Welcome to The Pulse, a weekly roundup of health-focused news. Each Thursday, we bring you updates on health policy, community surveys, new clinical studies, programs and services in Southwest and Southside Virginia.
Got a tip or story idea? Email me at emily@cardinalnews.org.
Marketplace enrollment
The expiration of enhanced premium tax subsidies for Marketplace insurance at the end of 2025 reduced financial assistance for enrollees, raising concerns about the affordability and potential coverage losses.
Open enrollment closed on Jan. 30, and early data show modest shifts in coverage.
In Virginia, overall enrollment decreased from 388,856 to 370,088, a 4% drop, according to open enrollment data from Virginia’s Insurance Marketplace. More enrollees chose Bronze plans, which typically have lower premiums but higher out-of-pocket costs.
The nonpartisan research group KFF surveyed 1,350 adults with Affordable Care Act Marketplace coverage in late 2025 and reinterviewed 1,117 of them after the subsidies expired. Three in 10 respondents said they switched plans this year, largely due to cost rather than changes in health needs. Eight in 10 said affordability drove their decision, including 7 in 10 who called it a “major reason.”
An analysis from healthinsurance.org, an independent, privately held website that provides consumer-focused education, news and guidance on health insurance, found that there is limited enrollment data available in states that use the federal website, Healthcare.gov, making it difficult to draw comparisons across the country.
Among states that run their own marketplaces — like Virginia — some began releasing data in early 2026. The analysis also found that Virginia was one of nine states with increased enrollment in Bronze plans.
Simulation lab in Southwest Virginia
Leaders will cut the ribbon Thursday on a new simulation lab at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, expanding training opportunities for nursing and allied health students.
The center secured $1.8 million in 2024 to build the Southwest Virginia Regional Simulation Lab for Nursing and Allied Health, according to a press release about the event.
Simulation labs integrate life-like mannequins that mimic behaviors such as breathing, blinking and bleeding. Instructors can adjust conditions such as lung and bowel sounds. Students can practice clinical decision-making and procedures without putting patients at risk.
The facility includes simulated hospital rooms, an ambulance, a pharmacy IV hood and a mock apartment for home health training. It also features virtual and augmented reality tools, along with audiovisual systems that record simulations and support structured debriefing.
The center is a state-supported hub in Abingdon that connects students and working adults in Southwest Virginia with college courses, job training and workforce development programs. It partners with universities and community colleges to offer classes and certifications in several fields.
Grant to study obesity and insulin sensitivity
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded Virginia Tech a $132,885 grant to support research into obesity and insulin sensitivity, according to a press release from Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem.
The funding comes through a Research Scientist Development Award, which supports early-career researchers with protected time and mentorship to build independent research careers.
According to the National Institutes of Health, these awards support intensive, supervised career development experiences.
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, administers the grant.
