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U.S., U.K. health care systems share a fatal flaw
“The default to biomedical responses means that clinics and hospitals are increasingly absorbing the costs of social problems,” writes Kyle Vanelli.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visits Atwater to announce $102M investment in rural health care centers
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. visited Castle Family Health Centers in Atwater to announce a $102 million investment alongside other members of the Trump administration.
Scoop: Trump team tells GOP to lean in on health care
One of the GOP's strongest potential campaign messages: going after health insurance companies.
Scheduling Dental Care During Prenatal Visits Boosts Oral Health Care During Pregnancy
Engaging vulnerable pregnant patients in oral health screenings and referrals can improve access to dental care
As back-to-school season begins, MU Health psychiatrist shares tips on child anxiety
MU Health Care psychiatrist Dr. Laine Young Walker discussed why childhood anxiety exists and how parents can support their kids and look for signs of anxiety.
Universal Health Coverage Could Save $1 Trillion and 114,000 Lives Every Year, Yale Study Projects
A single-payer universal health care system could cover every American, save more than 100,000 lives a year, and still cost $1 trillion less than the system it
Group sues AMA seeking transparency over Medicare billing codes
PatientRightsAdvocate.org says it wants to republish the proprietary billing codes that guide billions of dollars in health care payments.
What Americans Want Fixed in Health Care — and Who They Think Should Do It
What Americans Want Fixed in Health Care — and Who They Think Should Do It, New Commonwealth Fund Survey conducted by SSRS
Americans want lower health care costs. This is how they'd get it
More than 4 in 10 adults cited the cost of health insurance as the biggest problem that needs to be fixed in the U.S. health care system.
New York State Department of Financial Services Introduces Guidance and Proposed Regulation to Strengthen New York’s Surprise Medical Bill Resolution Process
New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS) Acting Superintendent Kaitlin Asrow today issued new guidance to health insurers, health care providers, and independent dispute resolution (“IDR”) entities implementing improvements to the IDR process signed into law by Governor Hochul as a part of her Fiscal Year 2026-2027 (FY27) Budget.
UVA Health elevates Dr. Nassima Ait-Daoud Tiouririne from interim to permanent Dept. of Psychiatry chair
The UVA Health career provider has led the effort to serve unhoused at The Haven.
Congress Face-Plants on Surprise Health Care Bills
Lawmakers wanted to reform surprise billing so patients weren’t hit with unexpected charges. But they also created a parallel system with new middlemen that is increasing health care costs.
Opinion | Expand training programs for entry-level health care jobs
Hospitals need workers, but colleges can’t accept enough students
Asia-Pacific parliamentarians urge bolder action for universal health coverage, climate resilience and responsible AI
Parliamentarians representing 16 countries from across the Asia-Pacific region concluded the Ninth Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (APPFGH) today, reaffirming their key role in advancing universal health coverage (UHC) amid the risks and opportunities posed by AI and climate change. In adopting the Phnom Penh Communiqué, parliamentarians urged fellow legislators regionwide to strengthen sustainable financing for UHC to widen access to health for all, including the most vulnerable populations; promote responsible governance of AI amid ethical concerns over this fast-evolving technology; and build climate-resilient health systems to anticipate and respond to mounting pressures ranging from rising sea levels in coastal areas to air pollution and other environmental degradation.The National Assembly of Cambodia, with support from Cambodia’s Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), hosted the Forum in Phnom Penh from 11 to 13 August 2026 – the first time the Forum has convened in a Mekong country.Parliamentarians urge action to close gaps in accessIn the Communiqué, parliamentarians recognized that at-risk and marginalized groups are the ones most severely affected by gaps in access to health services. These groups include people living in poverty, women and children, persons with disabilities, older people, migrants, refugees, and those in rural, remote or island communities. The Communiqué urges fellow parliamentarians and policy-makers to advocate for laws and policies that support sustainable financing to protect people from financial hardship, with a focus on primary health care, prevention and equity. "The Communiqué is a call to action. It sets out ambitious, concrete measures that deliver meaningful impact on the ground. We are all accountable for advancing universal health coverage and translating our commitments into tangible results. Cambodia is fully committed to advancing UHC, including the promotion of ‘healthy people, prosperous country’ campaign,” said Samdech Maha Rathsapheathika Thipadei Khuon Sudary, President of the National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia.His Excellency Professor Chheang Ra, Minister of Health of the Kingdom of Cambodia, highlighted the need for collaboration beyond the health sector. “Universal health coverage cannot be achieved by the Ministry of Health alone. It requires support, particularly from parliamentarians, across political, legislative, financial, social protection, education, infrastructure, and environmental domains. While each country follows its own path, one factor is universally critical for success: strong governance and leadership. We all believe in this principle, and in our respective political roles, we remain committed to strengthening these key success factors to ensure that no one is left behind.”Promoting responsible AI adoption Parliamentarians acknowledged that, while AI has already demonstrated its ability to improve access to health services and support delivery, careful and ethical governance is necessary to safeguard quality, safety, privacy and public trust. This underscores the importance of parliamentarians in promoting legal and regulatory frameworks addressing liability, records ownership and data governance, while embracing innovation that protects ethical practice.