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Find the latest stories, research, and insights on policies, programs, and ideas shaping the national conversation on poverty and economic mobility.

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Families
Health
Health disparities
Medicaid
Politics
Kentucky
2025
Kentucky Senate Passes Medicaid Reform Bill Amid Late-Hour Debate
March 18, 2025

Kentucky Senate Passes Medicaid Reform Bill Amid Late-Hour Debate

“LOUISVILLE, Ky. — House Bill 695 passed the Senate Friday night in the eleventh hour. The bill includes changes to Kentucky’s Medicaid program and adds a work requirement to the program.

In the News
Addiction recovery
Equity
Health
Health disparities
Medicaid
2025
Millions in U.S. Live in Places Where Doctors Don't Practice and Telehealth Doesn't Reach
March 17, 2025

Millions in U.S. Live in Places Where Doctors Don't Practice and Telehealth Doesn't Reach

“BOLIGEE, Ala. — Green lights flickered on the wireless router in Barbara Williams’ kitchen. Just one bar lit up — a weak signal connecting her to the world beyond her home in the Alabama Black Belt.

In the News
Families
Health
Health disparities
Medicaid
Medical debt
Louisiana
2025
In Rural Louisiana, Speaker Mike Johnson's Constituents Fear Potential Medicaid Cuts
March 14, 2025

In Rural Louisiana, Speaker Mike Johnson's Constituents Fear Potential Medicaid Cuts

“VINTON, La. — In House Speaker Mike Johnson’s backyard, many residents rely on anti-poverty programs to help make ends meet — and are pleading with Johnson, R-La., to protect those benefits as Congress weighs steep federal spending cuts.

In the News
Health
Health disparities
Medicaid
Politics
Public Benefits
2025
Republican Voters Support Medicaid but Want Work Requirements, Poll Finds
March 7, 2025

Republican Voters Support Medicaid but Want Work Requirements, Poll Finds

As Congressional Republicans weigh major cuts to Medicaid, most voters do not want to see the public health plan’s funding dialed back, according to a poll released Friday by KFF, a nonpartisan health research firm.

In the News
Health
Health disparities
Medicaid
Politics
Public Benefits
2025
Republicans Say States Are Pulling a Fast One on Medicaid
March 4, 2025

Republicans Say States Are Pulling a Fast One on Medicaid

In the News
Families
Health
Health disparities
Medicaid
Politics
2025
Get a Job or Lose Medicaid? Arkansas and Georgia Show It's Not That Simple.
March 3, 2025

Get a Job or Lose Medicaid? Arkansas and Georgia Show It's Not That Simple.

"Republicans in Congress are resurfacing an old idea ? requiring many adults on Medicaid to get a job so they can keep their health insurance.

In the News
Child and Youth Well-Being
Families
Health
Health disparities
Medicaid
Georgia
2025
Georgia Touts Its Medicaid Experiment as a Success. The Numbers Tell a Different Story.
February 27, 2025

Georgia Touts Its Medicaid Experiment as a Success. The Numbers Tell a Different Story.

"In January, standing before a cluster of television cameras on th“In January, standing before a cluster of television cameras on the steps of the state Capitol, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp promoted his experiment in Medicaid reform as a showcase for fellow conservatives seeking to overhaul safety net benefits around the country.

In the News
Child and Youth Well-Being
Families
Higher Education
Public Benefits
2025
How Will The $2.7 Billion Pell Grant Funding Gap Impact Students?
February 25, 2025

How Will The $2.7 Billion Pell Grant Funding Gap Impact Students?

“In January, the Congressional Budget Office released projections showing that the Pell grant program is expecting to face a $2.7 billion shortfall in funding for the 2025 fiscal year. The program will need additional funding and will need an increase in funding, or students will face cuts to eligibility criteria or grant amounts.

In the News
Child and Youth Well-Being
Families
Health
Health disparities
Medicaid
2025
Republicans May Find It Harder to Cut Medicaid Than They Think
February 21, 2025

Republicans May Find It Harder to Cut Medicaid Than They Think

“Republicans may have just gotten an alarming glimpse of the future.

In the News
Cities
Families
Health
Health disparities
Medicaid
2025
As States Mull Medicaid Work Requirements, Two With Experience Scale Back
February 20, 2025

As States Mull Medicaid Work Requirements, Two With Experience Scale Back

“President Donald Trump’s return to the White House sent a clear signal about Medicaid to Republicans across the country: Requiring enrollees to prove they are working, volunteering, or going to school is back on the table.

In the News
Child and Youth Well-Being
Families
Health
Health disparities
Medicaid
Montana
2025
Montana House Advances Medicaid Expansion Bill With Bipartisan Support
February 14, 2025

Montana House Advances Medicaid Expansion Bill With Bipartisan Support

“HELENA, Mont. — A key Medicaid expansion bill passed the Montana House of Representatives Monday, one step closer to removing the sunset date on a program that has provided insurance coverage to thousands of Montanans.

In the News
Asset Building
Child and Youth Well-Being
Cities
Economic Opportunity
Families
2025
Trump's Attempt to Freeze Grant Funding Leaves Nonprofits Reeling
February 10, 2025

Trump's Attempt to Freeze Grant Funding Leaves Nonprofits Reeling

“For nonprofits, the freeze is mostly over. The worry is just beginning.