First Edition: Tuesday, June 3, 2025

KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES

KFF Health News: Ballad Health’s Hospital Monopoly Underperformed. Then Tennessee Lowered The Bar
Despite years of patient complaints and quality-of-care concerns, Ballad Health — the nation’s largest state-sanctioned hospital monopoly — will now be held to a lower standard by the Tennessee government, and state data that holds the monopoly accountable will be kept from the public for two years. Ballad is the only option for hospital care for most of the approximately 1.1 million people in a 29-county swath of Appalachia. (Kelman, 6/3)

KFF Health News: Native Americans Hurt By Federal Health Cuts, Despite RFK Jr.’s Promises Of Protection
Navajo Nation leaders took turns talking with the U.S. government’s top health official as they hiked along a sandstone ridge overlooking their rural, high-desert town before the morning sun grew too hot. Buu Nygren, president of the Navajo Nation, paused at the edge with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Below them, tribal government buildings, homes, and juniper trees dotted the tan and deep-red landscape. (Houghton, Orozco Rodriguez and Zionts, 6/3)

KFF Health News: Watch: In A ‘Dead Zone,’ Doctors Don’t Practice And Telehealth Doesn’t Reach
There’s a fight in the nation’s capital that could affect health care for millions of Americans. At stake is a $42 billion infrastructure program and whether it should continue as planned. The money is for states to build high-speed internet — particularly in rural areas where telehealth currently doesn’t always work. Chief rural health correspondent Sarah Jane Tribble explains how millions of rural Americans live in counties with doctor shortages and where high-speed internet connections aren’t adequate to access advanced telehealth services. (Tribble, 6/3)

KFF Health News: Trump Administration Is Ending Multiple HIV Vaccine Studies, Scientists And Officials Say
The Trump administration has moved to end funding for a broad swath of HIV vaccine research, saying current approaches are enough to counter the virus, several scientists and federal health officials say. Notifications that the funding would not be extended were relayed May 30 to researchers, who were told by National Institutes of Health officials that the Department of Health and Human Services had elected “to go with currently available approaches to eliminate HIV” instead. (Gounder and Tin, 6/3)

KFF Health News’ ‘What The Health?’ Podcast:: Live From AHCJ: Shock And Awe In Federal Health Policy
This episode was taped live on Friday, May 30, at the annual conference of the Association of Health Care Journalists in Los Angeles. ... The panelists discussed the national, state, and local implications of funding cuts made over the first 100 days of the second Trump administration and the potential fallout of reductions that have been proposed but not yet implemented. The panelists also took questions from health reporters in the audience. (Rovner, 6/2)

MARIJUANA AND CANNABIS

The New York Times: Health Risks From Cannabis May Grow As Users Age
Thirty-nine states and the District of Columbia now allow cannabis use for medical reasons, and in 24 of those states, as well as Washington, recreational use is also legal. As older adults’ use climbs, “the benefits are still unclear,” Dr. Han said. “But we’re seeing more evidence of potential harms.” A wave of recent research points to reasons for concern for older users, with cannabis-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations rising, and a Canadian study finding an association between such acute care and subsequent dementia. (Span, 6/2)

The Texas Tribune: Texas Governor Pressured To Sign — Or Veto — THC Ban
Gov. Greg Abbott is facing intense political pressure over a bill that would ban products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, as hemp industry leaders mount a full-court press urging the governor to veto the measure while Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and his allies urge Abbott to sign it into law. The issue has sparked backlash from both sides of the aisle, including from conservatives ordinarily supportive of Patrick’s hardline agenda. An April statewide survey by the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin found that 55% of Republicans believe Texas’ marijuana and cannabis laws should be less strict or left as they are now, compared to 40% who said they should be stricter. (Scherer and Serrano, 6/2)

FEDERAL REORGANIZATION AND FUNDING CUTS

Fierce Healthcare: Unpacking The RFK Jr.-Backed 25% HHS Budget Cut
A recent budget document prepared by the White House is giving new clarity over how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) could operate for fiscal year 2026. The document closely mirrored other budgetary insights from earlier this year. Under the wishes of President Donald Trump’s staff, the department’s discretionary budget would be nearly $95 billion, a $32 billion decrease amounting to a one-fourth slashing. (Tong, 6/2)

Stat: Eating Disorder Research Cut Amid MAHA Focus On Chronic Conditions
In the first major report from the president’s Make America Healthy Again Commission, disordered eating is mentioned just once, in passing, in connection with the benefits of family meals. Amid dozens of references to obesity and a major focus on what foods American children consume, there are zero mentions of specific conditions like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge-eating disorder. It’s a notable omission in a document purporting to explain how today’s children are the “sickest generation.” Eating disorders have been on the rise for decades, especially among young women and girls. (Gaffney, 6/3)

