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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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Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity leads research and consulting initiatives that identify and address barriers to economic well-being.
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The Three States That Are Especially Stuck if Congress Cuts Medicaid
"If congressional Republicans go through with some of the deep Medicaid cuts they are considering, three states would be left in an especially tight bind.
HHS Layoffs Hit Meals on Wheels And Other Services For Seniors And Disabled
“The layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services slashed the staffs of major federal aging, disability and anti-poverty programs, leaving the future of those programs uncertain.
Many People With Disabilities Risk Losing Their Medicaid if They Work Too Much
“PLEASANTVILLE, Iowa — Zach Mecham has heard politicians demand that Medicaid recipients work or lose their benefits. He also has run into a jumble of Medicaid rules that effectively prevent many people with disabilities from holding full-time jobs.
RFK Jr.'s Food Stamp Plan Fuels Tension with USDA
“Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s campaign to swiftly bar the use of food stamps to buy soda is fueling tensions between his team and the Agriculture Department, according to four people inside and outside government familiar with the dynamics.
In a Shift, More Republicans Want Government Investment in Children
“Democrats have long looked to the government to support their families through public programs and spending. Increasingly, Republicans want the same.
How the Education Department Cuts Could Hurt Low-Income and Rural Schools
“President Trump’s efforts to shutter the U.S. Department of Education are in full swing.
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.
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 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.
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.
Republicans Say States Are Pulling a Fast One on Medicaid
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.
