Macy Byers
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Electronic benefit cards can no longer be used to buy products like sodas, energy drinks and candy in Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah and West Virginia.
Product restrictions vary between states, with Iowa enacting the most restrictive changes on some prepared foods like granola bars.
Nebraska was the first state to seek USDA approval for their restrictions, which include soft drinks and energy drinks.
The restrictions align with the Trump administration's Make America Healthy Again initiative, which has sought to restrict processed foods, lower drug prices, and overturn existing vaccine recommendations.
Thirteen more states also had their waivers approved and will enact restrictions sometime in 2026.
For NPR News, I'm Macy Byers in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Electronic benefit cards can no longer be used to buy products like sodas, energy drinks and candy in Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah and West Virginia.
Product restrictions vary between states, with Iowa enacting the most restrictive changes on some prepared foods like granola bars.
Nebraska was the first state to seek USDA approval for their restrictions.
The restrictions align with the Trump administration's Make America Healthy Again initiative, which has sought to restrict processed foods, lower drug prices, and overturn existing vaccine recommendations.
For NPR News, I'm Macy Byers in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Electronic benefit cards can no longer be used to buy products like sodas, energy drinks, and candy in Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, and West Virginia.
Product restrictions vary between states, with Iowa enacting the most restrictive changes on some prepared foods like granola bars.
Nebraska was the first state to seek USDA approval for their restrictions, which include soft drinks and energy drinks.
The restrictions align with the Trump administration's Make America Healthy Again initiative, which has sought to restrict processed foods, lower drug prices, and overturn existing vaccine recommendations.
Thirteen more states also had their waivers approved and will enact restrictions sometime in 2026.
For NPR News, I'm Macy Byers in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Some private insurance companies offer Medicare Advantage plans with low monthly premiums and extra benefits.
But analysts say premiums and out-of-pocket costs are expected to tick up nationally next year.
Nebraska Hospital Association President Jeremy Nordquist works with seniors navigating those costs.