Whistleblower lawsuits alleged that Exactech covered up defects in knee implants while patient injuries mounted. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

A lack of faith in the soundness of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s new direction has led states to explore enacting their own vaccine policies. A patchwork of divergent recommendations and requirements could result. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

In a rural, largely Republican region of California, homegrown efforts to bolster the medical workforce face an uphill battle, in part because of federal health care cuts approved by the GOP Congress and signed by President Donald Trump in July, as well as a state budget deficit. bit.ly/3VWcHOI

Doctors need to know when to screen for tick-borne diseases in their communities. But it’s getting harder for local health departments to get funding for tick surveys as federal public health grants from agencies like the CDC dry up. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Susan Monarez, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on Sept. 17 in her first public remarks since she was fired. youtu.be/YW7PyPV8mZI?...

Tens of millions of people face sticker shock enrolling in Affordable Care Act insurance for 2026. To save money, the Trump administration wants them to consider less generous coverage. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

@kffhealthnews.org's chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner talks about the MAHA-aligned children's health report that RFK, Jr. released, what it recommends and where many public health experts think it falls short: www.wnyc.org/story/inside...

The largest HIV outbreak in Maine’s history — and the local factors that shaped it — can shed light on what to expect from the Trump administration’s policies on drug use and homelessness. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

A New England state is battling the largest HIV outbreak in its history. The local factors that shaped it can shed light on what to expect from Trump’s policies on homelessness and drug use. @kffhealthnews.org kffhealthnews.org/news/article... kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

A vaccine panel reshaped by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. may vote to delay the hepatitis B shot for newborns, per ex officials. The move would mark a major shift in U.S. vaccine policy. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

New moms are sharing their expensive hospital bills on social media. But how did we get here? @kffhealthnews.org  breaks down the history of health care coverage for childbirth in this video:

In the past, fatalities among older people were often attributed to ailments like heart failure instead of falls. Changes in the processing of death certificates may help explain rising rates of fall-related mortality. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Armed with unprecedented access to their patient records, people are increasingly turning to AI for analysis and interpretation. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights reported receiving nearly 23,000 complaints in fiscal 2024, the most ever. Parents of disabled children now fear serious allegations will never be investigated. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

This week in health care: - HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. released his strategy to make America’s kids “Healthy Again”. - The Trump administration wants to crack down on the prescription drug ads you see on TV. - Covid wasn’t a top 10 cause of death in the U.S. last year.

FDA leaders under President Trump are moving to abandon a decades-old policy of asking outside experts to review drug applications, a move critics say would shield the agency’s decisions from public scrutiny. @arthurallen202.bsky.social has the details: kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

i was on C-Span this am, talking ACA subsidies and MAHA report: www.c-span.org/program/wash...

A surgical team prepared to harvest this man’s organs. He was still alive. Now he’s telling his story. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

The largest HIV outbreak in Maine’s history — and the local factors that shaped it — can shed light on what to expect from the Trump administration’s policies on drug use and homelessness. @aneripattani.bsky.social reports for KFF Health News + @newhampshirebulletin.com. ⤵️

AI chatbots can give patients great or terrible advice, depending on the prompt, said Adam Rodman of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Kate Ruder reports for KFF Health News + @npr.org. ⤵️

A ruling upholding California's medical bias training law is a victory for the state against anti-DEI challenges from the Trump administration and conservative groups. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said “everybody can get” a covid vaccine. The statement contains an element of truth, but it ignores critical facts about the barriers people could face accessing and paying for it. @politifact.bsky.social + KFF Health News rate it Mostly False. Here's why: bit.ly/4mg4rnv

Public health leaders say not to worry about head lice. They’re a nuisance, not a health hazard. But as more schools implement looser lice policies to allow students with lice to stay in school, some parents are pushing back. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Independent rural hospitals are increasingly joining networks that share resources and bargaining power. The goal is to save money and improve patient care without losing their independence by joining a large health system. Reporting from Bowman, ND: kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Independent and rural hospitals are collaborating with their neighbors to shore up their finances instead of joining larger health systems to stay afloat. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

More Americans are choosing burials in which everything is biodegradable. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

As extremism and radicalization worsen in the United States, a group of researchers is trying out a new approach that addresses the issue as a public health problem. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

The number of patients treated at the NIH Clinical Center is falling under the second Trump administration. @rachanadpradhan.bsky.social reports why, drawing on government documents and interviews with NIH staff.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is investigating at least six Democratic-led states that have expanded coverage to immigrants without legal status for Medicaid waste, fraud, and abuse, according to joint reporting by KFF Health News and @apnews.com. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

The CDC has been decapitated. In my latest newsletter, I wrote about how most of the agency's division directors are gone. RFK's stated priorities for the CDC directly contradict his actions. Newsletter @kffhealthnews.org @healthbeat.org healthbeat.beehiiv.com/p/the-cdc-as...

