First Edition: Thursday, April 17, 2025

KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES

KFF Health News: RFK Jr. Struggles To Navigate Frustrated Supporters And A Demanding Boss
After the Senate voted to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health and Human Services secretary, supporters of his “Make America Healthy Again” movement cheered at having a champion in the federal government. Now the grumbling has begun. Some of Kennedy’s allies say he’s become almost inaccessible since his confirmation and complain that he’s made glacial progress advancing MAHA goals, such as halting mRNA-based covid shots and removing fluoride from drinking water. (Armour, 4/17)

KFF Health News: Beyond Ivy League, RFK Jr.’s NIH Slashed Science Funding Across States That Backed Trump
The National Institutes of Health’s sweeping cuts of grants that fund scientific research are inflicting pain almost universally across the U.S., including in most states that backed President Donald Trump in the 2024 election. A KFF Health News analysis underscores that the terminations are sparing no part of the country, politically or geographically. About 40% of organizations whose grants the NIH cut in its first month of slashing, which started Feb. 28, are in states Trump won in November. (Bichell and Pradhan, 4/17)

RESTRUCTURING OF HHS

The Washington Post: Internal Budget Document Reveals Extent Of Trump Health Program Cuts
The Trump administration is seeking to deeply slash budgets for federal health programs, a roughly one-third cut in discretionary spending by the Department of Health and Human Services, according to a preliminary budget document obtained by The Washington Post. The HHS budget draft, known as a “passback,” offers the first full look at the health and social service priorities of President Donald Trump’s Office of Management and Budget as it prepares to send his 2026 fiscal year budget request to Congress. (Sun, Johnson, Roubein, Achenbach and Weber, 4/16)

The Washington Post: NIH Science Board Purge Hits Women And Minorities Hardest, Review Shows
Thirty-eight of 43 experts cut last month from the boards that review the science and research that happens in laboratories at the National Institutes of Health are female, Black or Hispanic, according to an analysis by the chairs of a dozen of the boards. The scientists, with expertise in fields that include mental health, cancer and infectious disease, typically serve five-year terms and were not given a reason for their dismissal. About a fifth of the roughly 200 board members — who provide an independent, expert layer of review for the vast research enterprise within the NIH — were fired. (Johnson, 4/16)

CBS News: RFK Jr. Aides Accused Of Censoring NIH's Top Ultra-Processed Food Scientist
The National Institutes of Health's top researcher on ultra-processed foods announced Wednesday he was stepping down from the agency, accusing top aides to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of censorship. "Unfortunately, recent events have made me question whether NIH continues to be a place where I can freely conduct unbiased science," the researcher, Dr. Kevin Hall, wrote in a post on social media Wednesday. (Tin, 4/16)

Bloomberg: DOGE Places Entire Staff Of Federal Homelessness Agency On Leave
The entire staff of the White House agency tasked with coordinating the federal government’s efforts to combat homelessness was placed on leave on April 15. All 13 employees of the US Interagency Council on Homelessness, or USICH, received notice from the agency’s acting director on Tuesday informing them that they were being put on administrative leave, starting immediately, according to three people familiar with the matter. (Capps, 4/16)

Stat: After FDA Layoff, Veteran With PTSD Faces Loss Of American Dream 
In the months before she lost her job at the Food and Drug Administration, Karen Hollitt’s mom and boyfriend kept telling her not to worry. She’d be fine, they said; she was a veteran. She knew better. (Boodman, 4/17)

FUNDING FREEZE AND DEI

The Hill: Harvard Medical Professor Says Federal Funding Cuts ‘Will Cost Lives’
David Walt, a Harvard University medial professor, argued the Trump administration’s cut to the university’s funding is going to “cost lives.” Walt, a laureate professor working on early diagnosis of ALS, joined CNN Wednesday as the legal battle between Harvard and the Trump administration continues and more than $2.2 billion in funding was cut from the school. (Irwin, 4/16)

