Large numbers of children are dropping off the Medicaid rolls, even though the sweeping changes Congress made to the program last summer didn't target kids' eligibility.
Why it matters: The trend indicates that new Medicaid work rules and nearly $1 trillion in cuts to federal program spending are having spillover effects before they're broadly implemented.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is offering to shield drugmakers from legal liability as an incentive to develop treatments for the Andes hantavirus that caused a deadly outbreak on a cruise ship this month.
Why it matters: The move is stirring criticism within Kennedy's "Make America Healthy Again" movement and harks back to COVID-era protections the government gave to obtain antivirals, vaccines and other products during the health emergency.
Health insurers facing growing criticism over rising premiums are trying to shift the narrative by portraying hospitals and drugmakers as the real culprits behind health care's affordability crisis.
Why it matters: Health insurance gets more expensive almost every year. But now, more of those added costs are being passed through to workers who are already reeling from inflationary pressures.
