#healthcare | The Distraction Index
The Distraction Index
Weekly civic intelligence report · v2.2
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#healthcare
37 events across 27 weeks
4
Damage
10
Distraction
23
Noise
12.1
Avg A
21.1
Avg B
WEEK 59
Feb 8 – 14
NOISE
2026-02-07
Washington State Loses Insurance Coverage After Tax Credit Loss
Policy Change
single state · broad
A
2.2
B
12.7
WEEK 58
Feb 1 – 7
NOISE
2026-02-05
RFK Jr. National Tour on Food Safety and Healthcare AI
Information Operation
federal · broad
A
5.0
B
24.3
NOISE
2026-02-05
Plastic Surgeons Call for Delaying Gender-Affirming Surgery Until Age 19
Policy Change
federal · narrow
A
2.1
WEEK 57
Jan 25 – 31
NOISE
2026-01-30
Obamacare Enrollment Declines by Over 1 Million as Coverage Becomes More Expensive
Policy Change
federal · broad
A
2.8
B
17.8
WEEK 56
Jan 18 – 24
DIST
2026-01-23
Child Cancer Bill Stalls in Senate After House Unanimous Passage
Policy Change
federal · narrow
A
3.7
B
26.9
WEEK 55
Jan 11 – 17
DIST
2026-01-16
Homeland Security Audits Healthcare Provider Employment Records for Undocumented Workers
Enforcement Action
single state · moderate
A
6.5
B
29.4
NOISE
2026-01-16
Trump Unveils Framework for New Cost-Cutting Healthcare Plan
Policy Change
federal · broad
A
WEEK 52
Dec 21 – 27
DMG
2025-12-25
HHS Cuts Pediatric Health Program Funding
Resource Reallocation
federal · broad
A
23.6
B
12.8
DMG
2025-12-25
Department of Veterans Affairs Implements Abortion Ban
Policy Change
federal · moderate
A
28.2
WEEK 51
Dec 14 – 20
DIST
2025-12-19
Trump Administration Moves to Cut Off Transgender Care for Children
Policy Change
federal · narrow
A
16.2
B
36.8
NOISE
2025-12-19
VA Reorganization Plan to Cut Bureaucracy and Improve Care
Resource Reallocation
federal · moderate
A
WEEK 50
Dec 7 – 13
NOISE
2025-12-11
Gillibrand Seeks GOP Support for ACA Tax Credit Extension
federal · broad
A
0.0
B
2.9
WEEK 44
Oct 26 – Nov 1
DIST
2025-10-30
ACA Premium Costs Expected to Double
Policy Change
federal · broad
A
9.3
B
35.1
WEEK 42
Oct 12 – 18
DIST
2025-10-17
Trump Announces Fertility Drug Price Reduction Deal
A
0.1
B
30.1
WEEK 37
Sep 7 – 13
DIST
2025-09-13
Democrats Initiate Health Care Fight as Shutdown Deadline Looms
Norm Erosion Only
federal · broad
A
1.5
B
36.0
WEEK 34
Aug 17 – 23
NOISE
2025-08-23
Judge Halts Trump Administration Changes to Obamacare
Judicial/Legal Action
federal · broad
A
10.4
B
16.0
WEEK 30
Jul 20 – 26
NOISE
2025-07-26
Senate Democrats Demand Answers on Rural Health Fund
Resource Reallocation
federal · moderate
A
10.6
B
21.5
WEEK 27
Jun 29 – Jul 5
DIST
2025-07-05
Trump Administration Defunds Planned Parenthood
Resource Reallocation
federal · moderate
A
23.6
B
30.2
NOISE
2025-07-04
Medicaid Cuts Included in Spending Bill
Resource Reallocation
federal · broad
A
22.4
WEEK 26
Jun 22 – 28
NOISE
2025-06-27
Supreme Court Upholds ACA Preventive Care Requirement
Judicial/Legal Action
federal · broad
A
11.7
B
6.7
DMG
2025-06-26
Supreme Court Rules States Can Defund Planned Parenthood via Medicaid
Judicial/Legal Action
federal · broad
A
48.1
WEEK 25
Jun 15 – 21
NOISE
2025-06-14
Supreme Court Pending Cases on Transgender Care Bans
Judicial/Legal Action
federal · narrow
A
15.1
B
5.5
DMG
2025-06-14
Supreme Court to Decide 21 Cases Including Transgender Care Bans
Judicial/Legal Action
federal · narrow
A
29.9
WEEK 24
Jun 8 – 14
NOISE
2025-06-14
California Legislature Approves Health Care Access Freeze for Some Immigrants
Policy Change
single state · moderate
A
15.4
B
17.3
WEEK 22
May 25 – 31
DIST
2025-05-30
Penn Medicine Ends Gender-Affirming Procedures for Minors
Policy Change
single state · narrow
A
12.2
B
26.5
WEEK 19
May 4 – 10
DIST
2025-05-10
HHS Releases Critical Report on Gender Transition Procedures for Youth
Policy Change
federal · narrow
A
14.0
B
38.7
WEEK 18
Apr 27 – May 3
DIST
2025-05-03
Trump Administration Condemns Gender-Affirming Care for Youth
Policy Change
federal · narrow
A
21.5
B
42.6
WEEK 17
Apr 20 – 26
NOISE
2025-04-26
Trump Administration Restores Funding for Women's Health Study
Policy Change
federal · moderate
A
0.8
B
15.5
WEEK 14
Mar 30 – Apr 5
NOISE
2025-04-05
Trump Blocks Medicare Coverage for Obesity Drugs
Policy Change
federal · broad
A
11.2
B
23.1
WEEK 13
Mar 23 – 29
NOISE
2025-03-29
Trump Administration Blocks $400M in Illinois Health Funding
Resource Reallocation
single state · broad
A
20.8
B
24.1
WEEK 11
Mar 9 – 15
NOISE
2025-03-15
VA Job Cuts and Health Care Reductions Spark Veteran Protests
Resource Reallocation
multi state · moderate
A
11.2
B
23.1
WEEK 7
Feb 9 – 15
NOISE
2025-02-15
Veterans Affairs Terminates 1,000 Employees Across Medical Centers
Personnel Capture
federal · moderate
A
19.7
B
23.1
WEEK 6
Feb 2 – 8
NOISE
2025-02-08
Three States Sue Over Federal Funds Freeze for Gender-Affirming Care
Judicial/Legal Action
multi state · narrow
A
3.4
B
19.9
NOISE
2025-02-08
Trump DOJ Ends Opposition to Tennessee Trans Surgery Ban
Policy Change
single state · narrow
A
6.2
WEEK 3
Jan 12 – 18
NOISE
2025-01-18
Judge Refuses to Issue Injunction Blocking Nursing Home Staff Mandates
Judicial/Legal Action
federal · moderate
A
4.7
B
1.1
NOISE
2025-01-18
Feds Target Ozempic and Wegovy for Lower Medicare Prices
Policy Change
federal · broad
A
1.6
B
18.1
18.9
B
22.1
B
27.8
0.0
B
2.2
B
24.0
NOISE
2025-07-04
Medicaid Cuts Announced in Spending Bill
Policy Change
federal · broad
A
15.1
B
17.1
B
20.2
B
19.5
B
22.7
B
7.7