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The governorās fiscal year 2026 budget revises a law designed to limit unexpected bills that can put people at risk for unfair medical billing practices and reduce medical debt. Consumer groups say it doesnāt go far enough.
As Congress mulls significant cuts to Medicaid, Native American tribes are bracing for potentially devastating financial fallout. Thatās because Medicaid is the largest third-party payer for Native American health programs, funding that has helped address chronic underfunding of the Indian Health Service.
Republicansā moves to scale back Medicaid are leading to more misinformation about immigrants, especially Latinos, circulating on social media platforms. The misconceptions include the myths that Latinos covered by Medicaid donāt work and that they use Medicaid significantly more than others.
The Trump administrationās efforts to downsize the federal government continue, with both personnel and programs being cut at the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Social Security Administration. Meanwhile, the fight over cuts to the Medicaid program for those with low incomes heats up, as Republicans worry that more of their voters than ever before are Medicaid beneficiaries. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join Ńī¹óåś“«Ć½Ņīl Health Newsā Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Jeff Grant, who recently retired from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services after 41 years in government service.
Medi-Cal, Californiaās Medicaid program, borrowed $3.4 billion from the state ā and will likely need even more ā due to higher prescription costs and increased eligibility for seniors and immigrants. The top Republican in the state Senate is demanding a hearing āso the public knows exactly where their tax dollars are going.ā
A Republican House resolution, which needs the Senateās buy-in, directed a committee to propose ways to reduce the deficit by at least $880 billion over a decade. Lawmakers have taken Medicare off the table for cuts, which makes it impossible to reach $880 billion without cutting Medicaid.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is offline ā for now. Hereās what that could mean for people with medical debt.
California businesses saw employeesā monthly family insurance premiums rise nearly $1,000 over a 15-year period, more than double the pace of inflation. And employeesā share grew as companies shifted more of the cost to workers.
Last year, the government stopped cutting off peopleās monthly Social Security benefits to claw back overpayments. Last week, under President Donald Trump, it reversed that change.
The proposal also would reverse a Biden administration policy that allowed āDreamersā ā immigrants in the country illegally who were brought here as children ā from qualifying for subsidized ACA coverage.
As a deputy chief technology officer in the Obama administration, Jennifer Pahlka brought Silicon Valley talent to Washington to streamline public access to government services. She believes better government technology could both ensure taxpayer dollars arenāt wasted and that people who need health care and food assistance receive it.
At least 20 states have settled disputes with health insurance giant Centene since 2021 over allegations that its pharmacy benefit manager operation overcharged their Medicaid programs. Two holdouts appear to remain: Georgia has not yet settled, and Florida officials wonāt answer questions about its Centene situation.
The Trump administrationās first round of sweeping staff cuts to federal agencies eliminated dozens of positions at the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, which is tasked with implementing the No Surprises Act.
A San Francisco man had friends drive him to the hospital after he was hit by a car. Doctors checked him out, then sent him by ambulance to a trauma center ā which released him with no further treatment. The ambulance bill? Almost $13,000.
Frustrated by high health care prices, many who backed President Donald Trump support strong government actions to protect patients. Itās unclear whether GOP leaders will listen.
Nevadaās budget debate highlights how uncertainty over funding for federal safety net programs may lead some officials to turn to opioid settlement dollars to make up the difference.
Ńī¹óåś“«Ć½Ņīl Health News correspondent Sam Whitehead discusses Medicaid's history and role in the U.S. health system.
State lawmakers appear ready to preserve the stateās Medicaid expansion program without knowing what federal changes might be in store.
Republicans in Congress have suggested big cuts to Medicaid, the state-federal health insurance program for people with low incomes or disabilities. The complex, multifaceted program touches millions of Americans and has become deeply woven into state budgets and the U.S. health care system.
Republicans in Congress have suggested big cuts to Medicaid, the state-federal health insurance program for people with low incomes or disabilities. The complex, multifaceted program touches millions of Americans and has become deeply woven into state budgets and the U.S. health care system.
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