DIThe Distraction Index

#healthcare

55 events across 34 weeks

6Damage
14Hype
35Noise
10.5Avg Dmg
20.4Avg Hype
WEEK 86Aug 16 – 22
HYPE2026-08-16
NOISE: ACA Gender-Affirming Care Coverage Court Decision
single state · narrow
Damage
—
Hype
8.8
DMG2026-08-16
Trump Administration Medicaid Restrictions on Transgender Care
Resource Reallocationfederal · narrow
Damage
28.4
Hype
26.8
WEEK 82Jul 19 – 25
NOISE2026-07-24
California Health Insurance Rates Jump Nearly 10 Percent
Policy Changesingle state · broad
Damage
1.1
Hype
16.4
NOISE2026-07-22
Trump Administration Defers $1B in Medicaid Payments
Resource Reallocationmulti state · broad
Damage
1.1
Hype
16.5
NOISE2026-07-22
Trump Administration Defers $1 Billion in Medicaid Payments to California and Minnesota
Resource Reallocationmulti state · broad
Damage
1.5
Hype
16.0
WEEK 80Jul 5 – 11
NOISE2026-07-06
Trump Administration Restricts Gender-Affirming Care Through Multiple Agencies
Policy Changefederal · narrow
Damage
11.1
Hype
13.7
NOISE2026-07-06
Trump Administration Resumes Medicaid Funding for Planned Parenthood
Policy Changefederal · moderate
Damage
0.0
Hype
4.0
WEEK 79Jun 28 – Jul 4
NOISE2026-06-27
ACA Subsidies Expire, Millions Lose Health Coverage
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
12.1
Hype
21.8
WEEK 73May 17 – 23
NOISE2026-05-18
Ohio Medicaid Coverage Loss Threatens Half Million Residents
Policy Changesingle state · broad
Damage
9.2
Hype
17.5
WEEK 61Feb 22 – 28
NOISE2026-02-24
Novo Nordisk Cuts Ozempic and Wegovy Prices
federal · moderate
Damage
0.0
Hype
4.8
HYPE2025-02-03
New York AG Directs Hospitals to Continue Transgender Care
Policy Changesingle state · narrow
Damage
9.2
Hype
27.3
WEEK 60Feb 15 – 21
NOISE2026-02-20
Mississippi Hospital System Suffers Ransomware Attack, Closes All Clinics
single state · moderate
Damage
1.7
Hype
6.0
NOISE2026-02-15
Federal Judge Blocks Trump Healthcare Funding Cuts
Judicial/Legal Actionfederal · broad
Damage
3.5
Hype
14.8
NOISE2026-02-03
DOJ Announces All-Time High in False Claims Act Recoveries
Enforcement Actionfederal · narrow
Damage
3.4
Hype
9.7
DMG2025-07-22
Trump Administration Hits 300 Anti-LGBTQ Actions
Policy Changefederal · narrow
Damage
32.6
Hype
29.1
HYPE2025-07-17
Nationwide 'Good Trouble' Protests Against Trump Deportations and Healthcare Cuts
Norm Erosion Onlyfederal · moderate
Damage
6.9
Hype
29.7
NOISE2025-05-12
Trump Promises Drug Price Negotiation Executive Order
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
10.4
Hype
18.9
DMG2025-04-02
Trump Administration Freezes Reproductive Care Funding
Resource Reallocationfederal · broad
Damage
34.3
Hype
24.0
NOISE2025-03-10
Trump Administration Harms Young Children and Vulnerable Families Through Policy Changes
Resource Reallocationfederal · broad
Damage
11.6
Hype
23.9
WEEK 59Feb 8 – 14
NOISE2026-02-07
Washington State Loses Insurance Coverage After Tax Credit Loss
Policy Changesingle state · broad
Damage
2.2
Hype
12.7
HYPE2025-09-30
Pfizer Drug Price Deal with Trump Administration
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
1.8
Hype
53.5
WEEK 58Feb 1 – 7
NOISE2026-02-05
RFK Jr. National Tour on Food Safety and Healthcare AI
Information Operationfederal · broad
Damage
5.0
Hype
24.3
NOISE2026-02-05
Plastic Surgeons Call for Delaying Gender-Affirming Surgery Until Age 19
Policy Changefederal · narrow
Damage
2.1
Hype
18.1
WEEK 57Jan 25 – 31
NOISE2026-01-30
Obamacare Enrollment Declines by Over 1 Million as Coverage Becomes More Expensive
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
2.8
Hype
17.8
WEEK 56Jan 18 – 24
HYPE2026-01-23
Child Cancer Bill Stalls in Senate After House Unanimous Passage
Policy Changefederal · narrow
Damage
3.7
Hype
26.9
WEEK 55Jan 11 – 17
NOISE2026-01-16
Trump Unveils Framework for New Cost-Cutting Healthcare Plan
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
18.9
Hype
22.1
HYPE2026-01-16
Homeland Security Audits Healthcare Provider Employment Records for Undocumented Workers
Enforcement Actionsingle state · moderate
Damage
6.5
Hype
29.4
WEEK 52Dec 21 – 27