“Without strong governance, safeguards for privacy and data security, sustainable financing, and attention to those most at risk of exclusion, new technologies may widen existing gaps instead of closing them. This is why parliamentarians matter. We pass laws. We approve budgets. We scrutinize government action. We represent communities. We can ask whether health services are reaching rural, remote, ageing, poor, and marginalized populations. We can ask whether innovation is being guided by equity, evidence, and ethics,” said Hon. Man Hee Lee, President of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health.Building climate-resilient health systemsParliamentarians also reiterated that the climate crisis is a direct threat to people’s health and to achieving UHC more broadly, deepening the same gaps in access already faced by at-risk and marginalized communities. They recognized the need for WHO Member States to ensure sufficient national appropriations and oversight, and for parliamentarians to raise awareness in their constituencies and mobilize local action in building climate-resilient and sustainable health systems.“Universal health coverage, climate change and AI cannot be addressed in isolation. The same communities struggling to access health services today are often the ones most exposed to climate shocks, and most in need of the opportunities AI can offer if this technology is governed responsibly,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “Having served previously in this Forum myself as a parliamentarian from Tonga, I recognize how the Phnom Penh Communiqué reflects the shared resolve of legislators across the Asia-Pacific region: the laws parliamentarians pass and the budgets they approve help ensure this progress reaches the people who need it most.”As the Forum drew to a close, delegates reflected on what they would carry back to their own parliaments and constituencies.“I wish to share three points here worth carrying home from Phnom Penh: we need to invest in primary health care as the foundation of coverage; we need to remove the barriers that keep people from care, whether financial, geographic or social; and we need to build systems that are inclusive by design, protecting those most at risk of being left behind,” added Hon. Ouch Borith, First Vice-President of the Senate of the Kingdom of Cambodia.###Notes for editors:The Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (APPFGH) is a platform for parliamentarians to exchange ideas, build political will, strengthen capacity and foster collaboration towards sustainable health action. This was the ninth meeting of the APPFGH, with the theme “Universal Health Coverage in the era of Climate Change and Artificial Intelligence”. Target 3.8 of the Sustainable Development Goals calls on countries to achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health services, and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all. In the Western Pacific, UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1) rose from 63 in 2000 to 81 in 2023 (figures include Indonesia), and roughly one in four people in the Western Pacific have experienced financial hardship (SDG 3.8.2). Progress towards UHC in the Asia-Pacific region remains uneven, with hundreds of millions of people still lacking access to essential health services or facing financial hardship due to health-related expenses. Strengthening the role of parliaments – through legislation, financing and oversight – is central to closing this gap and accelerating progress towards UHC across the region.Parliamentarians participating in APPFGH in Cambodia this week include: Hon. Pehin Dato Adanan YUSOF, Brunei Darussalam; Hon. Rosmawatty ABDUL MUMIN, Brunei Darussalam; Hon. LORK Kheng, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. YOS Phanita, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. KHOUN Khundy, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. HENG Halim, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. KHOENG Noupheap, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. SENG Nhak, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. LY Sukry, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. NHOEURN Raden, Kingdom of Cambodia; Hon. Dr Ratu Atonio LALABALAVU, Republic of Fiji; Hon. Vijay NATH, Republic of Fiji; Hon. Man Hee LEE, Republic of Korea; Hon. Dr Jiho CHA, Republic of Korea; Hon. Jonghun BAEK, Republic of Korea; Hon. Youngsuk SEO, Republic of Korea; Hon. Dr Phayvanh KEOPASEUTH, Lao People’s Democratic Republic; Hon. Suhaizan Bin KAIAT, Malaysia; Hon. Dr Perpetua KONMAN, Federated States of Micronesia; Hon. Ganmaa DAVAASAMBUU, Mongolia; Hon. Charmaine SCOTTY, Republic of Naoero; Hon. Vincent Ambance KUMURA, Papua New Guinea; Hon. Dr Edwin CRUZADO, Republic of the Philippines; Hon. AUUAPAAU Mulipola Aloitafua Mulipola, Samoa; Hon. ASIATA TAVUI Tafu Salevao, Samoa; Hon. Dr Alani Petelo TANGITAU, Tonga; Hon. Paul PAOLO, Republic of Vanuatu; Hon. Franklyn Ezra WILLIAM, Republic of Vanuatu.For more information, contact: WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific: wprocom@who.int National Assembly of the Kingdom of Cambodia (International Relations Department): ir.nacambodia@gmail.com
How faith leaders and public health leaders can address homelessness—together | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Harvard Chan School's Howard Koh discusses the importance of both health care and spiritual care for unhoused populations, and how both disciplines can contribute to ending the U.S. homelessness crisis.
