All articles tagged with #health care
AP Exclusive: The Trump administration concedes a major error in its New York health-care fraud accusations, signaling a reassessment of the case as CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz discusses ongoing fraud-fighting efforts.
House Republicans, led by Steve Scalise, are weighing cuts to federal health-care subsidies to help finance a budget bill for President Trump’s Iran war, a move that could save about $30B but would likely leave hundreds of thousands more Americans uninsured; Democrats criticize the plan, some GOP moderates are wary, and the broader conflict is driving oil-market volatility as the administration weighs further action.
Facing a Pentagon request to fund the ongoing war against Iran, Republicans have floated offsetting cuts to health-care programs—such as ACA subsidies and Medicaid—in a forthcoming reconciliation bill. The move echoes GOP cuts from the Big Beautiful Bill and could leave about 300,000 more Americans uninsured, on top of the roughly 14 million projected to lose coverage by 2030, as some Republicans express skepticism about funding the war without clearer goals.
House Republicans are weighing offsets from federal health programs—potentially cutting ACA subsidies and other Medicare payments—to help finance a budget bill up to $200 billion for funding a war in Iran and immigration enforcement. The plan could reduce subsidies, raise out-of-pocket costs for some enrollees, and save more than $30 billion; discussions are in early stages, with moderates wary and Democrats ready to attack. Any legislation would likely use reconciliation to bypass a Senate filibuster, aimed for a 60–90 day timeline.
Texas Tribune findings show a measles outbreak linked to federal detention facilities in West Texas and El Paso, infecting at least four El Paso workers and signaling potential wider spillover as officials struggle to obtain detainee vaccination data from DHS/ICE/LaSalle Corrections; statewide, 147 measles cases have been reported so far this year, most in WTDF, Camp East Montana, and Dilley, while local health officials press for more transparency to guide vaccination efforts and outbreak forecasting.
Red- and near-infrared light may boost mitochondrial function and blood flow, with evidence of safety and some benefit for ulcers, peripheral neuropathy, dry age-related macular degeneration, and cancer-therapy–related mucositis; however, the overall clinical picture is mixed, optimal doses and delivery methods are unresolved, and while trials are expanding into brain and metabolic effects, hype often outpaces solid, large-scale evidence.
ProPublica analyzes how Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s push to overhaul vaccine safety and trim the routine childhood immunization schedule could undermine trust and access, risking supply disruptions and the return of preventable diseases such as measles, rubella, and diphtheria both in the U.S. and globally, based on historical outbreaks and expert interviews.
The U.S. labor market lost 92,000 jobs in February, pushing the unemployment rate up to 4.4% and signaling renewed vulnerability after a month when health-care hiring weakened the economy’s momentum.
Measles has triggered an outbreak at the El Paso Camp East Montana ICE detention site, with at least 14 active cases and 112 detainees isolated as the facility is closed to visitors. Democratic Rep. Veronica Escobar and other lawmakers are calling for the camp’s shuttering amid ongoing concerns about medical care and deteriorating conditions, linking the outbreak to broader criticism of detention practices and past infectious-disease incidents at the camp.
Surgeon general nominee Casey Means faced questions from the Senate Health Committee about her views on vaccines, pesticides, and RFK Jr.’s vaccine stance, while lawmakers scrutinized her past business ties and potential conflicts of interest as they weigh her nomination.
Health care and social assistance accounted for 95% of the 130,000 jobs added in January, continuing a 2025-driven trend of health-care hiring that buoyed the broader labor market, with hospitals, clinics and nursing homes expanding payrolls while other sectors slowed.
Maryland health officials warn of a rising mumps cluster, with 14 infections this year—primarily adults in the Baltimore area—marking a sharp uptick from last year’s four cases. Providers are urged to identify suspected cases quickly, ensure testing and reporting, and continue vaccination per current guidance, including two MMR doses for those born after 1957. The vaccine also protects against measles, which Maryland hasn’t seen since March amid broader vaccine-safety concerns. Mumps spreads via droplets and can cause fever and swollen salivary glands; serious complications are rare but possible, and there is no specific treatment beyond supportive care.
Washington Post reports that a Hims & Hers Super Bowl ad promotes access to wellness products and a controversial cancer-detection blood test, highlighting concerns that such tests can yield false positives or negatives and underscoring broader debates about wealth-based equity in health care.
FTC settlement ends Express Scripts’ rebate practices that inflated insulin prices, requiring reforms that base patient costs on net price, boost transparency, and shift to a cost-based model at retail pharmacies. The deal could cut patients’ out-of-pocket costs by up to $7 billion over 10 years and bring new revenue to community pharmacies, while reshoring the Ascent GPO to the United States; a 30-day public comment period precedes final order.
A Washington Post poll finds health care costs are Americans’ top pocketbook worry, surpassing food and rent, with rising premiums and out‑of‑pocket costs shaping concerns ahead of the 2026 midterms.