As 40 states get ready to roll out Medicaid work requirements by 2027, the man in charge of Michigan’s former system says it would be “more honest” if Republicans just kicked people off insurance. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Carrot or the stick? Some nutritionists say incentives are the best way to improve the diets of low-income Americans on food aid, while the Trump administration seems focused on restrictions. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

LIVE NOW: We're recapping the biggest takeaways from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy's testimony before the Senate Finance Committee. Tune in: www.youtube.com/watch?v=CldO...

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is currently testifying before the Senate Finance Committee. What will be the biggest takeaways? What comes next? We've got the details. Tune in for our post-hearing discussion today at 3 p.m. ET. RSVP here: bit.ly/4mVyO3J

Conventional wisdom says GLP-1 drugs must be taken indefinitely to maintain weight loss. But a growing number of researchers, payers, and providers are challenging that consensus and exploring whether — and how — to taper patients off expensive GLP-1 drugs. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

If you’re faced with a health insurance denial, the appeals process can seem daunting. “It's overwhelming by design,” one patient argued. With that in mind, here are 7 tips to consider during an appeal: kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Céline Gounder, KFF Health News’ editor-at-large for public health, appeared on CBS News’ “Face the Nation With Margaret Brennan” on Aug. 31 to discuss leadership changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and vaccine policy concerns. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is set to testify before the Senate Finance Committee on Sept. 4. What are the biggest takeaways? What comes next? Tune in for a post-hearing discussion on Sept. 4 at 3 p.m. ET. RSVP here: bit.ly/4mVyO3J

Fear and trembling at NIH as administration moves to weaken peer review of research grants. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s push to fire CDC director Susan Monarez is more than an administrative shake-up. It’s part of Kennedy’s anti-vaccine, anti-science agenda, some public health experts say. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Sam Whitehead reads the week’s news: ERs with no doctor on staff are becoming more common in rural areas, and higher costs for ACA plans could hit early retirees and small-business owners hard next year. https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/listen-to-the-latest-kff-health-news-minute-2025/

NEW: Feel like you're reading more about hospitals fighting with insurers and even stranding patients out of network? It's not your imagination. Almost 1 in 5 hospitals had a brawl with an insurer in the past 4 years. Trump admin cuts mean we're likely to see even more...

Confusion over federal immunization policy could have major implications for how families with private insurance and Medicaid pay for routine vaccinations. Some doctors are encouraging parents not to wait and get their children shots as soon as they are eligible. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Americans increasingly find themselves caught in disputes between hospitals and insurance companies. @realbrambo.bsky.social writes that the fights could become more common as hospitals brace for cuts from Trump policies. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

The Trump administration touts the millions of Social Security inquiries answered by its new artificial intelligence-powered chatbot. But former agency officials and longtime observers say the bot was tested and shelved when Joe Biden was still in office. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

The FTC has long required companies to back any medical claims about their products with evidence. A lawsuit would put the burden of proof on the government. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

As states prepare to implement changes to Medicaid required by President Donald Trump’s recent tax-and-spending law, tribal leaders say they are concerned Native American enrollees could lose their coverage, despite exemptions made by Congress. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

The Trump administration's cuts of public health funds to state and local health departments had vastly uneven effects depending on the political leanings of where someone lives, a new KFF Health News analysis shows. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

Chloë Jones had eye surgery last fall. With no specialist nearby who took her insurance, her insurer granted approval for her to see an out-of-network doctor. After the surgery, though, the company declined to pay most of the bill. bit.ly/3Jzktv0

Turns out your employer’s human resources department can do more than hand you a W-2 and branded water bottle. They could also help you take on your health insurance company. kffhealthnews.org/news/article...