Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
First Edition: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026
KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES
KFF Health News: Hospitals Have A Little-Known Tool To Prevent Medical Debt. Here’s How It Works
If you have medical debt, there’s a good chance you owe money to a hospital. One way patients can avoid medical debt is through hospital financial assistance, also known as charity care. Most of the nation’s hospitals offer free or discounted medical care to patients with very high medical debt or low incomes. Getting financial assistance, however, can be challenging. Many patients don’t know that hospitals offer financial help, surveys show, and complex application forms leave others stymied. (Evans, 10/1)
KFF Health News: Healthcare Is Scary. Channel Your Fears Into A Haiku
Something wicked this way comes, and it’s 5-7-5. Our annual Halloween haiku contest is back, and we’re once again summoning readers to turn the horrors of healthcare into three tiny lines of poetry. Surprise us with a verse about medical bills, insurance, hospitals, health policy, or whatever else keeps you up at night. Whether you’re inspired by a botched surgery, a ghastly charge, or insurance-induced existential dread, we want to read about it. Our newsroom’s panel of judges will choose their favorites, which we’ll share on our social channels. Winning haikus will be announced on Friday, Oct. 30. (10/1)
KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’
Arielle Zionts reads the week’s news: If you’re an older patient taking a long list of medications, consider reviewing them with a primary care provider to make sure they’re helping more than hurting. Plus, states are experimenting with Medicaid meal deliveries to cut costs and improve patients’ health. (10/1)
BOTCHED EXECUTION
The New York Times: Tennessee Death Row Inmate Christa Pike Still Alive After Attempts To Execute Her, Lawyers Say
Christa Pike, a Tennessee woman convicted of murder, survived two doses of lethal injection on Wednesday night before state officials suspended the execution and had her taken to a hospital for medical care, her lawyers said. It was the second botched execution in the state this year. It was not immediately clear what her medical condition was. ... “This event is the worst we’ve seen and unlike any other botched execution in the modern era,” said Robin Maher, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. “There is no precedent.” (Cochrane and Marimow, 10/1)
NPR: Tennessee’s Failed Execution Ignites A Medical Ethics Debate
In May, a group of healthcare workers spent about an hour trying to establish complete IV access so they could inject Tony Carruthers, an inmate at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, with a lethal dose of sedative. Maria DeLiberato, an attorney for Carruthers, was in the room. She said the workers stuck his arms and feet with needles, to no avail. A doctor then tried to insert a central line through his collarbone and shoulder. That didn't work, either. (Sweeney, 10/30)
MEDICAID
Bloomberg: Trump Budget Law Ends Medicaid Coverage For Refugees, Legal Immigrants
Refugees, asylum seekers and some other immigrants with legal status will lose Medicaid coverage Oct. 1, leaving few options for those left uninsured and squeezing payments to medical providers that care for them. Undocumented immigrants aren’t eligible for federal health programs. Under the Trump administration, the US is increasingly pulling benefits away from noncitizens in the country legally who have long qualified for help. (Silva, 9/30)
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
The Washington Post: Democrats Fail To Stop Trump From Canceling $810M In Funds Approved By Congress
Senate Democrats’ attempt to bar President Donald Trump from clawing back $810 million in funding approved by Congress was blocked by a Republican senator on Wednesday. Democratic Sens. Patty Murray (Washington) and Jeff Merkley (Oregon) sought to pass a bill that would have blocked the Trump administration from cutting congressionally approved funding for several programs, including those for immigrant services, climate change and civil rights for minority groups, among others. (Dillard, 9/30)
The Hill: White House Begins Mailing $500 ObamaCare 'Refund' Checks
The White House began mailing $500 refund checks Wednesday to just about 1 million Americans who the administration says were overcharged for their ObamaCare insurance. Treasury Department checks will begin going out to more than 950,000 Americans across 30 states that use healthcare.gov, the federal marketplace where people sign up for ObamaCare health insurance, according to an administration official. (Weixel, 9/30)
Stat: Trump’s Watered-Down Medicare Drug Pricing Rule Saves 96% Less Than Initial Proposal
The Trump administration published a final rule aimed at lowering Medicare prices for drugs administered in doctor offices. It applies to only four companies. (Wilkerson, 10/30)
