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Rise in Kansas Children Without Health Insurance, 2022-2024
Learn which Kansas children were most affected by rising uninsured rates between 2022 and 2024 and explore factors contributing to the increase, including Medicaid coverage losses and rising insurance costs.
North Dakota receives nation's largest Year 2 Rural Health Transformation Program funding increase | Health and Human Services North Dakota
North Dakota received the largest dollar increase in Year 2 Rural Health Transformation Program funding of any state in the nation. The $206.4 million award from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services represents a $7.44 million increase over Year 1, bringing the state's total funding to more than $405 million over two years. North Dakota Health and Human Services (HHS) will build on the program's first-year progress, supporting continued investments in the rural healthcare workforce, access to care, infrastructure and healthier communities.
What should Healthbeat investigate next? Tell us what you’re seeing on Medicaid, health costs, and more.
From Medicaid changes to rising healthcare costs to other barriers to care: Healthbeat wants to hear what you are seeing where you live or work.
CMS rural health funding vow does little to spur CON deregulation
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services offered more rural health funding to states that phase out certificate of need laws.
Oklahoma receives $227M in second year of federal Rural Health Transformation Program
The Rural Health Transformation Program is a $50 billion investment signed into law last year, alongside an estimated $911 billion in reductions to federal Medicaid spending over a decade.
State Democratic wins make Medicaid expansion a possibility for more than a million people
Texas, Georgia, and Wisconsin may expand their Medicaid programs when Democrats take power.
CMS Opens Small Business Market Research for Medicare Shared Savings Payment Services
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is conducting market research to determine small-business capability to provide financial services supporting payments to Accountable Care Organizations participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program. CMS is seeking a contractor to establish and manage a CMS-approved bank account, validate ACO banking information, prepare and issue Electronic Funds Transfer […]
Idaho’s rural health funding drops slightly from last year
Idaho has been awarded nearly $183 million in Rural Health Transformation Program funds to enhance healthcare affordability and access in rural areas, following full allocation of last year's $186 million grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
States get another $10B for rural health as far bigger Medicaid cuts loom
The Trump administration rewarded some states and penalized others based on their 2025 record on MAHA and other priorities.
Medicare Fee Schedule for 2027 Favors Psych Collab Care Models
Behavioral health services, including the psychiatric collaborative care model (CoCM), received rate increases from the Centers for Medicare &
Idaho receives $183 million more to boost rural healthcare affordability
Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little announced today the State of Idaho was awarded another nearly $183 million in Rural Health Transformation Program funds from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to help improve affordability and accessibility of healthcare in rural Idaho. The announcement comes on the heels
Oregon receives $197M to improve rural health care
Oregon has receieved another $197.3 million from the Trump administration to continue improving rural healthcare, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced Monday. The new award comes after […]
Feds award $10B to states in second year of rural health grants
Federal officials on Monday announced $10 billion in awards across all 50 states in the second year of the Rural Health Transformation Fund, grants created by Congress to bolster rural health in response to concerns about Medicaid cuts. Texas received the largest grant for the 2027 fiscal year — almost $282 million — followed by Alaska, Montana, California and Oklahoma.
Jefferson Health Plans sued feds over drop in its Medicare Advantage star ratings for 2027
The drop in star ratings for its Medicare Advantage plans will reduce the payments it receives from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services by $43 million, Jefferson said in its lawsuit.
West Virginia gets more than $200 million for Rural Health Transformation in 2027
The state of West Virginia will get more than $200 million dollars during the second year of a federal grant program aimed at improving rural healthcare. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Monday announced $10 billion in Rural Health Transformation program grants to all 50 states for 2027. West Virginia will receive $202,081,355 […]
CMS’ Rural Health Program Builds Momentum
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently funneled $10 billion into a federal program designed to improve rural health
Community Health Centers Approach a Turning Point
A new report finds that the nation’s community health centers (CHCs) - the backbone of the primary care safety net are facing mounting challenges as they brace for significant federal policy changes, including Medicaid cuts and work requirements, restrictions on Marketplace coverage and tighter immigration policies.
