Health Industry

Latest KFF Health News Stories

After Series of Denials, His Insurer Approved Doctor-Recommended Cancer Care. It Was Too Late.

KFF Health News Original

Eric Tennant’s doctors recommended histotripsy, which would target, and potentially destroy, a cancerous tumor in his liver. But by the time his insurer approved the treatment, Tennant was no longer considered a good candidate. He died in September.

US Cancer Registries, Constrained by Trump Policies, To Recognize Only ‘Male’ or ‘Female’ Patients

KFF Health News Original

Under Trump policies, cancer registries in 2026 will have to classify sex data strictly as male, female, or unknown, a change scientists and advocates say will harm the health of one of the nation’s most marginalized populations.

Complaints About Gaps in Medicare Advantage Networks Are Common. Federal Enforcement Is Rare.

KFF Health News Original

Health systems drop out of Medicare Advantage plans all the time. Yet government documents obtained by KFF Health News show that federal regulators rarely warn plans that their networks of health providers are so skimpy they violate legal requirements.

A Small Texas Think Tank Cultivated Covid Dissidents. Now They’re Running US Health Policy.

KFF Health News Original

Fueled by covid backlash, a libertarian author created the Brownstone Institute in 2021. In recent months, people with ties to the group have catapulted to the highest levels of U.S. government, exercising significant authority over access to vaccines and scientific research.

El ICE puede estar en el hospital con un paciente bajo custodia. Pero los detenidos tienen derechos

KFF Health News Original

Expertos legales explican que los agentes del ICE pueden estar en áreas públicas de un hospital y pueden acompañar a pacientes que ya están detenidos mientras reciben atención médica, lo que refleja el alcance de la autoridad federal.

FDA’s Plan To Boost Biosimilar Drugs Could Stall at the Patent Office

KFF Health News Original

Drug industry officials and analysts praised the FDA’s plans to streamline regulation of “biosimilars,” which are cheaper alternatives to biologic drugs. But patents that block such drugs from the U.S. market are getting harder to fight.

Conflicting Advice on Covid Shots Likely To Ding Already Low Vaccine Rates, Experts Warn

KFF Health News Original

About 1 in 4 American adults got a covid vaccine shot during the 2024-25 virus season, a fraction health care experts warn could be smaller this year as millions wrestle with conflicting advice from the government and trusted medical organizations about the value of a shot.

What the Health? From KFF Health News: The Government Is Open

Podcast

The record-long federal shutdown is over after a small group of Democrats agreed to a deal with most Republicans that funds the government through January — but, notably, does not extend more generous Affordable Care Act tax credits. Plus, new details are emerging about how the Trump administration is using the Medicaid program to advance its policy goals. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Julie Appleby, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” feature.

As Health Companies Get Bigger, So Do the Bills. It’s Unclear if Trump’s Team Will Intervene.

KFF Health News Original

As health systems, doctor groups, and insurers merge into ever-bigger giants, patient care gets more expensive. Yet the Trump administration has sent mixed signals about its willingness to intervene — and shown some disdain for Biden officials’ more aggressive approach.

A inmigrantes con problemas de salud se les podría negar la visa para entrar al país, por nueva directiva del gobierno de Trump

KFF Health News Original

Los extranjeros que solicitan visas para vivir en Estados Unidos podrían ser rechazados si tienen ciertas afecciones médicas, como obesidad o diabetes, según una directiva emitida el jueves 6 de noviembre por la administración Trump.

White House Calls This 9/11-Era Fund ‘Wasteful.’ Red and Blue States Rely on It.

KFF Health News Original

States from California to Texas say they rely on tens of millions in federal funding to help them prepare for the next pandemic, cyberattack, or mass-casualty catastrophe. The Trump administration wants to cut it.

Farmers, Barbers, and GOP Lawmakers Grapple With the Fate of ACA Tax Credits

KFF Health News Original

Small-business owners and their employees, who make up nearly half of the Obamacare marketplace, are worried about their health care and their livelihoods as insurance prices surge. Republicans, who have long opposed Obamacare, are at odds over how to respond to upset from one of their party’s most loyal constituencies.

While Politicos Dispense Blame, These Doctors Aim To Take Shame Out of Medicine

KFF Health News Original

Clinicians and researchers are starting to embrace an effort to develop what’s known as “shame competence” in physicians to combat burnout and prevent that uncomfortable emotion from being passed along to patients.

Qué pueden hacer los consumidores frente al caos del Obamacare

KFF Health News Original

Aunque la temporada de inscripciones ya está en marcha, el futuro de los subsidios ampliados —que hacen más accesible el seguro para el 92% de las personas inscritas— sigue siendo incierto.