Category: Kaiser Health News

Many Voters Backed Abortion Rights and Donald Trump, a Challenge for Democrats

Despite widespread support for protecting abortion rights, voters said the cost of gas, housing, food, and health care was more important to their choice for president.

KFF Health News’ ‘What the Health?’: Trump 2.0

As Donald Trump readies for his return to the White House — with the backing of a GOP majority in the Senate and, possibly, the House — the entire health care industry is waiting to see what happens next. Clearly on the agenda: the future of abortion and reproductive rights, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and public health’s infrastructure. Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Stat and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Jackie Fortiér, who reported and wrote the latest KFF Health News-Washington Post “Bill of the Month” feature, about a 2-year-old who had a very expensive run-in with a rattlesnake.

Watchdog Calls for Tighter Scrutiny of Medicare Advantage Home Visits

Medicare officials defend the use of home visits that often spot medical conditions that are never treated.

California Expanded Medi-Cal to Unauthorized Residents. The Results Are Mixed.

California this year completed its Medi-Cal expansion to include income-eligible residents regardless of their immigration status. This final installment of the “Faces of Medi-Cal” series profiles three of those newly eligible patients and how coverage has affected their health.

12 States Promised To Open the Books on Their Opioid Settlement Funds. We Checked Up on Them.

Victims of the opioid crisis, health advocates, and public policy experts have repeatedly called on state and local governments to transparently report how they’re using the funds they are receiving from settlements with opioid makers and distributors.

Tribal Health Leaders Say Feds Haven’t Treated Syphilis Outbreak as a Public Health Emergency

The National Indian Health Board has urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to declare a public health emergency as an alarming syphilis outbreak, which disproportionately affects Native Americans, continues. This is the latest plea for more resources from tribal leaders after previous requests went unanswered.

Prepared for a Trump Win, California’s Attorney General Is Ready To Fight

Attorney General Rob Bonta, a longtime champion of reproductive rights, is ready to lead California in the fight to protect abortion under Trump’s second presidency. In a Q&A, he shares how his upbringing prepared him for the role.

7 of 10 States Backed Abortion Rights. But Little To Change Yet.

Voters in 10 states weighed in on abortion rights this election. Despite the results supporting abortion rights in seven of those states, much of the abortion landscape on abortion won’t change much immediately, as medical providers navigate the legal hurdles that remain.

Trump’s White House Return Poised To Tangle Health Care Safety Net

The new Trump administration is likely to reduce subsidies for Affordable Care Act insurance plans and roll back Medicaid coverage. Public health authorities worry that anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will be empowered.

Community Health Workers Spread Across the US, Even in Rural Areas

Community health workers are increasingly common in rural areas, where they help patients overcome barriers to accessing care and staying healthy.