Reed Abelson

Line graph titled "Per Enrollee Spending by Private Insurance Has Generally Grown Faster Than Medicare and Medicaid Spending" showing the cumulative percent growth in per enrollee spending from 2008 to 2024 for private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid. The data indicate that spending growth on private insurance is higher compared to Medicare and Medicaid over the period. The source of the data is KFF analysis of National Health Expenditure data, and the graph is from the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker.

Per enrollee spending by private insurers almost doubled from 2008 to 2024 — much faster than both Medicare and Medicaid spending growth per enrollee (59.5% and 51.6%, respectively.)

More in our chart collection: https://on.kff.org/4r7rQKA

After Donations, Trump Administration Revoked Rule Requiring More Nursing Home Staff

SCOOP: Nursing home companies donated $4.8M to Trump's super PAC in Aug-Sept.

Their executives landed a lunch in Aug. with Trump at his NoVa golf club where they asked him to revoke a rule to increase staffing to prevent patient neglect.

His administration revoked the rule a few months later.

Perhaps more importantly, grocery prices are up 30% since the start of the pandemic. That cumulative inflation is a big part of why things feel so expensive. #NumbersDay

House Votes to Restore Health Subsidies, Raising Hopes of a Deal

House Votes to Restore Health Subsidies, Raising Hopes of a Deal www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/u...

Kennedy Scales Back the Number of Vaccines Recommended for Children

BREAKING: Federal health officials on Monday announced dramatic revisions to the slate of vaccines recommended for American children, reducing the number of diseases prevented by routine shots to 11 from 17.

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/05/h...

I can’t believe I used the wrong link! Here’s the story www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/h...

Opinion | This Question Can Change Your Life

I interviewed people who are affected by the loss of enhanced subsidies for 2026. Many are faced with tough decisions about what to do. Here’s the story: www.nytimes.com/2026/01/02/o...

Obamacare Users Will Be Asked to Pay More for Plans That Cover Less

Millions of Americans are confronting the highest health insurance costs in years. @reedabelson.bsky.social son explains why. Obamacare subsidies expire in 3 weeks. The clock is ticking on Capitol Hill. Congress may push the issue off until next year.

www.nytimes.com/2025/12/08/h...

C.D.C. Links Measles Outbreaks in Multiple States for the First Time

SCOOP: CDC officials on Monday linked for the first time the measles outbreak that began in Texas with another in Utah and Arizona, a finding that could end America’s status as a nation that has eliminated measles.
(Gift link)

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/h...

Higher Obamacare Prices Become Public in a Dozen States

Next year's A.C.A. health prices are now available in about a dozen states, giving Americans their first look at the sharp increases many will pay for coverage if Congress does not extend subsidies.

Via @reedabelson.bsky.social and @sangerkatz.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/17/h...

Medicare Will Require Prior Approval for Certain Procedures

The A.I. companies they contract to review pre-authorizations will have a strong incentive to deny care. Medicare plans to pay them a share of the savings generated from rejections.

My story with @reedabelson.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/h...

As Aatish Taseer and his husband built a life together in New York, their anchor was Zinc, an 85-pound shepherd-lab mix. The last lesson he taught them was about loss and renewal.

🔗 Read more: on.wsj.com/4mGA766

UnitedHealth Grew to Be a Leviathan. Then Came the Backlash.

A look at the broad challenges facing UnitedHealth — and the U.S. health system www.nytimes.com/2025/07/28/h...

‘Little Lobbyists’ Urge Senators to Oppose Trump’s Bill Cutting Medicaid

Children with complex medical needs and their families were on Capitol Hill this week lobbying senators against Medicaid cuts. From Megan Mineiro and @sangerkatz.bsky.social:

Kennedy Says ‘Charlatans’ Are No Reason to Block Unproven Stem Cell Treatments

My latest: Kennedy said he has to go to Antigua to get stem cells for his vocal condition. He'd like such treatments to come to the U.S., despite the scams and bad outcomes they might bring. (why? he basically says pharma is just as bad)

GIFT: www.nytimes.com/2025/06/05/h...

Millions Would Lose Their Obamacare Coverage Under Trump’s Bill

“In many ways, it’s sort of repeal by paper cut."

www.nytimes.com/2025/06/05/u...