Politico: Harvard.Edu Gets A Makeover
Amid its battle with the Trump administration over federal funding, Harvard is making a direct case to the public about why its research matters. The school revamped its homepage to read “Research Powers Progress” and now features a video testimonial from scientists working on a gene therapy treatment for sickle cell disease and interviews with researchers developing an artificial intelligence tracking tool for autism and robotic devices for stroke survivors. (Schumaker, 4/16)

MORE FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

The Washington Post: ICE, DOGE Ask To Use Sensitive Medicare Data To Find Where Immigrants Live
Trump immigration officials and the U.S. DOGE Service are seeking to use a sensitive Medicare database as part of their crackdown on undocumented immigrants, according to a person familiar with the matter and records obtained by The Washington Post. The database, which is managed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and includes reams of health and personal information, contains addresses sought by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, according to the person and documents reviewed by The Post. (Natanson, Roubein and Diamond, 4/16)

Bloomberg: Abbott Laboratories To Expand US Manufacturing As Trump Tariffs Loom
Abbott Laboratories will make new investments in US manufacturing, with the impact of tariffs on medical devices and diagnostics looming over the industry. It expects to spend $500 million on two facilities, located in Illinois and Texas, Abbott said in a statement Wednesday. The investments are to expand existing plants and boost US research and development for Abbott’s transfusion business, which is responsible for screening the US blood supply. (Muller, 4/16)

MedPage Today: Is Trump Getting Guideline-Recommended Care For Cardiac Risk?
After findings from President Trump's annual physical exam were released last week, observers were struck by the persistent aspirin use recorded in the doctor's report. Trump, 78, has no apparent history of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and had normal results on ECG and echocardiogram. He had well-controlled hypercholesterolemia, supported by current use of rosuvastatin and ezetimibe (Zetia). One line stood out, however: Trump's ongoing use of aspirin for "cardiac prevention." (Lou, 4/16)

Stat: Supreme Court To Hear Challenge To ACA Rule Requiring Free Preventative Care, Cancer Screenings
For a decade and a half, Americans have been guaranteed that no matter their health insurer, certain preventive care like cancer screenings are free of charge. That’s because an Affordable Care Act provision has required insurers to fully cover services given an A or B recommendation by an expert task force. (Chen, 4/17)

AUTISM

Stat: Prominent Autism Researchers, Groups In Dark About RFK Jr.'s Study
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says the country will soon know what is causing a rise in autism rates, but there is little sign he has a team in place yet. Nearly two dozen prominent voices from mainstream autism research and in the anti-vaccine world said they have not been approached by Kennedy, and have no details about the proposed studies. (Cueto, 4/16)

VACCINES

Stat: Vaccine Advisory Panel To CDC Recommends Expanded RSV Use
A committee of independent vaccine experts voted Wednesday to recommend lowering the age at which adults can get a vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus, potentially opening up access to these vaccines for adults in their 50s who are at high risk of severe illness from RSV. (Branswell, 4/16)

CIDRAP: Novavax Says Its COVID Vaccine Produces Fewer, Milder Reactions Than Pfizer Version
Yesterday, Novavax presented early data from a real-world study suggesting that its 2024-25 protein-based COVID-19 vaccine targeting the JN.1 SARS-CoV-2 strain causes fewer and less-severe short-term side effects than the Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. The Study of Healthcare Workers and First Responders Investigating Effects of Systemic and Local reactogenicity of COVID-19 Vaccine Doses in Utah (SHIELD-Utah) was conducted from September to December 2024 with University of Utah Health (UUH). (Van Beusekom, 4/16)

The Washington Post: CDC Scientist Says Funding Cuts Hurt Texas Measles Response
A senior scientist overseeing the measles response by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a recent pullback of pandemic funding from states has hurt Texas’s response to its growing outbreak, now linked to 90 percent of cases in the United States. “There are quite a number of resource requests coming in, in particular from Texas,” David Sugerman, a senior CDC scientist, said during a meeting of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel. (Sun, 4/16)

