Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
First Edition: Friday, July 25, 2025
KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES
KFF Health News: Trump Voters Wanted Relief From Medical Bills. For Millions, The Bills Are About To Get Bigger
President Donald Trump rode to reelection last fall on voter concerns about prices. But as his administration pares back federal rules and programs designed to protect patients from the high cost of health care, Trump risks pushing more Americans into debt, further straining family budgets already stressed by medical bills. Millions of people are expected to lose health insurance in the coming years as a result of the tax cut legislation Trump signed this month, leaving them with fewer protections from large bills if they get sick or suffer an accident. (Levey, 7/25)
KFF Health News: Fearing Medicaid Coverage Loss, Some Parents Rush To Vaccinate Their Kids
For two decades, Washington, D.C., pediatrician Lanre Falusi has counseled parents about vaccine safety, side effects, and timing. But this year, she said, the conversations have changed. ... Throughout the country, pediatricians say anxious parents are concerned about access to routine childhood immunizations, especially those with children on Medicaid, the government insurance program for low-income families and people with disabilities. Medicaid covers 4 in 10 children in the U.S. (Fortiér, 7/25)
KFF Health News: Listen: Some Scientists Speak Out On Deep Cuts To National Cancer Institute, While Others Flee
The National Cancer Institute, long credited with driving down U.S. cancer death rates, is facing massive upheaval as the Trump administration imposes deep funding cuts. Grants have been abruptly terminated, key employees laid off, and essential patient resources left unmaintained. Hundreds of current and former NIH employees have protested through the Bethesda Declaration, warning that these cuts could stall decades of progress in cancer research. (Pradhan, 7/25)
KFF Health News: KFF Health News’ ‘What The Health?’: Here Come The ACA Premium Hikes
Much of the hubbub in health care this year has been focused on Medicaid, which faces dramatically reduced federal funding as the result of the huge budget bill signed by President Donald Trump earlier this month. But now the attention is turning to the Affordable Care Act, which is facing some big changes that could cost many consumers their health coverage as soon as 2026. (Rovner, 7/24)
HOMELESSNESS CRISIS
The Washington Post: Trump Pushes Forcible Hospitalization Of Homeless People With Order
President Donald Trump has directed federal agencies to find ways to make it easier to forcibly hospitalize homeless people with mental illness and addiction for longer periods — an effort to fight what the administration calls “vagrancy” threatening the streets of U.S. cities. An executive order signed Thursday pushes federal agencies to overturn state and federal legal precedent that limits how local and state governments can involuntarily commit people who pose a risk to themselves or others. (Ovalle, 7/24)
MORE ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
AP: Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court To Allow $783M In NIH Cuts
The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Thursday to allow it to cut hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of research funding in its push to roll back federal diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. The Justice Department argued a federal judge in Massachusetts was wrong to block the National Institutes of Health from making $783 million worth of cuts to align with President Donald Trump’s priorities. U.S. District Judge William Young found that the abrupt cancellations ignored long-held government rules and standards. (Whitehurst, 7/24)
Politico Pro: HELP Committee Recommends Brian Christine For Top HHS Post
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Thursday voted to recommend Dr. Brian Christine for confirmation as HHS assistant secretary for health, a top job at the agency. At HHS, Christine would advise Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as well as the uniformed public-health service, a group of more than 6,000 doctors, nurses and health professionals overseen by the surgeon general that work inside government agencies. (Levien, 7/24)
MedPage Today: FDA 'Expert Panels' Raise Concerns Of Evading Regulations, Ethics
Bypassing its standard pathways for scientific discussions, FDA has recently held a slew of so-called "expert panels" that sidestep legal procedures and ethics guardrails, raising concern about cherry-picking of experts and evidence. The panels appear to be a new feature of Trump administration officials, and have no parallel in agency programs from years past, sources said. They're usually moderated by FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, MD, MPH, and FDA principal deputy commissioner Sara Brenner, MD, MPH. (Robertson, 7/24)
