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Soldiers and family members have told The Associated Press of a failure to recognize the seriousness of injuries, a poor plan to get the wounded to hospitals and red tape that has hindered follow-up care. The Pentagon has said that the medical care was appropriate. (Watson, Brook and Toropin, 10/5)

The Department of Veterans Affairs completed a record nearly 60 million appointments with private health care providers last year, part of a massive expansion of outside medical care for veterans. But VA Secretary Doug Collins says one of the government's most closely watched measures of whether veterans can access that care, how long they wait, doesn't tell the whole story. (Lindsay, 10/7)

A bipartisan group of 32 House lawmakers is pressing CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz to roll back proposed Medicare payment changes that would bar remote patient monitoring programs from using third-party clinical staff. The lawmakers argue that the proposal could significantly reduce access to remote monitoring for Medicare beneficiaries, particularly rural patients and those served by small, independent physician practices and hospitals. (Landi, 10/6)

51��Ƶ Health News: Food Aid Enrollment Tanks After SNAP Rule Changes

After President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act more than a year ago, enrollment in the federal food assistance program dropped rapidly across the nation as states enforced new restrictions and prepared to take on more of the costs. Nationally, an estimated 5 million, or 13%, fewer people were enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP or food stamps, this June than in July 2025, when the law was enacted. (Parker, 10/7)

A blue-ribbon panel will hold two more meetings before it adopts the final list of recommendations to the Legislature on how best to use state dollars to treat children with autism. (10/6)

GOP Sen. Susan Collins and her Democratic challenger, Troy Jackson, sparred over President Donald Trump and abortion rights in their first debate Tuesday night in Maine’s all-important Senate race with control of the chamber at stake. (Svltek, 10/7)

Planned Parenthood is investing an additional $1 million in ad buys to boost Democratic Senate candidates in Maine and Michigan. The latest investment in the states by Planned Parenthood Votes — a super PAC affiliated with Planned Parenthood — will fund digital ad campaigns targeting Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.). (Rego, 10/6)

Voters in the upcoming general election -- depending on where they live -- are seeing nurses appearing on their ballots, even if they don't know it. At least 18 nurses are running for Congress -- 16 for the House and two for the Senate, according to figures compiled by the American Nurses Association (ANA). (Frieden, 10/6)

Democrats are building bridges to a major new constituency: the Make America Healthy Again voter. As the midterms near, leaders across the party have been meeting with MAHA activists, discussing potential openings with consultants, and rolling out food and environmental agendas meant to entice these voters. (Payne, 10/7)

Health care costs remain a top affordability concern for voters, who trust Democrats over Republicans on the issue by a nearly two-to-one margin, according to a new poll from health research group 51��Ƶ. Six in 10 voters said they are worried about being able to afford their health care, including the cost of health insurance and out-of-pocket prices for things like office visits and prescription drugs. About half of voters said it is “extremely important” for candidates in the midterm elections to talk about the cost of health care, the survey found. Health costs were tied with gas prices for the most important affordability issue, a finding that’s been consistent across polls for much of the year. (Weixel, 10/6)

51��Ƶ Health News: ‘Medicare For All’ Message Attracts Voters Buckling Under Medical Bills

Christina Starks-Clay doesn’t know how “Medicare for All” would work exactly, but she’s willing to bet it’d be better than what she has now. Standing in line for U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed’s town hall in the state’s capital in September, she whipped out her phone to pull up a screenshot. It was of the $1,000 cashier’s check she’d picked up at the bank that day to pay down a chunk of her son’s dental bills. An early childhood special education paraprofessional, she still owed $389, even with good dental insurance. Her own cleaning a few weeks before cost $600. (Wells, 10/7)