VA Warns of National Postcard Scam as Health Care Notices Go Out to 3.8M Veterans
The department said fraudulent postcards had appeared in multiple states over the past year, claiming to be linked to the VA.
GW Law Professor Barak Richman Selected to Participate on North Carolina Health Care Cost Commission | GW Law
Professor Richman has been selected to serve as the facilitator for a recently created Healthcare Cost Commission for the state of North Carolina.
An Overview of State-Directed Payments and Medicaid Provider Taxes: History and Potential Effects of the Working Families and Tax Cut Legislation on Health Care Costs
Health care provider taxes and state-directed payment policies in the Working Families and Tax Cut legislation are expected to reduce non-Medicaid prices by up to 3.5 percent in markets with provider taxes and reduce spending on Medicaid, commercial and Medicare coverage. Our spending estimates indicate that there will be an additional $29 billion in federal savings on Medicare and commercial coverage for each $100 billion that federal Medicaid spending is reduced.KEY POINTS
Altru’s Home Health Services to close Sept. 1
Team members provide health care services for patients in an area extending from Devils Lake to Thief River Falls, Minnesota. Transition planning for patients is in progress, an official says.
Inside a $7 billion Silicon Valley startup’s mad dash to automate the business of health care
Commure wants to automate health care's administrative tasks with AI. An inside look at the messy realities of the startup's ambitious quest.
Skillfully Adding AI To The HHS Pledge On Advancing Best Practices For National Mental Health Care
HHS released a pledge to advance national mental healthcare. I add AI to the six stated principles, since AI will be integral to this. An AI Insider analysis and scoop.
As deaths mount at Michigan's women's prison, critics impugn health care
Five women have died at Michigan's women's prison since May, sparking allegations of poor medical care. State officials insist it is adequate.
The Trevor Project Condemns New Federal Rule to Restrict Health Care for Transgender Youth in the U.S.
Your Support Saves LGBTQ+Youth's Lives Every DayDonateResearch shows that access to transgender health care is associated with significantly lower rates […]
‘We are professionals’: Coalition of Public Service and Health Care Unions Sue to Block New Department of Education Student Loan Rule That Will Hurt Patient Care and Worsen Staffing Crises
WASHINGTON – A coalition of unions representing hundreds of thousands of public service and health care workers filed a lawsuit this week challenging the Department of Education’s new RISE rule.
Feeling sick? Some Minnesotans are asking AI what to do
Patients are turning to AI chatbots for help diagnosing symptoms and navigating the health care system—even as questions about accuracy and privacy persist.
2026 40 Under 40 includes standouts in tech, health care, aviation and finance
The Tampa Bay Business Journal honors 40 business leaders under 40 making an impact across the seven-county area in its annual recognition program.
JSI at NACHC CHI
We’re dedicated to strengthening community health care systems so all people have what they need to live their healthiest lives.
Bridge OKC Fund awards $794,750 to boost housing and mental health care in OKC
The Oklahoma City Community Foundation's Bridge OKC Fund has awarded $794,750 to three organizations that will fund housing and mental health care.The three org
Universities of Wisconsin wants to train 35K new health care professionals in next decade
The $90 million proposal will be included in the 2027-29 budget that is presented to the Wisconsin state Legislature and governor in the fall.
Nurses seek a seat at the table as they fight expanding clinical AI
Nurses, who make up the largest part of the health care workforce, say clinical artificial intelligence poses a threat to their jobs, and patients.
Woman’s Perinatal Mental Health Unit leads a new approach to maternal mental health
The Perinatal Mental Health Unit at Woman’s Hospital is being honored with a Community Impact Award for its work establishing mental health care for pregnant and postpartum women. The award is part of Business Report’s inaugural Excellence in Healthcare Awards. The hospital opened the Perinatal Mental Health Unit, Louisiana’s first inpatient psychiatric unit dedicated exclusively […]
Communities Deserve Access to Inclusive and Climate-Conscious Doula Care
Doula care can drastically improve the quality of care and birth experience for pregnant people facing the climate crisis’s increasing incidences of hurricanes, flooding, and extreme heat. The changing climate directly affects pregnancy health through discrete environmental disasters (such as wildfires, extreme heat, hurricanes, flooding, and droughts) and indirectly through long-term changes in the natural and social environment (such as air quality and forced migration). Environmental disasters can cause psychological distress for pregnant and post-pregnant people due to financial and personal loss, as well as the disruption of infrastructure that they rely on such as housing, health care, work, communication, and transportation. Potential adverse pregnancy outcomes include low birthweight, preterm birth, miscarriage, and neonatal mortality.