Bloomberg: USDA To Slash Washington DC-Area Jobs By More Than 50%
The US Department of Agriculture will cut Washington, DC, area jobs by more than 50% and relocate employees to offices across the country in a bid to cut costs. The agency said it expects no more than 2,000 employees in the Washington, DC, area as a result of the agency’s restructuring, down from 4,600 currently, according to a statement on Thursday. (Peng and Hirtzer, 7/24)
The Washington Post: U.S. Nuclear And Health Agencies Hit In Microsoft SharePoint Breach
The National Institutes of Health and the federal agency responsible for securing the nation’s nuclear weapons were among the victims in a global breach of Microsoft server software over the weekend, according to officials at the agencies. The incident at NIH, which has not been previously reported, involved at least one Microsoft SharePoint server system, said Andrew Nixon, a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, and its scope and severity are being investigated. (Nakashima, Menn and Johnson, 7/23)
PRESCRIPTION DRUG COSTS
Bloomberg: Roche May Sell Drugs Directly In US To Bypass Middlemen
Roche Holding AG is weighing direct-to-patient drug sales in the US, bypassing the middleman for its pricey medicines for multiple sclerosis, eye disease and cancer. The Swiss drugmaker has discussed direct-to-patient sales with the US government, Chief Executive Officer Thomas Schinecker said on Thursday as the company reported earnings. The move would bring down costs “quite quickly,” he said. (Kresge, 7/24)
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
Axios: Trump Admin To Burn Nearly $10 Million In Contraceptives For Poorer Nations
The Trump administration plans to incinerate $9.7 million worth of contraceptives intended for poor nations, after declining offers from the United Nations and reproductive organizations to buy or ship the supplies instead, the State Department confirmed to Axios on Thursday. (Walker, 7/24)
San Francisco Chronicle: Planned Parenthood Closes 5 California Clinics, Citing GOP Budget Bill
President Donald Trump’s budget cuts to Medicaid have forced Planned Parenthood Mar Monte to shutter five clinics across Northern California and the Central Coast, including one in South San Francisco, the group said Thursday. The GOP-led federal spending bill that Trump signed into law earlier this month eliminated federal Medicaid funding for any type of medical care to organizations that perform abortions. (DiNatale and Garofoli, 7/24)
The 19th: Telehealth Abortion Access Could Be Challenged Nationwide In Texas Lawsuit
A new lawsuit filed in Texas could force federal courts to weigh in on the legality of telehealth abortions, which people have increasingly used to terminate their pregnancies since Roe v. Wade was overturned. (Luthra, 7/24)
AP: Most US Adults Still Support Legal Abortion, AP-NORC Poll Finds
Three years after the Supreme Court opened the door to state abortion bans, most U.S. adults say abortion should be legal — views that look similar to before the landmark ruling. The new findings from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll show that about two-thirds of U.S. adults think abortion should be legal in all or most cases. About half believe abortion should be available in their state if someone does not want to be pregnant for any reason. (Mulvihill and Thomson-Deveaux, 7/24)
New Hampshire Public Radio: NH Is The First State To Require Doctors To Follow Patients' Wishes On Sterilization
New Hampshire is the first state to legally require doctors and medical staff to follow a patient's desires to seek sterilization, especially if it’s the result of a medically necessary operation. The new law, signed by Gov. Kelly Ayotte earlier this month, specifically addresses people with medical conditions who want to get sterilized for their reproductive health. (Richardson, 7/24)
Newsweek: Simple Home Test For Endometriosis Developed
Diagnosing endometriosis could soon be much easier thanks to a new at home-test that can detect a biomarker for the disease in period blood. The pregnancy-like test created by researchers at the Pennsylvania State University offers up a diagnosis with high sensitivity in just 10 minutes. (Millington, 7/24)
CNN: Black Box Warning On Menopause Hormone Therapies Should Be Removed, Experts Say
All menopause treatments containing the hormone estrogen are mandated by the US Food and Drug Administration to carry a black box warning on the label, stating that the treatments could increase the risk of strokes, blood clots, dementia and breast cancer. Now, that advisory may be going away. Last week, a panel of experts convened by the FDA urged the federal agency to remove the cautionary language on at least some forms of hormone therapy. (Hetter, 7/24)
GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE
The CT Mirror: Yale New Haven Health To Cut Youth Gender-Affirming Care Services