Bloomberg: Trump’s Third Surgeon General Pick Advances To Full Senate Vote
President Donald Trump’s third pick to be the nation’s top doctor advanced out of the Senate health panel Wednesday in a party-line vote. Nicole Saphier, a radiologist, was nominated to be surgeon general in April after Trump’s first two picks — Casey Means, a wellness entrepreneur and Janette Nesheiwat, a former Fox News contributor — faced significant headwinds in the Senate. (Durkin, 9/30)
NPR: Trump Administration Reverses Stance On Integration Of People With Disabilities
For nearly 50 years, the federal government has said people with disabilities should live, work and learn in the most integrated setting possible rather than be segregated in institutions like nursing homes. The Trump administration just took its most concrete step yet to reverse that position. (Mehta, 10/1)
Stat: HHS Announces Efforts To Speed Clinical Trials With AI
The Department of Health and Human Services announced a set of new initiatives aimed at speeding up clinical trials by incorporating more artificial intelligence and computational models and moving away from sharply delineated trial phases. (Manto, 9/30)
MORE FROM CAPITOL HILL
The Washington Post: Bipartisan Bill Seeks To Ban Cellphones In Schools Nationwide
A new bipartisan effort could create a national ban on cellphones during the school day, the most sweeping attempt yet to keep screens out of classrooms. The bill, filed Wednesday by Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Arizona) and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), would send money to states that adopt policies barring students from using personal devices — including cellphones, smartwatches, tablets and similar technology — during the school day. (Lumpkin, 10/1)
The Washington Post: Senate Leaves Town Until After The Midterms As Final Bills Founder
Democrats block several pieces of legislation pushed by Republicans looking for victories ahead of Election Day. Republicans are confronting the once-unthinkable prospect that they could lose the Senate as polls show Democrats running competitively in states that President Donald Trump won by double-digit margins in 2024. (Meyer and Dillard, 9/30)
Stat: Senate Republicans Prep For Upheaval In Powerful Committee Posts
The upcoming midterm elections are setting the stage for unusually significant changes to key Senate committees that play an important role in health care. Both the finance and health committees could undergo major changes, though for different reasons. Of course, if Democrats take control of the Senate, they would get to run the committees, though the GOP membership changes could still influence the panels’ directions. (Wilkerson, 10/1)
OUTBREAKS AND HEALTH THREATS
San Francisco Chronicle: Mumps Outbreak At California College Grows, Booster Clinic Planned
A mumps outbreak at San Diego State University first reported two weeks ago has grown to 14 confirmed cases and one probable case, the university said Wednesday. The outbreak is contained within a single student athletic team, and one associated case, but neither the university nor San Diego County Public Health Services specified which team. (Ho, 9/30)
ABC News: As Dengue Continues To Rise In Florida, Some Are Worried About Underreporting Of Cases
As cases of dengue fever continue to rise in Florida, public health specialists are worried the true number of infections may be greater. For the week ending Sept. 19, at least 190 cases of locally acquired dengue have been confirmed in the state, an increase of 38 cases from the week before, according to data from the Florida Department of Health (DOH). Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, is reporting the highest number of cases at 170 followed by Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach, Pasco and Pinellas counties, DOH data shows. (Kekatos, 9/30)
CIDRAP: HHS Announces New Funding To Lower Risk Of Tick-Borne Diseases
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced $3 million in funding new research initiatives to combat tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease and alpha-gal syndrome. (Soucheray, 9/30)
TODAY.com: The CDC Tool To Find Vaccines Doesn’t Work, Even Though It’s Peak Flu Shot Season
Planning to get your flu shot or a COVID-19 booster, but aren’t sure where to get vaccinated? There are many online resources to guide you. But a widely used, free federal search tool to help people find the nearest location offering vaccines isn’t working, just ahead of respiratory virus season. Vaccines.gov, a website operated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department Health and Human Services, helps Americans locate and schedule nearby vaccines. (Kee, 9/30)
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
The New York Times: Women Can Now Assess Their Breast Cancer Risk With The Help Of A.I.