Trump Administration Announces $10 Billion in Second Year of Rural Health Transformation Awards to All 50 States
HHS, through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced $10 billion in awards to all 50 states for the second year of the Rural Health Transformation Program
Commentary: Why Medicaid should sustain Chicago’s community health workforce
Sustainable reimbursement would allow community health centers to turn positions supported by temporary funding into permanent career opportunities.
Commentary: Why Medicaid should sustain Chicago’s community health workforce
Sustainable reimbursement would allow community health centers to turn positions supported by temporary funding into permanent career opportunities.
Commentary: Pediatric Medicaid cuts will create a health emergency
Investing in pediatric health today prevents severe suffering and astronomical costs tomorrow.
As gaps widen, community health commitment doubles down on Chicago
Facing cuts and more demand, free and Medicaid-supported health centers are saying they will still be there for patients and the communities that depend on them.
As gaps widen, community health commitment doubles down on Chicago
Facing cuts and more demand, free and Medicaid-supported health centers are saying they will still be there for patients and the communities that depend on them.
Gov.-elect Hinojosa wants to expand Medicaid in Texas. An executive order won’t make that happen
Texas Dems may craft a state “trigger bill” to activate Medicaid expansion if Congress repeals costly Trump administration restrictions.
Health insurance costs headed up for '27: What you need to know to pick right plan
From Medicare to Medicaid and the Marketplace to employer plans, here’s where to start when picking the best health plan for you and your family
Potential impacts Democratic health care proposals on employer-sponsored health care
Summary: Democratic state and federal wins in the midterm elections could lead to Medicaid expansion in some states, and focuses attention on the House Democrats’ memo on health care priorities in the new Congress. Few of these proposals are likely to become law before 2029, but they could form the foundation for Democratic health care reform efforts after the 2028 Presidential election. Portion of total newly eligible for Medicaid if non-expansion states expanded Source: Cervantes, S et al How Many Uninsured Are in the Coverage Gap and How Many Could be Eligible if All States Adopted the Medicaid Expansion? KFF, July 27, 2026 It’s been almost a week since the midterm elections, and the Democrats will have large majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, although not large enough to overcome Senate filibusters or Presidential vetoes. I reviewed some of what I thought these midterm results could mean in a post last week. In retrospect, I might have understated the elections’ impact on health care due to changes in governorship and majorities in many state legislatures. A Democratic trifecta (governorship and both houses) could mean expansion of Medicaid in Wisconsin, and a Democratic governor and House in Texas and Georgia could increase pressure in both states to expand Medicaid. That’s especially important, because Texas currently represents almost half of those who would be newly eligible for insurance from Medicaid expansions. Medicaid expansions matter to employers because they have been shown to decrease the risk of closure of rural hospitals and support workers’ ability to stay employed and productive. The House Democrats’ Cost of Living Healthcare Working Group published an 84-page memo in September with recommendations for the first hundred hours, the first hundred days, and the first year. The midterm results make this document more important. Here’s a review of what some of these recommendations could mean for employer-sponsored health insurance. Elements that could lower employer health care spending Restore the expanded advance premium tax credit for ACA plans. This could bring healthier enrollees back to the marketplace plans, which would improve the risk status of these plans and decrease the rate of uninsurance. Fewer people with insurance puts higher pressures on provider rates of employer plans. More stable ACA plans could encourage employers to consider transitioning from employer-sponsored plans to ICHRA/Choice, providing a fund for employers to purchase their own insurance on an exchange. Repeal Medicaid work requirements and other administrative rules of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act which as written will lead to a large increase in the uninsured rate. Fewer people with insurance leads to more pressures from hospitals for commercial rate increases. Extend Inflation Reduction Act negotiated drug prices to commercial health plans. These are now only applicable to Medicare Parts D (outpatient drugs) and B (drugs administered by providers. The Medicare negotiated prices are lower than net prices negotiated by PBMs. Hospital price limits. Some of the Democratic House