As Lung Disease Threatens Workers, Lawmakers Seek Protections for Countertop Manufacturers
Crystalline silica, which is released into the air when workers cut and polish engineered stone, can scar human lungs beyond repair. Kitchen countertops made with this stone have triggered an increased rate of this fatal illness, doctors say.
A national plastic surgeons group is warning people to do their homework before having liposuctions, Brazilian butt lifts, or other cosmetic procedures after an investigation into cosmetic surgery chains by 窪蹋勛圖厙 News and NBC News.
Newsom Picks a Dogfight With Trump and RFK Jr. on Public Health
Scientists are cheering California Gov. Gavin Newsom as he builds a public health bulwark against health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s anti-vaccine stance and President Donald Trumps withdrawal from the World Health Organization. Still, federal cuts have sapped morale and left local health departments less prepared for outbreaks.
He Needs an Expensive Drug. A Copay Card Helped Until It Didnt.
Diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder, a California man was prescribed a drug that costs thousands of dollars a month. He said he was reassured that the drugmakers copay card would cover his share, but after two months, the card was empty.
Kind of Morbid: Health Premiums Threaten Their Nest Egg. A Terminal Diagnosis May Spare It.
Chaz and Jean Franklin were facing a sevenfold increase in their health premium payments with the expiration of enhanced federal subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans at the end of 2025. Then Jean received a crushing diagnosis that will claim her life but save the couple money.
Democrats Decry Meager Medical Care for Detainees in Funding Fight
A growing body of evidence indicates that immigrants in the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement face medical consequences because of serious gaps in basic health care services. Its adding to the political backlash against the Trump administrations aggressive deportation policies.
As More Americans Embrace Anxiety Treatment, MAHA Derides Medications
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized the broadening use of anxiety medications, claiming theyre harmful. Doctors and researchers say the MAHA movement is misrepresenting drugs that have been proved to safely treat chronic anxiety and point to broader social changes to explain their increased use.
Red and Blue States Alike Want To Limit AI in Insurance. Trump Wants To Limit the States.
A revolt is afoot in both red and blue states against the use of artificial intelligence in health insurance determinations and against efforts led by President Donald Trump to tie states hands.
Journalists Unpack Impact of ICE Arrests on Families and Caffeine’s Effect on Dementia Risk
窪蹋勛圖厙 News journalists made the rounds on national or local media recently to discuss topical stories. Heres a collection of their appearances.
Obamacare Sign-Ups Drop, but the Extent Wont Be Clear for Months
Experts say Affordable Care Act sign-up data wont be clear until people who were enrolled have paid or haven’t paid their new, often much higher, premiums.
NewsomTriesToThread Needleon Immigrant Health asAmbitions Turn National
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Newsom Walks Thin Line on Immigrant Health as He Eyes Presidential Bid
Progressives are assailing Gov. Gavin Newsom for proposing to pull back coverage for some legal residents, such as refugees and asylum-seekers, while conservatives lambaste the California Democrat for using limited state funds on Medicaid coverage for immigrants without legal status.
I Cant Tell You: Attorneys, Relatives Struggle To Find Hospitalized ICE Detainees
Some hospitals are registering patients detained by federal immigration officers under pseudonyms and prohibiting staff from contacting family members. Attorneys and health care workers say the practices facilitate rights violations and create ethical concerns. Hospitals say theyre trying to protect patients.
Sick of Fighting Insurers, Hospitals Offer Their Own Medicare Advantage Plans
Breakups between insurers and health systems, on top of plan cuts, left more than 3.7 million Medicare Advantage enrollees facing a tough choice last year: find new insurance or new doctors. But hospital systems say their Advantage plans can avert such upheaval, giving patients peace of mind.
GOP Cuts Will Cripple Medicaid Enrollment, Warns CEO of Largest Public Health Plan
Martha Santana-Chin, a daughter of Mexican immigrants, last year took the helm of L.A. Care, the nations largest publicly operated health plan. She warns that looming federal cuts will push up to 650,000 people off L.A. Cares Medicaid rolls by the end of 2028.
States Race To Launch Rural Health Transformation Plans
Every state will receive at least $100 million annually from the federal Rural Health Transformation fund, but some scored millions more based on how the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services judged the quality of their plans and willingness to pass policies embracing “Make America Healthy Again” initiatives.
This California Strategy Safeguarded Some Medicaid Social Services Funding From Trump
Programs like Jamboree Housing Corp. have leveraged Medi-Cal funding to offer residents access to social services that experts say are key to keeping them off the streets. California intends to keep it that way, despite federal cuts.
RFK Jr.s MAHA Movement Has Picked Up Steam in Statehouses. Heres What To Expect in 2026.
Make America Healthy Again policies driven by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have made major strides in state legislatures, with food additives among the most common targets. The trend is expected to continue this year.
California Ends Medicaid Coverage of Weight Loss Drugs Despite TrumpRx Plan
Low-income Californians who use Wegovy and similar medications for weight loss lost their coverage at the start of the new year, with officials advising diet and exercise instead. California and other states say the drugs are too costly, even as the Trump administration announces plans to lower prices.
On the Hook for Uninsured Residents, Counties Now Wonder How Theyll Pay
Millions of people gained health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, reducing pressure on counties in states that fund care for the uninsured. With federal policies expected to reverse that trend, county officials wonder how they will fill the gap and who will pay for it.