The Hill: CDC ‘Scraping’ To Find Resources To Help States Respond To Growing Measles Outbreaks
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is struggling to keep up with requests for help from states responding to ongoing measles outbreaks, even as a large number of cases are not being reported, a senior agency scientist said Tuesday. More than 700 measles infections have been reported nationwide, making 2025 the second-worst year on record in decades. There are 561 confirmed cases in Texas alone since late January, according to the most recent statistics. (Weixel, 4/16)

HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY

Fierce Healthcare: Finicky Investment Markets Threaten Nonprofit Hospital Liquidity, Financial Security
Nonprofit hospitals' investment returns—a key lifeline for balance sheets during times of hardship—are at risk amid recent weeks’ tariff-fueled market volatility, bringing likely repercussions to organizations’ liquidity, debt leverage and ability to survive the coming months' potential operating challenges. The healthcare industry and other adjacent sectors have kept a close eye on President Donald Trump’s shifting tariff policy and the responses from other nations. The pharmaceutical supply chain has been a particular concern, as the products and their components were initially exempted from the highest rates even as officials signal more targeted tariffs to come. (Muoio, 4/16)

Modern Healthcare: Humana Medicare Advantage Star Ratings Appeal Denied
Humana's plea for a boost to its Medicare Advantage star ratings has been rejected, the company disclosed Tuesday. The health insurer asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for an administrative appeal of the agency's calculation of its quality ratings for 2025, which plunged more than other leading carriers since the prior year. The agency declined last week, although the decision is subject to review by CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz until April 28, Humana wrote in a legal filing. (Tepper, 4/16)

Modern Healthcare: Permanente Medical Group, Northwest Permanente Form Affiliation
The Permanente Medical Group and Northwest Permanente said Wednesday they have formed an affiliation. The medical groups will remain separate, but will collaborate clinically and share innovations as part of the agreement. The groups will work together on telehealth, population health and workforce wellness, in addition to pursuing more subspecialty partnerships and scaling IT initiatives, a spokesperson said. (Hudson, 4/16)

Crain's Detroit Business: Michigan Medicine Faces Lawsuit Over Gender Pay Gap
Michigan Medicine and some of its top executives face a discrimination lawsuit over an alleged gender wage gap between physician assistants. The class action suit, filed Tuesday in Washtenaw County Court, alleges female physician assistants at the health system are paid an average of $9,000 less each year than their male counterparts. (Walsh, 4/16)

Modern Healthcare: Remote Patient Monitoring Most Effective Short Term: Peterson
Remote patient monitoring tools can be effective when used in shorter stints, but do not provide a meaningful return on investment for all conditions, according to a new report. The report published Wednesday from the nonprofit Peterson Center on Healthcare found remote patient monitoring programs had mixed results based on the conditions being monitored and the time patients spent in the programs. (Turner, 4/16)

PHARMA AND TECH

The New York Times: Patients Cut Off From Cheaper Obesity Drugs As FDA Halts Sales Of Copycats 
Hundreds of thousands of Americans stand to soon lose their access to cheaper weight-loss drugs, with a federal crackdown on copycat versions threatening to disrupt treatment and raise costs. The Food and Drug Administration has ordered producers and sellers of the less expensive products to wind down operations in the coming weeks now that it has declared there are no longer shortages of the blockbuster drugs Wegovy and Zepbound. (Robbins and Blum, 4/16)

Stat: Device Maker That Helped UnitedHealth Collect Billions Offers To Settle Fraud Claims With DOJ
Semler Scientific has offered to pay the Department of Justice nearly $30 million to settle federal health care fraud claims related to its peripheral artery disease test, QuantaFlo — a product used by UnitedHealth Group and other large insurers. (Lawrence, 4/16)

Stat: To Speed Adoption Of Breast Cancer AI, A Radiology Network Plots An Acquisition
RadNet, which runs nearly 400 radiology imaging centers in the United States, wants to put artificial intelligence into breast imaging. Over the last five years, the company has moved aggressively to expand its AI capabilities, deploying the technology for breast cancer screenings at its radiology practices. (Palmer, 4/17)