proposals would institute site neutral payment and limit outlier hospital prices to 200% of Medicare. The average commercial health plan pays about 247% Medicare rates for inpatient hospital care, and many commercial health plans currently pay over 300% of Medicare for hospital services. PBM regulations. The proposals would mandate more transparency and prevent PBMs from paying subsidiaries more than market rates. Antitrust enforcement. The plan would break up vertically integrated health care monopolies which could lower prices through competition. Ban on non-compete contractual clauses could increase competition by increasing flexibility and supply of clinicians, although it could also increase physician leverage and lead to higher wages which could raise prices. Lower the Medicare eligibility age, which could take older, more expensive, workers off employer sponsored plans. Create a Medi-Kids plan to insure all children and potentially young adults up to age 26. These plan members have low non-preventive utilization and cost less per person than older plan members, but removing children from employer plans would decrease volatility because a few children have very high medical costs. Elements that could increase employer spending (in many instances for high value services) Mandate three primary care and three mental health visits without cost sharing Eliminate cost sharing for mental health care and substance use care during pregnancy and in the year after delivery Require coverage of infertility services Cap cost sharing for insulin, epipen and respiratory inhalers Count copay coupons and assistance toward member deductibles and cost sharing Cap total health care costs (premium and out-of-pocket costs) at 8% of household income Leave a comment Elements that could improve the market Increased price transparency Tightening enforcement of short-term plans, fixed indemnity plans, and cost-sharing ministries. These skimpy health plans skim off healthier people, leaving sicker people on marketplace exchanges and employer-sponsored health plans. Here’s a past post on the perils of cheap insurance. Most of these proposals are likely not to become law in the next two years, but could form the foundation of a Democratic proposal for health care reform in 2029 and beyond. The document does not provide cost estimates for these proposals. Share Thanks for reading! If you found this useful, please share, subscribe, like, and restack. You can find previous posts at this link. Views expressed in Employer Coverage are purely my own. Thanks for reading Employer Coverage ! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Subscribe
Trump administration delays awards slated to improve rural America’s health
Federal funds for rural health, meant to offset Medicaid cuts, have been delayed by the Trump administration.
Nebraska rushed Medicaid work rules. Then a cancer patient was told he'd lost coverage
Health clinics and organizations advocating for poor and working-class Nebraskans say the rollout of Medicaid work requirements has been rife with problems.
Orchard’s First Fruit
Well, well, well - ask and ye shall receive. From a few weeks ago: I don’t see anything distinct for Orchard customers yet, so either they’re not live or not distinguished as easily as Garden Plot Eight days later, my wish was granted! Epic’s public FHIR endpoint directory added an organization called Enterprise Orchard Shared Services (Epic org ID 38769) managing an endpoint named “PA Health Center Technology Alliance,” along with 36 facilities under the same brand: The Alliance’s main office 18 Union Community Care sites 11 Delaware Valley Community Health sites Six Community Health and Dental Care sites Off to the races we go! As far as I can tell, no trade publication or Epic has covered this yet - the only public traces I see are a PACHC annual report plus a few patient FAQ pages. I’m not sure why - I think it deserves way more attention! We learn who’s actually buying (and it isn’t who Epic pitched at UGM) We get yet another entry in Epic’s playbook for reaching the low end of the market We get a census of who Epic is coming for next Grab a basket and let’s start picking. An Unexpected Harvest When Epic announced Orchard at UGM 2025, the pitch was a dedicated instance for practices of 80 to 180 providers while keeping the prewired third party applications that make Garden Plot appealing. But the first customer to surface is not that profile at all! Instead, we see something entirely different and arguably more valuable to Epic. The Alliance is a subsidiary of the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC). As I wasn’t totally familiar myself, let’s add some quick background for readers who operate outside the safety net: Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) are community clinics funded under Section 330 of the Public Health Service Act t They serve patients regardless of ability to pay, which results in a payer mix heavy on Medicaid / the uninsured As you might expect, this often results in margins too