Insurance Archives - Page 5 of 189 - 51��Ƶ Health News

More Kids Without Coverage

Episode 448

May 28, 2026

When Republicans passed their big budget bill in 2025, they thought the effects of cuts to health programs wouldn’t show up until after the 2026 midterms. They were wrong. Meanwhile, the party is trumpeting its efforts to lower drug prices. Maya Goldman of Axios, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join 51��Ƶ Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner discusses Ebola with 51��Ƶ Health News’ Céline Gounder.

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A digital illustration of 15 small figures looking at a stethoscope much larger than they are.

Montana Hurries To Adopt Trump’s Medicaid Work Rules Amid Budget Woes

The state is ramping up to implement the federal work requirements six months ahead of the deadline. But Montana is one of several states already struggling to pay for health services.

By Katheryn Houghton

May 27, 2026

A woman with very short gray hair wearing a black fleece jacket smiles in the direction of the camera.

Priced Out

Cheaper, Alternative Health Plans Are Having a Moment, but Critics Urge Caution

Congress' decision not to extend enhanced marketplace tax credits has boosted the appeal of alternative health coverage with lower monthly premiums. Consumer advocates dismiss the plans as "junk insurance,” while proponents say patients need alternatives to pricey marketplace options.

By Sarah Kwon

May 26, 2026

What the Health? From 51��Ƶ Health News

Sen. Cassidy Unleashed

Episode 447

May 21, 2026

In the days after losing his reelection bid in Louisiana, Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy is already signaling that his loyalty to President Trump has waned. But how much Cassidy will try to accomplish toward his health agenda in his last months in office remains to be seen. Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, Sheryl Gay Stolberg of The New York Times, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join 51��Ƶ Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss this story and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews health policy professor Miranda Yaver, the author of a new book about health insurance denials.

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A green arrow points up beside a red arrow that points down on a white background.

Eroding ACA Enrollment Portends Higher Insurance Rates

An uptick in people skipping Obamacare premium payments in many states suggests the Affordable Care Act’s rising costs — driven partly by lower subsidies to help people buy plans — are hitting home for 2026 enrollees. The trend adds to voter concerns about affordability ahead of the midterm elections.

By Julie Appleby

May 19, 2026

Paperwork related to Medicaid in North Carolina is seen laid out

Trump Demands Medicaid Data for Deportation. Some States Go a Step Further.

Several states have required their health agencies to take on another job: verifying immigration status among Medicaid recipients and reporting them to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. North Carolina is the latest to pass such a law, and experts expect more to follow.

By Andrew Jones

May 14, 2026

An image that shows a woman talking beside a cartoon drawing of an insurance paper..

Watch: 8 Health Insurance Terms You Should Know

Deductible. Copay. Out-of-pocket limit. What do these health insurance terms actually mean? We explain common phrases from insurance policies so navigating your plan is less of a headache.

By Lexi Krupp, Hannah Norman, Jackie Fortiér, and Oona Zenda

May 11, 2026

A group of people — most wearing red shirts — mingle in front of a bus with the words "All Aboard For A California You Can Afford" on its side.

In California Governor Race, Single-Payer Is a Litmus Test. There’s Still No Way To Pay for It.

Single-payer healthcare is a central talking point in the chaotic race for California governor. In a crowded field, top-polling Democrats are declaring their support for a government-run health system but providing few details about how they’d accomplish it in the nation’s most populous state.

By Christine Mai-Duc

May 8, 2026

What the Health? From 51��Ƶ Health News

Abortion Pill Politics

Episode 445

May 7, 2026

A federal court’s decision to restrict availability of the abortion pill mifepristone has launched abortion back into the national spotlight. It’s also raised new questions about the job security of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary. Sandhya Raman of Bloomberg Law, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join 51��Ƶ Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also, Rovner interviews 51��Ƶ Health News’ Andrew Jones, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month."

