Reed Abelson

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Reed Abelson

A tiny agency responsible for overseeing these services is being dismantled as part of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s overhaul of his department. Every Monday, Maurine Gentis, a retired teacher, waits for a delivery from Meals on Wheels South Texas. "The meals help stretch my budget," Ms. Gentis, 77, said. Living alone and in a wheelchair, she appreciates having someone look in on her regularly. The same group, a nonprofit, delivers books from the library and dry food for her cat.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Reed Abelson |Susanne Craig

Democrats on the committee grilled him at length about the potential steep cuts to Medicaid, which could result in a substantial number of people becoming ineligible for health coverage. In recent days, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has overseen deep cuts to the Health and Human Services Department, including laying off roughly 10,000 employees on top of another 10,000 buyouts, retirements and departures early on in the new Trump administration.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Reed Abelson

It's not just the high price of eggs or the rising cost of housing that is contributing to Americans' unhappiness over the cost of living. Health care remains stubbornly unaffordable for millions of people, according to a new survey released Wednesday that underscores the struggle many people have in paying for a doctor's visit or a prescription drug - even before any talk of cutting government coverage.

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Reed Abelson

Senator Josh Hawley, the Missouri Republican, said on Monday that he had decided to support the nomination of Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead Medicare and Medicaid because Dr. Oz told him that he would no longer support transgender care for minors and was "unequivocally pro-life."The Senate is expected to vote on Dr. Oz's nomination to become administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services sometime this month.

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Reed Abelson |Susanne Craig

In a hearing on Friday, senators pressed Dr. Mehmet Oz, the TV celebrity nominated to head Medicare and Medicaid, on Republican-led proposals that would significantly affect the health care coverage for nearly half of all Americans. At his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, Dr. Oz bantered with senators in a friendly atmosphere, joking about basketball and allegiances to college teams.