Kelly Hooper

Several states that cover GLP-1s for Medicaid patients with obesity are limiting or ending coverage as costs for the medications soar. Doctors worry a major opportunity to improve public health could be lost: politico.com/news/2025/12/0…

ICYMI in today’s Morning Pulse, a “rogue employee” @HHSGov changed the voice message on one of the dept’s phone numbers to say it was Domino’s pizza. politico.com/newsletters/po…

per Politico Pulse today — someone at HHS, fed up with inbound calls, apparently changed a phone number listed on the agency's website to Domino's Pizza HHS spox blamed a "rogue employee"

NEW: A look at how Jeffrey Epstein’s tremendous wealth and connections opened doors at a prestigious New York City hospital — from a 24/7 hotline for the "board and donor community" to house calls. politico.com/news/2026/02/0… @politico

The Heritage Foundation is swapping Chick-fil-a for Sweetgreen, while GOP staffers are buying Oura rings and drinking raw milk How Robert F. Kennedy Jr's Make America Healthy Again movement is reshaping the lifestyles of conservatives in Washington: politico.com/news/2026/02/0…

“New York’s private healthcare CEOs pocket millions in salaries while our nurses on the frontlines are overworked and underpaid,” @AOC @RepAOC said. politico.com/news/2026/01/1…

Ahead of the Senate votes today, here's how Republicans' and Democrats' competing health plans compare in terms of affordability for consumers: politico.com/live-updates/2…

I'd say this pretty much seems up the ACA debate in the Senate today. @kelhoops @politico

Here is my recap of the Senate HELP hearing today on healthcare. TLDR: Big on subsidy talks, little on what a deal should be: politico.com/live-updates/2…

Obamacare premiums are set to spike next month for tens of millions of Americans at nearly all income levels. Plenty of Republicans are happy to sit back and ride it out. Why many in the party aren’t eager to cut a deal: politi.co/48snF4s

Ya'll need to get some hot cocoa, snuggle up to the fire and read @kelhoops great long read on why GLP-1s are giving state Medicaid programs financial heartburn. While the drugs could lower diabetes and other disease rates over time, the ante is steep. politico.com/news/2025/12/0…

Because of federal law, Medicaid programs can choose whether or not to cover weight-loss treatments. The setup has some patients wishing they were sicker — that they had diabetes or heart disease in addition to obesity — so they could access the medications under state rules.

“It keeps us up at night,” said Jody Terranova, the medical director of Connecticut’s Medicaid program, which pared back coverage of the drugs, called GLP-1s, after they added more than $100 million to state spending last year. “We talk about it every day.”

Several states that cover GLP-1s for Medicaid patients with obesity are limiting or ending coverage as costs for the medications soar. Doctors worry a major opportunity to improve public health could be lost: politico.com/news/2025/12/0…

Lawmakers are focused on finding a way to address rising ACA costs next year. What they’re not talking about: The 165 million Americans on employer health plans are also expected to see their premiums and other out-of-pocket costs spike. politico.com/news/2025/11/2…

@kelhoops and I take a long look into what an HSA or FSA for Obamacare plans could mean for the exchange marketplace, and whether there is enough Dem buy-in and time to reach a deal. politico.com/news/2025/11/1…

Trump has some new health policy ideas for the ACA. @kelhoops delves into them and what they could mean for the exchanges in @POLITICOPulse today. politico.com/newsletters/po…

Pretty important @POLITICOPulse today: ACA customers aren't the only ones seeing sticker shock from their premiums. Companies are expected a 6.5% hike to premiums next year. Most of the country is on employer insurance: politico.com/newsletters/po…

There are seven House Republicans currently in "toss-up" races per Cook Political Report. I took a look into how they feel about an ACA subsidy extension. Some are more keen than others: politico.com/news/2025/10/2…

New from me and @kelhoops: Some states say time is quickly evaporating to update Obamacare rates to reflect a subsidy extension before open enrollment begins on Nov. 1. They are worried millions will drop off the rolls by the time Congress acts: politico.com/news/2025/10/1…

New: A deep dive into Paragon Health Institute’s campaign against Obamacare subsidies, which is exposing rifts in Congress and in the administration ⬇️ w/ @rking_19 and @meredithllee ow.ly/1cAy106ncEa