Health Care
Vox’s coverage of the Affordable Care Act, Medicare-for-all, emergency room fees, and everything else you need to know about the health care industry.
![AI is impersonating human therapists. Can it be stopped?](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/Screenshot-2025-02-10-at-11.31.32%E2%80%AFAM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.633466135458%2C0%2C66.733067729084%2C100&w=2400)
![AI is impersonating human therapists. Can it be stopped?](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/Screenshot-2025-02-10-at-11.31.32%E2%80%AFAM.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0.049751243781095%2C100%2C99.900497512438&w=2400)
Exclusive: California has a new plan to put chatbots in their place.
![The Trump administration is already hurting trans kids](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/GettyImages-2197008691.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.663740122915%2C0%2C66.67251975417%2C100&w=2400)
![The Trump administration is already hurting trans kids](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/GettyImages-2197008691.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0.0043894302519547%2C100%2C99.991221139496&w=2400)
What two new executive orders mean for trans youth.
![It’s about to get harder to find your prescription drugs](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/02/GettyImages-478977055.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400)
America is finally seeing fewer drug shortages. But Trump’s tariffs could reverse that progress.
![The astonishing conflict of interest haunting RFK Jr.’s health secretary nomination](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/gettyimages-2196040288.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.666666666667%2C0%2C66.666666666667%2C100&w=2400)
![The astonishing conflict of interest haunting RFK Jr.’s health secretary nomination](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/gettyimages-2196040288.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400)
Sowing doubt about vaccines has earned him millions — and could keep paying out.
![How America went MAHA](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/gettyimages-2195982797.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.666666666667%2C0%2C66.666666666667%2C100&w=2400)
![How America went MAHA](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/gettyimages-2195982797.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400)
What’s making Americans sick, according to a top RFK Jr. adviser.
![This obscure budget procedure could be Trump’s biggest weapon](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/GettyImages-1259028789.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.663882392249%2C0%2C66.672235215503%2C100&w=2400)
![This obscure budget procedure could be Trump’s biggest weapon](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/GettyImages-1259028789.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0.0041760628079786%2C100%2C99.991647874384&w=2400)
How Trump could attempt to cut Medicaid, school funding, and more — without Congress.
![Americans are ditching traditional health care for something cheaper — and riskier](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/Vox_Healthcare.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.666666666667%2C0%2C66.666666666667%2C100&w=2400)
![Americans are ditching traditional health care for something cheaper — and riskier](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/Vox_Healthcare.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400)
An obscure health insurance alternative is seeing tremendous growth. But there’s a catch.
![How weight-loss drugs ended the era of “lifestyle changes”](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/gettyimages-1807239973.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.660398646108%2C0%2C66.679202707785%2C100&w=2400)
![How weight-loss drugs ended the era of “lifestyle changes”](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/gettyimages-1807239973.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0.0094002632073682%2C100%2C99.981199473585&w=2400)
Ozempic is changing the way we think about diet and exercise.
![A new Supreme Court case seeks to make it harder to get screened for cancer](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/gettyimages-1229565563.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.720779220779%2C0%2C66.558441558442%2C100&w=2400)
![A new Supreme Court case seeks to make it harder to get screened for cancer](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/gettyimages-1229565563.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0.081168831168831%2C0%2C99.837662337662%2C100&w=2400)
Becerra v. Braidwood Management threatens to make your health insurance worse.
![The most important questions to ask when picking a health care plan](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24995154/SebastianKoenig_Vox_open_enrollment_2.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=7.8125%2C0%2C84.375%2C100&w=2400)
Choosing health insurance in the US is notoriously difficult. Let this guide help.
![The Vox guide to using your benefits](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24997399/231011_vox_open_enrollment_lead__1_.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.041666666667%2C0%2C56.25%2C100&w=2400)
![The Vox guide to using your benefits](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24997399/231011_vox_open_enrollment_lead__1_.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=7.8125%2C0%2C84.375%2C100&w=2400)
Understanding your health insurance benefits can seem like an impossible puzzle. Here’s your guide to getting the most out of them.
![The Supreme Court’s new abortion case should be an easy win for Planned Parenthood](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25126424/1501253778.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.630434782609%2C0%2C66.739130434783%2C100&w=2400)
![The Supreme Court’s new abortion case should be an easy win for Planned Parenthood](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25126424/1501253778.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0.054288816503799%2C100%2C99.891422366992&w=2400)
Although nothing is ever certain in this Supreme Court.
![American doctors hate the health care system almost as much as you do](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/GettyImages-1084714056.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=13.823561346363%2C0%2C72.352877307275%2C55.80993130047&w=2400)
![American doctors hate the health care system almost as much as you do](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/GettyImages-1084714056.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C2.1930504841196%2C100%2C51.423830332231&w=2400)
How being a doctor in America compares to other countries.