As Sky-High Health Care Costs Top Voter Concerns, Families USA’s Stop the Bleed: Cut Costs, Not Care Campaign Gains Nationwide Momentum
SEIU, MomsRising, Community Change, Popular Democracy, Main Street Alliance, Small Business Majority, and Others Join Effort to Rein in High Health Care Costs WASHINGTON, D.C. — Families USA announced today that its Stop the Bleed: Cut Costs, Not Care campaign is now officially active in all 50 states. Launched in January, Stop the Bleed is […]
Chrissy Metz Talks '& Juliet' and New Music, Shares Health Update
Chrissy Metz, “This is Us” and “The Hunting Wives” star, joins TODAY to open up for the first time about her decision to use GLP-1 medication and announce her new partnership with health care company Ro. Metz details why she was originally skeptical around weight loss drugs, shares how the medication has improved her life, dishes on performing in “& Juliet” and teases new music in the works.
Peptides talk is everywhere: But what does the science say?
Stanford Health Care delivers the highest levels of care and compassion. SHC treats cancer, heart disease, brain disorders, primary care issues, and many more.
Florida TODAY: Health care fraud, Florida Senate race, NFL RedZone
Florida TODAY statewide newsletter delivers a mix of news, culture and classic "only in Florida" moments
Long waits to see the doctor? This SC health system is working toward a cure.
Experts say there is a shortage of health care workers that’s causing patients to see longer waits. This Upstate health care system has a program to help with that.
How hospital monopolies are driving up the cost of your health care
More than a million times a year, a U.S. surgeon slices open a knee, strips out worn cartilage, caps the leg bones with metal and drops in a plastic spacer to allow the new joint to glide. But while these knee-replacement procedures have become standard, the prices charged have not.Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. At Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory, North Carolina, for example, the cost of the procedure under
Florida Health Care Association honors its top communications leader
Kristen Knapp has developed several programs at the FHCA over the past 18 years.
How hospital monopolies are driving up the cost of your health care
A federal disclosure rule is offering new insight on the effect of health care monopolies on pricing, following a wave of U.S. mergers.
Jordan Health hosts Front Porch Festival, Health Fair for Community Health Center Week
Jordan Health held its annual Front Porch Festival and Health Fair on Saturday to celebrate National Community Health Center Week.Organizers said it was a community event focused on health care, education and sharing
Social prescribing boosts health checks without raising costs
Patients referred to social prescribing are more likely to seek health care in the short term but could end up needing their primary care physician less often within a year, according to a new study by ...
Burcum: Putting Flanagan and Craig to the test on health care
Columnist Jill Burcum asked the DFL candidates for their positions on several pressing Minnesota health care issues to provide a more detailed look at how they’d approach the job in the U.S. Senate.
Ohio funding scholarships to boost mental health care
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Experts said there is an unprecedented need in Ohio for mental health care, but there aren’t enough professionals to meet the demand. A new state-funded scholarship pr…
Delaware expands health care access with new laws giving pharmacists, dental hygienists more responsibilities
A trip to the pharmacy could soon look different for Delaware patients. Governor Matt Meyer recently signed a package of healthcare legislation aimed at expanding access to care.
MU Health Care's South Providence medical building temporarily closed
One of MU Health Care’s buildings was temporarily closed on Friday.The South Providence Medical Building closed at noon on August 7, and would remain closed thr
Second-year health careers opportunity program at SAU prepares next generation of health professionals | News
Southern Arkansas University hosted its second year of the Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP) Academy, an initiative funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration and coordinated…
Delaware allocates funding to bring new health centers to 4 middle schools in rural Sussex County
The effort expands health care access for schools located in provider deserts and brings the model directly to middle schools, which have historically been ignored statewide.
Oregon universal health care board punts single-payer report over funding uncertainty
A state board in charge of developing a universal health plan for all Oregonians will delay the release of its final report to lawmakers, citing uncertainty over how to pay for it. The Universal Health Plan Governance Board voted unanimously Thursday morning to extend its deadline to Dec. 1 for its report that will describe […]
MU Health Care discusses rising cyclosporiasis cases amid nationwide outbreak
Cyclosporiasis cases continue to rise across the United States, and MU Health Care officials discussed the ongoing outbreak during a media briefing Thursday.
Costa Welcomes House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar to Central Valley Health Care Roundtable
FRESNO, Calif. - This week, during Affordable Healthcare for Every American Week of Action, Congressman Jim Costa (CA-21) welcomed Congressman Pete Aguilar (CA-33), Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, to the Central Valley for a roundtable hosted by Community Health System to hear directly from local hospitals and health care leaders focused on the federal funding reductions under H.R.1, including changes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act, as well as the Administration's decision to withhold approximately $867.5 million in federal Medicaid funding from Califor
Governor Meyer Signs Legislation to Strengthen Delaware's Health Care Workforce
Governor Matt Meyer recently signed legislation that strengthens Delaware's health care workforce by allowing qualified health professionals to provide more care and creating new pathways into health care careers.
