Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
HHS Refers Providers For Investigation Over Gender-Affirming Care Billing
Modern Healthcare: HHS Targets Hospitals Over Gender-Affirming Care Billing
Hundreds of healthcare businesses have been referred to federal law enforcement for investigation over allegations of improper billing for minors’ gender-affirming care. More than 200 hospitals, health systems, physicians offices, pharmacies, pharmacy benefit managers, federally qualified health centers and other health organizations were referred to the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General in a Wednesday letter from Secretary Robert F. Kennedy. (Early, 8/13)
In related Trump administration news —
Modern Healthcare: Rural Health Transformation Program May Fall Short, Senators Fear
One of the keys to passing President Donald Trump’s tax law last summer was the creation of the Rural Health Transformation Program. The program’s $50 billion fund played an instrumental role in getting a handful of wavering lawmakers on board, after they flagged the impact the law’s $1 trillion Medicaid cuts could have on rural hospitals. (McAuliff, 8/13)
Bloomberg: Democrats Press HHS On Cyclospora Outbreak, Trump-Taylor Farms Donations
Senator Elizabeth Warren is pushing the US’s top health official to detail the government’s cyclospora outbreak response in the wake of a major produce supplier’s campaign contributions to political groups tied to President Donald Trump. On Thursday, the Massachusetts Democrat sent US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. a letter highlighting the connections between the Trump administration, cuts to foodborne illness surveillance and the parent company of Taylor Farms, the produce giant implicated in the outbreak. Warren said the influence of the company on the administration may have played a role on the response. (Nix, 8/13)
Regarding syphilis testing and pharmaceuticals —
CIDRAP: HHS Announces Expansion Of Prenatal Syphilis Testing
Yesterday the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a $4 million initiative to expand access to rapid, point-of-care syphilis testing. The goal is to reach women in emergency departments and other nontraditional healthcare settings. (Soucheray, 8/13)
MedPage Today: FDA Approves First CELMoD Drug For Multiple Myeloma
The FDA granted accelerated approval to the first cereblon E3 ligase modulation (CELMoD) therapy for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, the agency announced on Thursday. (Bassett, 8/13)
CIDRAP: Prescriptions For Leucovorin Soar After White House Announcement On Autism
Following a White House press conference suggesting leucovorin as a treatment for autism in September 2025, and despite a lack of supporting data, US prescriptions of the drug soared, according to a paper published yesterday in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). (Holohan, 8/13)