CIDRAP: Paring PPE To Just N95s In Pandemic Kept Hospital Staff Safe, Slashed Waste And Costs, Study Finds
Limiting the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to only N95 respirators late in the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore healthcare facilities kept staff safe, reduced plastic waste and carbon emissions, and lowered related costs, a JAMA Network Open study concludes. (Van Beusekom, 4/16)

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

Newsweek: Maternity Hospitals Fear A Medicaid Squeeze
Improved birth rates are a stated priority for President Donald Trump's administration—but proposed budget cuts could make it harder for many Americans to afford a safe, healthy pregnancy. Last week, House Republicans narrowly passed a budget resolution that calls for an $880 billion reduction to the Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) budget over 10 years. The proposed plan doesn't explicitly call for Medicaid cuts, but it would be impossible to achieve that level of savings without slimming down the program; Trump has promised not to touch Medicare but hasn't extended the same protections to Medicaid, which provided health care coverage to more than 72 million people as of October 2024. (Kayser, 4/16)

Newsweek: Inside The Texas Hospital Where Maternity Care Runs Like A Ballet
If you squint your eyes, you might be able to see how Guadalupe Regional Medical Center (GRMC) could look something like the Bolshoi Theatre. Ethereal light shining as the curtains open, a fluttering of bodies weaving in every which way—all of them wearing the same clothes, all of them knowing where to go. "It's just like watching a ballet," Chantel Ewald, who serves as the clinical director of GRMC's Birthing Center, told Newsweek. "Everybody orchestrating what they need to do to take care of the patient, to take care of the baby and to have a good outcome. (Fung, 4/16)

STATE WATCH

Stat: Arkansas Adopts First-In-The-Nation Law Forcing Companies To Choose Between Running A PBM Or Pharmacies 
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders has signed a first-in-the-nation law that prohibits pharmacy benefit managers from operating both retail and mail-order pharmacies, a move designed to eliminate a conflict of interest that has been blamed for boosting the price of medicines and forcing independent pharmacies to close. (Silverman, 4/16)

San Francisco Chronicle: S.F. Drug Overdose Death Average Is Up For Fourth Straight Month
Accidental drug overdose deaths in San Francisco rose for the fourth straight month after showing a promising decline last year, according to preliminary figures released Wednesday by the Office of the Medical Examiner. Sixty-five people fatally overdosed in March, bringing the monthly average to 64 over the past three months — up from 59 in February, 50 in January, 43 in December and 39 in November. That makes the most recent data roughly on par with the state of overdose deaths of about a year ago, before the decline that officials at the time deemed “remarkable” and “hopeful.” (Ho, 4/16)

CBS News: Emergency Dispatchers In San Francisco Given Wellness Room To Prioritize Mental Health
The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management launched a new wellness room for its dispatchers, just in time for National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. "Every second counts, so we have to make sure that we're ready to send the information in a split second," Cathy Osorio, a dispatcher with the City and County of San Francisco, told CBS News Bay (Nam, 4/16)

GLOBAL WATCH

Bloomberg: Climate Change Threatens World’s Supply Of Blood, Study Warns
Climate change and increasingly extreme weather are taking a toll on global supplies of blood, endangering the lives of people with life-threatening injuries and conditions, a new study has found. Extreme weather events and natural disasters such as bushfires and floods, fueled by rising global temperatures, are disrupting medical professionals in their efforts to collect, testing, transport and store blood, according to a study published in The Lancet Planetary Health this week. (Kan, 4/17)

AP: European Regulators OK Alzheimer's Treatment Leqembi After Initial Doubts
European regulators have finally approved the Alzheimer’s treatment Leqembi after an advisory committee initially rejected the drug last summer and then reconsidered it. The infused treatment from Japanese drugmaker Eisai and Biogen received approval for patients in early stages of the fatal, mind-robbing disease. The decision applies to all 27 members of the European Union plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, the drugmakers said late Tuesday. (Murphy, 4/16)