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Latest KFF Health News Stories

Republican Megabill Will Mean Higher Health Costs for Many Americans

KFF Health News Original

Spending cuts hitting medical providers, Medicaid and Affordable Care Act enrollees, and lawfully present immigrants are just some of the biggest changes the GOP has in store for health care — with ramifications that could touch all Americans.

California Immigrants Weigh Health Coverage Against Deportation Risk

KFF Health News Original

Immigrants without legal status who live in the state are facing a Medi-Cal enrollment freeze next year. But the spate of immigration raids has raised fears that signing up before the deadline will put them on the radar of federal officials.

Feds Investigate Hospitals Over Religious Exemptions From Gender-Affirming Care

KFF Health News Original

Federal health officials are investigating claims that a Michigan health system fired an employee who sought a religious exemption to avoid calling transgender patients by their pronouns or referring them for gender-affirming care. Legal experts say the investigation escalates the Trump administration’s effort to curb medical care for transgender patients.

In a First, Trump and GOP-Led Congress Prepare To Swell Ranks of US Uninsured

KFF Health News Original

Fewer Americans will likely have health insurance, compromising their physical and financial health, as the Trump administration and GOP-controlled Congress weigh major changes to the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid. “The effects could be catastrophic,” one policy analyst predicts.

Thune Says Health Care Often ‘Comes With a Job.’ The Reality’s Not Simple or Straightforward.

KFF Health News Original

Sixty percent of Americans have health insurance through their own workplace or someone else’s job. But not all employers provide health insurance or offer plans to all their workers. When they do, cost and quality vary widely, making Thune’s statement an oversimplification.

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Live From Aspen — Governors and an HHS Secretary Sound Off

Podcast

In this special episode taped before a live audience at Aspen Ideas: Health, three former governors — one of whom also served as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services — discuss how state and federal officials can work together to improve Americans’ health. Democrat Kathleen Sebelius, former Kansas governor and HHS secretary under President Barack Obama; Republican Chris Sununu, former New Hampshire governor; and Democrat Roy Cooper, former North Carolina governor, join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner.

At Some Federal Beaches, Surf’s Up but the Lifeguard Chair’s Empty

KFF Health News Original

Some of the nation’s most well-known beaches are managed by the National Park Service, which saw about 1,000 employees laid off in February by the quasi-agency Department of Government Efficiency, then led by Elon Musk. The void has become a serious public health and safety concern.

Push To Move OB-GYN Exam Out of Texas Is Piece of AGs’ Broader Reproductive Rights Campaign

KFF Health News Original

Following a petition from Democratic state attorneys general, the American Medical Association adopted a position that medical certification exams should not be required in person in states with restrictive abortion policies. The action’s success was hailed as a win for Democrats trying to regain ground after the fall of Roe.

Federal Proposals Threaten Provider Taxes, Key Source of Medicaid Funding for States

KFF Health News Original

Republican proposals to tighten the use of special taxes to fund Medicaid programs could deprive states of billions of dollars for safety net health care. In California, any such limit would come on top of Medicaid cuts proposed by California Democrats in response to a $12 billion state deficit.

KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': Supreme Court Upholds Bans on Gender-Affirming Care

Podcast

The Supreme Court this week said Tennessee may continue to enforce its law banning most types of gender-affirming care for minors. The ruling is likely to greenlight similar laws in two dozen states. And the Senate is preparing to vote on a budget reconciliation bill that includes even deeper Medicaid cuts than the House version. Victoria Knight of Axios, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.