Ohio lawmakers want to replace all lead service lines, but it could cost billions
A federal mandate during the Biden administration requires states to replace lead service lines by 2037.
Healthcare
Page 7 of 10
Tennessee court delays trial over abortion ban using new appeals law
The state appealed to a higher court based on a new law passed by the legislature in March, and the court put the trial on hold indefinitely. It will now be months before the lower court can proceed.
Ohio AG joins call to protect state drug-pricing transparency laws
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost is among 45 state attorneys general urging the federal government to strengthen oversight of pharmacy benefit managers — and to ensure a proposed federal transparency rule doesn't override state laws already on the books.
Medicaid rule targeting abortion providers set to expire
A Trump administration rule that strips federal Medicaid funding from abortion providers like Planned Parenthood is expected to lapse on July 4 after congressional leaders prioritize immigration spending. The provision has already forced dozens of health centers to close and reduced access to contraception and cancer screenings across 18 states.
‘Shirtless in a hot tub with Kid Rock’: Democrats in Congress question RFK Jr. priorities
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told a House committee Thursday he opposes cuts to WIC and SNAP but says the nation's $39 trillion debt leaves little choice, as lawmakers pressed him on vaccines, measles deaths, and Black maternal health funding.
Nearly 1 in 4 people seeking abortions out of state chose Illinois. Here’s why.
Nearly 1 in 4 people who travel out of state for abortion care go to Illinois, which has invested millions in access since the Supreme Court's 2022 Dobbs decision. Advocates say other states should follow Illinois' model.
Despite report describing risk, Ohio hospital says it’s financially solid
Mary Rutan Hospital in Bellefontaine was among 10 Ohio hospitals flagged for potential closure in a national report on Medicaid cuts. The hospital says it returned to profitability in 2024 but warns further reductions could affect care.
Medicaid expansion boosted access to opioid addiction treatment medication, study says
A new study finds Medicaid expansion dramatically increased access to the opioid addiction treatment drug buprenorphine — but experts warn federal Medicaid cuts signed into law last summer could reverse those gains for thousands of patients.
Anti-abortion lawmakers seek to redefine ‘abortion’ to exclude medical treatment
Anti-abortion lawmakers in states including South Dakota, Missouri, and Utah are pushing to redefine "abortion" in law to exclude emergency pregnancy care — but reproductive rights advocates and OB-GYNs warn the measures remain too vague and could threaten IVF access.
Ohio’s nursing homes are dumping patients at homeless shelters
Long-term care facilities in Ohio are increasingly discharging their residents to homeless shelters, according to federal inspection reports, resident advocates, and the industry itself.
CDC’s 2025 data shows birth rates continuing to slide
New CDC provisional data shows 3.6 million U.S. births in 2025 — a 1% drop from 2024 — as the teen birth rate hit a record low and C-section delivery rates reached their highest level since 2013.
6 Seneca County food facilities cited for critical violations
Recent inspections by the Seneca County General Health District found critical violations at six food facilities in Tiffin and Fostoria, including improper cold holding temperatures and uncovered food.
Trump cuts leave Ohio with 5 ACA navigators for 88 counties
Ohio went from 50 ACA navigators to 5 after the Trump administration slashed funding 90%. With pandemic-era subsidies expired, marketplace enrollment dropped 20% — the second-largest decline in the nation.
Abortion bans are shrinking the OB-GYN workforce, study finds
A new study finds that medical residency applications to states with abortion bans have declined significantly since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, raising alarms about deepening maternal health care shortages across the South and Midwest.
9 Ohio hospitals at risk of closing under Medicaid cuts, report finds
A Public Citizen report identifies 9 Ohio hospitals at heightened risk of closing or cutting services due to $911 billion in Medicaid cuts enacted by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including facilities in Coshocton, Lorain, Conneaut, and Xenia.
As many as 356,000 Ohioans will lose health coverage under Trump spending law, new reports says
A new Urban Institute report projects that Medicaid work requirements in the Republican One Big Beautiful Bill Act could strip health coverage from up to 356,000 Ohioans — on top of 113,000 who have already lost coverage after ACA tax credits expired.
Ohio House once again passes 24-hour waiting period bill for abortion care
Ohio House Republicans passed HB 347 to reimpose a 24-hour waiting period for abortion care, despite a court blocking a nearly identical law for violating the abortion rights amendment Ohio voters approved in 2023.
Menopause hormone therapy treatments would be covered by health insurance under Ohio bill
Ohio House Bill 767 would mandate insurance and Medicaid coverage for menopause hormone therapy after the FDA removed longstanding warnings from estrogen treatments. Costs can reach $1,000 out of pocket.
Medically unsupported abortion ‘reversal’ language turns up again in new Ohio bill
Ohio Republicans introduced a bill requiring providers to share medically unsupported abortion "reversal" information with patients — the latest in a series of legislative efforts to restrict abortion access despite the 2023 constitutional amendment.
CVS accused of overbilling feds $600M in scheme similar to one in Ohio
A federal audit found CVS's pharmacy middleman overbilled a program covering 9 million federal employees by $615 million over four years — echoing similar findings from Ohio's own 2018 investigation.