MedPage Today: Health Groups Concerned About Cuts In Trump's Proposed 2026 Budget
Healthcare groups and policy experts expressed concern about cuts included in the Trump administration's full budget proposal for fiscal year 2026, which was released on Friday. "For the past 50 years, every significant medical breakthrough, especially in the treatment of cancer, has been linked to sustained federal investment in research at NIH and NCI [National Cancer Institute]. This commitment has contributed to the remarkable statistic of over 18 million cancer survivors currently living in the U.S. today," the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network said in a statement. (Frieden, 6/2)

CIDRAP: NIH Must Better Track Unused Research Funds, Act On Late Progress Reports, GAO Says
In its oversight of roughly $35 billion in 65,000 external biomedical research awards in 2023, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) didn't consistently track unused funds or act when financial and progress reports from grant recipients were late, a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report says. These findings, released late last week, could compromise the NIH's ability to detect misspending and ensure that its grants are awarded in appropriate amounts, the authors said. (Van Beusekom, 6/2)

Stat: How Countries Are Adapting To Deep U.S. HIV/AIDs Funding Cuts
In countries around the world, the Trump administration’s drastic cuts to HIV/AIDS funding have left health officials scrambling for ways to deliver preventative care and life-saving treatments. But not here. Almost every day, sex workers in Bangkok’s oldest red-light district have been going to saunas, bikini bars, and massage parlors, testing their peers for HIV. Their work is made possible by the Thai government, which funds marginalized communities, including migrants, LGBTQ individuals, and people who use drugs, to lead HIV/AIDS outreach and health programs. (Bajaj, 6/3)

CAPITOL WATCH

Politico: White House Insists Medicaid Policy Won’t Cut People Who Deserve It
The White House plans to confront resistance to Medicaid cuts from Senate Republicans by arguing that any reductions in coverage would only affect people who didn’t deserve it in the first place. A strong bloc of Republicans in the Senate has signaled that they are uncomfortable with Medicaid reductions in the sweeping tax-and-spending bill enacted last month by the House. President Donald Trump’s advisers are determined to confront those concerns by claiming that cuts would chiefly target undocumented immigrants and able-bodied people who should not be on Medicaid. (Cancryn and Traylor, 6/2)

The Hill: Democratic Lawmakers Dispute Russ Vought's Medicaid Claims
Democratic lawmakers are admonishing President Trump’s budget chief for claiming the GOP’s mega-bill will not cause anyone to lose Medicaid benefits, contradicting independent assessments that war billions could lose coverage if it becomes law. Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought told CNN’s Dana Bash on Sunday’s episode of “State of the Union” that concerns over the Trump administration’s domestic policy package are “ridiculous.” (O’Connell-Domenech, 6/2)

NBC News: Republicans Face New Pressure To Extend Expiring Obamacare Tax Credits
A new coalition called Keep Americans Covered is seeking to dial up pressure on lawmakers to continue the funding, launching a new ad in a seven-figure campaign. It features a woman named Jessica, a restaurant manager in Arizona whose daughter has a chronic illness. She says the ACA tax credits “have been particularly helpful for our family” to help afford the coverage they need. “We need Congress to take action now. It’s vital for us,” she says in the ad. “We need these health care tax credits passed today.” (Kapur, 6/2)

Becker's Hospital Review: Why Biden-Era Supreme Court Rulings Could Thwart Trump Tariffs: 4 Notes
President Donald Trump’s comprehensive tariffs might be stymied by a legal argument the Supreme Court employed to former initiatives put forth by President Joe Biden’s administration, Bloomberg reported May 31. Here are four notes: During Mr. Biden’s presidency, the Supreme Court ruled that federal agencies cannot make major political and economic decisions without clear congressional authorization. The argument was used by the court to block the Environmental Protection Agency from enforcing strict pollution limits and prevented the Education Department from cutting student loans for 40 million people. (Murphy, 6/2)

Fierce Healthcare: CMS Deputy Stephanie Carlton Lays Out Agency Priorities
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is prioritizing the acceleration of technology under President Donald Trump, according to the agency’s new deputy administrator and chief of staff Stephanie Carlton.Carlton, a Trump appointee, spoke at the Association of Health Care Journalists’ annual conference last week in Los Angeles. She was previously acting administrator of the CMS. (Gliadkovskaya, 6/2)

