First Edition: Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026

KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES

KFF Health News: In Lodge Grass, Montana, A Crow Community Works To Rebuild From Meth’s Destruction
Brothers Lonny and Teyon Fritzler walked amid the tall grass and cottonwood trees surrounding their boarded-up childhood home near the Little Bighorn River and daydreamed about ways to rebuild. The rolling prairie outside the single-story clapboard home is where Lonny learned from their grandfather how to break horses. It’s where Teyon learned from their grandmother how to harvest buffalo berries. It’s also where they watched their father get addicted to meth. (Houghton, 1/8)

KFF Health News: Solving The Home Care Quandary
You’re ready to leave the hospital, but you don’t feel able to care for yourself at home yet. Or, you’ve completed a couple of weeks in rehab. Can you handle your complicated medication regimen, along with shopping and cooking? Perhaps you fell in the shower, and now your family wants you to arrange help with bathing and getting dressed. There are facilities that provide such help, of course, but most older people don’t want to go there. They want to stay at home; that’s the problem. (Span, 1/8)

'MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN'

The New York Times: RFK Jr. Overhauls Food Pyramid To Emphasize Red Meat And Dairy
In a striking reversal of past nutrition guidance, the Trump administration released new dietary guidelines on Wednesday that flip the food pyramid on its head, putting steak, cheese and whole milk near the top. ... After years of being advised to avoid eating too much red meat and foods high in fats, Americans are now being told to embrace them. The document, which is far shorter than previous versions, codifies some of Mr. Kennedy’s frequent talking points, like recommending that people cook with butter and beef tallow despite the fact that scientific evidence does not support doing so. (Callahan and Blum, 1/7)

Stat: Experts Behind New Dietary Guidelines Have Ties To Beef, Dairy Industries 
A group of researchers that formed the scientific basis of new dietary guidelines included people with financial ties to the beef and dairy industries, as well as food companies and other groups. (Cueto and Todd, 1/7)

The New York Times: New Dietary Guidelines Abandon Longstanding Advice On Alcohol
Ever since the federal government began issuing the Dietary Guidelines in 1980, it has told Americans to limit themselves to one or two standard alcoholic drinks a day. Over time, the official advice morphed to no more than two drinks a day for men, and no more than one for women. No longer. The updated guidelines issued on Wednesday say instead that people should consume less alcohol “for better overall health” and “limit alcohol beverages,” but they do not recommend clear limits. (Caryn Rabin, 1/7)

MedPage Today: How Medical Groups Reacted To The New Dietary Guidelines
Reaction has been mixed to the Trump administration's announcement Wednesday of new dietary guidelines that focus on increasing intake of whole foods and decreasing consumption of overly processed foods. (Frieden, 1/7)

ON CAPITOL HILL

AP: House Takes Step Toward Extending Health Insurance Subsidies 
Overpowering Speaker Mike Johnson, a bipartisan coalition in the House voted Wednesday to push forward a measure that would revive an enhanced pandemic-era subsidy that lowered health insurance costs for roughly 22 million people, but that had expired last month. The tally of 221-205 was a key test before passage of the bill, which is expected Thursday. And it came about because four GOP centrist lawmakers joined with Democrats in signing a so-called discharge petition to force the vote. (Freking and Mascaro, 1/7)

Axios: House ACA Vote Could Pressure Senate To Act On Obamacare Subsidies
The drama will be in the House on Thursday, when an extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies is expected to pass — but the action to watch is the bipartisan talks in the Senate to hammer out a compromise. (Sullivan, 1/8)

The New York Times: Steny Hoyer, Longest-Serving House Democrat, To Retire From Congress 
Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the longest-serving House Democrat who for decades was one of his party’s top leaders, will not seek re-election and plans to retire when his term ends in early 2027, according to a person familiar with his plans. A moderate in a party that has often been dominated by progressives, Mr. Hoyer’s legacy after nearly a half-century of service in Congress includes leading the charge in the House to enact the Americans with Disabilities Act and writing the Help America Vote Act, a measure to clean up federal elections that became law in 2002. (Karni, 1/7)

INFLUENZA

CBS News: RFK Jr. Says It May Be "Better" If Fewer Children Receive The Flu Vaccine
It may be a "better thing" if fewer children receive the flu vaccine, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told CBS News, after the Trump administration announced sweeping changes to childhood vaccine recommendations. This week, the Centers for Disease Control announced vaccines to fight respiratory syncytial virus, meningococcal disease, flu, and COVID are now recommended only for children at high risk of serious illness or after consultation between doctors and parents, as a part of the CDC's scaling back of key childhood vaccination recommendations. Until recently, the CDC recommended that everyone 6 months and older get the annual flu vaccine. (Watson, 1/7)

CIDRAP: Boston Reports First Pediatric Flu Deaths Since 2013 As Flu Illness Surges Across US
Two young children are dead from flu complications in Boston, city officials said yesterday, noting that these are the first pediatric flu deaths in the city since 2013. The two children were both under the age of 2 years; earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said nine pediatric influenza deaths had been recorded so far in the 2025-26 flu season as of January 5, before the two deaths in Boston were confirmed. (Soucheray, 1/7)

