Medi-Cal Immigrant Enrollment Is Dropping. Researchers Point to Trump’s Policies.
Medi-Cal enrollment among undocumented immigrants in California has sharply declined, with roughly 100,000 leaving the program between June and December, accounting for a quarter of all disenrollments. Overall Medi-Cal enrollment fell about 1.6 million since its May 2023 peak, a reversal of the steady growth since the state opened coverage to all low‑income residents in January 2024. Researchers attribute the drop to fear generated by the Trump administration’s public‑charge proposal and data‑sharing plans, rather than routine eligibility checks. The proposed rule could save $9 billion but may force up to 4 million people, including many citizen children, to exit Medicaid and related benefits.
Rovner Recaps Medicaid Cuts’ Impact on Hospitals and Fields Caller Questions on Affordability
Julie Rovner, KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent, recapped the impact of recent Medicaid cuts on American hospitals during WAMU’s 1A interview on April 7. She highlighted how reduced Medicaid reimbursements strain hospital cash flow and could force cuts to uncompensated...
Watch: As AI Makes More Health Coverage Decisions, the Risks to Patients Grow
Health insurers are touting artificial intelligence as a cost‑saving tool for coverage decisions, a claim echoed in recent earnings calls. The Trump administration has launched a pilot using AI to streamline Medicare prior‑authorization, signaling federal support for algorithmic triage. However,...
For Many Patients Leaving the ICU, the Struggle Has Only Just Begun
The article highlights post‑intensive care syndrome (PICS), a cluster of lasting physical, cognitive, and mental health problems that affect more than half of the roughly 5 million Americans admitted to ICUs each year. It follows the recovery of Joseph Masterson, who...
What the Health? From KFF Health News: Abortion Pills, the Budget, and RFK Jr.
A federal judge in Louisiana delayed a ruling on the abortion drug mifepristone after a request from the Trump administration, sparking anger from anti‑abortion groups. The administration’s FY2027 budget proposes more than $15 billion in cuts to HHS programs, a smaller...
Farm Bureau Plans Are a Less Pricey Alternative to ACA Coverage — With Trade-Offs
Rising ACA premiums are pushing consumers toward lower‑cost alternatives, such as farm bureau health plans now available in Missouri and 13 other states. Membership in a state farm bureau costs $30‑$50 annually and grants access to plans that can be...
States Face Another Challenge With Medicaid Work Rules: Staffing Shortages
Congressional Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed by President Trump, will impose new Medicaid work requirements that take effect for most states on Jan. 1, 2027. The rule shifts eligibility verification from annual to semi‑annual checks and adds a workload...
Urgent Care Clinics Move To Fill Abortion Care Gaps in Rural Areas
After the Planned Parenthood clinic in Marquette, Michigan shut down, urgent‑care physician Shawn Brown began offering medication abortions at her Marquette Medical Urgent Care. The clinic now provides up to four abortions per week, serving patients from a 500‑mile stretch...
Trump’s Personnel Agency Is Asking for Federal Workers’ Medical Records
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has issued a notice demanding that 65 insurers provide monthly, personally identifiable health data for more than 8 million federal employees, retirees and their families. The request covers medical, pharmacy, encounter and provider information without...
Can I Opt Out of Having My Doctor Take Notes With AI?
Family physicians are increasingly adopting AI-powered notetaking tools that listen to patient conversations and generate visit summaries within seconds. Cleveland Clinic doctor Eric Boose reports that the technology lets him focus on face‑to‑face interaction, reduces charting time, and lets him...
These Women Had Their Breasts Removed To Thwart Cancer. Then Came the Pain.
Post‑mastectomy pain syndrome (PMPS) afflicts a substantial share of women after breast‑removal surgery, with prevalence estimates ranging from 10% to over 50%. The condition often goes undiagnosed and untreated, leaving patients like Sophia Bassan in chronic, disabling pain despite successful...
Journalists Capsulize Weight Loss News and ACA Premium Pressures
KFF Health News spotlighted two pressing health issues this spring. On April 2, editor‑at‑large Céline Gounder discussed the FDA’s approval of a new weight‑loss pill during a CBS Mornings interview, outlining its clinical promise and market potential. A week earlier, Southern correspondent...
Tax Time Brings Surprises for Some Who Receive ACA Subsidies
Tax season is exposing ACA enrollees to surprise repayment bills as they must reconcile premium subsidies with actual income. In 2025, most recipients faced a capped repayment of up to $1,625 for individuals, but a new law eliminates those caps...
Listen: What the Vaccine Schedule Whiplash Means for Your Kids
A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s effort to adopt a shortened childhood vaccine schedule championed by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The decision, likely to be appealed, leaves the nation in a policy limbo...
US Scientists Sequence 1,000 Genomes From Measles, a Disease Long Eliminated With Vaccines
The CDC has posted its first batch of whole‑genome sequences from roughly 1,000 measles viruses collected in 2025‑2026, marking the United States' inaugural use of large‑scale genomic surveillance for the disease. The data will allow researchers to trace transmission pathways...