![How UnitedHealthcare became the face of a broken health care system](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/gettyimages-2188644838.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=21.330705705706%2C0%2C57.338588588589%2C100&w=2400)
![How UnitedHealthcare became the face of a broken health care system](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/gettyimages-2188644838.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=6.9960585585586%2C0%2C86.007882882883%2C100&w=2400)
Luigi Mangione was charged with murdering a health care CEO. The internet responded with a flood of support.
![The slippery appeal of RFK Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Healthcare_RFK01_GettyImages-2181401030.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400)
Everybody loves MAHA — because nobody knows what it really is.
![The deep roots of Americans’ hatred of their health care system](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/Healthcare_Dylan_Vox.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400)
The industry’s blame game will not end the US national health care nightmare.
![A big insurer backed off its plan to pay less for anesthesia. That’s bad.](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/GettyImages-510072468.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.666666666667%2C0%2C66.666666666667%2C100&w=2400)
![A big insurer backed off its plan to pay less for anesthesia. That’s bad.](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/12/GettyImages-510072468.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400)
What the fight between Anthem and anesthesiologists was really about.
![The stunning success of vaccines in America, in one chart](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/GettyImages-80925411.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=9.8220244716351%2C0%2C80.35595105673%2C100&w=2400)
![The stunning success of vaccines in America, in one chart](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/GettyImages-80925411.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C8.5179032853451%2C100%2C82.96419342931&w=2400)
America, before and after vaccines.
![Health care costs could spike for millions of families](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/gettyimages-824421546.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.670667306769%2C0%2C66.658665386462%2C100&w=2400)
![Health care costs could spike for millions of families](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/gettyimages-824421546.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0.0060009601536279%2C0%2C99.987998079693%2C100&w=2400)
America’s fragmented safety net makes it easy for cuts to go unnoticed.
![Trump didn’t gut foreign aid last time. This time could be different.](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/gettyimages-688932540.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=15.622929092114%2C0%2C68.754141815772%2C100&w=2400)
![Trump didn’t gut foreign aid last time. This time could be different.](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/gettyimages-688932540.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C1.5180722891566%2C100%2C96.963855421687&w=2400)
What Trump’s return could mean for the global poor.
![Trump proposed big Medicaid and food stamp cuts. Can he pass them?](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/gettyimages-2162186767.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.652903936141%2C0%2C66.694192127718%2C100&w=2400)
![Trump proposed big Medicaid and food stamp cuts. Can he pass them?](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/11/gettyimages-2162186767.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0.020635575732555%2C100%2C99.958728848535&w=2400)
What Trump’s return means for America’s poor people.
![Republicans are serious about cutting people’s health care](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/GettyImages-2148449297.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.666666666667%2C0%2C66.666666666667%2C100&w=2400)
![Republicans are serious about cutting people’s health care](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/GettyImages-2148449297.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400)
Donald Trump’s election could allow the GOP to gut Medicaid and protections for preexisting conditions.
![Zika is still spreading. Why don’t we have a vaccine yet?](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/gettyimages-669361122.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.666666666667%2C0%2C66.666666666667%2C100&w=2400)
![Zika is still spreading. Why don’t we have a vaccine yet?](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/gettyimages-669361122.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400)
Preventing the disease can improve the quality of life for thousands.
![The profit-obsessed monster destroying American emergency rooms](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/240917_xinmei_Vox_ER-Monster_lede_final_v2.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400)
Private equity decimated emergency care in the United States — without you even noticing.
![Why is US health care like this?](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/GettyImages-1746140941.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.668591224018%2C0%2C66.662817551963%2C100&w=2400)
![Why is US health care like this?](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/GettyImages-1746140941.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0.002886836027713%2C0%2C99.994226327945%2C100&w=2400)
America unintentionally built a health care system that is hard to fix.
![The world’s spending to fight global lead poisoning just doubled](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/gettyimages-524186976.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.883116883117%2C0%2C66.233766233766%2C100&w=2400)
![The world’s spending to fight global lead poisoning just doubled](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/10/gettyimages-524186976.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0.32467532467532%2C0%2C99.350649350649%2C100&w=2400)
1.5 million people die from lead exposure a year. This new global partnership could change that.
![Kamala Harris and Oprah humanized the consequences of state abortion bans](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/gettyimages-2172275535.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.668883863243%2C0%2C66.662232273513%2C100&w=2400)
![Kamala Harris and Oprah humanized the consequences of state abortion bans](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/gettyimages-2172275535.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0.0033257948649705%2C0%2C99.99334841027%2C100&w=2400)
Harris and Winfrey spoke to the family of Amber Thurman, who died after doctors delayed abortion-related care.