San Francisco Chronicle: Adolescent Dies In Flu-Related Case In San Mateo County
San Mateo County health officials said Wednesday that an adolescent died in a flu-related case in December. The child had not received this season’s flu shot, and it was unknown whether the person suffered from other health conditions, officials said in a statement. The child’s name and age were not released. Adolescence usually covers ages 10 to 19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Hernandez, 1/7)

Bloomberg: Flu Patients Struggle To Find Tamiflu As Virus Surges Across US
The antiviral treatment Tamiflu is in short supply in parts of the US, as patients and pharmacists battle one of the worst flu seasons in decades. A Walgreens store outside of Macon, Georgia, has experienced shortages for weeks – especially for the capsule version of the flu treatment. Normally, the pharmacy can receive supply overnight, but now it’s taking two to three days, according to one of the store’s pharmacists. (Nix, Edney and Swetlitz, 1/7)

MEDICAID AND SNAP

News Service of Florida: Judge Rules Against Florida In Medicaid Case 
A federal judge Tuesday ruled that Florida has violated the constitutional rights of people who were dropped from the Medicaid program because it sent notices to them that “border on the incomprehensible.” (Saunders, 1/7)

The Beacon: Safety-Net Clinics Warn Of Cuts From Kansas City Levy Plan 
A move to change how Kansas City distributes some of the $70 million raised annually through a city health levy has triggered alarm among safety-net clinics. (King, 1/6)

Modern Healthcare: How CMS' Medicare Advantage C-SNP Proposal May Shake Up Medicaid
A federal plan to align benefits for people with both Medicare and Medicaid could reorder competition among health insurance companies that do business with both programs. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is considering a requirement that health insurance companies selling Medicare Advantage Chronic Condition Special Needs Plans, or C-SNPs, also be Medicaid managed care contractors. (Tepper, 1/7)

The Nevada Independent: Nevada Preparing Waiver To Block Food Aid Recipients From Buying Sugary Drinks, Candy
The Nevada agency responsible for administering food stamps is planning to ask the federal government to prohibit recipients from using benefit dollars toward sugary and energy drinks and certain candies. During a legislative meeting Tuesday, officials with the Division of Social Services confirmed that they are planning on requesting a waiver that would go into effect in 2028. They said the state is also planning to ask the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to allow food stamp recipients to buy additional hot foods, such as rotisserie chicken. (Neugeboren, 1/7)

MORE ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

Bloomberg: Trump Expands US Climate Retreat With Exits From UN Bodies 
President Donald Trump extended the US retreat from global cooperation on climate action by signaling a withdrawal from flagship international organizations, including the main United Nations and scientific bodies focused on the issue. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change are among a total of 66 groups the US will exit, spanning multiple sectors. The climate moves are seen as likely to diminish the US role in addressing greenhouse gas emissions, and significantly limit the global influence of those entities. (Stringer and Dlouhy, 1/8)

The Washington Post: Advocates Sue Trump Officials For Answers On East Wing Asbestos Risks
Public health advocates sued the Trump administration Wednesday to compel officials to disclose whether their rapid demolition of the White House’s East Wing annex exposed workers or the public to hazardous building materials. The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, which filed Freedom of Information Act requests in November but says it has yet to receive any relevant documents, is demanding that the White House explain whether it undertook asbestos inspections, air monitoring, waste disposal safeguards and other legally required steps as part of its demolition project. (Diamond and George, 1/7)

Bloomberg: NASA Mulls Ending Space Mission Early After Medical Emergency
NASA is considering ending a mission on board the International Space Station early after an astronaut suffered a medical emergency. The US space agency said Wednesday it could curtail the Crew-11 mission in a rare move, which involve astronauts from the US, Japan and Russia, after postponing a Jan. 8 spacewalk in light of the emerging health concern. “Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority, and we are actively evaluating all options,” NASA said in a statement. (Lee, 1/8)

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Bloomberg: OpenAI Unveils ChatGPT Health To Review Test Results, Diets
OpenAI is introducing a new feature in ChatGPT that will allow users to analyze medical test results, prepare for doctors appointments and seek guidance on diets and workout routines — marking the company’s biggest push yet into the health care sector. ChatGPT Health, announced Wednesday, is intended to help provide useful health and fitness information but stop short of making formal diagnoses. The new feature can connect with peoples’ electronic medical records, wearable devices and wellness apps, such as Apple Health and MyFitnessPal, the company said. (Ghaffary, 1/7)

Modern Healthcare: Aidoc Names Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld As Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld, former president of the American Medical Association, has been named global chief medical officer of Aidoc. The startup offers artificial intelligence-enabled tools designed to support clinical decision making. Ehrenfeld will work with health systems looking to implement a comprehensive approach to AI-powered clinical technology, Aidoc said in a Wednesday news release. (DeSilva, 1/7)

