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States are plowing billions of dollars into a high-stakes health care experiment thats exploding around the country: using scarce public health insurance money to provide housing for the poorest and sickest Americans.

This story also ran on CNN. It can be republished for free.

California is going the biggest, pumping $12 billion into an ambitious Medicaid initiative largely to help homeless patients find housing, pay for it, and avoid eviction. Arizona is allocating $550 million in Medicaid funding primarily to cover six months of rent for homeless people. Oregon is spending more than $1 billion on services such as emergency rental assistance for patients facing homelessness. Even ruby-red Arkansas will dedicate nearly $100 million partly to house its neediest.

At least 19 states are directing money from Medicaid the state-federal health insurance program for low-income people into housing aid and addressing the nations growing homelessness epidemic, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Even though theres little agreement that this will provide a long-term fix for vulnerable patients health or housing, the Biden administration is encouraging other states to jump in. Several are in the pipeline, including Tennessee, West Virginia, and Montana and New York got the green light from the federal government in January.

Using health care funding to house people is a big philosophical debate, said Alex Demyan, assistant director of Arizonas Medicaid agency. We know health care cant solve all the problems, but we also know that housing agencies are maxed out and we have enormous need to help stabilize people.

Homelessness jumped 12% in the U.S. last year, to an estimated 653,104 Americans, the highest level on record, even as the nation dramatically increased its inventory of permanent housing and temporary shelter beds.

As people languish on the streets, often struggling with addiction, severe mental illness, and untreated chronic diseases, health care officials and political leaders are turning to health insurance money for relief. They argue that housing aid will improve health and save taxpayer money by keeping people out of institutions such as nursing homes, hospitals, and jails.

But evidence supporting this argument is mixed.

For instance, in a trial by researchers at the University of California-San Francisco, homeless people in Santa Clara County, California, who were randomly assigned to receive long-term housing and services used the psychiatric emergency department 38% less than a control group over four years while increasing their use of routine mental health care. But participants were still hospitalized at high rates and continued to rely on the emergency room for routine medical care or rest.

State Medicaid programs have long dabbled in housing, but with the blessing and encouragement of the Biden administration, they are launching more services for more people with heaps of new state and federal money. The trend is part of a broader White House strategy that encourages Medicaid directors to offer social services alongside traditional medical care, with the goal of making their residents healthier.

A health care dollar can do more than just pay for a doctor visit or hospital stay, Xavier Becerra, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, told KFF Health News. We should be using the federal health care dollar for wellness care: Get them before they get ill, and keep them healthy. Is there anyone who would deny that someone who is homeless is going to have a harder time also keeping their health up than someone who is housed with running water and heat?

Becerra acknowledged these initiatives as experiments. But he said the federal government can no longer ignore the rampant death and disease that is plaguing homeless populations around the U.S.

Were simply saying, State, if you can prove to us that with this Medicaid dollar you will improve someones health or health outcome, then you have essentially served the purpose of the Medicaid program and youre saving taxpayers more money, he said.

But not all health care leaders or even homelessness experts believe this is the best use of Medicaid money, especially by a safety-net program that faces routine criticism for failing to provide basic health care to many enrollees.

If youre on Medicaid, you often have to wait months and months for a specialty visit, even if its a life-threatening concern, so I worry about what people wont be able to get because of this, said Margot Kushel, a leading homelessness researcher and primary care doctor at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center who primarily treats low-income patients.

Its not that I dont want the money to be spent, but is it best spent in health care? she asked. It’s much better than nothing, but it’s far from providing the long-term housing and stability that people really need.

Kushel said the danger is that most Medicaid housing assistance can be used only once or is time-limited, such as rental payments, which typically end after six months.

By the time folks get into housing, theyre already really, really sick, she said. What happens at the end of six months when rental assistance like free rent runs out? Email Sign-Up

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Housing as Health Care

Across the country, state Medicaid programs are stretching the definition of health care and getting into the business of social services, delivering a range of nontraditional benefits such as healthy home-delivered meals for patients with diabetes and air filters for patients with asthma.

While the federal government historically has banned the use of Medicaid money for direct rent payments, that has changed.

