What the Health? From KFF Health News

A new poll from KFF suggests that rising health costs are still a top concern for voters this November and that Democrats have a substantial edge over Republicans on the issue. In an apparent attempt to close the gap, President Donald Trump is sending checks, some billed as “refunds,” to millions of enrollees in Medicare and Affordable Care Act plans. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Sun join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Michelle Andrews, who wrote the latest KFF Health News “Bill of the Month,” about a patient who got a bill from a hospital emergency department after she left without receiving treatment. Visit our website for a transcript of this episode. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: The Atlantic’s “When Anesthesia Goes Wrong,” by Sarah Zhang. Alice Miranda Ollstein: Politico’s “Trump Is Conditioning Foreign Aid on Deals,” by Carmen Paun. Paige Winfield Cunningham: The New York Times’ “Battle of Hospital A.I. vs. Insurer A.I. Is Pushing Medical Costs Higher,” by Reed Abelson and Teddy Rosenbluth. Anna Edney: ProPublica’s “A Girl Nearly Died After Drinking Raw Milk. The State Did Little To Punish the Unlicensed Farmer Who Sold It,” by Annie Waldman.

The “Make America Healthy Again” movement held a big shindig in Washington, D.C., this week. But rather than moms arguing to get pesticides and processing chemicals out of their kids’ food, the room was full of Trump administration officials and industry representatives looking to promote health-related products. Meanwhile, as the fiscal year ends, the administration for the second year in a row is refusing to spend money Congress appropriated — and basically daring the other two branches of government to stop it. Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Rachana Pradhan of KFF Health News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Aaron Carroll, president and CEO of AcademyHealth, to discuss the Trump administration’s dismantling of the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Visit our website to read a transcript of this episode. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: The New York Times’ “U. of Michigan Halts New Grading Plan After Backlash From Critics,” by Madaleine Rubin. Shefali Luthra: The Atlantic’s “The Babies Left Behind in America,” by Caitlin Dickerson. Rachana Pradhan: KFF Health News’ “US Poised To Boot Legal Immigrants From Medicaid, Including Refugees and Sex-Trafficking Victims,” by Phil Galewitz, Andrew Jones, and Claudia Boyd-Barrett. Rachel Roubein: Stat’s “Once Described as Obesity Medicines for ‘Patients,’ GLP-1s Are Increasingly Lifestyle Drugs for ‘Customers,’” by Elaine Chen.

Healthcare in general, and health costs in particular, are a top issue for voters in 2026. But it remains unclear exactly how voters want lawmakers to fix the problem. As a result, candidates in both parties are offering a wide variety of possible solutions. Meanwhile, the Trump administration doubled down on its fraud-fighting efforts, announcing that it is cutting off more than 750,000 enrollees in Affordable Care Act insurance plans who it alleges are defrauding the program. Tami Luhby of CNN, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Sarah Jane Tribble of KFF Health News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Visit our website to read a transcript of this episode. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: KFF Health News’ “The Drugs and Devices Have Been on the Market for Years. But FDA-Ordered Studies Still Aren’t Done,” by David Hilzenrath. Tami Luhby: The Wall Street Journal’s “RFK Jr.’s Enhanced Security Was Funded With Money From Minority Health Office,” by Liz Essley Whyte. Joanne Kenen: Slate’s “The Mystery of ‘Medbeds’,” by Molly Olmstead. Sarah Jane Tribble: Stat’s “GOP Aims To Change Medicare Adviser’s Math So It’s More Favorable to Health Insurers,” by John Wilkerson.

Reports from a top artificial intelligence company that it found and stopped attempted uses of its product to manufacture a potential bioweapon caught the attention of lawmakers in Washington this week, although it is still unclear whether or when they will act to regulate the fast-moving industry. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump wants to send $500 checks to about a million enrollees in Affordable Care Act plans. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Tami Luhby of CNN, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner talks with Sabrina Corlette of the Georgetown University Center on Health Insurance Reforms about some potential fixes to the nation’s health system. Visit our website to read a transcript of this episode. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: KJZZ Phoenix’s “Data Shows DES Failed To Complete Most SNAP Eligibility Interviews, Resulting in Massive Cuts,” by Camryn Sanchez. Tami Luhby: The Washington Post’s “What ‘Ferritin Face’ Means — And How To Tell If You May Be Iron-Deficient,” by Erica Sloan. Anna Edney: Bloomberg News’ “Patients Who Fight Health Insurance Denials Often Win,” by John Tozzi, Tanaz Meghjani, and Ike Swetlitz. Alice Miranda Ollstein: KFF Health News’ “Indigenous Groups Are Exempt From Medicaid Work Rules, but Native Hawaiians Aren’t,” by Ashley Mizuo.

Amid a campaign already focusing on affordability, anxious voters are unlikely to be assuaged by headlines about healthcare costs rising even more next year. And a lawsuit that could cut off access nationwide to the abortion pill mifepristone gets a hearing at a federal appeals court. Sandhya Raman of Bloomberg Law, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Amanda Seitz of KFF Health News join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Lauren Sausser, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month,” about when a preventive service isn’t preventive enough to qualify for zero-cost coverage. Visit our website for a transcript of this episode. Plus, for “extra credit” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: NBC News’ “A Secretive Computer Algorithm Is Taking Caregiving Money Away From Disabled People,” by Mike Hixenbaugh. Sandhya Raman: Bloomberg Government’s “Medicaid Cuts Leave Schools Pondering How To Serve Disabled Kids,” by Erin Durkin and Claire Hebert. Joanne Kenen: ProPublica’s “Children in a Faith-Healing Sect Keep Dying. The State Lets It Happen,” by Audrey Dutton. Amanda Seitz: KFF Health News’ “A NY Hospital Tried To Close Its Birthing Center. This City United To Fight Back,” by Noam N. Levey and Hannah Norman, and Stat’s “Hospitals Pursue Deals To Ensure Survival as Trump’s Medicaid Cuts Loom,” by Daniel Payne.