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A federal judge has named a receiver to run California鈥檚 troubled prison mental health system. Colette Peters, a reformist with a rocky tenure as director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, will have four months to develop a plan to adequately care for tens of thousands of prisoners.
The governor鈥檚 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 doesn鈥檛 go far enough.
Enrollment of underrepresented groups at medical schools fell precipitously this academic year after the Supreme Court鈥檚 2023 ban on affirmative action. Education and health experts worry the Trump administration鈥檚 anti-DEI measures will only worsen the situation, even in states like California that have navigated bans on race-conscious admissions for years.
Union Health has made a new bid to buy its only rival hospital in Terre Haute, Indiana. The system passed one hurdle after lawmakers watered down a bill that threatened the proposed deal. That means the merger will now face a likely showdown with Indiana鈥檚 new governor.
As Congress mulls significant cuts to Medicaid, Native American tribes are bracing for potentially devastating financial fallout. That鈥檚 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.
President Donald Trump ordered a halt to gender-affirming medical care for transgender prisoners in federal custody, and to housing trans women in female prisons. The new policies raise alarms for a formerly incarcerated trans woman. She said the order denies lifesaving medical care and creates a road map for rape.
Rep. Ro Khanna of California warned of Trump administration 鈥渃uts鈥 to Medicare telehealth access hitting March 31. But if Medicare recipients lose telemedicine benefits that day, it will be because Congress failed to act.
Almost 40 years ago, Joseph Borzelleca published a study on red dye No. 3, a petroleum-based food coloring. The FDA cited his work to ban the additive in January. But Borzelleca says it鈥檚 safe.
A bill proposed by kratom industry advocates is prompting consideration 鈥 and some concern 鈥 in the Montana Legislature.
Republicans鈥 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 don鈥檛 work and that they use Medicaid significantly more than others.
The Senate Finance Committee questioned Mehmet Oz, President Donald Trump鈥檚 nominee to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. 51视频 Health News reporters discussed the biggest takeaways from the hearing.
Two senior scientists say National Institutes of Health officials advised them to remove references to mRNA vaccines in grant applications, and they fear the Trump administration will abandon a promising field of medical research.
51视频 Health News journalists made the rounds on national and local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here鈥檚 a collection of their appearances.
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American communities plagued by gun violence, including Four Corners in Boston, honor pockets of safety as sacred spaces. A brazen barbershop killing was a new and traumatic violation.
Democratic state lawmakers in California have proposed bills to protect women, transgender people, and immigrants in response to concerns that their health data could be used against them. If the measures reach his desk, Gov. Gavin Newsom could lay such legislation aside to focus on securing federal funds.
The Trump administration鈥檚 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 51视频 Health News鈥 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, California鈥檚 Medicaid program, borrowed $3.4 billion from the state 鈥 and will likely need even more 鈥 due to higher prescription costs and increased eligibility for seniors and immigrants. The top Republican in the state Senate is demanding a hearing 鈥渟o the public knows exactly where their tax dollars are going.鈥
A Republican House resolution, which needs the Senate鈥檚 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.
President Donald Trump鈥檚 health team has deep financial ties to the supplements industry. Now they鈥檙e poised to boost its growth and remake the government鈥檚 approach to health.
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