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Medicaid cuts: Tips for covering the legal frontlines
The reconciliation bill’s sweeping cuts to Medicaid, Medicare and ACA subsidies, along with sharp restrictions on family planning providers, mark one of the most significant rollbacks of federal health funding in a generation. Critics argue the law disproportionately targets low-income patients, reproductive health organizations and public health infrastructure — especially in rural and underserved areas.…
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How Trump’s budget impacts older adults
Aging services advocates say the FY 2026 budget bill, which includes massive cuts to Medicaid and nutrition services, will mean the upheaval of vital programs keeping older adults healthy and aging in their communities. Journalists can use any of the following tips as a starting point to ask local, state, and federal policymakers how these…
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Under harsh new work rules, millions will get kicked off Medicaid
A new work requirement for about 20 million Medicaid members is one of the most important stories to cover about the federal megabill that President Trump signed on July 4. The law requires adults aged 19 to 64 to work at least 80 hours each month to qualify for Medicaid coverage unless they are exempt…
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Trump’s budget bill could cost lives, put 5 million in debt: How to cover the story
As many as 17 million Americans will lose their health insurance and many others will incur more medical debt under the budget bill President Trump signed into law last Friday. The tax bill, or the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” would cut more than $1 trillion in federal spending over 10 years for Medicaid, food…
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Medicare, Medicaid and the Older Americans Act turn 60. Will they survive the next 60 years?
July marks the 60th anniversary of Medicare, Medicaid and the Older Americans Act (OAA). Along with Social Security, these programs form the bedrock of health and economic well-being for older Americans. Signed into law in 1965 by President Lyndon Johnson, they help ensure that every older adult has access to basic health care and income,…
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How to help audiences understand the serious implications of federal vaccine actions
When U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr. dismissed all members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), it allowed him to add any members he wanted who met the basic requirements to serve on the committee. He has already appointed eight new members, several of whom have a long record…
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Possible steep cuts to Medicaid, SNAP and more: How to tell the story
As Congress wrestles with how to cut $1 trillion in federal spending over 10 years, the prime targets have been the state and federal Medicaid and food stamp programs. On May 22, the U.S. House narrowly passed H.R.1, officially titled the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. If the Senate passes it, the bill would make…
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