In 2022, Arizona received federal approval for an initiative called H2O, which will prioritize homeless people and those at risk of losing housing who also have a mental health condition and chronic illness. When it launches in October, it will primarily provide two services: rent payments for up to six months; and transitional housing, which can include shelters with intensive services.

Arizona saw a 5% jump in homelessness in 2023 from the previous year. Its program will supplement a separate state-funded Medicaid initiative that provides 3,000 rent vouchers for people in southern Arizona who have a severe mental illness and are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. About 5,000 people are on the waiting list for a voucher.

Weve seen such positive health outcomes and cost reductions as a result, so it made total sense to us to expand our work in that space, Demyan said. That program slashed ER visits 45% and reduced hospital inpatient admissions 53% at the six-month mark after patients started receiving services, while increasing less costly preventive care 56% and saving $4,300 per member, per month, according to state data.

California, home to nearly 30% of the nations homeless population, saw a nearly 6% jump in homelessness in 2023, to about 181,000 people.

The state launched its massive CalAIM initiative in 2022 to offer a wide variety of social services to a small sliver of the states roughly 15 million Medicaid enrollees. A large share of the resources are going to housing services for homeless people or those facing eviction, such as covering security deposits and enlisting case managers to hunt for available apartments. State leaders are also asking the Biden administration for permission to provide six months of rent.

If youre saddled with a great deal of either physical or behavioral health conditions, whether its diabetes or HIV, high blood pressure or schizophrenia, without housing, its really hard to stabilize those conditions, said Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency.

But he cautioned that Medicaids core focus must remain getting people healthy, even if theyre living outside, which is a monumental and expesive challenge because conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and HIV require continuous treatment and often multiple medications.

I do not think that health care is responsible for solving homelessness in California or anywhere else, Ghaly said. But if housing instability or lack of housing is one of the key drivers getting in the way of being healthy, then absolutely we need to pay attention to it.

Health insurers that provide Medicaid coverage in California can choose whether to provide housing services, but Oregon is requiring Medicaid insurers to do so.

Homelessness grew 12% in Oregon from 2022 to 2023, but the state is targeting patients at risk of becoming homeless. Participants will be eligible for six months of rent and other services when the program launches in November, said Dave Baden, deputy director of the Oregon Health Authority.

Were really trying to focus on people teetering on the brink, Baden said. If youre already homeless, you really need longer, sustainable housing dollars to keep that person housed.

Its not just states experimenting with this approach. Kaiser Permanente is one of the health systems that has invested its own funds into housing. In recent years, the health care giant has committed hundreds of millions of dollars to help maintain or build thousands of affordable housing units, in addition to providing housing-related Medicaid benefits for its members.

We have to do something. The crisis is out of control, said Bechara Choucair, its chief health officer. Are you covered by Medi-Cal?

We want to hear about your experiences and, with your permission, may incorporate your story into our coverage. Please tell us what it has been like for you as you have sought and received care, including the good and the bad, the obstacles and the successes.Share Your Story

Mission Creep

Sherry Glied, a professor at New York University and former Obama administration official who is an expert in health care economics, warned in a recent health policy analysis of mission creep in health care. She cautioned that health care institutions getting into the business of social services could be a dangerous distraction.

Glied pointed to at least 57 health systems and 917 hospitals around the country that have launched social service initiatives, with most focusing on housing. Because many institutions struggle to meet patient safety and quality care standards, Glied argued that they should instead improve basic care and leave housing to social service organizations that specialize in this work.

Providing people with food or housing is pretty far removed from the core mission of health care, she told KFF Health News.

Peter Lee, another former Obama administration official and the founding executive director of Californias Obamacare exchange, said health care providers should consider offering some housing and social services, but he fears such initiatives may divert money from traditional medicine and prevent patients from getting adequate care.

In the past five to 10 years, there has been a lot of recognition that health is about much more than actual health care. Very true, Lee said. The question is how do you address those issues while health care itself is not doing too great. The brass tacks of this is making sure people with diabetes have great diabetes care, that people get checkups in time, that people can get the regular health care they need.

State Medicaid programs, which provide care to at least 80 million Americans, often struggle to deliver basic medical services, such as childhood dental visits and breast cancer screenings. In California, the state spending the most on housing services, children on Medicaid did not have timely access to care for mental health or substance use in 2022, according to an audit published in November.