Starting Thursday, women across the United States will be able to find out their risk of developing breast cancer in the near future with the help of an A.I. tool that examines a single recent mammogram. Everlywell, a digital health company, announced it would now offer patients nationwide access to Clairity Breast, an A.I. tool approved by the Food and Drug Administration last year to predict a woman’s five-year risk of breast cancer based on imaging. The test, which was previously available only at select locations in Massachusetts and Colorado, will cost $249. It is not covered by insurance. (Rabin, 10/1)
AP: GOP-Led States Attack Blue State Laws Protecting Abortion Providers
Three Republican states went to the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday to challenge abortion “shield laws” protecting providers in three Democratic states, escalating the legal conflict over pills that account for a majority of abortions. The attorneys general of Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana contend that the laws in California, Massachusetts and New York undermine their abortion bans and their states’ sovereignty. Federal regulations allow prescriptions for abortion pills to be made by telehealth and filled by mail, and the three GOP states want to keep the pills out and punish out-of-state providers for sending them. (Mulvihill and Hanna, 10/1)
Newsweek: Midwife Patients Struggle With Postpartum Mental Health: Survey
Women who use a midwife to give birth instead of a traditional OBGYN are more likely to experience mental health issues after having a baby, according to a new survey, but the care they receive afterward may be better than that of OB patients. About 20 percent of women who give birth in the United States experience a postpartum mental health issue. Women largely report having a lack of resources to help deal with postpartum problems, and surveys show that both men and women have a lack of understanding about the symptoms of postpartum mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. (Fink, 9/30)
CIDRAP: Maternal Depression Tied To Higher Risk Of Special Educational Needs In Kids
Children whose mothers had depression during pregnancy are at higher risk of having special educational needs that can’t be attributed solely to antidepressant exposure, according to a study led by researchers from the University of Glasgow and published yesterday in PLOS Medicine. (Bergeson, 9/30)
HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY
Modern Healthcare: Medicare Advantage Insurer Exits Pile Up For 2027
The Medicare Advantage company exits are piling up. At least 11 health insurance companies that sold individual Medicare Advantage plans this year are abandoning the program for 2027 amid cost and regulatory challenges, company and federal data reveal. That compares to seven carriers that quit Medicare Advantage in 2026. Almost all of the insurers that are leaving individual Medicare Advantage are owned by health systems. Some continue to participate in the higher-margin Special Needs Plan, or SNP, market. (Tepper and Broderick, 9/30)
Modern Healthcare: No Surprises Act Lawsuits Grow Over IDR Arbitration Awards
The backlog of No Surprises Act billing disputes has relocated to the courts. Air ambulance operator PHI Health last month sued Elevance Health subsidiaries and employers in several federal district courts for failing to pay approximately $30 million in binding awards after losing in the No Surprises Act’s Independent Dispute Resolution process. Insurers such as Cigna Group, UnitedHealth Group and various Blue Cross and Blue Shield carriers are confronting similar complaints. (Tong, 9/30)
Stat: Investor Lawsuit Against UnitedHealth Moves Forward
An investor lawsuit against UnitedHealth Group will move forward after a federal judge on Wednesday declined the company’s motion to dismiss allegations that it juiced its earnings to the tune of $3.3 billion in 2024 to conceal weakness in its Medicare Advantage business. (Bannow, 9/30)
The Baltimore Sun: CareFirst Names Faith Groups In $66M Racketeering Suit
CareFirst of Maryland has named several Jewish leaders, institutions and property owners as defendants in its $66 million racketeering lawsuit against two brothers, expanding its allegations of a conspiracy the insurer described as one “of breathtaking scale and audacity.” (Parker, 9/30)
Modern Healthcare: UPMC Acquires Trinity Health System From CommonSpirit
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center will acquire Ohio-based Trinity Health System from CommonSpirit Health Oct. 1. The deal involves four Ohio hospitals: Trinity West and Trinity East in Steubenville; Trinity Twin City Medical Center in Dennison; and Trinity St. Clairsville Neighborhood Hospital in St. Clairsville, in addition to associated clinics and care sites, according to a Wednesday news release. (Hudson, 9/30)
Modern Healthcare: Ambulatory Surgery Centers Post High Profits: JAMA Report
Providers are pouring billions of dollars into ambulatory surgery centers, and data from a recent report published in JAMA suggests the investments are paying off. Surgery centers in Pennsylvania reported “remarkably high profitability,” with roughly a quarter of nonprofit and for-profit facilities reporting margins above 51% and 29%, respectively, according to researchers at Texas Christian and Johns Hopkins universities and the Health and Human Services Department. (Hudson, 9/30)
The New York Times: Medical Records Firm Uses AI Tool To Expose Flaws That Threaten Patient Privacy
Epic Systems, the nation’s largest medical records vendor that is relied on by thousands of hospitals and doctors’ offices, is using artificial intelligence tools to patch security risks that could give hackers undetectable access to patient health data, company officials said. The unusual nature of the vulnerability and the urgency to fix it prompted Epic to slow down development of some product lines while it sent engineers into a sprint to patch security holes. (Rowland, 9/30)
MedPage Today: These Specialties Had The Highest Starting Salaries This Year
