27 Aug, 2026

GOP tax bill would severely cut hospitals’ Medicaid payments: report

WASHINGTON — Hospitals would bear the brunt of federal health care funding cuts in the Republicans’ tax bill, and they’d be hurt hard in states with both predominantly Democratic- and Republican-led governments, according to an analysis by the Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  Republicans are using federal Medicaid funding cuts to pay […]

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Organ transplant groups use loophole to boost ratings

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan congressional report to be released publicly Tuesday alleges that the organizations responsible for recovering donated organs for transplantation use a federal loophole to miscount the number of organs to boost performance ratings and stay certified. The report, shared exclusively with STAT from the offices of Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Chuck Grassley […]

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RFK Jr.’s chronic disease agency budget documents released

Elizabeth Cooney is a cardiovascular disease reporter at STAT, covering heart, stroke, and metabolic conditions. Budget documents released by the Trump administration Friday provide the first clear indication of the priorities of a proposed new agency focused on preventing chronic disease.  The Administration for a Healthy America would absorb multiple federal agencies and existing programs, […]

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NIH cuts: Trump budget slashes grants, training, research centers

WASHINGTON — President Trump’s 2026 budget proposes slashing the National Institutes of Health’s central function, supporting research by awarding grants to universities, academic medical centers, and other institutions, by 43% compared to 2025 levels. New documents released by the agency show an $11.6 billion cut in this funding, to $15.1 billion, which would both reduce […]

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