Katheryn Houghton

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khoughton@kff.org

This Northern Cheyenne Doula Was About To Start Getting Paid — Then Medicaid Cuts Hit

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Montana was on track to start reimbursing doulas, who support new and expectant parents, through Medicaid this year. But state officials halted that plan amid a budget shortfall. Other such services deemed optional under Medicaid are at risk nationwide as states brace for federal cuts.

Seis científicos federales expulsados por el gobierno de Trump hablan del trabajo que quedó sin terminar

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Durante décadas, el valor de los NIH ha sido quizá una de las pocas cosas en las que todos en Washington han estado de acuerdo. Los legisladores han aumentado su financiamiento de forma constante. No ahora.

Six Federal Scientists Run Out by Trump Talk About the Work Left Undone

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Cancer treatments, disease outbreaks, addiction science: Scientists say an exodus from the National Institutes of Health will harm the nation’s ability to respond to illness.

The People — And Research — Lost in the NIH Exodus

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Government data shows the National Institutes of Health lost about 4,400 people — more than 20% of its staff — as the Trump administration slashed the federal workforce. Hear from six scientists on why they walked out the door and the work they left behind.

End of Enhanced Obamacare Subsidies Puts Tribal Health Lifeline at Risk

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Tribal insurance programs give Native Americans access to affordable health care when the Indian Health Service falls short. Those plans are threatened by the expiration of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies.

In Lodge Grass, Montana, a Crow Community Works To Rebuild From Meth’s Destruction

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Meth is a problem most everywhere, but particularly in Indian Country. On the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, new buildings serve as symbols of a town trying to rebuild after being devastated by addiction.

The Nation’s Largest Food Aid Program Is About To See Cuts. Here’s What You Should Know.

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The federal government is making sweeping changes to SNAP, the program that helped feed about 42 million people in the U.S. last year. Here’s a breakdown of the changes to come and potential impacts.

She Had a Broken Arm, No Insurance — And a $97,000 Bill

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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.

New Medicaid Federal Work Requirements Mean Less Leeway for States

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More than a dozen states are seeking their own versions of Medicaid work requirements. But the incoming federal standards pose questions around how much leeway states have to design their rules.

Medicaid: nuevo requisito federal de trabajo deja a estados sin mucho margen de maniobra

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Algunos buscan modificaciones específicas a las nuevas normas para cada estado. Otros pretenden implementar los requisitos laborales antes de que la ley federal entre en vigencia a finales de 2026.

Republicans Call Medicaid Rife With Fraudsters. This Man Sees No Choice but To Break the Rules.

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Congressional Republicans successfully pushed to add hurdles to qualify for Medicaid by saying they would eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse. This is the story of a Montana man who explains why he said he is breaking the rules to keep his health insurance and his job.

Doulas, Once a Luxury, Are Increasingly Covered by Medicaid — Even in GOP States

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Even as states brace for significant reductions in federal Medicaid funding over the next decade, conservative legislatures across the country are passing laws that grant doula access to Medicaid beneficiaries.

Insurers Fight State Laws Restricting Surprise Ambulance Bills

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A Colorado bill banning surprise billing for ambulance rides passed unanimously in both legislative chambers, only to be met with a veto from the governor. As more states pass such legislation, some are hitting the same snag — concerns about raising premiums.

Aseguradoras rechazan leyes estatales que protegen contra facturas sorpresa por uso de ambulancias

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Cuando una compañía de ambulancias cobra más de lo que una aseguradora está dispuesta a pagar, los pacientes pueden terminar con una factura enorme de la que no tienen escapatoria.

Native Americans Hurt by Federal Health Cuts, Despite RFK Jr.’s Promises of Protection

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The Indian Health Service was mostly spared in the federal government’s widespread staffing cuts, but tribal governments and organizations have lost funding elsewhere in the melee of federal health agency cuts.