Health

Newsweek - Texas has removed millions of residents from health-care programs as part of a national "unwinding" process that began after the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. According to new data from health policy research non-profit the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), Texas leads the nation in Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) disenrollments, with over 1.7 million people having had their coverage terminated between March 2023 and October 2024.

While some individuals may transition to employer-sponsored plans or the Affordable Care Act marketplace, health advocates have warned that many—especially children and low-income families—could be deprived of insurance altogether.

The high level of post-pandemic disenrollments raises concerns about health-care coverage gaps for America's more vulnerable populations.

NPR - Many people are getting sick due to a winter stew of respiratory viruses — flu, COVID and more. A couple of unusual trends are driving all the coughing, sneezing and fevers this year. People are still getting COVID-19, and some even end up in the hospital. But this winter’s COVID-19 surge appears to be the mildest since the virus emerged, NPR’s Rob Stein says. The flu season started unusually early and has been intense. A second winter surge of the flu appears to be on the way. It’s a mystery why this is happening, but it could be the kind of natural variation that happens with the flu.