Readers Chime In on Reproductive Rights, Therapy Chatbots, Medical Debt, and More
窪蹋勛圖厙 News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Reproductive Health
1 - 20 of 147 Results
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Montana Moves Ahead With Doula Pay but Warns Medicaid Cuts Still May Come
Montana health officials say theyre seeking to add doula services to the states Medicaid program, reversing a previous statement that they would not be moving forward amid a budget shortfall.
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Journalists Talk Hot Health Topics: Urgent Care Clinics Performing Abortions and Doulas’ Pay
窪蹋勛圖厙 News journalists made the rounds on national and local media recently to discuss topical stories. Heres a collection of their appearances.
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As US Birth Rate Falls, Feds Response May Make Pregnancy More Dangerous
A funding notice for Title X shifts the programs emphasis from contraception to fertility, family formation, and addressing conditions that could cause infertility, including endometriosis. Experts say these priorities overlook key demographic trends, epidemiology, prevention of unwanted pregnancies, and the nation's high maternal mortality.
Abortion Pills, the Budget, and RFK Jr.
Episode 441This week, the Trump administration won a court battle to delay a ruling on access to the abortion pill mifepristone, angering its own anti-abortion allies. Meanwhile, the presidents budget arrived on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers are unlikely to agree to its proposed cuts to Health and Human Services programs. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Maya Goldman of Axios join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.
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Urgent Care Clinics Move To Fill Abortion Care Gaps in Rural Areas
When the only clinic that offered abortions in Michigans rural Upper Peninsula closed, an urgent care facility stepped in to fill the gap. Now, others are considering similar moves as brick-and-mortar clinics close in blue states.
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This Northern Cheyenne Doula Was About To Start Getting Paid Then Medicaid Cuts Hit
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.
A Headless CDC
Episode 439The Trump administration faces the challenge of naming a new director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who can both satisfy the Make America Healthy Again movement and get confirmed by the Senate. Meanwhile, a new Senate bill to rescind the approval of the abortion pill mifepristone is again elevating the abortion debate, which some Republicans would prefer to stay on the back burner until after the midterms. Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Lizzy Lawrence of Stat, and Rachel Cohrs Zhang of Bloomberg News join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss the news. Also this week, Rovner interviews Georgetown University Law Centers Katie Keith about the state of the Affordable Care Act on its 16th anniversary.
RFK Jr.s Vaccine Schedule Changes Blocked For Now
Episode 438A federal judge in Massachusetts this week sided with public health groups to block changes to the federally recommended schedule of childhood vaccines, dealing at least a temporary setback to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s efforts to remake the schedule. Meanwhile, Congress has put its debate over the future of the Affordable Care Act on the back burner, but the issue of rising health care costs is still front and center for the voting public. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF President and CEO Drew Altman to kick off a new series looking at health care solutions, called How Would You Fix It?
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Lawmakers Seek To Protect Crisis Pregnancy Centers as Abortion Clinic Numbers Shrink
Some states have tried to crack down on crisis pregnancy centers, accusing them of deceptive practices. But now conservative lawmakers are pushing legislation to increase protections for the organizations, which work to dissuade women from abortions.
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Birth Control Skepticism, Teen Fertility Take Center Stage at Trump’s Women’s Health Summit
Amid falling birth rates and presidential approval numbers, the Department of Health and Human Services convened doctors, tech executives, and influencers to discuss womens health. Panelists criticized reliance on birth control pills to treat health problems and encouraged doctors to talk with girls about whether they want to have babies.
By Amanda Seitz RFK Jr.s Very Bad Week
Episode 437HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had another tough week. In addition to Kennedy having rotator cuff surgery, the nomination of his ally to become surgeon general is teetering, the controversial head of the FDA's vaccine center is resigning next month, and a new survey shows Americans trust government health officials less than they do former Biden official Anthony Fauci. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Shefali Luthra of The 19th join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.
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If Youre Pregnant and Uninsured, Medicaid Might Be Your Answer
Prenatal care can make a huge difference to the long-term health of both the parent and baby. Every state offers health coverage to lower-income pregnant women who might otherwise go uninsured.
The Hazards of ICE for Public Health
Episode 431The Trump administrations immigration crackdown is not just roiling politics but also directly affecting the provision of health care, medical groups say. Meanwhile, in Washington, federal spending bills have been stalled by the fight over immigration enforcement funding after the shooting death of a second person in Minneapolis this month. Maya Goldman of Axios, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.
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Why Medication Abortion Is the Top Target for Anti-Abortion Groups in 2026
With abortions still on the rise nationwide despite widespread bans, curtailing the use of pregnancy-terminating medication is a top priority for abortion opponents and theyre frustrated that the Trump administration isnt doing more to limit its use.
By Julie Rovner Culture Wars Take Center Stage
Episode 429With lawmakers still mired over renewing enhanced tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans, much of Washington has turned to culture war issues. Meanwhile, confusion remains the watchword at HHS as personnel and funding decisions continue to be made and unmade with little notice. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Elisabeth Rosenthal, who wrote the latest Bill of the Month report.
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Native Americans Are Dying From Pregnancy. They Want a Voice To Stop the Trend.
Native American women face higher rates of death than other demographics. In response, Native Americans have been working with state and federal officials to boost tribal participation and leadership in maternal mortality review committees to better track and address pregnancy-related deaths.
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Abortion as Homicide Debate in South Carolina Exposes GOP Rift as States Weigh New Restrictions
A proposed abortion ban in South Carolina would have allowed the criminal prosecution of women who obtain the procedure. Its unlikely to become law, but this bill and other proposals across the country show how some conservative lawmakers are embracing increasingly punitive abortion restrictions.
By Lauren Sausser and Bram Sable-Smith New Year, Same Health Fight
Episode 428Congress returned from its break facing a familiar question: whether to extend the expanded subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans that expired at the end of 2025. Meanwhile, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. broke a promise to Bill Cassidy, the chairman of Senate health committee, by overhauling the federal governments childhood vaccine schedule to reduce the number of diseases for which vaccines will be recommended. Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join 窪蹋勛圖厙 News Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.
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Iowa Doesn’t Have Enough OB-GYNs. The States Abortion Ban Might Be Making It Worse.
Abortion bans like Iowas have put OB-GYNs under increasing strain and surveillance, complicating the standard medical treatments for miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, premature membrane rupture, and other pregnancy problems. As many rural areas face worsening maternity care deserts, some physicians fear these laws could drive much-needed doctors out of state and dissuade others from moving in and establishing a practice.