Health Industry Archives - Page 4 of 195

A Headless CDC

Episode 439

March 26, 2026

The Trump administration faces the challenge of naming a new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who can both satisfy the Make America Healthy Again movement and get confirmed by the Senate. Meanwhile, a new Senate bill to rescind the approval of the abortion pill mifepristone is again elevating the abortion debate, which some Republicans would prefer to stay on the back burner until after the midterms. Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Lizzy Lawrence of Stat, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Bloomberg News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss the news. Also this week, Rovner interviews Georgetown University Law Center’s Katie Keith about the state of the Affordable Care Act on its 16th anniversary.

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An Arm and a Leg

Steep Health Care Costs Steer Americans to Tough Decisions

Season 14, Episode 4

March 25, 2026

Two Americans explain how the skyrocketing cost of health insurance influenced their decision to buy — or skip — health insurance in 2026.

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A man at a doctor's office hands over a credit card to a receptionist at the front desk.

Priced Out

Rising Health Costs Push Some Middle-Aged Adults To Skip the Doc Until Medicare

Adults ages 50 through 64 faced some of the steepest increases in out-of-pocket costs for Obamacare plans after a set of federal subsidies expired at the end of December. Some say they are putting off care or considering dropping health insurance coverage until Medicare picks up the bill.

By Sam Whitehead

March 23, 2026

A photo from above of a person lying in a dental chair having work done. A dentist and assistant sit on either side of the patient's head.

HealthQ

Even With Dental Insurance, You Still Could Face a Large Bill

Costs keep many Americans, even those with insurance, from getting dental care. Understanding how dental insurance works and leaning into preventive care can help keep dental problems — and bills — manageable.

By Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio, Cara Anthony, and Katherine Ruppelt, Nashville Public Radio

March 23, 2026

An elderly woman takes her blood pressure at home. Unrecognizable person, hand close-up.

The New Old Age

‘How Low Can You Go?’ The Shifting Guidelines for Blood Pressure Control

The number doctors use to demarcate high blood pressure keeps going down, a trend applauded by many experts, who point to studies linking the condition and dementia.

By Paula Span

March 20, 2026

What the Health? From KFF Health News

RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Schedule Changes Blocked — For Now

Episode 438

March 19, 2026

A federal judge in Massachusetts this week sided with public health groups to block changes to the federally recommended schedule of childhood vaccines, dealing at least a temporary setback to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s efforts to remake the schedule. Meanwhile, Congress has put its debate over the future of the Affordable Care Act on the back burner, but the issue of rising health care costs is still front and center for the voting public. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF President and CEO Drew Altman to kick off a new series looking at health care solutions, called “How Would You Fix It?”

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How Would You Fix It?

Watch: Affordability Plagues Health Care in Its Shift From Nonprofit to Profit Machine

On “What the Health? From KFF Health News,” distributed by WAMU, chief Washington correspondent and host Julie Rovner sat down with Drew Altman, president and CEO of KFF, to talk about the likelihood of a national health care debate.

By Julie Rovner

March 19, 2026

A photo of Mehmet Oz speaking at a podium at the White House. American flags are seen behind him.

Oz Says California’s Not Fighting Health Care Fraud, but Data Shows It’s Part of a Larger Battle

Trump administration officials say the state allows rampant fraud and have promised to investigate, blaming the “Russian, Armenian mafia” in the hospice and home health care industry. But data shows hotbeds of health care fraud throughout the country, with California outperforming most other states in recovering fraud dollars.

By Don Thompson

March 19, 2026

A small gel electrode with a cord is seen placed behind a woman's ear.

Payback: Tracking Opioid Cash

Maker of Device To Treat Addiction Withdrawal Seeks Counties’ Opioid Settlement Cash

Some researchers and recovery advocates see the NET device as the latest in a series of products pitched as the solution to the addiction crisis that have been overhyped to capitalize on money from the opioid settlements.

By Aneri Pattani

March 18, 2026

The healthcare.gov website seen on a laptop. The webpage reads, "Welcome to the Health Insurance Marketplace. Apply for coverage."

