Latest Morning Briefing Stories
When Hospitals and Insurers Fight, Patients Get Caught in the Middle
About 90,000 people spent months in limbo as central Missouri’s major, and often only, provider fought over insurance contracts. Patients getting caught in the crossfire of disputes has become a familiar complication, as about 8% of hospitals have left an insurer network since 2021. Trump administration policies could accelerate the trend.
An Insurer Agreed To Cover Her Surgery. A Politician’s Nudge Got the Bills Paid.
A kindergartner in Missouri needed eye surgery. Her insurer granted approval for her to see a specialist nearby, yet her parents were confused when they still owed more than $13,000. Then her uncle, a former state senator, reached out to a colleague who contacted the hospital and the insurer.
Estos son los aumentos de precios que también deberían preocuparte
Para muchas personas que tienen planes médicos creados por la Ley de Cuidado de Salud a Bajo Precio (ACA) —porque trabajan para pequeñas empresas o pagan su propia cobertura— es probable que las tarifas hayan aumentado de forma aún más drástica.
The Price Increases That Should Cause Americans More Alarm
The cost of health insurance is rising faster than the price of eggs or gasoline.
Native Americans Want To Avoid Past Medicaid Enrollment Snafus as Work Requirements Loom
As states prepare to implement changes to Medicaid required by President Donald Trump’s recent tax-and-spending law, tribal leaders say they are concerned Native American enrollees could lose their coverage, despite exemptions made by Congress.
Try This When Your Doctor Says ‘Yes’ to a Preventive Test but Insurance Says ‘No’
A joint project of NPR and KFF Health News, Health Care Helpline helps you navigate the health system hurdles between you and good care. Send us your tricky questions, and we may tap a policy sleuth to puzzle them out. Here is what to do if your preventive care gets denied.
Reduced ACA Subsidies May Make It Harder for Young Adults To Afford Coverage
Get our weekly newsletter, The Week in Brief, featuring a roundup of our original coverage, Fridays at 2 p.m. ET.
Recortes a Medicaid impactarían muy fuerte en esta comunidad rural de Colorado
La región es una de las más pobres del estado. En el condado de Alamosa, 2 de cada 5 residentes están inscritos en Health First Colorado, el programa estatal de Medicaid.
Maryland Taps Affordable Care Act Fund To Help Pay for Abortion Care
The state is using an old source of funding to pay for a new money crunch: assisting out-of-state patients with the costs associated with abortion.
Breaking Down Why Medicare Part D Premiums Are Likely To Go Up
Insurers will take drug costs, frequency of use, and other factors into account as they set premium amounts for the 2026 plan year.
Pandemia de miedo: redadas de inmigración empujan a pacientes a la telemedicina
Los pacientes que necesitan atención médica tienen cada vez más miedo de buscarla después que Trump derogara una política de la era Biden que prohibía redadas en zonas “sensibles” como escuelas, iglesias y hospitales.
An Arm and a Leg: A Wild Health Insurance Hustle
A couple in New York thought they bought insurance. Instead, they got fake “jobs.”
Considering a Life Change? Brace for Higher ACA Costs
Consumers contemplating an early retirement or starting a business should calculate how Trump administration and congressional policy changes could increase their health insurance costs — and plan accordingly.
Guía para encontrar seguro de salud a los 26
Es muy probable que tengas menos opciones en el mercado que las que tenías en el plan de tus padres. Prepárate para hacer cambios y concesiones.
Why Young Americans Dread Turning 26: Health Insurance Chaos
Young adults without jobs that provide insurance find their options are limited and expensive. The problem is about to get worse.
A Guide To Finding Insurance at 26
It’s a difficult rite of passage for young adults without job-based insurance. Here are some tips for getting started.
Even in States That Fought Obamacare, Trump’s New Law Poses Health Consequences
GOP lawmakers in 10 states have refused for a decade to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. But when President Donald Trump got another whack at Obamacare, these holdout states went unrewarded.
What the Health? From KFF Health News: Kennedy Cancels Vaccine Funding
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.
New Medicaid Federal Work Requirements Mean Less Leeway for States
More than a dozen states are seeking their own versions of Medicaid work requirements. But the incoming federal standards pose questions around how much leeway states have to design their rules.
Medicaid: nuevo requisito federal de trabajo deja a estados sin mucho margen de maniobra
Algunos buscan modificaciones específicas a las nuevas normas para cada estado. Otros pretenden implementar los requisitos laborales antes de que la ley federal entre en vigencia a finales de 2026.