Black Immigrants Face Greater Barriers to Health Care
LDI’s Joseph Nwadiuko finds that Black immigrants, especially those who are undocumented, face higher rates of uninsurance and lower health care use.
As AI 'therapists' dish out advice, California lawmakers try to set some limits
A new bill would stop companies from marketing chatbots as therapy and force stricter oversight of AI in mental health care — as a labor union wages a parallel fight against Kaiser Permanente.
El-Sayed victory may bring a progressive doc to Senate
It also elevates health care in a key Senate race.
Ikier Takes Over as Director of Athletics Performance and Athletics Health Care Administrator at Babson
BABSON PARK, Mass.— Pamela P. and Brian M. Barefoot Associate Vice President for Athletics and Athletics Advancement Mike Lynch announced the appointment of Chris Ikier as Babson College's director of athletics performance and athletics health care administrator on Thursday morning.
Now federally recognized, the Lumbee want better healthcare. They may be on their own.
The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina secured federal recognition as a sovereign nation, but getting health care benefits may prove complicated.
Man who ran Oregon health care facilities admits to fraudulent sleep study, over $2 million in fake billing
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A Coos Bay man pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit health care fraud on Wednesday, officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. Mehrdad Gerami, 67, fa…
New Mexico Health Care Authority releases $50M to rural health care providers
New Mexico Health Care Authority announced $50 million in state funds to 41 rural healthcare providers. (Getty Images)
HHS Secretary Kennedy in Lexington to announce healthcare reform action
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is announcing a new health care reform action in Lexington.
Hospitals nationwide recognized for commitment to advancing high-quality cardiovascular health care
DALLAS, August 5, 2026 — Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Heart Association’s 2026 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, and improving survival depends on health care teams...
When these licenses can’t cross state lines, consumers suffer
Michigan is struggling to attract health care professionals because of the state’s strict licensing rules.
Silver Bay clinic closure draws concerns over rural health care access
Aspirus Lake View’s Silver Bay Clinic will close Dec. 31. The health care provider announced that future clinic visits, laboratory services and radiology will relocate to the Lake View Two Harbors Clinic. The Minnesota Department of Health held a hearing July 28 to provide a forum for community members to discuss the change in services....
19 charged in $4M Pennsylvania home health care fraud schemes
Nineteen people were charged in Medicaid fraud cases involving more than $4 million in alleged false home care billings, authorities said.
‘Your days are numbered’: DOJ, federal agencies target health care fraud, Medicaid schemers in Pennsylvania
Federal agencies and state partners announced criminal charges against 19 people who allegedly defrauded Medicaid with home health schemes.
We must work together to find health care affordability solutions
There isn’t one single entity to blame for our nation’s health care crisis ― it is a systems problem requiring shared responsibility and real solutions.
WATCH LIVE: Justice Department unveils major health care fraud crackdown
Trump administration officials announce new charges and an anti-fraud initiative designed to strengthen investigations and protect taxpayer-funded health care programs.
Stakeholders Testify on Medicaid & Health Care Costs
Stakeholders testify on Medicaid, the cost of care, and program funding needs bedore the Senate Budget Committee.
Thorne to Join P&G Health Care Portfolio
P&G shares intention to acquire Thorne, expanding Health Care's science-backed, practitioner-trusted wellness solutions for today's consumers.
Tampa police search for man who escaped from court-ordered health care facility
Tampa police are searching for a 36-year-old man who they say escaped from a court-ordered health care facility.
Shifting left, Democrats see universal health care, taxing the rich as 'essential,' Reuters/Ipsos poll finds
Liberal Democrats now make up a clear majority of their party and view universal healthcare, greater abortion access and higher taxes on the rich as essential political positions, underscoring how Democrats have moved leftward in recent years, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
As Trump administration pushes court-ordered mental health care, a new report raises questions
A study of New York’s court-ordered care for people with serious mental health conditions adds to the research on this type of involuntary care.
Stakeholders Testify on Medicaid & Health Care Costs
Stakeholders testify on Medicaid, the cost of care, and program funding needs bedore the Senate Budget Committee.
Summit County adds 24/7 walk-in crisis center to fill health care gaps in mountains
Healey announces first steps to lower health care costs, investment in primary care
Massachusetts is setting out to lower health care costs with steps like investing more state resources in primary care, supporting nursing recruitment, standardize out-of-network service rates and more, Gov. Maura Healey announced Monday…
Gallatin College students get hands-on training, help reduce health care shortage
The state of Montana continues to face a shortage of health care workers, especially in rural communities.Now, students at Gallatin College Montana State Univer
How STAT News reporters investigated UnitedHealth’s health care empire
The eight-part award-winning series, "Health Care's Colossus," shows how UnitedHealth used its leverage to dominate the health care market.
