A Closer Look at the $50 Billion Rural Health Transformation Program Authors: Zachary Levinson and Scott Hulver Published: Sep 18, 2026 (++++)

https://www.kff.org/medicaid/a-closer-look-at-the-50-billion-rural-health-transformation-program/ The 2025 budget reconciliation created the Rural Health Transformation Program, which will award $50 billion in state grants over a five-year period. This brief provides an overview of the program, describing its structure, how funds can be used, how funding compares to Medicaid spending reductions in the reconciliation law, and how the funds are being distributed across and within states. State Fiscal Conditions: Context on Medicaid Budgets for FY 2027 Authors: Anna Mudumala, Elizabeth Williams, and Robin Rudowitz Published: Sep 18, 2026 https://www.kff.org/medicaid/state-fiscal-conditions-context-on-medicaid-budgets-for-fy-2027/ This brief describes current fiscal conditions using the latest state revenue and spending data from the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) and analyzes how these conditions may impact states’ Medicaid budget decisions going forward. State and Federal Reproductive Rights and Abortion Litigation Tracker Last updated on Sep 16, 2026 The Supreme Court’s Dobbs ruling, overturning Roe v. Wade, returned the decision to restrict or protect abortion to states. In many states, abortion providers and advocates are challenging state abortion bans contending that the bans violate the state constitution or another state law. Additionally, new questions have arisen regarding the intersection of federal and state authority when it impacts access to abortion and contraception. https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/litigation-involving-reproductive-health-and-rights-in-the-federal-courts/ Women’s Experiences Accessing Health Information Online: Trusted Sources and Contraceptive Information Findings from the 2026 KFF Women's Health Survey Authors: Brittni Frederiksen, Alina Salganicoff, Ivette Gomez, Karen Diep, and Usha Ranji Published: Sep 16, 2026 https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/womens-experiences-accessing-health-information-online-trusted-sources-and-contraceptive-information/ This brief presents findings from KFF's 2026 Women's Health Survey and offers an early look at how the information that women encounter online through social media translates into real-world decision about their contraceptive care. It also looks at exposure to false or misleading claims women encounter about contraception.