Public Health Archives - Page 14 of 182

Chaos Continues in Federal Health System

Episode 383

Feb. 6, 2025

The Senate has yet to confirm a Health and Human Services secretary, but things around the department continue to change at a breakneck pace to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive orders. Payment systems have been shut down, webpages and entire datasets have been taken offline, and workers — including those with civil service protections — have been urged to quit or threatened with layoffs. Meanwhile, foreign and trade policy changes are also affecting health policy. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Julie Appleby, who reported the latest “Bill of the Month” feature, about a young woman, a grandfathered health plan, and a $14,000 IUD.

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A photo of the hands of a black man holding a blue pill of PrEP medication.

Biden Rule Cleared Hurdles to Lifesaving HIV Drug, but in Georgia Barriers Remain

A new rule requires insurers to improve coverage of PrEP, which can prevent HIV, but Georgians face challenges getting the drug.

By Rebecca Grapevine, Healthbeat

Feb. 6, 2025

A photo of a window air conditioning unit framed by curtains.

California Housing Officials Recommend State Protect Renters From Extreme Heat

State officials say homes should be able to be cooled to a safe indoor air temperature of 82 degrees. The legislature will now take up the report.

By Molly Castle Work

Feb. 5, 2025

A white cross stands in green grass, adorned with candles and other memorial objects. Beside the cross is a sign that reads, "Pray for Parkland."

Little Tracking, Wide Variability Permeate the Teams Tasked With Stopping School Shootings

Several states require schools to assemble teams of law enforcement and education officials to identify students who could become mass shooters and intervene before it’s too late. But some experts say the efforts often face a lack of guidance and significant pressure, putting them at risk of maligning innocent students.

By Cheryl Platzman Weinstock

Feb. 3, 2025

KFF Health News On Air

Journalists Analyze Issues of the Day: RFK Jr., Bird Flu, L.A. Fires

KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national and local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

Feb. 1, 2025

The Week in Brief

At His HHS Job Interview, RFK Jr. Stumbles Over Health Policy Basics

By Phil Galewitz and Arthur Allen

Jan. 31, 2025

What the Health? From KFF Health News

RFK Jr. in the Hot Seat

Episode 382

Jan. 30, 2025

President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the vast Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., faced sharp questioning from senators this week, particularly over his history of vaccine denialism. Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s second week has been even more disruptive than its first, with an on-again, off-again funding freeze that left many around the country scrambling to understand what was going on. Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Nicholas Bagley, a University of Michigan law professor, who explains how the federal regulatory system is supposed to operate to make health policy.

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A black and white photograph from 1952 that shows four lab technicians, two men and two women, working at a table with science equipment.

Trump Administration’s Halt of CDC’s Weekly Scientific Report Stalls Bird Flu Studies

An unprecedented freeze on the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report sparks new concerns about political meddling in science.

By Amy Maxmen

Jan. 30, 2025

A photo shows jugs of raw milk for sale at a grocery store.

Led by RFK Jr., Conservatives Embrace Raw Milk. Regulators Say It’s Dangerous.

Controversy over raw milk reflects the push-pull the Trump administration faces in rolling back regulations and offering consumers more choices. For now, the CDC still recommends against consuming raw milk and the FDA bans its interstate sale.

By Stephanie Armour

Jan. 29, 2025

A photo of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. walking down a hallways surrounded by reporters and a TV news camera.

What RFK Jr. Might Face in His Nomination Hearings This Week

Two Senate committees are expected to question Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on how his disproven views of science and medicine qualify him to run the $1.7 trillion, 80,000-employee federal health system.

By Arthur Allen

Jan. 28, 2025

A photo of the exterior of the World Health Organization headquarters. A row a flags fills the frame in front of the building, including the American flag.

What a US Exit From the WHO Means for Global Health

By withdrawing from the World Health Organization and overhauling aid, Trump’s new executive orders endanger Americans and the globe, researchers warn. The move also cedes U.S. power to other nations.

By Amy Maxmen

Jan. 24, 2025

A woman stands out in a wooded area by a pond in autumn.

A Program To Close Insurance Gaps for Native Americans Has Gone Largely Unused

Health leaders say a tool to boost medical coverage for Native Americans, a population that has long faced worse health outcomes than the rest of the nation, has been underused by many states and tribes since it was written into the Affordable Care Act more than a decade ago.

By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez

Jan. 24, 2025

What the Health? From KFF Health News

Creating Chaos at HHS

Episode 381

Jan. 23, 2025

President Donald Trump was sworn in Monday and by Wednesday had virtually stopped scientific policymaking at the Department of Health and Human Services. While incoming administrations often pause public communications, the acting HHS head ordered an unprecedented shutdown of all outside meetings, travel, and publications. Meanwhile, Trump issued a broad array of mostly nonbinding executive orders, but notably none directly concerning abortion. Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Rodney Whitlock, a former congressional staffer, who explains the convoluted “budget reconciliation” process Republicans hope to use to enact Trump’s agenda.

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President Donald Trump signs behind a desk in the Oval Office and signs a document.

What To Know About Trump’s Executive Orders on US Health Care

From rolling back drug pricing policies to limiting gender-affirming care, President Donald Trump signed several health-related executive orders in the first hours of his second presidency. Here’s a roundup of the changes and what they mean.

By Tarena Lofton

Jan. 22, 2025

The Growing Inequality in Life Expectancy Among Americans

To deliver on pledges from the new Trump administration to make America healthy again, policymakers will need to close gaps in longevity among racial and ethnic groups.

By Amy Maxmen

Jan. 22, 2025

A woman with short brown hair held back with a white headband sits on a beige couch with a box in her lap filled with things. She is wearing long earrings and a blue tank top. Her legs are crossed and she is wearing knee-high black socks.

Long-Covid Patients Are Frustrated That Federal Research Hasn’t Found New Treatments

The federal government has allocated $1.15 billion to long-covid research without any new treatments yet brought to market. Patients and scientists say it’s time to push harder for breakthroughs.

By Sarah Boden

Jan. 22, 2025

A man in a white shirt and jeans poses for a photo sitting in a chair next to an American Red Cross blanket

Postcard From Pasadena, California

Amid Wildfire Trauma, L.A. County Dispatches Mental Health Workers to Evacuees

Catastrophic wildfires are common in California, and mental health specialists have become a key part of local governments’ response to extreme weather events, which scientists say are becoming more intense and frequent due to climate change. Los Angeles County has been modifying its approach with each disaster.

By Molly Castle Work

Jan. 21, 2025

KFF Health News On Air

Days From Trump Inauguration, Journalists Weigh California, Federal Health Policies

KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on regional media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.

Jan. 18, 2025

A photo of a man inside an apartment, seated in a wheelchair.

For Homeless Seniors, Getting Into Stable Housing Takes a Village — And a Lot of Luck

The number of unhoused seniors in the U.S. is expected to triple by 2030. About half of this population is becoming homeless for the first time. Homeless services struggle to help. Finding affordable housing that’s also accessible for older Americans with medical conditions is an extra challenge.

By Aaron Bolton, MTPR

Jan. 17, 2025

A close up photo of an unidentifiable toddler sitting in his mother's lap while a doctor puts a band-aid on his arm after receiving a vaccination.

Childhood Vaccination Rates, a Rare Health Bright Spot in Struggling States, Are Slipping

Mississippi, Tennessee, and West Virginia — states with some of the worst health outcomes — also have some of the highest childhood vaccination rates. But doctors and health officials worry a rising tide of vaccine skepticism is causing those public health bright spots to dim.

By Daniel Chang and Sam Whitehead

Jan. 16, 2025

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