Despite these shortfalls, most of the states that have been given the federal go-ahead to experiment with housing services have secured funding for five years. California is among the states that hope to make the benefits permanent.

Though a Republican presidency could interrupt this trend, states say theyre committed even if their initiatives dont pass a traditional cost-benefit analysis.

The singular focus on a financial return on investment is not as clear as it was previously, said Cindy Mann, a federal Medicaid director under Obama.

States are just seeing how little sense it makes to treat people and then release them back to the streets without the support they need.

This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation.

Angela Hart: ahart@kff.org, @ahartreports Related Topics California Health Industry Insurance Medi-Cal Medicaid Public Health Arizona Arkansas California Legislature Homeless Legislation Montana Oregon Tennessee West Virginia Contact Us Submit a Story Tip

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Kiley McDaniel’s favorite Day 1 draft picks, biggest surprises and best available Day 2 prospects

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July 14, 2025

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Kiley McDaniel's favorite Day 1 draft picks, biggest surprises and best available Day 2 prospects

  • Kiley McDanielJul 14, 2025, 07:00 AM ET

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    • ESPN MLB Insider
    • Kiley McDaniel covers MLB prospects, the MLB Draft and more, including trades and free agency.
    • Has worked for three MLB teams.
      • Co-author of Author of ‘Future Value’

With Day 1 of the 2025 MLB draft complete, it’s time to look at which picks in the first round stood out most.

After weeks of speculation about the various directions the Washington Nationals could go with the No. 1 pick, they surprised the industry by taking Oklahoma high school shortstop Eli Willits — and the Los Angeles Angels followed up with a surprising pick of their own at No. 2 by taking UC Santa Barbara pitcher Tyler Bremner

Though the nature of the baseball draft means that some of the picks we aren’t quite sure about on Day 1 will become clearer when we see how teams spread their bonus allotment around later in the draft, here are the early picks I liked the most and some eye-opening selections along with the top players still available entering Day 2.

Five favorite moves

Mariners and Pirates get their guys

The buzz leading up to the draft was that Kade Anderson was atop the Mariners’ draft board and Seth Hernandez was the top target (after Willits, who wasn’t going to get there) of the Pirates. Seattle was the other team taking a long look at Hernandez, but the shenanigans at the top two picks (more on that later) means that both Seattle and Pittsburgh got their preferred arms.

A’s select Arnold and Taylor

The Athletics had only two picks on Day 1 but received excellent values at each. Jamie Arnold was the top prospect in the draft entering the season and seemed primed to go somewhere between No. 2 and No. 8 after an uneven season. He somehow was the prospect left holding the short straw, falling to the 11th pick. Devin Taylor was in the mix at multiple picks in the comp round but lasted five selections into the second round.

Twins embrace risk with Quick and Young

The Twins took two hit-first college infielders as their first picks last year (Kaelen Culpepper and Kyle DeBarge), took another one in the 2023 second round (Luke Keaschall), and two more in the top two rounds in 2022 (Brooks Lee, Tanner Schobel) — and also took one with their first pick this year in Marek Houston.

What interested me though is what Minnesota did after that, taking big swings with the upside of Riley Quick (four potential plus pitches but below-average command) and Quentin Young (80-grade power potential with big questions on contact rate).

Phillies try to jump the reliever trade market?

Gage Wood has a chance to start long term but can also go straight to the upper minors — if not the big leagues — and potentially help the bullpen later this season, like a trade deadline addition. The Phillies’ next pick, Cade Obermueller, is another possible starter who also could move quickly as a lefty turning 22 later this month with two knockout pitches in his fastball/slider combo. Odds are good that at least one of them can provide big league value in the next 12 months if Philly wants to utilize them that way.

The Red Sox land Witherspoon, Phillips and Eyanson

The Red Sox are interested in creating more pitching depth and selected a number of interesting arms on Day 1. Kyson Witherspoon had a lot of interest in the top 10, but the Red Sox got him at No. 15.

