Latest Morning Briefing Stories

Georgia’s Work Requirement Slows Processing of Applications for Medicaid, Food Stamps

KFF Health News Original

Georgia’s ability to process applications for Medicaid and other public benefits has lagged since the launch of Republican Gov. Brian Kemp’s “Pathways” Medicaid work requirement, leaving Georgia with persistently slow Medicaid application processing times.

How Potential Medicaid Cuts Could Play Out in California

KFF Health News Original

As Donald Trump prepares to reenter the White House with a Republican-controlled Congress, health officials and community advocates in California worry that large-scale Medicaid cuts could be enacted as soon as next year. More than 60% of California’s $161 billion Medi-Cal budget comes from Washington.

9 States Poised To End Coverage for Millions if Trump Cuts Medicaid Funding

KFF Health News Original

About 3.7 million people are at immediate risk of losing health coverage should the federal government cut funding for Medicaid expansions, as some allies of President-elect Donald Trump have proposed. Coverage could be at risk in the 40 states that have expanded Medicaid.

A Toddler Got a Nasal Swab Test but Left Before Seeing a Doctor. The Bill Was $445.

KFF Health News Original

A mom in Peoria, Illinois, took her 3-year-old to the ER one evening last December. While they were waiting to be seen, the toddler seemed better, so they left without seeing a doctor. Then the bill came.

Efforts To Curb ACA Enrollment Fraud Face Real-World Test

KFF Health News Original

The current Affordable Care Act open enrollment season is the first big test of new federal guardrails against fraud. The rules aim to head off unauthorized ACA plan enrollments or switches by rogue agents and entities looking to make money via enrollment commissions. Such sign-ups triggered more than 274,000 consumer complaints through August this year. […]

Dicen que los esfuerzos contra el fraude en ACA han dado resultados. Pero hay que estar alerta

KFF Health News Original

Los Centros de Servicios de Medicare y Medicaid atribuyen esta reducción a las medidas adoptadas para prevenir problemas de inscripción y cambios de planes, que ya habían generado más de 274,000 quejas hasta agosto.

Federal Watchdog Urges Crackdown on Medicare Advantage Home Visits

KFF Health News Original

Medicare officials are pushing back against a federal watchdog’s call to crack down on home visits by Medicare Advantage health plans — a practice the watchdog says may waste billions of tax dollars every year. In late October, a Health and Human Services inspector general audit found that the insurers pocketed $7.5 billion in 2023 from diagnosing health conditions that […]

TV’s Dr. Oz Invested in Businesses Regulated by Agency Trump Wants Him To Lead

KFF Health News Original

Celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz recently held broad investments in health care, tech, and food companies. Were he confirmed to run the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, his job would involve interacting with giants of the industry that have contributed to his wealth.

Washington Power Has Shifted. Here’s How the ACA May Shift, Too.

KFF Health News Original

With a new Trump administration poised to move into the White House and Republicans set to control both chambers of Congress, party leaders are making a to-do list for the Affordable Care Act.

El poder en Washington ha cambiado. ACA podría cambiar también

KFF Health News Original

El futuro gobernante prepara el terreno para hacer cambios potencialmente sísmicos que podrían limitar la expansión de Medicaid, aumentar la tasa de personas sin seguro, debilitar las protecciones para los pacientes y elevar los costos de las primas para millones de personas.

Pagar primero, parir después: algunos servicios piden a las embarazadas que paguen fortunas antes del parto

KFF Health News Original

Es difícil saber con qué frecuencia ocurre porque se considera una transacción privada entre el proveedor y el paciente. Por lo tanto, los pagos no se registran en los datos de reclamos de seguros y, por ende, los expertos no los analizan.

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Readying for Republican Rule

Podcast

With Republicans now set to control the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives starting in January, their health agenda remains unclear. What is clear, however, is that just about anything could be on the table, from Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act, to drug prices and public health. Meanwhile, anti-abortion groups are preparing to fight the implementation of abortion rights ballot measures just passed by voters in seven states. Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too.