Becker's Hospital Review: FDA Deploys AI Tool Agencywide: 4 Notes
The FDA on June 2 launched a generative artificial intelligence tool agencywide to improve internal workflows and staff efficiency. Four things to know. 1. The AI tool, Elsa, is currently being used to speed up the review of clinical trial protocols, reduce the time needed to analyze scientific data and identify the agency’s most urgent inspection priorities. (Murphy, 6/2)

PUBLIC HEALTH

MedPage Today: Health Warnings On E-Cigarettes May Improve Perception Of Risks
Words that cautioned about the health effects of e-cigarettes increased beliefs in the harms associated with these tobacco products, a meta-analysis showed, supporting additional warnings beyond nicotine addiction. Text-only warnings of the health effects were associated with increased beliefs about the harm and addictiveness of e-cigarettes, an increased intention to quit, and other measures of risk perception versus control conditions, Seth Noar, PhD, of the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and colleagues reported in JAMA Internal Medicine. (Phend, 6/2)

CIDRAP: Study Finds Live Avian Flu Virus In Raw Milk For More Than 1 Day At Room Temperature, 1 Week In Fridge
Researchers conducting a lab study published on the preprint server medRxiv detected infectious flu viruses in raw cow and sheep milk for over a day at room temperature and more than a week when refrigerated. The results of the non–peer-reviewed research highlight the risk of contracting H5N1 avian flu from consuming unpasteurized dairy products and from occupational exposure in dairies, the UK investigators said. (Van Beusekom, 6/2)

CIDRAP: Multistate Salmonella Outbreak Linked To Cucumbers Grows
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to whole cucumbers has grown from 26 to 45 cases in the past 2 weeks. Three more states are now affected in the outbreak, raising the number of states reporting cases to 18. Illnesses started on dates ranging from April 2 to May 10, 2025. The investigation is ongoing. (Soucheray, 6/2)

MEASLES

ABC News: Most US Counties Saw Decline In Childhood MMR Vaccination Rates: Report
Most counties in the United States have seen a decline in childhood measles, mumps and rubella vaccination rates over the last five years, according to a new report published Monday. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University looked at data from 2,066 counties across 33 states between 2019 and 2024. They found that 78% of the counties, or 1,614, reported a decrease in vaccination rates over that period. What's more, the average vaccination rate fell from 93.92% pre-pandemic to 91.26% post-pandemic, according to the report. This represents a decline of about 3%. (Kekatos and Pakanati, 6/2)

CIDRAP: PAHO Warns Of Pertussis Rises, Vaccination Gaps In Americas Countries
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on May 31 issued an epidemiological alert about a rise in pertussis cases in a number of countries in the Americas, which comes in the wake of a sustained decline in pertussis vaccine coverage that gained traction during the COVID-19 pandemic period. The average global pertussis case total declined sharply during the pandemic, reaching a historical low in 2021. Since then, cases have been on a steady rise. (Schnirring, 6/2)

SCIENCE AND INNOVATIONS

Modern Healthcare: Paradromics, Neuralink Race For FDA Approval In BCI Market
The race to secure approval for brain-implantable devices that allow computers to be controlled by thought is picking up speed, showing promise for patients and the companies behind them. The devices, which are implanted in or on the surface of the brain, use brain signals to enable patients with paralysis, speech impairments and severe neurological disorders to speak and control computers and smartphones, among other things. It could be a game changer for patients with conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, as well as brainstem strokes and spinal cord injuries. (Dubinsky, 6/2)

CIDRAP: Flu, RSV Linked To Higher Odds Of Secondary Bacterial Infection
A retrospective analysis of patients at Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals found that influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is associated with increased risk of secondary Streptococcus pneumoniae infection but COVID-19 isn't, researchers reported late week in Clinical Infectious Diseases. (Dall, 6/2)

CIDRAP: Analysis: COVID Vaccine Averted Almost 13,000 Deaths In Seniors In Belgium In 3 Years
A new analysis published late last week in Vaccine concludes that COVID-19 vaccination averted 12,806 COVID-19 deaths among Belgians aged 65 years and older from 2021 through 2023. Vaccines have been available to Belgians in that age-group since January 2021. That represents a 54% reduction in mortality, which was seen across subgroups broken down by age, including Belgians 65 to 79 years and those 80 years and older. (Soucheray, 6/2)

HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY

Modern Healthcare: Advocate Health Opens Innovation District The Pearl
Advocate Health CEO Gene Woods said the system's new innovation district in Charlotte, North Carolina, has the tools to transform the healthcare industry through training and research. The district, called The Pearl, includes a second campus for the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, the North American headquarters of surgical training institute IRCAD and lab space for medical devices, biomedical engineering and life sciences. The first phase, which opened Monday, involves more than $1 billion in private investment and spans about 700,000 square feet. (Hudson, 6/2)