He’ll need to sharpen his execution a notch and his short arm action is unique, but there’s midrotation upside. Marcus Phillips has a chance to start but could also bring another distinctive look as a late-inning arm with four plus pitches from a low slot and a triple-digit fastball. Anthony Eyanson is a different sort, with fringy fastball velocity but standout command along with a slider and splitter that keep hitters off-balance.

Five eye-openers

Eli Willits at No. 1

The buzz ahead of the draft was that there were three players in play for the top pick and Willits was my third-ranked player in the class, so the same group is what I would’ve been considering — and I love Willits as a player. The bonus will be a factor in evaluating how successful this pick will be viewed — I’ll guess it starts with an eight — but I think this will be seen as a solid decision, as long as Kade Anderson or Ethan Holliday don’t become stars.

Tyler Bremner at No. 2

The biggest piece of late buzz I was hearing is that Bremner was in play at No. 3 to the Mariners. I didn’t hear his name at all at No. 2 so that made this pick the first shocker in the draft.

Bremner was considered in this area (on a deal) because he could easily be the best pitcher in this class — but only if he can develop a better slider, which isn’t a small if. The Angels seem to have a thought about how to solve this, and how he progresses will be one of the more followed storylines of this draft.

Tigers take Yost and Oliveto

I like both players, but it’s fascinating that these two and the most-rumored prep hitter tied to Detroit that they didn’t take (Coy James, who had a tough summer) were all missing strong 2024 summer performances.

Jordan Yost and Michael Oliveto were the only two prep position players in the first-round mix who weren’t in the major national events on the summer circuit, thus creating a lot of uncertainty about how to project them.

The Tigers are right to assume this could create a potential quick gain in value if Yost and Oliveto can perform early in their pro careers, but I don’t remember seeing a team double down on lack of summer exposure in the early rounds.

Orioles take two catchers in the first round, and two pitchers in the second

It’s certainly a bit odd that the Orioles took two college catchers with their first two picks after taking another one (Ethan Anderson) in the second round last year. Obviously, teams don’t draft for big league need — the O’s already have Adley Rutschman — and they need at least two catchers at all four full season minor league affiliates, it’s just odd to see them invest in this position early multiple times. And after all of the position players they have drafted under Mike Elias, they did sneak in two arms on Day 1 with Joseph Dzierwa (a command-forward lefty) and J.T. Quinn (one of my favorite college relievers with the traits to start in pro ball).

Guardians lean into power

The Guardians often draft, or sign internationally, hit-first players who are often underpowered, with Steven Kwan a prominent example. They swerved a lot this year, taking Jace LaViolette with their first pick (I compare him to Cody Bellinger or Joey Gallo; he hit .258 this season) and Nolan Schubart (24% strikeout rate, 22% in-zone whiff rate) with their fifth pick on Day 1. Those two have big power and strong pull/lift rates, and LaViolette has the athleticism to play center field, so there’s real talent, it’s just not usually the type that the Guardians have targeted.

Best available for Day 2

Listed by top 250 draft rankings

43. Mason Neville, OF, Oregon
44. Matthew Fisher, RHP, Evansville Memorial HS (Ind.)
53. Josiah Hartshorn, LF, Orange Lutheran HS (Calif.)
55. Brock Sell, CF, Tokay HS (Calif.)
61. Jack Bauer, LHP, Lincoln Way East HS (Ill.)
69. Coy James, SS, Davie County HS (N.C.)
70. Alec Blair, CF, De La Salle HS (Calif.)
71. Mason Pike, RHP, Puyallup HS (Wash.)
72. Cam Appenzeller, LHP, Glenwood HS (Ill.)
73. Briggs McKenzie, LHP, Corinth Holders HS (N.C.)

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Gregg Wallace: Over half of allegations against MasterChef presenter upheld, including one of unwanted physical contact

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July 14, 2025

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Gregg Wallace: Over half of allegations against MasterChef presenter upheld, including one of unwanted physical contact

An investigation into Gregg Wallace’s “inappropriate behaviour” on MasterChef has found more than half of the allegations against him have been substantiated, including one of “unwanted physical contact”.

MasterChef’s production company Banijay UK shared a summary of its report into historical allegations of misconduct against the 60-year-old presenter, carried out by independent law firm Lewis Silkin over seven months.

The report said the number of sustained allegations made Wallace’s return to MasterChef “untenable”.

