The federal health department is sharing Medicaid recipients' personal data with the Homeland Security Department, HHS confirmed to Axios.
The big picture: The arrangement raises privacy and security concerns for critics — including around whether the information is being used to deport undocumented immigrants.
President Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency during a recent medical exam, the White House announced Thursday.
The big picture: Trump, 79, has been reluctant to release medical records demonstrating his physical and cognitive well-being during the 2024 election, though an April exam found him in "excellent health."
Juul Labs has won the government's authorization to keep its signature e-cigarettes on the U.S. market.
Why it matters: The vaping company was once facing a federal ban under the Biden administration — which was quickly suspended, and later rescinded, but nonetheless put its future in doubt.
State laws regulating birth control remain a patchwork, with wide variations in access and restrictions in some locales requiring parental consent or allowing providers to opt out of dispensing contraception, a new scorecard from the Population Reference Bureau shows.
Why it matters: Contraception access has become a political flashpoint since the Supreme Court ended Roe v. Wade, with Democrats unsuccessfully pressing to codify nationwide contraceptive access and some patients concerned that conservative state legislatures could enact new curbs.
Millions of low-income Americans already face the prospect of losing their health insurance, and now they're looking at another worry: lower credit scores.
Why it matters: Poor credit scores not only make it harder to borrow money, but also to accomplish such basic things as land a job or rent an apartment.
LGBTQ+ youth who call the national 988 suicide prevention hotline will lose access to counselors specifically trained to serve their needs starting Thursday.
Why it matters: Nearly 40% of LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in 2023, according to the Trevor Project, and 988's specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth were considered a lifeline for young people who were struggling.
Community health centers are in a legal bind following the Trump administration's directive to restrict undocumented immigrants' access to their services.
Why it matters: The federally funded clinics are supposed to serve everyone — but now, only if they fulfill a citizenship requirement.
Bridgeport, Connecticut; Boston; and San Diego have the most gyms per 100,000 residents among big U.S. metro areas, per government data.
Why it matters: Gyms offer city dwellers a way to get and stay healthy, and can serve as excellent "third places" — a spot to hang out and connect outside home or work.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has shaken up his top staff just months into his tenure atop the Health and Human Services Department.
Why it matters: Kennedy's time atop the huge federal health bureaucracy has already been marked by tensions with the White House over the measles outbreak, controversial vaccine policy changes and sweeping layoffs and grant cuts.
A dozen current and former federal employees detail how DOGE gutted their workplaces in a new audio series released Wednesday morning.
Why it matters: The testimonials are from folks who've worked inside agencies responsible for the health and safety of millions of Americans — including a scientist who studies hepatitis C at the CDC, an FAA employee who supports air traffic controllers and a VA worker who counsels veterans.
The Trump administration wants to boost Medicare payments for hospital outpatient services by $8.1 billion next year — while simultaneously decreasing hospitals' reimbursement for services like chemotherapy.
Why it matters: The payment proposal reveals that the administration is pushing hard for site-neutral reimbursements, or paying the same rate for services regardless of whether they're delivered in hospital outpatient facilities or doctors' offices. Hospitals typically bill Medicare more for the same services.
A new wave of teen influencers is gaining followers by touting ideas central toRobert F. Kennedy Jr.'s public health movement, adding a Gen Z edge to a following that's trended toward wellness entrepreneurs and so-called MAHA moms.
Why it matters: The distrust of Big Pharma and antiestablishment health messaging may create a convenient gateway into conservative politics for adolescents and young adults.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s super PAC head co-hosted an organizing call for supporters and influencers last week, stirring speculation that Kennedy's positioning for a run at the White House in 2028.
Why it matters: Last Wednesday's Zoom call involving hundreds of RFK Jr. supporters was aimed at energizing his grassroots "Make America Healthy Again" movement and discussing ways to build enthusiasm for the Health and Human Services secretary.