Fierce Healthcare: Scripta Insights, RxSaveCard Team Up On Prescription Discounts
Digital health company Scripta Insights is joining forces with RxSaveCard with the goal of making it easier for employers to manage drug costs and meet their fiduciary duties. RxSaveCard offers a proprietary cost management and payment solution for pharmacy benefits, and those tools will be integrated into Scripta's AI-powered Rx Navigation platform. For members, the integration is designed so they can better find savings for a variety of drugs, including high-cost specialty products. (Minemyer, 6/2)

Modern Healthcare: Vantive, Baxter's Former Kidney Care Unit, To Invest $1B In Tech
Vantive, Baxter International’s former kidney care segment, announced Monday it plans to invest more than $1 billion in new technology over the next five years. The investment will go toward growing its research and development and manufacturing operations. The company is working on digital dialysis and critical care products and services. (Dubinsky, 6/2)

Bloomberg: Sanofi To Buy Blueprint For $9.1 Billion Equity Value
Sanofi agreed to buy Blueprint Medicines Corp. for at least $9.1 billion as the French drugmaker expands further in rare immunological diseases. Sanofi will pay $129 per share in cash for the US biotech, it said in a statement. That represents a 27% premium to Blueprint’s closing price on Friday. (Sedgman, Tong, and Furlong, 6/2)

Modern Healthcare: Centene Faces Ghost-Network Lawsuit
Centene is the latest insurance company to be hit with a lawsuit accusing it of allegedly misrepresenting the scope of its provider network. The wrongful death suit, filed May 23 in the Superior Court of Maricopa County in Arizona, alleges Centene lists providers in its directories — or those of its subsidiaries — who are not in network, available to members or accepting new patients. It also argues the directories allegedly include providers who are deceased or retired, or who don't actually offer the services listed, according to a court filing. (DeSilva, 6/2)

STATE WATCH

Bloomberg: Texas Senate Bill 25 Could Force Doritos, M&Ms To Include Warning Labels
A Texas bill on the verge of becoming law would require labels on packaged food from Skittles to Mountain Dew that warn about ingredients “not recommended for human consumption” by other countries. Texas Senate Bill 25, backed by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is now awaiting the signature of Gov. Greg Abbott. Foods containing certain ingredients would require warning labels on new packaging beginning in 2027 in order to be sold in Texas, which is the second-most populous US state with 31 million residents. (Kubzansky and Cohrs Zhang, 6/3)

CIDRAP: Colorado Confirms 3 More Infections In Airport-Linked Measles Outbreak
The Colorado Department of Public Health (CDPH) and their partners in El Paso and Arapahoe counties have reported three more measles cases linked to exposure at Denver International Airport and on a Turkish Airlines flight, raising the outbreak total to six. In a statement, the CDPH said the three new cases include two unrelated unvaccinated adults from El Paso County who were at the airport around the same time on May 14. (Schnirring, 6/2)

Becker's Hospital Review: 1 Rural Health System's Strategy For Saving Patients $10.8M In Drug Costs
Avita Health System, which operates two critical access hospitals and one small acute care hospital in rural Ohio, has helped patients access $10.8 million worth of medications through a program launched in 2022, according to a May 29 article on the the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ website. Galion, Ohio-based Avita’s program launched in 2022 after staff noticed patients struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for older adults who had been relying on free medication samples. Today, the program is being run out of three clinics and includes pharmacists and a pharmacy technician to help patients navigate complex assistance programs. (Murphy, 6/2)

Axios: PBMs Fight Back Against State Restrictions
Drug price middlemen are going to court to fight a first-in-the-nation effort to police their ownership of retail pharmacies as more state legislatures and Congress crank up scrutiny of their influence on the cost of medicines. Why it matters: Large pharmacy benefit managers like CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and Optum Rx are increasingly being blamed for higher drug prices and the outsize role they play in the pharmaceutical supply chain. (Goldman, 6/3)

NBC News: Family Sues Pharmacy, Drug 'Middleman' After Price Hike Leads To Son’s Fatal Asthma Attack
When 22-year-old Cole Schmidtknecht tried to get a refill on the inhaler prescribed by his doctor to prevent asthma attacks. The medication that had formerly cost him less than $70 at his Appleton, Wisconsin pharmacy was now priced at more than $500, according to Cole’s father, Bil Schmidtknecht. ... Five days after his pharmacy visit last year, Cole had a severe asthma attack, stopped breathing and collapsed. He never regained consciousness and died. Doctors attributed his death to asthma. (Kane, Thompson and Carroll, 6/2)