A Complete List of Everything in the Republican Bill, and How Much It Would Cost or Save We highlighted the substantive changes made by House Republicans to secure the support of several holdout members.

Here's a complete list of *everything* in the GOP megabill, thanks to heroic efforts from @aliciaparlap.bsky.social @emmbadger.bsky.social and Josh Katz. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Republicans Pass Strictest Medicaid Work Requirement They Have Ever Put Forward

The Medicaid work requirement in the House bill is a lot stricter than work requirements in previous legislation. www.nytimes.com/2025/05/22/u... with Sarah Kliff

Opinion | A.G. Sulzberger: A Free People Need a Free Press

www.nytimes.com/2025/05/13/o...

After 529 Days, Valerie the Dachshund Has Been Rescued She survived more than a year in the Australian wilderness. But reuniting her with her owners will take a little more time.

Valerie, the miniature dachshund, disappeared in 2023, slipping out of her pen and into the bush on Australia’s Kangaroo Island. For the next 529 days, she eluded capture. Now, she is “safe and sound” and is being re-acclimated to domestic life in preparation for a reunion with her owners.

Trump Cuts Threaten Agency Running Meals on Wheels (Gift Article) A tiny division responsible for overseeing services for people with disabilities and older Americans is being dismantled as part of an overhaul by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary.

A tiny agency that supports programs like Meals on Wheels and Centers for Independent Living is being dismantled by the Trump administration— and concerns are increasing over the future funding of these initiatives. Here’s my story www.nytimes.com/2025/04/24/h...

Bankruptcy judge approves the closure of Delaware County’s Crozer hospitals The layoff of 2,651 Crozer employees is expected to start Friday, as Delaware County’s largest health system closes quickly amid the bankruptcy of its for-profit owner, Prospect Medical Holdings.

A bankruptcy judge in Dallas on Tuesday approved the closures of Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland and Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park.

Medicare Bleeds Billions on Pricey Bandages, and Doctors Get a Cut (Gift Article) Medicare spending on “skin substitutes” made of dried placenta has soared as doctors pocket lucrative discounts from sellers.

Even as President Trump— with Musk and DOGE— says he’s rooting out fraud, he’s backing a skin substitute, basically an expensive bandaid, that is costing Medicare billions of dollars.

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/10/h...

A must read by @bykatiethomas.bsky.social @sarahkliff

...when public health works it's invisible...

A recession with job losses, combined with Medicaid cuts, combined with an end to enhanced ACA premium aid, would be quite a triple whammy for health coverage.

Federal Health Workers Make Up Less Than 1% of Agency Spending (Gift Article) Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suggests that laying off thousands of federal workers would tame a massive budget. But nearly all of the agency’s money goes to hospitals, doctors and nursing ho...

HHS doctors, scientists and tobacco control staff, rare disease experts, cancer drug wizards -- all fired today or leaving in recent weeks.

Yet.

🚨 At HHS, staff make up less than one percent of the overall agency budget. 🚨

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/h...

Trump Administration Begins Layoffs at CDC, FDA and Other Health Agencies The cuts were part of a Trump administration plan announced last week to dismiss thousands of employees and drastically overhaul the Health and Human Services Department under Secretary Robert F. Kenn...

One way to get rid of senior health officials: reassign them to the Indian Health Service territories, like Alaska. This is how the Trump administration is forcing out top leaders at NIH, CDC, FDA and other health agencies.

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/u...

Trump’s Science Policies Pose Long-Term Risk, Economists Warn (Gift Article) Since World War II, U.S. research funding has led to discoveries that fueled economic gains. Now cutbacks are seen as putting that legacy in jeopardy.

Tariffs get all the attention, but ask economists what they're really worried about and many will point to the Trump administration's cuts to federal support for the sciences, including canceling grants and revoking student visas.
#EconSky
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/31/b...

Have any of these people read a single story from the healthcare.gov days? “How hard is it to build a website?” some idiots asked.

Trump Administration Abruptly Cuts Billions From State Health Services States have been told that they can no longer use grants that were funding infectious disease management and addiction services.

Yesterday: $12 billion in public health spending to states cut: www.nytimes.com/2025/03/26/h...

Today: 10,000 HHS Staff from CDC, FDA etc to be cut: www.nytimes.com/2025/03/27/u...

We'll be documenting what it means at @nytimes.com. Don't be strangers. My Signal is 916.202.0886. Be well.