DMG2025-12-25
HHS Cuts Pediatric Health Program Funding
Resource Reallocationfederal · broad
Damage
23.6
Hype
12.8
DMG2025-12-25
Department of Veterans Affairs Implements Abortion Ban
Policy Changefederal · moderate
Damage
28.2
Hype
27.8
WEEK 51Dec 14 – 20
NOISE2025-12-19
VA Reorganization Plan to Cut Bureaucracy and Improve Care
Resource Reallocationfederal · moderate
Damage
0.0
Hype
2.2
HYPE2025-12-19
Trump Administration Moves to Cut Off Transgender Care for Children
Policy Changefederal · narrow
Damage
16.2
Hype
36.8
WEEK 50Dec 7 – 13
NOISE2025-12-11
Gillibrand Seeks GOP Support for ACA Tax Credit Extension
federal · broad
Damage
0.0
Hype
2.9
WEEK 44Oct 26 – Nov 1
HYPE2025-10-30
ACA Premium Costs Expected to Double
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
9.3
Hype
35.1
WEEK 42Oct 12 – 18
HYPE2025-10-17
Trump Announces Fertility Drug Price Reduction Deal
Damage
0.1
Hype
30.1
WEEK 37Sep 7 – 13
HYPE2025-09-13
Democrats Initiate Health Care Fight as Shutdown Deadline Looms
Norm Erosion Onlyfederal · broad
Damage
1.5
Hype
36.0
WEEK 34Aug 17 – 23
NOISE2025-08-23
Judge Halts Trump Administration Changes to Obamacare
Judicial/Legal Actionfederal · broad
Damage
10.4
Hype
16.0
WEEK 30Jul 20 – 26
NOISE2025-07-26
Senate Democrats Demand Answers on Rural Health Fund
Resource Reallocationfederal · moderate
Damage
10.6
Hype
21.5
WEEK 27Jun 29 – Jul 5
HYPE2025-07-05
Trump Administration Defunds Planned Parenthood
Resource Reallocationfederal · moderate
Damage
23.6
Hype
30.2
NOISE2025-07-04
Medicaid Cuts Announced in Spending Bill
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
15.1
Hype
17.1
WEEK 26Jun 22 – 28
NOISE2025-06-27
Supreme Court Upholds ACA Preventive Care Requirement
Judicial/Legal Actionfederal · broad
Damage
11.7
Hype
6.7
DMG2025-06-26
Supreme Court Rules States Can Defund Planned Parenthood via Medicaid
Judicial/Legal Actionfederal · broad
Damage
48.1
Hype
20.2
WEEK 25Jun 15 – 21
NOISE2025-06-14
Supreme Court Pending Cases on Transgender Care Bans
Judicial/Legal Actionfederal · narrow
Damage
15.1
Hype
5.5
WEEK 24Jun 8 – 14
NOISE2025-06-14
California Legislature Approves Health Care Access Freeze for Some Immigrants
Policy Changesingle state · moderate
Damage
15.4
Hype
17.3
WEEK 22May 25 – 31
HYPE2025-05-30
Penn Medicine Ends Gender-Affirming Procedures for Minors
Policy Changesingle state · narrow
Damage
12.2
Hype
26.5
WEEK 19May 4 – 10
HYPE2025-05-10
HHS Releases Critical Report on Gender Transition Procedures for Youth
Policy Changefederal · narrow
Damage
14.0
Hype
38.7
WEEK 18Apr 27 – May 3
HYPE2025-05-03
Trump Administration Condemns Gender-Affirming Care for Youth
Policy Changefederal · narrow
Damage
21.5
Hype
42.6
WEEK 17Apr 20 – 26
NOISE2025-04-26
Trump Administration Restores Funding for Women's Health Study
Policy Changefederal · moderate
Damage
0.8
Hype
15.5
WEEK 14Mar 30 – Apr 5
NOISE2025-04-05
Trump Blocks Medicare Coverage for Obesity Drugs
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
11.2
Hype
23.1
WEEK 13Mar 23 – 29
NOISE2025-03-29
Trump Administration Blocks $400M in Illinois Health Funding
Resource Reallocationsingle state · broad
Damage
20.8
Hype
24.1
WEEK 11Mar 9 – 15
NOISE2025-03-15
VA Job Cuts and Health Care Reductions Spark Veteran Protests
Resource Reallocationmulti state · moderate
Damage
11.2
Hype
23.1
WEEK 7Feb 9 – 15
NOISE2025-02-15
Veterans Affairs Terminates 1,000 Employees Across Medical Centers
Personnel Capturefederal · moderate
Damage
19.7
Hype
23.1
WEEK 6Feb 2 – 8
NOISE2025-02-08
Trump DOJ Ends Opposition to Tennessee Trans Surgery Ban
Policy Changesingle state · narrow
Damage
6.2
Hype
22.7
NOISE2025-02-08
Three States Sue Over Federal Funds Freeze for Gender-Affirming Care
Judicial/Legal Actionmulti state · narrow
Damage
3.4
Hype
19.9
WEEK 3Jan 12 – 18
NOISE2025-01-18
Judge Refuses to Issue Injunction Blocking Nursing Home Staff Mandates
Judicial/Legal Actionfederal · moderate
Damage
4.7
Hype
1.1
NOISE2025-01-18
Feds Target Ozempic and Wegovy for Lower Medicare Prices
Policy Changefederal · broad
Damage
1.6
Hype
7.7