A New Car vs. Health Insurance? Average Family Job-Based Coverage Hits $27K
51视频 data shows that 2025 marked the first time in two decades that the annual cost of covering a family of four rose by 6% or more for three consecutive years.
Healthcare Costs
241-260 of 1,942 results
-
-
States Jostle Over $50B Rural Health Fund as Trump鈥檚 Medicaid Cuts Trigger Scramble
States are battling for their piece of $50 billion in federal rural health funding, but it鈥檚 not just hospitals vying for the money. Tech startups and policy demands are raising the stakes as Medicaid cuts loom.
Schr枚dinger鈥檚 Government Shutdown
Episode 418Democrats and Republicans remain stalled over funding the federal government as Republicans launch a new attack on the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is taking advantage of the shutdown to lay off workers from programs supported mostly by Democrats. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, and Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine join 51视频 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews health insurance analyst Louise Norris about Medicare open enrollment.
-
In Mississippi, Medicaid Coverage of Weight Loss Drugs Fails To Catch On
In Mississippi, a state with one of the highest obesity rates in the nation, Medicaid covers weight loss drugs, but few enrollees have signed up for the benefit.
-
RFK Jr. Misses Mark in Touting Rural Health Transformation Fund as Historic Infusion of Cash
The health secretary鈥檚 statement doesn鈥檛 consider the impact that the Medicaid cuts advanced in the same law will have on health care in rural America.
-
California鈥檚 Health Insurance Marketplace Braces for Chaos as Shutdown Persists
Jessica Altman, the head of California鈥檚 Affordable Care Act health insurance marketplace, warns letters will be sent out this week with sky-high premiums unless Washington extends covid-era enhanced tax credits by then. Even if Congress acts later and rates are lower than feared, she says, shoppers could be scared off.
-
Journalists Dig Into Government Shutdown and Rural Doctor Drought
51视频 Health News journalists made the rounds on national media recently to discuss topical stories. Here鈥檚 a collection of their appearances.
Starting To Feel the Shutdown鈥檚 Bite
Episode 417The government shutdown continues with no end in sight, and while it theoretically should not affect entitlement programs, the lapse of some related authorizations 鈥 like for Medicare telehealth programs 鈥 is leaving some doctors and patients high and dry. Meanwhile, the FDA quietly approved a new generic abortion pill. Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join 51视频 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also, Rovner interviews Sarah Grusin of the National Health Law Program.
-
Listen: Why ‘TrumpRx’ Might Not Save You Money
On the "Today, Explained" podcast, 51视频 Health News' Julie Rovner recaps the TrumpRx announcement and why the direct-to-consumer initiative may not save you money on prescription drugs if you have insurance through your employer or the government.
By Julie Rovner -
Why Democrats Are Casting the Government Shutdown as a Health Care Showdown
Democrats are pressuring Republicans to extend billions of dollars in federal tax credits that have dramatically lowered premiums and contributed to record-low rates of uninsured Americans. It鈥檚 a chance to talk about a winning issue 鈥 and maybe regain support from working-class voters.
By Amanda Seitz -
GOP Falsely Ties Shutdown to Democrats鈥 Alleged Drive To Give All Immigrants Health Care
Immigrants living in the U.S. without legal status are generally ineligible for federally funded health care programs. Democrats鈥 funding proposal would restore access to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act marketplace for legal immigrants who will lose access once certain provisions of the Republicans鈥 tax and spending law take effect.
-
Political Risks in ACA Subsidy Debate Spark Blame Game, Test Parties鈥 Resolve
Get our weekly newsletter, The Week in Brief, featuring a roundup of our original coverage, Fridays at 2 p.m. ET.
Democrats Make This Shutdown About the ACA
Episode 416The foreshadowed federal shutdown came after Congress failed to pass required spending bills, with Democrats demanding Republicans renew the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies in exchange for their votes. While a shutdown does not affect Medicare and Medicaid, it could eventually hinder activities from every corner of the Department of Health and Human Services. Meanwhile, as Democrats and Republicans point fingers, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pursues policies and personnel that would undermine vaccines. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Bloomberg News join 51视频 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss the news. Also this week, Rovner interviews 51视频 Health News鈥 Cara Anthony, who wrote a recent 鈥淏ill of the Month鈥 feature about an out-of-network eye surgery that left one kindergartner鈥檚 family with a big bill.
-
Workers鈥 Wages Siphoned To Pay Medical Bills, Despite Consumer Protections
Health care providers and debt collectors are biting from people鈥檚 paychecks to cover old medical bills. A 51视频 Health News investigation in Colorado shows that this aggressive collection practice is widespread even in a state considered to have strong consumer protections.
The Struggle To Afford Insurance in 2026 Hits Home
Season 14, Episode 1The senior producer of 鈥淎n Arm and a Leg鈥 starts planning for health insurance in 2026, and 鈥 like millions of others signing up during this year鈥檚 open enrollment 鈥 faces a steep price increase.
-
Shutdown Halts Some Health Services as Political Risks Test Parties鈥 Resolve
Congressional Democrats and Republicans are at an impasse in negotiations. Which side will blink first?
-
Journalists Recap Coverage on Organ Harvesting, Obamacare, and Medicaid Cuts
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.
-
Listen: Young Adults Turning 26 Face Health Insurance Cliff
The erosion of the Affordable Care Act has created an insurance cliff for Americans who are turning 26 and don鈥檛 have a job that provides medical coverage. Scared off by high price tags and the complexity of picking a policy, some young adults are going without insurance.
Public Health Further Politicized Under the Threat of More Firings
Episode 415In a rambling news conference that shocked public health experts, President Donald Trump 鈥 without scientific evidence 鈥 blamed the over-the-counter drug acetaminophen, and too many childhood vaccines, for the increase in autism diagnoses in the U.S. That came days after a key immunization advisory panel, newly reconstituted with vaccine doubters, changed several long-standing recommendations. Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official Demetre Daskalakis joins 51视频 Health News鈥 Julie Rovner to discuss those stories. Meanwhile, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call and Anna Edney of Bloomberg News join Rovner with the rest of the news, including a threat by the Trump administration to fire rather than furlough federal workers if Congress fails to fund the government beyond the Oct. 1 start of the new fiscal year.
-
As Trump Punts on Medical Debt, Battle Over Patient Protections Moves to States
Some states are enacting medical debt laws as the Trump administration pulls back federal protections. Elsewhere, industry opposition has derailed legislation.