thin to fund an enterprise EHR on their own (especially in the current very tough funding environment) Every state has a primary care association (PCA), funded in part by HRSA, that supports its FQHCs with advocacy and shared services PCAs have historically been trade associations, so this move is notable in that PACHC is morphing itself into something closer to a holding company. In October 2024, its board voted to form the Alliance to contract directly with Epic and run a statewide technology hub for health centers of any size. A second subsidiary, the Pennsylvania Community Care Collaborative (PC3), is a clinically integrated network of 28 health centers built for value-based contracting. CEO Shelley Riser runs both PACHC and the Alliance and calls the arrangement a “family of companies.” From the latest annual report: PACHC is the only Primary Care Association in the nation with a wholly owned subsidiary directly contracting with Epic. Why does this matter way more to Epic than a single 120-provider group ever could? One contract may only bring in three health centers and 35 sites on day one, but every other PACHC member sits in the pipeline. Moreover, the distributor is an organization those health centers already trust, funded to serve them and literally governed by a board of their own CEOs. And if that wasn’t enough, every state has one! Grafting onto the Safety Net
Democratic lawmakers in Washington state say healthcare funding should be priority for Congress
OLYMPIA – As Democrats prepare to regain control of Congress in January, state and federal lawmakers in Washington have identified reversing billions of dollars in Medicaid funding cuts, which could leave hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians without healthcare coverage, as a top legislative priority.
Democrats will take aim at Medicaid cuts, Iran war and tariffs, Jeffries says
Facing the prospect of President Donald Trump’s veto pen, the party’s House leader seeks GOP cooperation in the new term.
How A Syrian Hospital Is Achieving 76% Childhood Cancer Survival Despite War And Shortages
Speaking on the latest episode of Global Health Matters, Ghanem joined Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, founder of Nigeria’s Medicaid Cancer Foundation and
3 Healthcare Stocks for Expanded Medicaid and ACA Coverage
Washington is suddenly friendlier to public health programs, and that shift could ripple straight through hospital billing departments and into share prices. Expanded Medicaid and ACA support would not just tweak policy; it could reshape who pays the medical tab and how reliably that cash shows up. This piece walks through 3 U.S. hospital and ancillary healthcare stocks exposed to that story and why their fortunes might move with it. The three stocks in focus below are a starting sample. The...
A new campus health building at Aims Community College seeks to address a gap in student needs
About half of Aims Community College’s students report they don’t have insurance, are underinsured, or on Medicaid. Half also say they face mental health challenges. To address those student needs, officials at the two-year college in Greeley took an uncommon step for a community college.
Democrats' election rout is poised to dramatically reorder federal health policy
Democrats may seek to reverse cuts to the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid and focus on lower insurance premiums.
National health experts dissect election wins, effects on healthcare policy
A national health expert expects Democrats to quickly move to reverse Medicaid cuts passed in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and to restore Affordable Care Act premium subsidies, which led to millions of people losing health insurance coverage.
Health Data Utilities Could Provide Needed Public Health Infrastructure
In states, clinical, public health and Medicaid administrative data are not integrated, which fragments clinical care and limits states’ ability to see
Angry Voters Put Health Care on the Agenda. Now Comes the Repair Work
Voter anger over healthcare program rollbacks helped Democrats win both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s midterm elections, ending the Republican majorities that enacted last year’s cuts to federal Medicaid and food assistance programs. As of this writing, Democrats have an eight-seat majority in the U.S. Senate, with races in Alaska and Mississippi still too close […]
Health Equity & Access Weekly Roundup: November 6, 2026
This week in health equity and access: Medicaid cuts; mailed FIT outreach; EEOC pregnancy rules; GLP-1 Bridge access; and 2027 policy shifts.
CMS Proposes Rule to Reduce Nursing Home and Health Care Burdens, Save $320M
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued on Thursday a long-awaited proposed rule aimed at reducing regulatory and administrative
CMS freeze on health insurance exchange brokers lifted by court
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services argued that suspending new marketers was necessary to fight fraud.
