Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Listen to the Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’
The “KFF Health News Minute” brings original health care and health policy reporting from our newsroom to the airwaves each week.
States Change Custody Laws To Keep Children of Detained Immigrants Out of Foster Care
As President Donald Trump’s heightened immigration enforcement continues across the country, some states are updating temporary guardianship laws to keep the children of detained and deported immigrants out of state custody.
New Orleans Takes Steps To Assess and Clean Lead in Playgrounds After Investigation
New Orleans’ mayor signed an executive order, and the city is requesting $5 million in federal funds to address lead in playgrounds.
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.
Pennsylvania Town Faces Fallout From Trump’s Environmental Rule Rollback
Even as the Trump administration publicly embraces the Make America Healthy Again movement and its ideals about reducing corporate harm to the environment, it has taken steps to stall environmental protections that MAHA followers hold dear.
For Many Patients Leaving the ICU, the Struggle Has Only Just Begun
A long stay in intensive care can bring physical, cognitive, and mental health challenges that can take months or longer to resolve.
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.
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.
States Face Another Challenge With Medicaid Work Rules: Staffing Shortages
Some states already don’t have enough staff to quickly process Medicaid applications and answer enrollees’ phone calls. Researchers say they may not be prepared to handle new Medicaid work rules, predicting people will lose coverage as a result.
Urgent Care Clinics Move To Fill Abortion Care Gaps in Rural Areas
When the only clinic that offered abortions in Michigan’s rural Upper Peninsula closed, an urgent care facility stepped in to fill the gap. Now, others are considering similar moves as brick-and-mortar clinics close in blue states.
Can I Opt Out of Having My Doctor Take Notes With AI?
Your doctor might ask to have an AI tool listen during your next appointment. If you opt in, you will likely get more of your doctor’s attention. But the technology is not perfect. Here’s what to know.
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.
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.
Listen: What the Vaccine Schedule Whiplash Means for Your Kids
Big swings in federal vaccine policy are giving some parents and clinicians whiplash. KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner appeared on WAMU’s “Health Hub” to break down the latest developments and their relation to growing cases of vaccine-preventable illnesses in the Washington, D.C., region.
State-Run Insurance Plans for Foster Kids Leave Some of Them Without Doctors
North Carolina rolled out a $3.1 billion insurance plan for kids in foster care, but many doctors did not accept patients on the plan. The state is one of several experimenting with a model that has left kids’ guardians scrambling to find health care providers.
US Scientists Sequence 1,000 Genomes From Measles, a Disease Long Eliminated With Vaccines
This week, the CDC began to publish long-awaited data that will reveal the extent of measles’ comeback. While applauding the science, researchers say the Trump administration has done little to contain the virus. “That we’re even talking about this is nuts,” one virologist said.
After Man’s Death Following Insurance Denials, West Virginia Tackles Prior Authorization
After Eric Tennant died, his widow vowed to speak out against West Virginia’s Public Employees Insurance Agency, which had denied cancer treatment recommended by Tennant’s doctor. Her efforts paid off. In March, West Virginia’s governor signed a bill to protect some patients from harm tied to prior authorization.
Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act Darkens Outlook for Government-Backed Clinics
About 17,000 federally funded health clinics stand to collectively lose $32 billion under GOP-backed fiscal policies in the next five years — just as more uninsured patients will rely on them for low-cost care.
Readers Sound Off on Wage Garnishment, Work Requirements, and More
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
