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.
Mountain States Bureau
吃瓜不打烊 tells the stories of Colorado, Montana, and the rest of the region.
121 - 140 of 906 Results
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She Had a Broken Arm, No Insurance 鈥 And a $97,000 Bill
Deborah Buttgereit knew piecing together the broken bone in her elbow would be expensive. But complications the doctor deemed a surprise, midsurgery, drove the total bill tens of thousands of dollars above the original estimate.
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As the Trump Administration and States Push Health Data Sharing, Familiar Challenges Surface
Despite billions of tax dollars and two decades of effort invested in improving health care data sharing, Americans鈥 medical records often remain siloed, leading to duplicate testing, increased costs, and wasted time for patients and doctors.
By Sarah Kwon -
States Are Cutting Medicaid Provider Payments Long Before Trump Cuts Hit
North Carolina and Idaho are cutting their Medicaid programs to bridge budget gaps, raising fears that providers will stop taking patients and that hospitals will close even before the brunt of a new federal tax-and-budget law takes effect.
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Ticks Are Migrating, Raising Disease Risks if They Can鈥檛 Be Tracked Quickly Enough
Doctors need to know when to screen for tick-borne diseases in their communities. But it鈥檚 getting harder for local health departments to get funding for tick surveys as federal public health grants from agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dry up.
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Team Trump鈥檚 Answer to Ballooning Obamacare Premiums: Less Generous Coverage
Tens of millions of people face sticker shock enrolling in Affordable Care Act insurance for 2026. To save money, the Trump administration wants them to consider less generous coverage.
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Montana Advocates Worry About Federal Impacts on Support for Students With Disabilities
Montana has a waitlist for people with disabilities who need vocational training, even as schools and disability advocates are concerned about how federal cuts will affect those programs.
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An AI Assistant Can Interpret Those Lab Results for You
While patients wait to hear back from their doctors about test results, many turn to AI assistants for answers despite cautions over privacy and accuracy.
By Kate Ruder -
Climate Activists Cite Health Hazards in Bid To Stop Trump From 鈥楿nleashing鈥 Fossil Fuels
Buoyed by a Montana court ruling upholding state residents鈥 right to a 鈥渃lean and healthful environment,鈥 nearly two dozen people ages 7 to 24 hope to block the Trump administration鈥檚 executive orders on energy.
By Jim Robbins -
Trump鈥檚 Medicaid Cuts Were Aimed at 鈥楢ble-Bodied Adults.鈥 Hospitals Say Kids Will Be Hurt.
The GOP said its overhaul of Medicaid was aimed at reducing fraud and getting more adult beneficiaries to work. Among the likely side effects: fewer services and doctors for treating sick children.
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In the Fallout From Trump鈥檚 Health Funding Cuts, States Face Tough Budget Decisions
The Trump administration has pushed a significant amount of health costs to states, whose budgets may already be strained by declining state tax revenues, a slowdown in pandemic spending, and economic uncertainty. State and local governments now face difficult decisions.
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Blue States That Sued Kept Most CDC Grants, While Red States Feel Brunt of Trump Clawbacks
The Trump administration's cuts of public health funds to state and local health departments had vastly uneven effects depending on the political leanings of where someone lives, a new 吃瓜不打烊 analysis shows.
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FTC Has Long Said Products Must Back Up Health Claims. A MAHA Lawsuit Would Upend That.
Xlear, a maker of xylitol gum, has sued the Federal Trade Commission, saying the onus should be on government to prove that ingredients don鈥檛 live up to advertised claims. RFK Jr.鈥檚 鈥渕edical freedom鈥 allies have rallied to the cause.
By Arthur Allen -
Native Americans Want To Avoid Past Medicaid Enrollment Snafus as Work Requirements Loom
As states prepare to implement changes to Medicaid required by President Donald Trump鈥檚 recent tax-and-spending law, tribal leaders say they are concerned Native American enrollees could lose their coverage, despite exemptions made by Congress.
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Perspective
The Price Increases That Should Cause Americans More Alarm
The cost of health insurance is rising faster than the price of eggs or gasoline.
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How Older People Are Reaping Brain Benefits From New Tech
Overuse of digital gadgets harms teenagers, research suggests. But ubiquitous technology may be helping older Americans stay sharp.
By Paula Span -
The National Suicide Hotline For LGBTQ+ Youth Shut Down. States Are Scrambling To Help.
LGBTQ+ youth lost dedicated support on the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in July at a critical time. Advocates say mental health issues are rising in that population amid hostility from the Trump administration.
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鈥楢 Fear Pandemic鈥: Immigration Raids Push Patients Into Telehealth
With intensified immigration enforcement in California, community clinics serving Latino and immigrant populations say they鈥檝e noticed an increase in appointment cancellations and telehealth usage. But, as the covid-19 pandemic showed, accessing the necessary technology can be a challenge and virtual appointments can take a person鈥檚 health care only so far.
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Medicaid Cuts Could Have Vast Ripple Effects in This Rural Colorado Community
In rural Colorado and across rural America, Medicaid is a lifeline, especially for people who wouldn鈥檛 otherwise have easy access to health care. That includes low-income seniors who need supplemental coverage in addition to Medicare, and people of all ages with disabilities.
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Experts Say Rural Emergency Rooms Are Increasingly Run Without Doctors
Some doctors and the groups that represent them say physicians鈥 extensive training leads to better emergency care, and that some hospitals are trying to save money by not hiring them. They support new laws in Indiana, Virginia, and South Carolina that require physicians to be on-site 24/7.