Most physician specialties had an increase in average starting salary from last year, according to AMN Healthcare's 2026 report on recruiting incentives. Gastroenterology had the highest average starting salary this year at $654,000, which is a significant 18.5% bump from last year's $552,000. (Robertson, 9/30)
PHARMA AND TECH
Stat: Sanofi, Regeneron Expand Collaboration After Dupixent Success
Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, the duo behind the hugely successful drug Dupixent, are re-upping their partnership, with the companies announcing Thursday an expanded collaboration on a new series of antibodies for immunological diseases. (Joseph, 10/1)
The New York Times: Clues To Why A Breakthrough Pancreatic Cancer Drug Eventually Stops Working
Last week, the former senator from Nebraska Ben Sasse announced that his Stage 4 pancreatic cancer had developed resistance to a cutting edge treatment. Cancer specialists were not surprised: Nearly every pancreatic cancer patient taking that drug, called daraxonrasib, eventually develops resistance, said Dr. Andrew Aguirre, a pancreatic cancer specialist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. The drug, which was approved in August, electrified patients and doctors by doubling the median survival time of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. And yet like other targeted cancer drugs, it is not a cure: Even for patients in which the treatment is effective, it can suddenly stop working after about seven months. (Kolata, 9/30)
HealthDay: Odds Of Losing Your Nails Rise With GLP-1 Use
You're up to four times more prone to losing a nail after you start a GLP-1 medicine than before, a new study suggests. Risk for nail discoloration also rises when taking GLP-1s, according to a French study. The findings were presented Wednesday in Vienna at the annual meeting of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. (Mundell, 10/1)
HealthDay: Two Charged In Scheme To Sell Counterfeit Ozempic — How You Can Spot Fake Meds
Federal prosecutors have charged two people in an alleged scheme to bring fake versions of the type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic from China and sell them to U.S. distributors. Swapnadip Roy, 33, and Vicky Ramancha, 37, are both Indian citizens. They face federal conspiracy and smuggling charges, the U.S. Department of Justice and federal prosecutors in Florida announced Tuesday. (Vohnoutka, 9/30)
STATE WATCH
Iowa Public Radio: Local Health Officials Worry Funding Cuts Could Affect Services As Iowa HHS Shifts To Regionalized Oversight Model
Iowa Health and Human Services (HHS) announced plans to transition the state’s public health system into a regional model by 2028. The move will shift the oversight of funds for each county to a lead entity in each region. The plan is meant to improve coordination across counties and create more consistent services across the state. Iowa HHS said it wants Iowans to be able to access essential services easily, regardless of where they live. (Curran, 9/30)
Iowa Public Radio: Researchers Share Initial Findings On Iowa’s High Cancer Rates
More than 75% of excess cancer cases for the top five cancers in Iowa can be explained by certain demographic and behavioral factors, according to the most recent finding from a state-funded report that seeks to better understand the state's high cancer rates. (Krebs, 9/30)
New Hampshire Public Radio: Federal Housing Aid Stalls For Low-Income, HIV-Positive Granite Staters
Housing for low-income Granite Staters with HIV and AIDS is at risk after funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development expired Wednesday with no explanation from the government. (Harris, 9/30)
NC Local: Parental Leave Increases For Public NC Workers
The Public Workforce Modernization Act, which goes into effect Oct. 1, is the largest overhaul of North Carolina’s state human resources system in more than 60 years, according to the North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (OSHR). (Hinchcliffe, 10/1)
The New York Times: When Data Centers Cluster Together, How Dirty Are They? One County Wants Answers.
An unusual study aims to estimate the pollution and health costs from a cluster of proposed data centers, instead of considering each one separately. (Glabicki, 10/1)
MENTAL HEALTH
The New York Times: A.I. Anxiety Is Showing Up In Therapy
For Candice N. Thompson, a therapist in Silicon Valley, discussing fears and worries about A.I. has now become a regular part of her workday. Her clients, mostly high-achieving tech industry employees, have practical concerns about how A.I. is affecting their work life, but they also worry about broader problems like its effects on the future of humanity — a topic that was widely discussed last month when a former industry insider warned that the rapidly evolving technology might kill us all. “In my clinical lifetime, I’ve never seen an existential threat like this,” said Ms. Thompson, who has practiced therapy for more than 17 years. (Caron, 10/1)
HealthDay: Big Drop In U.S. Prescriptions For Meds Like Xanax, Valium
Fewer Americans are saying "I took a Xanax" these days as prescriptions for benzodiazepine sedatives have dropped by more than a quarter over the past decade. In the study, researchers tracked 1.1 billion benzodiazepine prescription fills nationwide between 2013 and 2024. They found that prescriptions declined by 26.7% over that time. (Mundell, 10/1)
GLOBAL WATCH
AP: Mourners Gather To Honor Congolese Politician Killed Over Ebola Response
Mourners gathered Wednesday to bury a Congolese politician who was beaten to death after publicly defending the government’s response to Ebola, a killing that highlights the mistrust health workers say is hampering efforts to slow the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history. Marie-Célestin Karondwa, a local official with Congo’s ruling Union for Democracy and Social Progress party, was attacked Sunday at his home in Butembo, an Ebola hotspot in the eastern North Kivu province, after defending the government’s response efforts during a radio program, the party said. (Kitsa Musayi and Brennan, 9/30)
