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House Democrats are launching an investigation into the Trump administration’s handling of Medicaid. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) sent a letter Thursday to the Department of Health and Human Services that asks for information about the administration’s attempts to convince states to make conservative changes to their Medicaid programs. (Weixel, 6/27)

Cook County leaders this week are trying to sort out a big surprise: why the county health system's Medicaid health insurance plan owes $701 million to doctors, hospitals and other vendors. County Inspector General Patrick Blanchard made that revelation on June 21 in his latest report on the health system's finances. Now, he's raising questions about how health system officials manage money and how transparent they are to county leaders. (Schorsch, 6/27)