Yale New Haven Health will no longer provide medication treatment as part of its gender-affirming care services for patients 19 and under, a spokesperson confirmed Thursday morning. The announcement comes one day after Connecticut Children’s Medical Center publicly announced that it would be “winding down” its gender-affirming care program for children. The two facilities were the most prominent providers of youth gender-affirming care in the state. (Golvala, 7/24)
MEDICARE AND MEDICAID
Fierce Healthcare: UnitedHealth Confirms Federal Investigation Into MA Practices
UnitedHealth Group formally acknowledged an ongoing federal investigation into its Medicare Advantage practices for the first time Thursday in a new securities filing. In the Securities and Exchange Commission document, UHG said it reached out "proactively" to the Department of Justice (DOJ) following media reports that the investigation was underway. The healthcare giant said it has "now begun complying with formal criminal and civil requests from the Department." (Minemyer, 7/24)
Modern Healthcare: Molina Healthcare To Seek Mergers, Acquisitions To Boost Finances
Molina Healthcare plans to pursue mergers and acquisitions to offset rising claims and medical costs. The insurer, whose core businesses are Medicaid, Medicare and the insurance exchanges, again cut its 2025 financial guidance Thursday as it reported second-quarter earnings. (DeSilva, 7/24)
Stat: CMS Is Testing Prior Authorization In Traditional Medicare
For both patients and clinicians, one of the advantages of traditional Medicare is that it almost entirely lacks the onerous preauthorization reviews that plague the program’s privately administered Medicare Advantage option. But under a new demonstration program recently announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, that’s about to change. Preauthorization is about to enter the lives of seniors who have chosen traditional Medicare over Medicare Advantage (MA). (Berwick and Ducas, 7/25)
Modern Healthcare: PACE Expansions Need Regulatory Changes, Execs Say
Executives said high start-up costs combined with complex federal and state requirements make it harder for them to grow a state and federal program aimed at keeping older adults out of nursing homes. Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly offer in-home and center-based care to mostly dual-eligible Medicare and Medicaid enrollees who qualify for skilled nursing facilities, but can remain in their homes. There are approximately 180 PACE programs across 33 states with more than 100 providers interested in starting new programs over the next five years, the National PACE Association said. (Eastabrook, 7/24)
HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY
San Francisco Chronicle: Feds Reject Laguna Honda's Bid To Restore 120 Nursing Home Beds
San Francisco’s largest skilled nursing home, Laguna Honda, will not be able to reinstate 120 beds — which would have improved capacity for such care in the rapidly aging city — after federal regulators this month denied the hospital’s attempt to gain approval for the expansion. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) turned down Laguna Honda’s request to reinstate the beds, citing federal regulations that require nursing facilities certified after 2016 to limit residents to two per room. Reinstating the 120 beds would have meant Laguna Honda would have three residents in some of its rooms. (Ho, 7/24)
The Baltimore Sun: Saint Agnes Nurses Strike Over Working Conditions
A chorus of honking cars during Thursday’s morning rush hour on Caton Avenue signaled support for registered nurses at Baltimore’s Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital, who staged a one-day strike to protest staffing shortages, concerns over patient safety and stalled contract negotiations. (Karpovich, 7/24)
The 19th: The Number Of Family Caregivers Is Surging, New AARP Report Shows
A growing number of Americans — more than 63 million, or nearly 1 in 4 — have served as a family caregiver for a loved one in the past year. The figure is a jump of 20 million Americans compared to a decade ago, according to findings released Thursday by AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC). (Rodriguez, 7/24)
NBC News: After Cleveland Clinic Expanded To Florida, Patients Say Surprise Fees Followed
When the Cleveland Clinic started acquiring hospitals and medical offices in this palm tree-lined region six years ago, many Floridians were excited. The Ohio nonprofit, ranked among the top hospitals in the world, pledged to bring expert care and an infusion of cash to the state’s Treasure Coast, an area north of Boca Raton brimming with 55-and-up gated communities. But in the years after the Cleveland Clinic’s blue and green signs popped up outside dozens of medical offices, patients began receiving unexpected bills. (Chuck and Amorebieta, 7/24)
NBC News: Did Your Doctor's Office Charge You A 'Facility Fee'? Here's What To Know.
