Health Care Heartaches: Your Winning Health Policy Valentines

By KFF Health News Staff


Illustration by Oona Zenda


February 13, 2026

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<br /> <span class="byline">KFF Health News Staff and Oona Zenda</span><br /> <span class="byline photographer"><br /> <span>Illustration by <a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/author/oona-tempest/"><strong>Oona Zenda</strong></a></span><br /> </span></p> <p>Health policy has never looked so flirtatious. Each year, our readers send us valentines that make us swoon, laugh, and occasionally clutch our insurance cards. In 2026, you truly did not hold back. Your heartfelt messages covered topics like overcharging, rising insurance costs, and the role of AI in healthcare.</p> <p>Here are some of our favorites, starting with a delightful poem that captured our hearts like a $0 billing balance. This charming piece was even transformed into a cartoon by KFF Health News staff illustrator Oona Zenda.</p> <h2><strong>1st Place</strong></h2> <p><strong>Runner-Up</strong></p> <p>A box of chocolates? A dozen roses? Just the usual Valentine’s occurrence. I’d rather Cupid chip in for my rising insurance.</p> <p><strong>– Laura Wagner</strong></p> <p><strong>Other Newsroom Favorites</strong></p> <p>Damn, girl. Are you a menopause expert? Because it’s been impossible to find you.</p> <p><strong>– Priya Bathija</strong></p> <p>Feeling lonely on Valentine’s with no PCPI call all the offices, but no one can see me. My insurance suggests telehealth to thicken the plot, but with no one around, I’ll seek care from an AI robot.</p> <p><strong>– Sara Culley</strong></p> <p>Roses are red, Violets are blue, If I had to choose health insurance or my house, I wouldn’t know what to do.</p> <p><strong>– Thy-Ann Nguyen</strong></p> <p>
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By KFF Health News Staff


Illustration by Oona Zenda


February 13, 2026

Article HTML

<br /> <span class="byline">KFF Health News Staff and Oona Zenda</span><br /> <span class="byline photographer"><br /> <span>Illustration by <a href="https://kffhealthnews.org/news/author/oona-tempest/"><strong>Oona Zenda</strong></a></span><br /> </span></p> <p>Health policy has never looked so flirtatious. Each year, our readers send us valentines that make us swoon, laugh, and occasionally clutch our insurance cards. In 2026, you truly did not hold back. Your heartfelt messages covered topics like overcharging, rising insurance costs, and the role of AI in healthcare.</p> <p>Here are some of our favorites, starting with a delightful poem that captured our hearts like a $0 billing balance. This charming piece was even transformed into a cartoon by KFF Health News staff illustrator Oona Zenda.</p> <h2><strong>1st Place</strong></h2> <p><strong>Runner-Up</strong></p> <p>A box of chocolates? A dozen roses? Just the usual Valentine’s occurrence. I’d rather Cupid chip in for my rising insurance.</p> <p><strong>– Laura Wagner</strong></p> <p><strong>Other Newsroom Favorites</strong></p> <p>Damn, girl. Are you a menopause expert? Because it’s been impossible to find you.</p> <p><strong>– Priya Bathija</strong></p> <p>Feeling lonely on Valentine’s with no PCPI call all the offices, but no one can see me. My insurance suggests telehealth to thicken the plot, but with no one around, I’ll seek care from an AI robot.</p> <p><strong>– Sara Culley</strong></p> <p>Roses are red, Violets are blue, If I had to choose health insurance or my house, I wouldn’t know what to do.</p> <p><strong>– Thy-Ann Nguyen</strong></p> <p>
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