Health Care Cost

The proposed 2026 HHS budget slashes National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding by 40%, alarming health experts and threatening vital research and public health initiatives.

Constance Blunt, MD, medical oncologist, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, shares how one mobile health care initiative is addressing critical barriers to medical access for underserved populations.

This contributor column discusses a recent study that shows the 340B Program’s explosive growth is overwhelmingly due to utilization increases, not price.

"Political directives should not prevent individuals from seeking safe and effective care that they desire and deserve," authors from the American College of Physicians (ACP) write.

US workers facing high economic hardship, especially those in lower-wage occupations, were significantly more likely to report fair or poor health, underscoring persistent disparities in worker well-being.

Racial and ethnic disparities in health access persist, highlighting the urgent need for targeted interventions to achieve health equity across various conditions.

Oncology biosimilars significantly reduce financial toxicity in cancer care, as highlighted in 2 abstracts presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.

Community oncology faces significant challenges from the Inflation Reduction Act's (IRA) drug pricing changes, risking financial stability and patient access to care.

A new State of Drug Access report shows that more than 40% of people living in the US could not afford their prescribed drugs.

Explore the evolving landscape of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) for obesity, highlighting access challenges and payer coverage trends affecting treatment options.

As community oncology evolves to deliver chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T and bispecific therapies closer to home, support is needed to ensure patient access and precision medicine capabilities, says Nini Wu, MD.

Congress is unlikely to codify the recent executive order to lower drug pricing as other US officials negotiate new prices, John Barkett, MBA, of Berkeley Research Group, explains.

This week, the Center on Health Equity & Access covered news from the Trump administration and CMS, Cigna's co-pay cap on weight loss drugs, and perspectives on living with HIV.

The repeal of the federal rule could leave those with mental health and substance use disorders at risk of losing coverage for their treatment.

The immediate impact of the recent executive order aimed at lowering drug prices is likely low, as it may take until 2027 before actions detailed in the order can be enacted.

Evernorth has capped antiobesity drug monthly co-pays at $200 in a move to improve access and affordability amid new drug pricing initiatives.

Veterans primarily receiving care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) similarly used dental and vision services under Medicare Advantage (MA) and traditional Medicare, challenging the justification for full MA capitated payments based on supplemental benefits.

Emma Achola-Kothari, PhD, highlights the need to expand Medigap access for Medicare beneficiaries younger than 65 years and calls for future research connecting access barriers to health outcomes.

The Trump administration could consider all sides of the federal rule before making a permanent decision on its potential repeal.

Emma Achola-Kothari, PhD, explains that younger Medicare beneficiaries without supplemental coverage face high costs, while dual-eligible beneficiaries in Medicare Advantage plans struggle with provider access.

The executive order that President Donald Trump signed to lower drug prices could come under legal challenges by the drug industry.

Ali Khawar, former Department of Labor official, explains the original intent of a federal rule to reinforce the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act could be under threat as the Trump administration walks back enforcement.

Emma Achola-Kothari, PhD, explains that Medicare beneficiaries younger than 65 years without supplemental coverage face greater financial and access barriers to care, while dual-eligible individuals experience fewer of these challenges.

HHS announces it is taking steps to implement President Trump’s Executive Order on prescription drug pricing. Keep up with the latest moves made in health policy under President Donald Trump's second administration. This timeline will be updated as orders and policy progress.

Proposed Medicaid cuts risk increasing health disparities, leaving millions uninsured and limiting access to essential care for vulnerable populations.

The executive order signed on May 12 has some differences from a previous executive order originally signed by the Trump administration in 2020.

Novel therapies for multiple myeloma (MM), including chimeric antigen receptor T-cell and bispecific antibodies, extend lives but raise concerns about treatment costs and adherence, and they haven't replaced stem cell transplantation, Harsh Parmar, MD, of Hackensack University Medical Center, explains.

A new analysis looked at estimated out-of-pocket costs for etanercept, ustekinumab, and ibrutinib, specialty drugs that often represent a significant cost burden for Medicare Part D beneficiaries and which were selected for 2026 drug price negotiation under the Inflation Reduction Act.

The new executive order contains multiple provisions if pharmaceutical companies do not offer "most-favored nation" pricing on medication.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s congressional hearing featured numerous statements from the secretary of HHS, including denouncing claims of cutting down the HHS and the National Institutes of Health.