New Mexico Health Care Authority prepares benefit recipients before sweeping changes
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – More than 20% of New Mexicans depend on SNAP benefits to feed their families, and more than 40% depend on Medicaid for health care, including Jineene Jaramillo. “When you …
Oregon sues Trump administration over Medicaid work requirements
Oregon has sued the Trump administration over changes to Medicaid that the Oregon Health Authority warned could impact around 600,000 Oregonians.
Idaho to receive $185 million in federal funding for rural health care
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced an initial $185 million in funding for Idaho through the Rural Health Transformation Program.
Will Lawmakers Heed the Call for More Affordable Health Care by Expanding Medicaid in TX, GA, KS & WI?
Over the last year there hasn’t been much discussion around creating more affordable health coverage in the last ten states that haven’t expanded Medicaid. But yesterday’s election dramatically changed the political status quo in at least four of the non-expansion states: Georgia, Kansas, Texas, and Wisconsin. That makes Medicaid expansion more viable in those states […]
1115 Waiver Watch: A Look at Budget Neutrality Policy Changes
This brief discusses key Medicaid policy changes included in CMS budget neutrality guidance and identifies open questions about how the policy changes may be clarified and how they may affect states with existing 1115 waivers or states interested in applying for new ones.
Sunflower Health Plan Earns 4 out of 5 Stars in NCQA's Health Plan Ratings 2026: Medicaid
Sunflower State Health Plan, Inc. (Sunflower Health Plan), a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, announced today it has earned 4 out of 5 stars in NCQA's Medicaid Health Plan Ratings 2026.
Here’s what to expect on healthcare from a Democratic Congress
The Democratic takeover of Congress will revive fights over Medicaid cuts, insurance subsidies and healthcare affordability.
Oregon to increase 2027 payments to care organizations for Health Plan members
Next year, Oregon will pay an average of nearly $630 per member every month to the organizations arranging providers for the vast majority of Oregon’s 1.4 million Medicaid members under
5 healthcare fights Democrats could take on after midterms sweep
Democrats now have leverage to try to restore the expired Obamacare tax credits, reverse Medicaid cuts and push for changes they say would make healthcare more affordable.
Congress gave Nebraska millions for rural healthcare. Most isn’t getting to rural hospitals.
Much of the $218 million Nebraska has received to soften the blow of looming Medicaid cuts has gone to big cities and out-of-state contractors. DHHS leaders argue more money will make its way to rural areas.
CMS Finalizes CY 2027 Physician Fee Schedule to Shift from Sick Care to Healthcare and Curb Waste
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is prioritizing prevention, strengthening primary care, cracking down on duplicate billing
CMS Finalizes 2027 Home Health Rule With Sweeping Regulatory Changes
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized its 2027 home health rule, which contains significant regulatory updates that
Democrats could explore 'Medicare for All' and other health cost fixes
Democrats will seek to restore ACA subsidies and reverse nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts. Will "Medicare for All" be next?
IN THE NEWS: This Health Care Election Unleashes a Democratic Tidal Wave Across the Nation
“This has very much been a health care election. Health care is a top economic worry of voters…Reversing Medicaid cuts and restoring ACA subsidies are top priorities for Democrats.” —...
A million people could gain health insurance in Texas after Democrats’ huge win
Texas has waited more than a decade for Medicaid expansion. Its time might finally be here.
Among Democrats’ first affordability targets: Health care
The incoming congressional majority will work to restore federal Affordable Care Act subsidies and Medicaid funding early next year, officials say.
Health insurers, hospitals rally after sweeping midterm win for Democrats
Nov 4 (Reuters) - Shares of Medicaid-focused US health insurers and hospital operators rose in early trading on Wednesday as Democrats' sweep of the Senate and House of Representatives in the midterm
Democrats ready healthcare push
Democrats have clear first steps when it comes to healthcare: enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies and reversing Medicaid cuts.