Priced Out

Evidence Shows ACA’s Mandated Benefits Alone Don’t Drive Up Costs. The Debate Continues.

The Affordable Care Act put in place a package of benefits that health insurance plans must cover. Critics contend this mandate has jacked up premiums. Evidence supporting that claim is mixed.

By Julie Appleby and Sarah Boden

March 18, 2026

A medical worker carries an ice box with a label on it that reads, "Human organ for transplant."

Lost in Transmission: Changes in Organ Donor Status Can Fall Through Cracks in the System

Patchwork state policies and limited federal oversight have led to a fragmented system for tracking when potential organ donors provide consent or change their minds.

By Céline Gounder

March 17, 2026

An image of several brain scans on a screen.

Psychiatrists’ Use of Biomarkers Could Open a New Window Into Mental Health Diagnoses

The world’s largest professional psychiatry organization is preparing for the day when biological indicators can help diagnose and treat mental illness.

By Jamie Ducharme

March 17, 2026

A man holds a copy of his Medicare card. Orange pill bottles and medical forms are seen behind it.

In Switching to Original Medicare, Beware of Medigap Plan Refusals

Open enrollment season lasts until March 31 for people enrolled in Medicare Advantage who want to switch to original Medicare, but there’s a potential hitch.

By Michelle Andrews

March 16, 2026

A street medicine nurse holds the end of a stethoscope to a woman's chest.

Reckoning With State and Federal Cuts, Los Angeles Safety-Net Clinics Push for a New Tax

Across California and the nation, health providers, advocates, local officials, and state legislators are eyeing tax increases to offset a loss of more than $900 billion in federal Medicaid dollars as a result of the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. In Los Angeles County, community clinics have banded together in support of a half-cent sales tax.

By Bernard J. Wolfson

March 16, 2026

The Week in Brief

‘Dark Money’ Group Angles for Higher Medicare Advantage Payments

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

By Fred Schulte, Maia Rosenfeld, and David Hilzenrath

March 13, 2026

Sheldon Ekirch walks along a street in her neighborhood.

Deadly Denials

Families Scramble To Pay Five-Figure Bills as Clock Ticks on Promised Preauthorization Reforms

Last summer, the Trump administration announced a voluntary pledge by health insurers to reform prior authorization, which often requires patients or their doctors to seek preapproval from insurers before proceeding with medical care. Patient advocates and medical providers remain skeptical.

By Lauren Sausser

March 13, 2026

A photo of a laptop screen with Facebook Ad Library open. It shows three ads by Medicare Advantage Majority.

Medicare Advantage ‘Dark Money’ Group Attempts To Win Higher Payments for Insurance Companies

Medicare Advantage insurers say a proposal by the Trump administration to keep their payments nearly flat next year may lead to service cuts that harm seniors struggling to afford health care. A decision is due by early next month.

By Fred Schulte, Maia Rosenfeld, and David Hilzenrath

March 13, 2026

The exterior of a medical clinic with a sign reading "Celebrating 25 years"

Primary Care Is in Trouble. So Doctors Band Together To Boost Their Market Power.

Thousands of primary care practices are fighting to remain financially viable and independent. Many are banding together to form Independent Physician Associations, or IPAs, to increase their market power.

By Karen Brown, New England Public Media

March 11, 2026

StéAira Ballard holds a framed photo of her mother, Tamala Smith.

The Body Shops

Cosmetic Surgery Investigation Prompts Warnings for Patients, and a Push for Tighter Safety Standards

A national plastic surgeons group is warning people to “do their homework” before having liposuctions, Brazilian butt lifts, or other cosmetic procedures after an investigation into cosmetic surgery chains by KFF Health News and NBC News.

By Fred Schulte

March 11, 2026

Don Gaetz claps during the first day of the legislative session at the Florida State Capitol.

Florida Hasn’t Expanded Medicaid. Lawmakers Want To Add Work Requirements Anyway.

Florida is not mandated to add work requirements for Medicaid, because the state has not expanded eligibility to more low-income adults. But lawmakers have proposed requiring some adults in the state’s program to work anyway, a policy that could leave many uninsured.

By Daniel Chang

March 9, 2026

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