Nurses deliver petition opposing CommonSpirit Health’s planned layoffs of frontline health care workers
RNs delivered a petition to their employer opposing CommonSpirit Health’s planned layoffs of more than 175 frontline health care workers signed by more than 5,000 nurses. The nurses held a rally and press conference to protest the proposed layoffs at 17 hospitals in California and their impact on patient safety. The nurses are demanding that CommonSpirit Health immediately rescind the layoffs.
Two major projects could reshape mental health care for Mat-Su youth
The new facilities will offer in-patient mental health care and transitonal beds for youth.
FIRST ON FOX: Trump to open direct line with military families in ground-up readiness push
Trump's executive order creates a Military Spouse Commission chaired by Jennifer Hegseth to address childcare, housing, employment and health care.
The Lumbee Tribe Wants Better Health Care. It May Be On Its Own.
Researchers and health care providers say money from the Indian Health Service won't be enough to meet the tribe's needs.
Debt Digest | Federal Debt is a Health Care Problem
Welcome David Ditch to the Debt Dispatch! We are pleased to announce a new regular contributor: David Ditch will be joining the Cato Institute as a Policy Analyst for Budget and Entitlement Policy later this week. David has more than a decade of experience in fiscal policy issues, with a particular focus on federal spending. He previously worked at the Senate Budget Committee, the Heritage Foundation, and the Economic Policy Innovation Center. David’s areas of expertise include appropriations, transportation, agriculture, federalism, grantmaking, and policy options for deficit reduction. Originally from the Rochester, N.Y. area, David has a BA in Economics and Political Science from the University of Rochester and a MA in Political Management from George Washington University. David currently lives in Arlington, VA. You may have enjoyed his earlier guest posts: CBO: New Highway Bill Has More Spending, Taxes, and Deficits Trump Administration’s Proposed Changes to Federal Grants Highlight Problems of Big Government Here are this week’s reading links and fiscal facts: The federal debt is largely a health care problem. In a new report, the Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation find that “In 2026, federal subsidies for health insurance, net of related payments to the government, are projected to equal $2.4 trillion, or 7.4 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). In CBO and JCT’s projections, those subsidies grow by 65 percent, reaching $3.9 trillion, or 8.4 percent of GDP, in 2036. Subsidies for Medicare contribute most to that overall growth, increasing by $900 billion. Over the entire 2026–2036 period, federal subsidies for health insurance total $33.6 trillion.” Cato’s Michael Cannon emphasizes, “The long-term federal debt problem is a health care problem. […] Only two categories of federal outlays will grow faster than gross domestic product (GDP): health care subsidies and interest payments on the debt. The former is, therefore, the primary driver of the latter.” The bond market fears deficits, not the loss of tariff revenue. Responding to a New York Times essay claiming tariff revenue has grown too important for a future administration to unwind, Cato’s Kyle Handley argues: “Bond investors are not attached to customs duties as a line item revenue source. They care about the government’s overall fiscal position.” He continues, “tariff revenue is a side hustle. And the Trump administration has already promised to dole out the funds through schemes like tariff dividend rebates, farm subsidies, and pay-fors on tax cuts or other spending.” Furthermore, “tariff revenue is simply not large enough to transform the government’s fiscal trajectory.” Take net interest for example: it “reached $970 billion in fiscal year 2025, absorbing 18.5 percent of federal receipts. Customs duties accounted for only 3.7 percent of receipts—and that was before refunds (see Figure 2).” Handley concludes, “The real bond-market concern is a large and growing interest bill, persistent budget deficits, and a political system unwilling to bring spending and revenue into alignment.” Medicare’s spending growth is driven by more volume and utilization. A Congressional Research Service report finds that Medicare spending “grew at an average annual rate of 7.3%” from 1985 through 2025, and the trustees project health care expenditures will keep rising “faster than gross domestic product (GDP) in most future years.” Citing CBO, the report attributes Medicare’s projected 2026–2036 spending growth to “23% from higher enrollment, 31% from inflation, and 47% from the growth of inflation-adjusted spending per beneficiary. In other words**, the largest single driver of Medicare spending growth during the next decade is expected to be higher volume and intensity of health care services.”** Boccia and Thakur explain: “as the economy grows, Medicare spending tends to grow at least as fast—and often faster—because the program automatically pays the bill for more and more healthcare consumption by seniors, even as prices rise.” The Fed has little control over market interest rates. Cato’s Jai Kedia documents that the Fed has held its rate target steady since December, yet “nearly every rate Americans actually borrow at has climbed over the same stretch.” Kedia continues, “The Fed did nothing, and the cost of credit went up anyway. […] Markets spent these months repricing macroeconomic events such as sticky core inflation, a volatile energy market driven by the conflict in the Middle East, and global trade disrupted by tariffs, among others. None of that required a policy change to show up in borrowing costs because markets, not the FOMC, set prices.” He concludes, “Accurately priced borrowing rates will come from credible disinflation and disciplined budgets and from a Fed content to follow the economy rather than pretend it leads it.” Nearly half of US farm income comes from taxpayers. Former Reagan OMB director David Stockman notes that “in the most recently completed full year (FY 2025) farmer incomes in the US totaled $97.8 billion, but fully 42.7% or $41.8 billion of that amount came from taxpayers, not the marketplace. Nor is this some kind of one-year aberration. If we look at the most recent decade as a whole, total farm income posted at nearly $708 billion, but, as indicated, fully $322 billion or 45% of this came compliments of US taxpayers.” Cato’s Chris Edwards explains why so little of that income is market-earned: “Farmers are businesspeople, but the government shields them from just about every type of weather and market risk. Furthermore, just about every part of the agricultural industry is subsidized, including insurance, loans, marketing, research, export sales, and land improvements.” The Debt Dispatch is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
In memory care deserts, senior centers can help close the gap in brain-related healthcare
Specialized health care for brain-related issues can be lacking in rural areas, but collaborative, community-based approaches can help address these inequities.