On the advantages of health system-owned health plan, what Medicaid cuts might mean and the future of U.S. health insurance: A conversation with Geisinger's Jeremy Gaskill
Jeremy Gaskill took the reins at the Geisinger Health Plan earlier this year after a long career at Humana. He discusses the similarities and differences between Geisinger and Humana and the advantages of a health plan that is part of a health system.
Scaled-back version of NC's rural health pilot will return in January
After an 18-month pause, the Medicaid initiative will resume with stricter eligibility requirements and a narrower focus on food assistance.
Trump administration awards $233.6M for California rural health care
California receives $233.6 million in federal rural health care funding as Medicaid cuts raise concerns for Fresno and San Joaquin Valley communities.
Nearly half of US adults under 65 had little to no health insurance in 2026: Report
Nearly half of U.S. adults had inadequate health insurance in 2026, as ACA marketplace enrollment declined and millions lost Medicaid coverage.
Chesterfield mental health provider charged in $49M Medicaid fraud scheme
A Chesterfield mental health professional was charged for an alleged $49M mental health crisis services fraud scheme targeting Virginia Medicaid.
Georgia helped inspire Medicaid work rules. Its own rules may end
Georgia’s Medicaid work rules program helped shape a national policy, but the state may let its own requirements expire as federal mandates spread.
Diagnosis for 11.2.26: Checking the pulse of Florida healthcare news and policy
Florida healthcare reforms, Medicaid oversight, AI innovations and insurance regulation.
Need healthcare, but worried about the cost? These free health clinics are happening monthly in Fluvanna
The clinics offer health screenings, private doctor visits, Medicaid assistance, food and other resources on the first Thursday of each month. The next clinic is on Nov. 5.
Yes, Congress cut Medicaid. And they cut it deeply. (Opinion)
Our elected leaders are free to make their case to voters that the government should spend less on health care. But the one thing they cannot credibly argue is that the cuts they voted for are not happening.
Court Decision Eases Burden of Proof to Qualify for Medical Frailty Exclusion to Medicaid Work Requirements
A district court's Oct. 29 ruling, if it holds, will ease somewhat the administrative burden associated with implementing the medical frailty exclusion by reducing the complexity of the verification process, likely leading to fewer people losing Medicaid coverage for paperwork reasons.
A GOP Congressman Backed Medicaid Work Requirements. His Voters Might Be Exempt.
A California congressman voted for the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which is projected to reduce Medicaid spending by $900 billion. Now Rep. David Valadao, whose House race will help decide control of Congress, is telling his constituents they may not have to follow the new rules.
Georgia Helped Inspire the Medicaid Work Rules. Its Own Rules Could Soon End.
For years, Georgia was the only state to require some Medicaid enrollees to work to obtain and keep coverage. Those rules could expire just as the federal Medicaid work requirements they helped inspire roll out across most of the country.
Experts warn Medicaid cuts will harm opioid recovery
There is good news and bad news when it comes to opioid treatment in Virginia.