Last week it emerged Wallace had been sacked as MasterChef presenter, with reports of more than 50 fresh allegations against him.

The investigation heard evidence from 78 witnesses, including 41 complainants. The investigations team spoke to Wallace three times for the report, conducting 14 hours of interviews with him.

There were 83 allegations against Wallace, and 45 of them were upheld. All were related to MasterChef.

The upheld allegations were:

• Twelve claims he made inappropriate jokes and innuendo;

• Sixteen reports he made sexually explicit comments;

• Two allegations that he made sexualised comments to or about someone;

• Four complaints that he made culturally insensitive or racist comments;

• Three claims that he was in a state of undress;

• Seven allegations of bullying;

• One allegation of unwanted touching.

Nearly all the allegations against Wallace were related to behaviour which is said to have occurred between 2005 and 2018, with just one substantiated allegation taking place after 2018.

Wallace and Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2014
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Wallace and Anne-Marie Sterpini in 2014

Ahead of the publication of the summary, Wallace had said he had been “cleared of the most serious and sensational accusations” made against him.

He also said his neurodiversity had “now formally (been) diagnosed as autism”, saying in the social media post that it was “suspected and discussed by colleagues across countless seasons of MasterChef”.

BBC held no ‘central’ information over Wallace concerns

Additionally, the report summary found there were 10 standalone allegations about other people between 2012 and 2018/2019, two of which were substantiated. These were unrelated to Wallace, and those people were not named in the summary.

The investigation found that complaints had previously been raised with the production company between 2005 and 2024.

Gregg Wallace on MasterChef. Pic: BBC/ Shine TV 2024
Image:
Gregg Wallace on MasterChef. Pic: BBC/ Shine TV 2024

While the report flagged inadequate reporting procedures before 2016, when Endemol merged with Shine ahead of Banijay acquiring Endemol Shine in 2020, it said there were significant improvements to HR processes and training after 2016.

The investigation said some formal action was taken by the BBC in 2017, but it also noted the corporation held no information regarding concerns raised over Wallace centrally, resulting in issues being addressed as a first offence.

Sky News has tried to contact Gregg Wallace today.

Gregg Wallace after being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by the Princess Royal in an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle. Picture date: Tuesday February 28, 2023. Read less Picture by: Andrew Matthews/PA Archive/PA Images Date taken: 28-Feb-2023
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Gregg Wallace after being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by the Princess Royal in an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle. Picture date: Tuesday February 28, 2023.
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Picture by: Andrew Matthews/PA Archive/PA Images


Responding to the findings of the report, the BBC said the corporation had “no plans to work with [Wallace] in future”, saying his behaviour “falls below the values of the BBC”.

The BBC said “opportunities were missed” to address Wallace’s behaviour, adding, “We accept more could and should have been done sooner”.

Concerning the allegations against other individuals flagged in the report, the BBC said they had asked Banijay UK to take action to address these issues, and said it would “be completed as a priority”.

The corporation has yet to decide if the unseen MasterChef series that was filmed with Wallace last year will still be aired.

Production staff deserve ‘much, much better’

Banijay UK chief executive Patrick Holland called the report “uncomfortable reading”, but said its findings provided “valuable insight” for production teams moving forward.

In a nod to Wallace’s recent autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, Mr Holland said Wallace’s neurodiversity was “relevant to certain behaviours identified in the report”, admitting “the production could have done more to identify, manage and communicate patterns of inappropriate behaviour”.

Philippa Childs, head of creative industries union Bectu, said the report findings made it clear that “inappropriate behaviour has gone unchecked for far too long,” adding: “This is a real failure by Banijay to take these issues seriously and act accordingly”.

Ms Childs said the report highlighted the precarious position of production staff, the majority of whom are freelance workers, who she said deserve “much, much better”.

Wallace was the original presenter of the BBC show Saturday Kitchen in 2002 and has also featured on Eat Well For Less?, Inside The Factory, Turn Back Time, Harvest and Supermarket Secrets.

He was best known, however, for presenting MasterChef, MasterChef: The Professionals, and Celebrity MasterChef.