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President Trump speaks at a podium. The American flag is to the left of him. A flag with the presidential seal is to the right of him. Behind him is a sign that reads, "TrumpRx.gov."

Trump Promised Cheaper Drugs. Some Prices Dropped. Many Others Shot Up.

For all of President Donald Trump’s showmanship, the share of Americans his policies will likely help remains slim, even if some patients do come out ahead.

By Elisabeth Rosenthal and Arthur Allen

May 7, 2026

A photo of a mini shopping cart filled with pills beside a stack of money against a blue background.

That Discount at the Pharmacy Counter May Pack Hidden Costs

The new TrumpRx program relies partly on connecting consumers with discount coupons offered by drugmakers. For insured patients, though, using a coupon can prove dicey.

By Rachel Spears

May 7, 2026

A photo of several Wegovy injectable pens arranged in a row.

A New Medicare Option for Weight Loss Drugs: What Older Americans Should Know

It may soon get easier for millions of people with Medicare to get discounted GLP-1 drugs for weight loss.

By Jackie Fortiér

May 6, 2026

Governor Gavin Newsom speaks at a podium that says, "treatment not tents."

Gavin Newsom, Early Champion of Single-Payer, Moderates in the Face of Fiscal Limits

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who campaigned on single-payer, has called healthcare a human right. In practice, however, the potential presidential candidate emphasizes safety net services, from expanding coverage to immigrants to constructing behavioral health supports, often for those experiencing homelessness.

By Angela Hart

May 1, 2026

A document with Medicaid eligibility and stethoscope.

States Rush To Figure Out How To Enforce Trump’s Medicaid Work Requirements

A 51��Ƶ survey of state Medicaid officials offers insight into lingering uncertainty and differing plans for work requirement implementation as the Jan. 1 deadline approaches.

By Rachel Spears

April 30, 2026

An aerial view of downtown Omaha at dawn. Several cars are driving on the roads.

Trump’s Medicaid Work Mandate Debuting in Nebraska to Much Dismay

On May 1, the state will become the first to require people on the government health program to fulfill a work requirement or lose their coverage under a new rule that was a key part of congressional Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

By Phil Galewitz

April 29, 2026

A woman stands outside in a park surrounded by trees.

An Urgent Care Treated Her Allergic Reaction. An ER Monitored Her — For $6,700.

A bug bite and an allergic reaction ultimately sent a North Carolina woman to the emergency room, where she had a couple of brief chats with a doctor and a dose of medicine. Now she questions why the charges were so high.

By Andrew Jones

April 28, 2026

A woman and child walk hand in hand down a hospital corridor

Priced Out

Florida Delays Children’s Health Insurance Expansion as Uninsured Rate Rises

Florida’s KidCare expansion has been stuck in legal limbo since February 2024. Since then, the number of uninsured children in Florida has risen to 400,000 — one of the highest state tallies.

By Daniel Chang

April 27, 2026

How Would You Fix It?

Watch: Acknowledging Health Care’s Great Divide

As part of her "How Would You Fix It?" series, podcast host Julie Rovner chats with health policy expert David Blumenthal about how politics can gum up health policy progress.

By Hannah Norman and Julie Rovner

April 23, 2026

An upward red arrow rests on a stethoscope on a pale blue background.

Medigap Premiums Leap, and Consumers Have Few Alternatives

Millions of people rely on the supplemental insurance to offset the deductibles, copayments, and other costs faced by enrollees in the traditional Medicare program.

By Julie Appleby

April 23, 2026

Two people pose for a photo together, smiling. The person on the left holds signs that read, "Survivor" and "Avocate." The person the right holds a sign that reads, "Fighter."

Priced Out

They’re in Remission, but Their Medical Bills Aren’t: Cancer Survivors Navigate Soaring Costs

The costs of posttreatment care are forcing cancer survivors to make tough choices. GOP proposals to bring down health insurance costs won’t help people who need constant care and monitoring, health policy researchers and patient advocates say.

By Renuka Rayasam

April 22, 2026

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