The Trump-Kennedy Effect On US Health: Slow-Burn Damage Over Decades
Cuts to Medicaid, the health services for low-income Americans, and fewer childhood immunisations – alongside persistent insinuations that vaccines are unsafe
Why 2026 Is a Health Care Election
_Ypsilanti, Michigan_THE MIDTERM ELECTION IS ABOUT a lot of things: gas prices and groceries, the spread of corruption, and the future of democracy. And yet, as much as any single issue, it’s about health care. You can tell by listening to all the Democrats talking about high deductibles, drug costs, and insurance companies as they campaign around the country. Or you can tell by reading all the public-opinion surveys in which voters consistently rank health care as one of their top concerns. But if you really want to know why this is a health care election, your best source isn’t the politicians or the pollsters. It’s the people on the front lines. One of them is Raymond Rion, a family medicine physician and executive director of Packard Health, a small network of clinics spanning Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti on the western outskirts of the Detroit metro area. Packard is what’s known as a Federally Qualified Health Center, where anybody can get care regardless of income or insurance status. And like similar safety-net providers all over America, for the past decade it has benefited directly from the Affordable Care Act. “We almost went bankrupt in 2011,” Rion told me in a conversation last week, recalling how in the old days staff at Packard would work the phones furiously to get supplies and find specialists who would take referrals. Now many more patients have either Medicaid or private coverage they’ve purchased through HealthCare.gov, the online marketplace that the law created, so that the proportion of uninsured patients has fallen from around one in three to one in ten. It’s a lot easier to find referrals for these insured patients, though thanks to the infusion of paying customers Packard can do much more on its own. In particular, Rion said, the organization has opened two new branches, started a pharmacy, begun offering prenatal services, and vastly expanded behavioral health care by bringing on a half-dozen new doctors, nurses, and case workers. Now a retrenchment is underway. Coverage options on the HealthCare.gov marketplace got more expensive because Donald Trump and the Republicans refused to renew temporary subsidies that had been reducing the price of insurance. On top of that, the first cuts to Medicaid as part of last year’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” are starting to take effect. Rion told me Packard has already laid off a provider in anticipation of less revenue next year.1 Patient volume is down, he went on to explain, in part because uninsured patients sometimes avoid care altogether out of fear a single visit will lead to more treatments with more bills. And postponing care in that way can have serious medical consequences, as his colleague Ron Romero told me. “So you have somebody with diabetes, their chronic condition isn’t getting cared for,” said Romero, who like Rion is a family physician. “Their sugars rise, and they end up having other medical problems. Their kidneys start to get damaged. They start to have eye damage. They increase risk for heart attacks and strokes. . . . They end up in the emergency room.” And things are likely to get worse. Partly that’s because next year most of the remaining Medicaid cuts will take full effect, throwing more people off coverage. And partly it’s because forces that have nothing to do with Trump or Republican actions are making medical care more expensive for everyone, including those with employer insurance and Medicare. That will lead to still more people delaying or skipping care, ending up in the emergency rooms, and putting yet more cost pressure on providers. Rion wasn’t taking a position on the election or political parties, he made clear. He was just describing the reality he sees around him: “The whole system is being pressured. Nobody is immune to this stuff.” He’s right. And here’s the thing: This has all happened before. We know happens next.
New Medicaid work requirements will apply to about 175,000 Coloradans
People applying for new Medicaid coverage will need to attest that they’re working or volunteering at least 80 hours a month, enrolled in school at least part-time, or qualify for an exemption.
Autism care is bigger than ABA. Federal policy should be, too
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) took an important step last month when it released a new toolkit for states on applied behavior
Open enrollment season: How Texans can navigate health insurance
From Medicare to Medicaid and Marketplace to employer plans, here's where to start when picking the best health plan for you and your family
Why healthcare has become such a big problem for Republicans
The GOP hoped to keep Medicaid cuts out of the midterms. It’s not working.
US judge blocks Trump’s Medicaid rule forcing ill to prove impairment
A US district judge sided with 25 states and the District of Columbia, which sued the administration.
Memorial Health System awaiting $80 million as payment delays slow hospital project
MARIETTA — Memorial Health System is awaiting about $80 million in anticipated Medicaid payments, a delay President and CEO Scott Cantley said is straining hospital operations and slowing financing for its women’s and children’s hospital project. Cantley said the outstanding payments include about $60 million through the Rural Ohio Hospital Tax Pilot Program for 2025 […]
Health Brief: Medicaid decision gives ‘frail’ Americans some relief from work rules
Plus: Political ties can hurt nursing home care, report shows
http://democrats-energycommerce.house.gov/media/press-releases/pallone-and-wyden-hail-court-victory-against-republican-effort-take-health
House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) released the following statement today applauding a court ruling that the Trump Administration violated the law by limiting access to Medicaid for people with serious health conditions:
Judge blocks Trump administration's Medicaid work requirement rule forcing proof of medical frailty
Twenty-five states sued the Trump administration in June over the new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services guidance tied to the 2025 law known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill."
