out-of-Pocket Pain From High-Deductible Plans Means Skimping on Care

High-deductible health insurance plans are increasingly common, and many more enrollees will likely need to choose such plans for the coming year. For those with chronic conditions like diabetes, the gamble can mean compromised care and long-term consequences.

By Charlotte Huff

Dec. 9, 2025

A photo of a stethoscope against a green background. It is resting on top of a stack of $100 bills.

Trump’s Idea for Health Accounts Has Been Tried. Millions of Patients Have Ended Up in Debt.

Republican calls to give Americans cash instead of health insurance subsidies double down on a decades-old strategy of moving people into high-deductible plans with health savings accounts.

By Noam N. Levey

Dec. 9, 2025

Trump 2.0

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