Medicaid Recipients Fear Federal Cuts to Health Care in Rural Montana
A few years ago, Owen Fulford’s parents began noticing their son was struggling with certain activities at home and at school. They switched him to a bigger school so that he would have access to more resources, and they got him into see a primary care physician who after some work referred him to a […]
In Philly, roughly 1 out of 3 adults are obese. How should doctors, pediatricians talk to their patients about it?
Health care providers say initiating conversations about weight and nutrition is a key aspect to tackling obesity-related health problems.
New York ranks last in nation for health care affordability, new study finds
New York ranked last in the nation for health care affordability in a new study, though the state scored much higher for access to care and health outcomes.
UMB Celebrates America at 250: Addition of Pharmacists Gives the Health Care Field a Shot in the Arm
Founded in 1841, the School of Pharmacy helped turn a trade into a profession, shaped pharmacy education and practice in Maryland, and has extended its impact to the nation and the world.
Federal Policy Priorities To Strengthen Rural Health and Maximize Rural Health Transformation Program Investments
Executive Summary Rural health care in the United States is at an inflection point. The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), enacted as part of H.R. 1, is a $50 billion, five-year investment designed to help states improve access, quality, and outcomes by transforming rural health care delivery. This investment takes place alongside an estimated $137 … Continued
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Does public health *need* MAHA?
Last week, our friend Dr. Craig Spencer sparked an ongoing volatile discussion with his Atlantic article “Public Health Needs MAHA.” Some have come out in strong dissent, others are cheering, and others are simply lamenting that we find ourselves in such a divided world to begin with. We will dare to dip our toes in these controversial waters, too. Does public health need MAHA? We think in some ways yes, and in other ways, no. MAHA leaders versus the everyday MAHA supporter The vitriol in this debate mostly comes from one collapsed distinction: the leadership of MAHA is not necessarily the same as the people who support it. Say “MAHA” and most people picture RFK Jr. Fair enough, as he coined the term and holds most of the power. And, yes, some MAHA followers treat Kennedy as something close to a saint. But talk to the grassroots, and it’s not a monolith. They’re Republicans, Democrats, and Independents. People who distrust vaccines and vaccine supporters. It’s a wide, eclectic coalition. The data backs this too: 4 in 10 Americans support the movement—that’s a lot of people! But according to polls, vaccines and medical choice (the issues most tied to Kennedy personally) are cited by only 4% as their reason for supporting the movement. For many, the motivations are much broader. Many MAHA supporters are signing up for the idea that “something needs to change” with health in this country. They’re asking good-faith questions about corporate influence on our health systems, health care costs, nutrition, chemicals, and clean air and water. These are all questions that plenty of public health professionals recognize as legitimate and also care about very deeply. Blurring the lines between the leadership and grassroots does real damage in two important ways: It hands the 4 in 10 exactly the narrative already fed—that the health ecosystem doesn’t listen, doesn’t care, and paints every critic with the same brush. It gives the actual bad actor more power. RFK Jr. has done irreparable damage and can’t be trusted. What the MAHA movement gets right A healthy population is something the public health field was literally built on, and many of these topics are things we have dedicated our lives to. Yet the MAHA movement has captivated nearly half the country in a way the public health establishment has failed to achieve. So that means MAHA is doing something right. Some of it may be timing (after a Covid-19 pandemic and deep frustration and mistrust with institutions). The movement also does three other things really well: 1. It gives a new, louder voice to system failures. While MAHA is not a monolith, one theme stays consistent across their stories: the system failed them. For some, it was the system that flooded their communities with opioids and then walked away. For others, it was the system that let their business collapse during Covid with no safety net in sight. For others still, it was the system that failed to help them manage a complex chronic illness, bouncing them from physician to physician without any real answers. And in many ways, our health ecosystems are failing Americans. Why are medical bills so incomprehensible? Why do some kids get a healthy school lunch and others don’t? Why do an epidemiologist and a MD/PhD student have to start newsletters in the middle of the biggest public health emergency in a century, just so people can get straight information? Because the systems failed. This deep-seated frustration driving many Americans to search for solutions elsewhere needs to be recognized. 2. MAHA has brilliant comms central to their efforts. MAHA figured out something most health institutions still have not: the information landscape changed. It’s participatory now, not top-down; influence runs through many nodes in a community, not one institution; and storytelling and telling audiences “what you really think” moves people more than data dumps do. MAHA goes where audiences are listening, using podcasts, social media, and memes in ways most health institutions would scoff at—but it works. 