health care

President Donald Trump delivers remarks to the Conservative Political Action Conference on Feb. 24.

Politics & Government

Here's What To Watch For When Trump Addresses Congress

9:55am February 27, 2017

by Mara Liasson

It's not a "State of the Union" address, but Trump's mood about the country will matter, along with whether he gives Congress direction on policy priorities like health care and taxes.

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Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., responds to constituents concerned about their coverage under the Affordable Care Act.

GOP Health Bill Draft Would Cut Medicaid, Emphasize Tax Credits

5:08pm February 24, 2017

by Alison Kodjak

The plan would replace insurance subsidies for low-income families with tax credits for everyone, eliminate the requirement to buy health care, and end taxes on medical devices.

Nancy Roach at a conference in 2016. She's long worked as a patient's advocate and recently teamed up with scientists to help improve the design of studies, as well as to improve clinical care.

Advice From Patients On A Study's Design Makes For Better Science

3:18pm February 24, 2017

by Richard Harris

Increasingly, advocates for patients are in the room when big medical studies are designed. They demand answers to big questions: "Will the results of this study actually help anybody?"

Kevin Jones on the TED Stage in Salt Lake City

Kevin Jones: Can Embracing Uncertainty Lead To Better Medicine?

3:02pm February 24, 2017

by NPR/TED STAFF

Sometimes, doctors just don't have the answers. Surgeon Kevin Jones says having the humility to acknowledge this leads to better medicine.

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Then-Indiana Gov. Mike Pence announces that the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services has approved the state's waiver request for its Medicaid plan in 2015.

Indiana's Claims About Its Medicaid Experiment Don't All Check Out

6:31am February 24, 2017

by Jake Harper

Indiana's health program for low-income people is experimental, and needs federal approval to continue. The state says its program is working, but some claims lack much-needed context.

The one thing that's certain is that there will be changes in the Affordable Care Act.

What's Next For The Affordable Care Act? Your Questions Answered

12:28pm February 23, 2017

by Julie Rovner

A lot of people are confused about when and if Republicans can "repeal and replace" the Affordable Care Act. Kaiser Health News' Julie Rovner clears things up in the first of a series.

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Nick Dupree arrives at the Federal Courthouse in Montgomery, Ala. on Feb. 11, 2003. His success in getting the state to continue support past age 21 enabled him to attend college and live in his own home.

Nick Dupree Fought To Live 'Like Anyone Else'

4:47pm February 22, 2017

by Joseph Shapiro

The activist campaigned to change rules, so that people with disabilities could get nursing care and other support at home past the age of 21, and get married without losing Medicaid benefits.

There's no evidence that heart screenings for teens prevent deaths.

Heart Screening For Teens May Cause More Problems Than It Solves

1:24pm February 22, 2017

by Mary Chris Jaklevic

There's no evidence that screening adolescents with electrocardiograms prevents deaths, yet the heart tests have become widespread despite the false alarms they often cause.

Seema Verma, who is President Trump's nominee to head the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, has said that maternity benefits should be optional.

GOP Considers Trimming Health Law's 10 Essential Benefits

12:07pm February 22, 2017

by Michelle Andrews

The woman set to run the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services told senators that maternity coverage should be optional in individual and small group plans. Other services could be cut entirely.

The Federico F. Peña Southwest Family Health Center opened in 2016 to serve a low-income community in Denver. The clinic and its parent system, Denver Health, have benefited financially from the Affordable Care Act and its expansion of Medicaid.

Threat Of Obamacare Repeal Leaves Community Health Centers In Limbo

11:56am February 22, 2017

These clinics have long provided health care to low-income patients and enjoyed expansion under the Affordable Care Act. With repeal looming, the centers' doctors worry about what's next.