Latest KFF Health News Content

Latest KFF Health News Stories

To Make Up For Federal Medicaid Cuts, Calif. County Aims To Raise Sales Taxes

Morning Briefing

Santa Clara County will add a ballot measure to November’s special election. “We cannot afford to sit back and tell ourselves it won’t be that bad because it will, for all of us,” County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg said. Plus, more news on the Medicaid reductions.

Eli Lilly Says Weight Loss Pill A Success, Will Apply This Year For FDA Approval

Morning Briefing

During a 72-week study, those taking the highest dose of orforglipron lost an average of 27.3 pounds. While injections might cause people to lose more weight, a pill has advantages over them, specifically that it doesn’t need to be kept cold. And in health tech news, GPT-5 has been released.

Proposed California Bill Aims To Protect Access To HIV Treatments

Morning Briefing

Assembly Bill 554 would protect access to PrEP and PEP medications by requiring insurers to cover the antiretroviral drugs. Other states making news: Florida, Missouri, Ohio, and Colorado.

Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed

Morning Briefing

Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today’s selections are on public health policy, abortion undergrounds, medically assisted death, and more.

Senators Want UnitedHealth Group’s Records On Nursing Home Transfers

Morning Briefing

Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren have asked to see internal company documents after a Guardian investigation alleged that the company partnered with nursing homes across the country to cut back on residents’ hospital transfers in an effort to reduce expenses.

Trans Troops Forced Out Of Air Force After 15-18 Years Won’t Get Benefits

Morning Briefing

The move means that transgender service members will now have to take a lump-sum separation payment offered to junior troops or be removed from service, AP reported. Other news is about VA collective bargaining, maternal and mental health programs cuts, and more.

Heart Association: Americans Should Be Picky About Ultraprocessed Foods

Morning Briefing

In its new guidelines, the American Heart Association says not all ultraprocessed foods are so bad — such as whole grain breads, low-sugar yogurts, tomato sauces, and nut or bean-based spreads. The MAHA Commission report on ultraprocessed foods is due Tuesday.

Three Studies Show Far-Reaching Health Effects Of Maui, LA Wildfires

Morning Briefing

The studies looked at the impact of the 2023 wildfires in Maui and the 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles. In Maui, 1 in 5 people suffered lung damage and up to half had symptoms of depression. In Los Angeles, there were more than 400 additional deaths due to interruptions to health care and other factors. Other news comes from Illinois, Missouri, Texas, Iowa, and elsewhere.

Lithium Might Be Key To Curing Alzheimer’s, Harvard Study Finds

Morning Briefing

Scientists have found that lithium orotate — which is different from the kind of lithium typically used to treat mental health conditions — not only stopped the brain disease in mice but also reversed it. Researchers still must test this theory on humans, but the Trump administration’s freeze on research funding “will significantly limit our progress,” said Dr. Bruce Yankner, the team’s senior author.

Got Obamacare? Get Ready To Start Paying A Lot More For Your Premiums

Morning Briefing

The rates could change before being finalized late this summer. But on average, ACA marketplace insurers are raising premiums by about 20% in 2026, KFF found. (Disclosure: KFF Health News is one of the three major operating programs at KFF, together with policy analysis and polling.)

HHS Has ‘Suppressed’ Data From New Dietary Guidelines, Researchers Claim

Morning Briefing

Every five years, members of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) offer recommendations for how the Health and Human Services Department and the USDA should update dietary guidelines such as the food pyramid or MyPlate. The researchers also have concerns about how quickly the new guidelines are being pushed through.

Louisiana Set To Lose Last Two Planned Parenthood Clinics

Morning Briefing

The clinics, scheduled to close Sept. 30, provided medical care for more than 10,000 patients last year. In other reproductive news: Hey Jane expands its reproductive telehealth care to Michigan; the Tennessee attorney general’s office demands abortion records from medical centers; and more.

Doctors Urged To Run For Congress Amid Dems’ Outrage Over Health Cuts

Morning Briefing

Historically, most physicians serving in Congress have been Republican. Now, a Democrat-affiliated PAC known as 314 Action aims to change that by electing at least 100 health professionals to Congress and other offices by 2030. Plus: a look at wait times in ERs, hospital closures, and more.