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Postman who murdered and beheaded girlfriend jailed for at least 23 years

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July 14, 2025

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Postman who murdered and beheaded girlfriend jailed for at least 23 years

Warning: This article contains details readers may find distressing.

An “evil” postman who moaned about being lonely hours before he severed his girlfriend’s head and tried to dismember her body has been jailed for a minimum of 23 years.

Ewan Methven murdered 21-year-old Phoenix Spencer-Horn in the flat they shared in East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, in November last year.

The High Court in Glasgow heard the killer dumped his partner’s body parts in their hallway and failed to call emergency services for two days.

Phoenix Spencer-Horn
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Phoenix Spencer-Horn was murdered in November

The 27-year-old then bought drugs, watched pornography and sent sickening texts to Phoenix’s worried mum pretending she was still alive.

Phoenix was stabbed 20 times – including 10 times in the face – using three knives in an attack that unfolded after she returned from her waitressing job in Lanarkshire.

The 21-year-old had described Methven as her “soulmate” on social media, saying in one TikTok video: “Life is so much more beautiful and full of colour with you.”

A few months later she was murdered by the same man she had been in a relationship with for two years.

Ewan Methven. Pic Police Scotland/PA
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Ewan Methven was jailed on Monday. Pic: Police Scotland

Methven received a life sentence with at least 23 years behind bars when he retuned to the dock on Monday.

The judge, Lord Matthews, described it as a “dreadful crime”.

He told Methven: “You were a trusted member of her family, but you betrayed that trust and robbed her of life in the cruellest way.

“Not content with what you had done to her, you robbed her of all dignity in death by decapitating her and trying to dismember her in an attempt to defeat the ends of justice.”

The pair had been in a relationship for two years.
Image:
The pair had been in a relationship for two years

Lord Matthews highlighted victim impact statements supplied by Phoenix’s family and said he had “rarely read such outpourings of grief”.

The judge said: “The way you treated this innocent young woman after her death meant that her family did not even have the comfort of saying goodbye to her.”

He added: “I have this morning seen a letter written by you, but it answers none of the questions which must be plaguing the family. You blame the effect of substances but that is no excuse.”

‘Personification of evil’

Sky News has interviewed the couple’s neighbour who lives directly next door.

Toni Brown, 25, described the horror of discovering what happened.

She said: “I think I stayed out of the house for about a week after that. I couldn’t even sit.

“It’s horrific. It gives me shivers thinking about it. It is crazy to think I stayed next door to a monster like that.

“What scares me the most is knowing she was lay there and I was in here oblivious.”

Toni Brown
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Neighbour Toni Brown spoke to Sky News

Asked whether she heard any noises or violence around the time of the murder, Ms Brown said: “There was a bad smell in my house in the early hours of the morning she was found.

“There was a bad smell in my kitchen basically where the walls join together.”

Methven’s own defence lawyer told the court that society will see the killer as the “personification of evil”.

When he eventually called 999, he claimed to have suffered a drug-induced blackout during the violent killing.

Phoenix Spencer-Horn was murdered by the man she once called her "soulmate"
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Ms Spencer-Horn was murdered by the man she once called her ‘soulmate’

Another life lost to gender-based violence

The case has raised questions once again about the growing prevalence of gender-based violence.

Fiona Drouet’s daughter Emily was 18 when she took her own life at university in Aberdeen in 2016, days after being choked and slapped by her ex-boyfriend.

Angus Milligan was later convicted of physical and psychological abuse.

Fiona Drouet
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Fiona Drouet’s daughter was a victim of physical abuse from an ex-boyfriend

Ms Drouet, who now campaigns on violence against women across the UK and Ireland, has set up a charity called Emily’s Test in her daughter’s name.

Reacting to the death of Ms Spencer-Horn, Ms Drouet told Sky News: “There is another mother and father that have just been plunged into utter hell.

“Somebody once said to me that if God came to you and said, ‘I am going to give you this beautiful daughter, but you’ll only have her for 18 years and then we need to take her back, would you still want her?’ and I would take those 18 years and go through the pain rather than have nothing.

“Although just now that probably offers no words of comfort for Phoenix’s parents, maybe one day it can.”

If you suspect you are being abused and need to speak to someone, there are people who can help you, including The National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or Women’s Aid online.

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