![Trump’s health care plan exposes the truth about his “populism”](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/gettyimages-2171331803.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.65%2C0%2C66.7%2C100&w=2400)
![Trump’s health care plan exposes the truth about his “populism”](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/gettyimages-2171331803.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0.02498750624688%2C100%2C99.950024987506&w=2400)
The Republican ticket is taking on Big Cancer Patient.
![The moral case for paying kidney donors](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/gettyimages-1041935926.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.720779220779%2C0%2C66.558441558442%2C100&w=2400)
![The moral case for paying kidney donors](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/gettyimages-1041935926.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0.081168831168831%2C0%2C99.837662337662%2C100&w=2400)
Kidney donors save lives. Why aren’t we compensated for it?
![Is my dentist scamming me?](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/GettyImages-1195100513-1.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=8.9585374705135%2C9.5281150434858%2C82.082925058973%2C90.471884956514&w=2400)
![Is my dentist scamming me?](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/09/GettyImages-1195100513-1.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C18.024023021464%2C100%2C73.480069000558&w=2400)
How insurance treats dentistry different from medicine — and makes things weird.
![What are ultra-processed foods and why are they bad for you?](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/gettyimages-919056212.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400)
From granola bars to chips, more studies are revealing that UPFs are tied to diseases like cancer and depression.
![This ancient disease still kills 1 million people every year](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-508573194.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=17.090909090909%2C0%2C65.818181818182%2C100&w=2400)
![This ancient disease still kills 1 million people every year](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-508573194.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0.63636363636363%2C0%2C98.727272727273%2C100&w=2400)
A new generation of drugs promised salvation from hepatitis B and C. What went wrong?
![The huge stakes in the Supreme Court’s new abortion case](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/gettyimages-2158552985.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.666666666667%2C0%2C66.666666666667%2C100&w=2400)
![The huge stakes in the Supreme Court’s new abortion case](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/gettyimages-2158552985.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400)
Oklahoma v. HHS could potentially blow up much of Medicare and Medicaid if the justices decide to wild out.
![Big Pharma claims lower prices will mean giving up miracle medications. Ignore them.](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-2163308489.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.669597327238%2C0%2C66.660805345525%2C100&w=2400)
![Big Pharma claims lower prices will mean giving up miracle medications. Ignore them.](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/GettyImages-2163308489.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0.0043959908563451%2C0%2C99.991208018287%2C100&w=2400)
The case against Medicare drug price negotiations doesn’t add up.
![What you need to know about the new Covid-19 vaccine](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/gettyimages-2079109518.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=14.032175689479%2C0%2C71.935648621042%2C100&w=2400)
![What you need to know about the new Covid-19 vaccine](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/gettyimages-2079109518.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C3.6622884865696%2C100%2C92.675423026861&w=2400)
Who should actually get the jab, and when?
![Antibiotics are failing. The US has a plan to launch a research renaissance.](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/gettyimages-1026582844.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=4.1954545454545%2C0%2C91.609090909091%2C100&w=2400)
But there might be global consequences.
![Why does it feel like everyone is getting Covid?](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/gettyimages-2154183194.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.666666666667%2C0%2C66.666666666667%2C100&w=2400)
![Why does it feel like everyone is getting Covid?](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/gettyimages-2154183194.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400)
Covid’s summer surge, explained
![Trump’s campaign against public health is back on](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/gettyimages-2164714718.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.663083207912%2C0%2C66.673833584175%2C100&w=2400)
![Trump’s campaign against public health is back on](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/08/gettyimages-2164714718.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0.0053746103407519%2C100%2C99.989250779318&w=2400)
The former president says he’ll block funding for US schools that require vaccines.
![Africa is beating HIV. But the rest of the world is falling behind.](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/gettyimages-138000156.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=16.725507502207%2C0%2C66.548984995587%2C100&w=2400)
![Africa is beating HIV. But the rest of the world is falling behind.](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/gettyimages-138000156.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0.088261253309796%2C0%2C99.82347749338%2C100&w=2400)
Now isn’t the time to stop funding key public health programs.
![Free medical school won’t solve the doctor shortage](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/gettyimages-608564332_c559a6.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C8.25%2C100%2C83.5&w=2400)
![Free medical school won’t solve the doctor shortage](https://platform.vox.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/07/gettyimages-608564332_c559a6.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C22.166666666667%2C100%2C55.666666666667&w=2400)
Too many Americans can’t find a doctor. Michael Bloomberg is donating $1 billion to Johns Hopkins to try to change that.