With the federal shutdown entering its fourth week, spurred by a stalemate over the cost of health insurance for 22 million Americans on Affordable Care Act plans, a new report shows that over 154 million people with coverage through an employer also face steep price hikes — and that the situation is likely to get worse.
Floodwaters, rats, and mold once threatened to derail a Haywood County family’s future—until Medicaid helped them find safe housing. Now advocates warn stories like theirs may disappear under Republicans’ “big beautiful bill.”
To control costs, nearly all health insurers use a system called prior authorization, which requires patients or their providers to seek approval before they can get certain procedures, tests, and prescriptions.
| October 22, 2025
| September 25, 2025
| September 23, 2025