The New York Times: Google And Character.AI To Settle Lawsuit Over Teenager’s Death 
Google and Character.AI, a maker of artificial intelligence companions, agreed to settle a lawsuit that had accused the companies of providing harmful chatbots that led a teenager to kill himself, according to a legal filing on Wednesday. The lawsuit had been filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in October 2024 by Megan L. Garcia, the mother of Sewell Setzer III. Sewell, 14, of Orlando, killed himself in February 2024 after texting and conversing with one of Character. AI’s chatbots. In his last conversation with the chatbot, it said to the teenager to “please come home to me as soon as possible.” (Rocha, 1/7)

AP: AI Health Tech At CES Makes Big Promises, Experts Wary
Health tech gadgets displayed at the annual CES trade show make a lot of promises. A smart scale promoted a healthier lifestyle by scanning your feet to track your heart health, and an egg-shaped hormone tracker uses AI to help you figure out the best time to conceive. Tech and health experts, however, question the accuracy of products like these and warn of data privacy issues — especially as the federal government eases up on regulation. (Hill, 1/8)

REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH

The Washington Post: Heritage Paper On Families Calls For ‘Marriage Bootcamp,’ More Babies
A report from the Heritage Foundation, titled “Saving America by Saving the Family,” urges President Donald Trump and lawmakers “to save and restore the American family” through massive tax credits for families with more children while capping alimony payments, enacting strict work requirements on social benefit programs, discouraging online dating, creating marriage “bootcamp” classes and more. (Tucker and Bogage, 1/8)

Stateline: Freestanding Birth Centers Are Closing As Maternity Care Gaps Grow
Dr. Heather Skanes opened Alabama’s first freestanding birth center in 2022 in her hometown of Birmingham. Skanes, an OBGYN, wanted to improve access to maternal health care in a state that’s long had one of the nation’s highest rates of maternal and infant mortality. (Vollers and Hassanein, 1/7)

HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY

The 19th: Children's Hospitals Face HHS Probe Over Gender-Affirming Care
Three children’s hospitals are under federal investigation for providing gender-affirming care to transgender youth, as the Trump administration continues to use all the levers it can to block such care. (Rummler, 1/7)

Becker's Hospital Review: Medical Groups Face Mounting Costs, Stagnant Revenue: 5 Things To Know
Operating expenses continue to exceed revenue for many system-affiliated medical groups, with average expense ratios over 100%, according to the “AMGA 2025 Medical Group Operations and Finance Survey.” The organization gathered data from 39 medical groups — 25 system-affiliated and 14 independent — encompassing more than 7,100 clinics and over 34,500 provider [full-time equivalents]. (Gooch, 1/7)

The Wall Street Journal: This Startup Wants To Bring Cancer Patients Care At Home
For cancer patients, traveling to receive drug infusions is often a regular part of treatment. Luminate Medical wants to bring infusions to them. The startup has raised $21 million in new venture financing from 8VC, Artis Ventures and others to deliver chemotherapy and other cancer-drug infusions in the home—a service that could ease burdens on patients, but one that isn’t typically offered today. (Gormley, 1/7)

The Baltimore Sun: Stop The Bleed Could Save Maryland Lives
Earlier application of basic bleeding control called Stop the Bleed could have saved up to 70 Maryland lives, according to a first-of-its-kind analysis published by the Journal of the American College of Surgeons in December. (Hille, 1/7)

WEIGHT LOSS DRUGS

STATE WATCH

CIDRAP: Utah Confirms 20 New Measles Infections As US Cases In 2025 Top 2,100
Officials have confirmed 20 more measles cases in Utah, raising the state total to 176, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released nationwide totals for 2025, noting 2,144 confirmed cases. Of the 176 infections in Utah, 129 (73%) are in the Southwest Utah health district, which has seen high measles activity alongside neighboring Mohave County, Arizona. (Soucheray, 1/7)

Chicago Tribune: Opioid Deaths In Chicago And Cook County Decline In 2025
Chicago and Cook County saw another steep decline in fatal opioid overdoses last year, records show, four years after a recent peak in such cases during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Charles, 1/7)

North Carolina Health News: North Carolina Expands Peer Support Mental Health Programs 
Thanos first stepped into the peer cafe across from the bus station in downtown Raleigh looking for his friend — and the promise of a free coffee. What keeps him coming back months later is a community of people and group sessions that have supported his substance use recovery. (Knopf, 1/8)  

Honolulu Civil Beat: Hawaii Reviving Task Force That Places Warning Signs At Dangerous Beaches To Prevent Drowning
About 800 people have drowned in the waters off Hawaii’s roughly 1,000-mile coastline in the last decade, with an increasing number of people frequenting remote stretches of coastline with little to warn them of risks. Yet the state has not called for a single new warning sign to be put up on a beach in more than 13 years. ... The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is planning to revive a task force charged with putting up warning signs at dangerous beaches. The group has not met since 2012. (Thompson, 1/7)

LIFESTYLE AND HEALTH

CNN: Common Food Preservatives Linked To Cancer And Type 2 Diabetes 
Common preservatives used to keep food safe and extend shelf life may be linked to a higher risk of several cancers and type 2 diabetes, according to two new studies from France. (LaMotte, 1/7)