3 Ways ProgenyHealth Can Transform Maternity and Infant Health, Claims Management
Pregnancy and NICU admissions are among the most complex areas in healthcare. A new report from ProgenyHealth highlights how the company can work with Medicaid and commercial health plans to uncover insights and hidden risks critical to improving maternal and infant care and reducing costs.
CMS COO: Hospice, Home Health Moratoria a Successful Approach
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) temporary moratoria on hospice and home health provider enrollment in Medicare has been
Your Choice Your Voice: How changes to health care are impacting Mainers
Hospital closures, coupled with concerns over access to Medicaid and affording healthcare, leave voters wondering how the candidates asking for their votes will take on this issue.
Richmond mental health professional accused of $49 million in Medicaid fraud
A Richmond mental health professional is accused of defrauding Virginia Medicaid for $49 million by falsely claiming her facility provided services to people in crisis.
Looming Medicaid cuts will increase burden for Colorado patients, advocates say
Patients and family members who rely on Medicaid fear impending cuts to public healthcare coverage under federal policy changes.
Public Health Leaders and Scholars File Amicus Brief Challenging CMS Medicaid Work Requirement Rule in Taylor v. Kennedy
The American Public Health Association, Grantmakers In Health, the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health’s Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health and National Center for Medical-Legal Partnership, Liberty Health Alliance and 167 public health and health policy deans, chairs and scholars have filed an amicus curiae brief supporting the plaintiffs in Taylor v. Kennedy, a lawsuit challenging a federal Medicaid rule that they argue unlawfully narrows protections for p
How State Public Health and Medicaid Agencies Can Build Partnerships to Improve Outcomes
Throughout the country, states are working to improve health outcomes with the efficient use of resources. In particular, they are building partnerships between public health and Medicaid agencies to better align programs, funding, and expertise around shared goals.
State Public Health and Medicaid Agencies Partner on Children’s Needs
In recent years, children in the United States have faced high rates of preterm birth, chronic health conditions, and mental health crises. Addressing the vital issue of children’s health requires coordinated strategies involving healthcare providers, health plans, and government agencies.
Hospital Beds for the Nation’s Sickest Kids Are Disappearing
Hospitals nationwide are cutting intensive services for kids in critical care. Many cite too few patients, staffing shortages, and money problems. As a result, kids who need lifesaving care must travel farther. Pediatricians expect more cutbacks in the wake of federal Medicaid cuts.
Medicaid work requirements, mental health access in last Lahn-Sand debate
In their last face-to-face debate, Zach Lahn and Rob Sand clashed over mental health access and upcoming Medicaid work requirements in Iowa.
Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi earns high rating for Medicare health plan
Kaiser Permanente Hawaii tied for the highest rating in the state earning 4.5 out of 5 stars from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in its 2027 star ratings.
Sand, Lahn call for increasing mental healthcare access, Medicaid oversight in debate
Iowa gubernatorial candidates Rob Sand and Zach Lahn met for their final debate before Nov. 3, 2026 in Cedar Rapids Tuesday.
7 Health Issues On The Ballot In The 2026 Midterms
A doctor writes a guide to the seven health issues voters care about most in the 2026 midterms, from health costs and ACA premiums to Medicaid, fraud and abortion.
Republicans laud feds for awarding Florida $193.7M for rural healthcare
Florida has been awarded $193.7 million in federal funds to support telemedicine, remote patient monitoring, pharmacy services, diagnostic kiosks, and community paramedicine for rural areas in Florida, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced. The grant is $5 million-plus more than the DeSantis administration had previously announced it was requesting. The money is made […]
FAQ: Ways Health Plans Can Assist Members in Medicaid Redetermination
Most Medicaid unwinding losses were procedural. mPulse's SriVani Ganti explains how plans can keep eligible members.
Arizona health workers raise the alarm on how GOP Medicaid cuts will crowd ERs and raise costs
Arizona Medicaid cuts: Providers warn new work requirements and cuts could strip coverage from thousands