Latest KFF Health News Stories
Journalists Talk Hot Health Topics: Urgent Care Clinics Performing Abortions and Doulas’ Pay
KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national and local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Listen: With Little Federal Regulation, States Are Left To Shape the Rules on AI in Health Care
As artificial intelligence embeds itself into health care, some physicians and patient advocates worry it could be used by insurance companies to refuse payment for care. Maryland passed one law banning AI from acting alone on a denial. Meanwhile, Virginia’s then-governor vetoed that state’s attempt at regulating AI in health insurance.
New Federal Medicaid Rules Require One Month of Work. Some States Demand More.
Starting next year, about 18.5 million adults will be subject to new Medicaid work rules in 42 states and Washington, D.C. Applicants must show they’ve been working for at least a month before receiving benefits. Some Republican-controlled states want to triple the required work period.
Medi-Cal Immigrant Enrollment Is Dropping. Researchers Point to Trump’s Policies.
A KFF Health News analysis found Medi-Cal lost almost 100,000 immigrants without legal status in the second half of 2025. California officials say it’s not clear if immigrants are losing coverage faster than other populations, but researchers said the most obvious driver is fear of the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Cómo hacer que un plan de salud con deducible alto funcione para tí
Los planes con deducibles altos pueden ser un problema si la persona necesita atención médica constante o sufre un crisis de salud inesperada.
Las agencias estatales de Medicaid pueden tener dificultades para mantener suficiente personal que ayude a las personas a inscribirse en los beneficios. La salud puede estar en peligro.
How To Make a High-Deductible Health Plan Work for You
Lower premiums often mean higher costs when you get sick and need care. Among the ways to plan ahead and soften the financial hit: health savings accounts, which act like a medical piggy bank.
Rovner Recaps Medicaid Cuts’ Impact on Hospitals and Fields Caller Questions on Affordability
KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner recently made the radio rounds to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of her appearances.
The Trump Administration Is Seeking Federal Workers’ Sensitive Medical Data. That’s Raising Alarms.
Get our weekly newsletter, The Week in Brief, featuring a roundup of our original coverage, Fridays at 2 p.m. ET.
Watch: As AI Makes More Health Coverage Decisions, the Risks to Patients Grow
Major health insurers and even Medicare are using artificial intelligence to make coverage decisions. But class action lawsuits have accused insurers of using AI to wrongfully withhold treatment, and new research illuminates the risks.
What the Health? From KFF Health News: Abortion Pills, the Budget, and RFK Jr.
This week, the Trump administration won a court battle to delay a ruling on access to the abortion pill mifepristone, angering its own anti-abortion allies. Meanwhile, the president’s budget arrived on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers are unlikely to agree to its proposed cuts to Health and Human Services programs. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Maya Goldman of Axios join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.
Farm Bureau Health Plans Beat the ACA on Prices With an Age-Old Tactic: Rejecting Sick People
Fourteen states now allow health coverage through state farm bureaus. Though they generally share many features of Affordable Care Act marketplace plans, they aren’t insurance. Neither are they typically subject to federal or state health insurance requirements, and the benefits may be less generous or predictable than those of Obamacare plans.
Trump’s Personnel Agency Is Asking for Federal Workers’ Medical Records
The administration is asking insurers that cover federal employees and retirees to hand over details about their medical visits, their pharmacy claims, and more.
Personas mayores inmigrantes pierden la cobertura de Medicare a pesar de haber aportado por años
La ley One Big Beautiful Bill Act del Partido Republicano, firmada en julio pasado por el presidente Donald Trump, prohíbe que ciertas categorías de inmigrantes con presencia legal accedan a Medicare.
This Northern Cheyenne Doula Was About To Start Getting Paid — Then Medicaid Cuts Hit
Montana was on track to start reimbursing doulas, who support new and expectant parents, through Medicaid this year. But state officials halted that plan amid a budget shortfall. Other such services deemed optional under Medicaid are at risk nationwide as states brace for federal cuts.
Immigrant Seniors Lose Medicare Coverage Despite Paying for It
Rosa María Carranza has worked and paid taxes for more than two decades, but a provision in the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act will make her and an estimated 100,000 other lawfully present immigrant seniors ineligible for Medicare. Now Carranza’s once secure retirement is in question.
These Women Had Their Breasts Removed To Thwart Cancer. Then Came the Pain.
Post-mastectomy pain syndrome, or PMPS, is estimated to afflict tens of thousands of U.S. women each year. And yet it is not well understood and is inconsistently treated.
How Medicaid Contractors Stand To Gain From Trump’s Policy
Get our weekly newsletter, The Week in Brief, featuring a roundup of our original coverage, Fridays at 2 p.m. ET.
Tax Time Brings Surprises for Some Who Receive ACA Subsidies
Some people find they owe money back for subsidies if their income changed from what they estimated. In 2026, more people may find themselves in this situation — and face higher repayment amounts — if they don’t carefully track their income.
What the Health? From KFF Health News: GOP Mulls More Health Cuts
Despite public opposition to the cuts they made to federal health programs in 2025, Republicans reportedly are considering more cuts to help pay for the war in Iran. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court ruled that Colorado cannot ban “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ+ minors. Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sandhya Raman of Bloomberg Law join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Elisabeth Rosenthal, who wrote the last two “Bill of the Month” stories.