3. They are very good at organizing. A MAHA meeting feels like a rally: energy, speakers, music, and most importantly, an action for everyone. Someone’s writing the next policy brief, someone’s seeding a narrative, someone knows the next legislative deadline, someone’s sending the text messages for a campaign. None of this is new (ask the civil rights movement), but MAHA knows it works and has capitalized on it. What MAHA gets wrong This list could be much longer, and this newsletter has spent a lot of time covering it, but here are a few things: Poor use of scientific evidence. This is the fundamental problem with many MAHA policies: the hype outpaces the science, and experts are often villainized for pointing this out. MAHA leadership has traded real solutions for cheap wins. For example, instead of taking on the powerful food industry and passing real reforms, it has celebrated french fries made of beef tallow and taken out artificial dyes from still very sugary children’s cereal. These changes won’t move the needle on America’s diet. MAHA leadership has tried to dismantle vaccine access in the U.S. While many MAHA supporters emphasize other issues, the effort to change vaccine policy has become MAHA’s signature effort. This is not surprising given RFK Jr.’s extensive track record campaigning against vaccines. It has rallied behind the wrong leader. RFK Jr. has a decades-long track record of villifying doctors, scientists, and public health workers, well before he became HHS secretary. He is known for his decades-long work sowing distrust in vaccines as well as life-saving treatments like antiretroviral therapy for HIV. This is not a serious person who can move the needle on health in the U.S, and he has already done serious damage. Public health needs more than defense Defending the evidence is absolutely necessary so health in the U.S. doesn’t move further backward. The public health establishment is very good at defense. The problem is this defense often sounds like defending the status quo, which has failed many people. Public health needs to offer an alternative to RFK Jr.’s MAHA—one that is rooted in evidence, truly listens to and addresses people’s frustrations, and has innovative solutions and the courage to change the systems. How do we get there? Find common ground. Do you know what most people care most about? The abysmal cost of healthcare. Start there. Fight for the human loudly. Too often, communications and engagement center on science with a capital S, funding mechanisms, or the CDC/FDA/NIH. Not the person. So the public doesn’t see themselves in it. Instead, they see people fighting for the very powerful systems that they feel negatively impact their health and well-being. Let the public feel and hear that you see their frustrations, you get it, and you’re fighting for them within the system. Recognize when pro-science messages are alienating people. Facts absolutely matter, but angrily venting only alienates people further. Our friend Elisabeth Marnik recently wrote a New York Times article about her experience growing up unvaccinated and how listening and empathetic conversation are the only ways to reach people that really work (a position backed by communication science). Her comments section was full of hateful comments from pro-vaccine individuals attacking her for daring to suggest we approach vaccine-hesitant individuals with empathy. It is possible to both stand firm behind scientific evidence and empathize with people who don’t trust it. Lean into politics smartly. Often, public health has shied away from politics: Don’t touch it, lest you get burned. But this fails to recognize that the third rail is what fuels the train: who is elected determines our budgets, our priorities, and our authority. Being political means being very savvy in strategy on both sides of the aisle, knowing your audience, and recognizing that political capital is as scarce as financial resources and needs to be allocated accordingly. Bottom line So does public health need MAHA? That’s not really the right question. Public health has a responsibility not to dismiss 40% of the country who feel heard by this movement and are frustrated that the system has failed them. And it has a responsibility to stick to the evidence and recognize MAHA leadership for what it is: a danger to our nation’s health. Both can, and should, be done. Love, YLE and KP A big thanks to Craig Spencer, who had the courage to put his neck out there to start a much-needed discussion at such a critical moment—one that is determining the identity of an entire field. Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD is completing an emergency medicine residency and research fellowship focusing on health literacy and communication. In her free time, she writes the newsletters You Can Know Things debunking health myths and rumors and The Public Health Roundup. Views expressed belong to KP, not her employer. Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) comprises a team of experts, ranging from physicians to immunologists to epidemiologists to nutritionists, working together with one goal: to “translate” ever-evolving public health science so that people are well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. The YLE suite of newsletters reaches over 475,000 people across more than 132 countries. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below: Subscribe
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Fresno County Jail Receives Distinguished Honor for Health Care Standards
Fresno County Jail Receives Distinguished Honor for Health Care Standards