Latest KFF Health News Content

Latest KFF Health News Stories

3 Health Care Companies To Lay Off Hundreds Of Workers

Morning Briefing

The cuts are coming to Virginia Mason Franciscan (based in Tacoma, Washington), Prime Healthcare (based in Ontario, California), and Bayada Home Health Care (based in Moorestown, New Jersey). Plus: Affinia Healthcare is now fully accredited for its new family medicine residency program.

As Measles Cases Close In On 30-Year High, WHO Warns US Must Act Now

Morning Briefing

With 1,168 confirmed cases across 33 states — more than four times as many cases as last year — the country is at risk of losing its disease-elimination status. U.S. leaders must focus on vaccine efforts to prevent it from becoming endemic, the WHO’s vaccine director says.

Doctors Implore AMA To Challenge Trump’s Health Agenda More Strongly

Morning Briefing

Cuts to Medicaid and NIH, along with trade tariffs, will make it harder to give Americans the kind and quality of care they need, doctors argue. “Quiet advocacy is insufficient,” one AMA member said.

Emergency Officials Unclear How — Or Even If — They Can Help In Disasters

Morning Briefing

Summer is approaching, bringing potentially deadly floods, tornadoes, and wildfires along with it. But recent staffing changes and policy directives at FEMA have left local emergency officials unsure what kind of help — medical, financial, or otherwise — they’ll be able to offer.

Depressed? You Are Not Alone: Health Workers Report High Rate Of The Blues

Morning Briefing

Over one-fifth of health care and other service workers say they have been diagnosed with depression, a study had found. Also in the news: the Federation of American Hospitals; Adventist HealthCare; BayCare; and more.

Dozens Sickened In 7 States From Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Eggs

Morning Briefing

Twenty-one people have been hospitalized in an egg recall that spans nine states: Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Washington, and Wyoming. Other news comes from Washington, D.C., Michigan, Massachusetts, Utah, Missouri, California, Louisiana, and Florida.

Risk Of Diabetes Is Higher With Sugary Beverages But Not Sugary Foods

Morning Briefing

A study, which spanned multiple continents, found that drinking sugar consistently led to higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, but consuming it from food sources showed no such link. In other lifestyle news: a BowFlex recall; dating apps’ effects on mental health; and more.

4 Members Of CDC Vaccine Advisory Panel Get Termination Notices

Morning Briefing

Stat reports that the panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, has been a target of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Other vaccine-related news is on covid vaccine recommendations, “medical freedom,” and more.

Four States Petition FDA To Remove Mifepristone Restrictions

Morning Briefing

The petition, filed by Massachusetts, New York, California, and New Jersey, aims to compel the FDA to recognize that mifepristone is safe and effective. More reproductive health news includes GLP-1 drugs and birth control; IVF; antibiotics during pregnancy; gut microbiota; menopause; and more.

Gilead Pins Its Hopes On Breakthrough Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Shot

Morning Briefing

The Wall Street Journal reports on the expected FDA approval of lenacapavir and what it might mean for Gilead’s future in the market. Other coverage of science and research-related news is on a mini-heart breakthrough at Stanford; a potential link between semaglutides and age-related macular degeneration; the prevalence of aggressive fatty liver disease; and more.

AMA To Allow AI Startup Access To Medical Journals’ Content In New Deal

Morning Briefing

The AI search tool allows clinicians to input patients’ clinical presentations and receive relevant academic articles from medical journals. This is the second deal the AI startup, OpenEvidence, has brokered this year with medical publications. Plus: “ghost networks;” the No Surprises Act; and more.

Denver ER Visits, Overdoses Drop Thanks To Mental Health Program

Morning Briefing

Denver’s THRIVE program, which aims to help those experiencing homelessness and addiction, has also helped to decrease jail bookings. Other news from around the nation comes from North Carolina, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Florida, and Illinois.

From FDA To USAID, Trump Team Races To Bring Back Fired Workers

Morning Briefing

A Washington Post review found recent messy re-hirings at agencies including the Food and Drug Administration, the State Department, and others. “It feels like it was all just a game to them,” one rehired FDA staffer said. Separately, questions are swirling about the CDC’s leadership.

Once Off Limits, Medicare Cuts Now In The Mix As Senate Works On Tax Bill

Morning Briefing

Desperate to find savings in President Donald Trump’s budget bill, Senate Republicans are opening the door to changes to Medicare — which they previously indicated would not be a part of the legislation. Changes to target “waste and fraud” in private Medicare Advantage plans are high on the list. Meanwhile, news outlets also report cuts to Medicaid and the ACA are under consideration.