Selena Simmons-Duffin
Stories
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Federal health agencies told to halt all external communications
In a memo obtained by NPR, acting Health Secretary Dorothy Fink forbade staff from public communications on most matters until Feb. 1, unless they get express approval from "a presidential appointee."
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Trump's federal health website scrubs 'abortion' search results
The most "relevant" results that come up in a search of "abortion" on HHS.gov, the website for the federal Department of Health and Human Services, are several years old, from the first Trump administration.
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A record 24 million sign up for ACA plans, Biden administration says
About 24 million people have signed up for Affordable Care Act plans with about a week to go in open enrollment. But President-elect Trump has talked about possibly repealing the 14-year-old ACA.
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A record 24 million people now get Obamacare health plans. Will it last under Trump?
Enrollment in Affordable Care Act health insurance plans has grown every year of the Biden administration, leading to a record high rate of people with insurance.
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'A very, very small number' of teens receive gender-affirming care, study finds
A new analysis of private insurance claims data finds less than 0.1% of youth accessed puberty blockers or hormones for gender transition. This small group has garnered a huge amount of attention from Republican lawmakers in recent years.
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Dr. Rachel Levine focused on her job at HHS. Still, anti-trans politics followed her
Dr. Rachel Levine is the highest ranking, out transgender person ever to serve in the federal government. Her tenure at HHS ran concurrent with an explosion in state legislation targeting transgender people.
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UHC murder suspect railed about U.S. health care. Here's what he missed
The man charged in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was critical of U.S. health care. Experts say the system's problems are complex and can't be pinned on one player or industry.
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Americans vent feelings about health insurance after UHC CEO shooting
The outpouring of online rage following a health insurance CEO's killing has shocked some. Polling shows that people who really need their health insurance find it lets them down in fundamental ways.
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After a shocking shooting, Americans vent feelings about health insurance
The death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson triggered a deluge of painful stories about health care denials on social media.
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It's unclear what will happen with federal HIV programs when Trump takes office
The Ryan White program serves about half a million people with HIV, and 90% of them are successfully keeping the virus at undetectable levels. But will Republicans cut funding for the effort?