In Minnesota, a family received an unexpected charge of over $400 after they took their daughter to the doctor for stomach pain. In Ohio, a man was billed $645 extra for an ear, nose and throat specialist. In New Hampshire, a resident was charged an additional $1,000 fee for an appointment with a urologist. Across the country, patients are expressing frustration about “facility fees” — charges that a wide range of hospital systems add to bills for appointments at facilities they own, including doctors’ offices offering routine care. (Chuck and Amorebieta, 7/24)
Fierce Healthcare: Doximity Rolls Out No-Cost AI Scribe Tool For Doctors
Ambient AI medical scribes have become a crowded market, with numerous players jostling for market share. Health tech company Doximity has now jumped in to go head-to-head with AI startups. (Landi, 7/24)
Modern Healthcare: The FDA Clearances For Medical Devices You Need To Know This Week
The Food and Drug Administration has cleared a variety of medical devices in the past week for clinical use, including products from Stryker and Zimmer Biomet and two radiology imaging scanners from Asia-based companies. The devices received 510(k) clearance, which means they are similar to other devices on the market and are considered safe to use. (Dubinsky, 7/24)
Stat: NIH, FDA Plan To Reduce Animal Testing Draws Mixed Reactions Among Scientists
As the Trump administration looks to reshape biomedicine, it is taking aim at one of the most universal ways scientists study disease and determine whether drugs are safe and may work in people: animal research. (Russo and Wosen, 7/25)
OUTBREAKS AND HEALTH THREATS
CIDRAP: Minnesota Officials Note Rise In Tularemia Cases In Humans And Pets
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) today announced that they are tracking a rise in tularemia cases in humans and in companion animals, especially in Twin Cities residents and in cats. Tularemia is caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis, which can be found in wildlife, particularly rabbits, squirrels, beavers, muskrats and other rodents, MDH said. (Soucheray, 7/24)
Los Angeles Times: Traveler With Measles Landed At LAX, Stayed At Nearby Hilton
An out-of-country traveler who passed through Los Angeles International Airport this month and stayed in a local hotel was confirmed to have measles, health officials announced Thursday. L.A. County Department of Public Health officials are investigating two sites in Los Angeles the man visited while infectious, according to a news release. Public spaces where others may have been exposed to the infection are LAX and the Hilton Los Angeles Airport, at 5711 W. Century Blvd. (Buchanan, 7/24)
San Francisco Chronicle: As School Starts, Bay Area Officials Sound Alarm On Child Vaccinations
With the school year fast approaching and the United States grappling with its worst measles outbreak in more than three decades, Bay Area public health officials urged families on Thursday to make childhood vaccinations a top priority. Their warning comes amid a surge of vaccine misinformation and a troubling decline in immunization coverage. (Vaziri, 7/24)
CIDRAP: SARS-CoV-2 Detections In Wastewater Accurately Predict Illnesses Within 1 Week, Study Finds
A new study from the University of Minnesota found that SARS-CoV-2 levels in wastewater accurately predicted the subsequent COVID-19 case count the following week in the community, adding further evidence to the usefulness of wastewater detection. The observational study was published today in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. The authors said the study was conducted to assess the usefulness of wastewater detections for COVID-19 now that widespread community immunity has been obtained through infection and vaccination. (Soucheray, 7/24)
CIDRAP: Ferret Study Suggests Seasonal Flu Immunity May Protect Against Severe H5N1 Infection
Although the number of human infections with H5N1 avian flu rose last year, along with outbreaks in dairy cows and poultry, the illnesses were mostly mild, raising the possibility that immunity from seasonal flu virus infection might play a role. Now, new evidence from ferret experiments suggests that earlier exposure to the 2009 H1N1 seasonal flu virus may provide some immunity. (Schnirring, 7/24)
SCIENCE AND INNOVATIONS
ABC News: 1st Pill For Obstructive Sleep Apnea Could Be Around The Corner
The first oral pill for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) could be around the corner after pharmaceutical company Apnimed Inc. reported positive results from its stage III clinical trial. Currently, many people diagnosed with OSA patients require a machine that covers their nose or both the nose and mouth during sleep and delivers air through a mask to help keep their airways open. (Kekatos, 7/24)
Fox News: Potential Alzheimer's Treatment Discovered In Two Common Cancer Drugs
Two cancer drugs could potentially slow or even reverse the effects of Alzheimer’s disease, a new study suggests. Researchers at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) explored how the common dementia changes gene expression (which genes are turned on or off) in certain brain cells, according to a press release from the university. (Rudy, 7/24)
Newsweek: Treatments From Llama Brains Can Help People With Schizophrenia
Antibodies from llamas could be used to create a new generation of schizophrenia treatments that can effectively target the brain, rather than just reducing symptoms. This is the promise of a study led by scientists at the Institute of Functional Genomics in Montpellier, France, who have designed a new "nanobody", made from llama antibody fragments, that can activate a receptor involved in regulating neural activity. (Millington, 7/24)
