First Edition: Tuesday, March 4, 2025

KFF Health News: Law And Order Or Bystander Safety? Police Chases Spotlight California’s Competing Priorities
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is pressuring Oakland to expand its police department’s ability to chase suspects, referencing the public’s desire for a crackdown on crime. He said that voters had recently taken more tough-on-crime positions and “expressed in pretty clear terms they want change.” Weeks later, a police pursuit across the bay in San Francisco ended with the suspect’s vehicle crashing and sending six people, including a child, to the hospital. (Thompson, 3/4)

The Guardian, Reuters: US Health Department Offers Early Retirement In Latest Round Of Musk-Led Cuts
The US health department told employees on Monday they could apply for early retirement over the next 10 days and should respond to a request for information on their accomplishments of the past week, according to emails seen by Reuters. Republican president Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, who oversees the so-called “department of government efficiency”, are spearheading an unprecedented effort to shrink the federal bureaucracy, including through job cuts. (Reuters, 3/4)

The Hill: Martin O'Malley: DOGE Cuts Could Soon Trigger Social Security System 'Collapse'
Martin O’Malley, the former commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA), said Monday the recent cuts made by tech billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) at the agency could result in the “collapse” of the Social Security system “within the next 30 to 90 days.” (Zehra, 3/3)

Politico: Trump’s NIH Plan B
A federal court has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s proposed across-the-board cut to the National Institutes of Health funding for universities’ “indirect costs,” such as facilities and administration. But even if the courts reject the plan, Trump could turn to Plan B — renegotiating the payments one university at a time, Erin reports. At stake is $4 billion, a shortfall the universities say would devastate the nation’s scientific enterprise. (Hooper and Cirruzzo, 3/3)

Stat: NIH Terminates Ongoing Grants For LGBTQ+ Research
The funding was supposed to last for at least several more months, said Jace Flatt, an associate professor of health and behavioral sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. But on Friday, he and several other scientists studying LGBTQ+ health received a letter from the National Institutes of Health informing them that some existing, ongoing grants from the federal government were terminated, effective immediately. (Chen, 3/3)

The Washington Post: Universities Scramble To Respond To Federal Funding Cuts
Some universities are freezing hiring, admitting fewer graduate students and warning that recent federal changes and proposals pose an existential threat to higher education. A U.S. judge last month put a temporary block on Trump administration orders for deep cuts to federal funding rates that the National Institutes of Health provides to support overhead costs for research at academic institutions. (Svrluga, 3/3)

Military.Com: Media Barred From Covering Top Defense, VA Health Officials At Conference Amid Concerns Over Care
Organizers of a conference that brings Defense Department and Department of Veterans Affairs health leadership and military medical professionals together to share ideas excluded "independent media" this year, despite having allowed -- and welcomed -- press coverage for more than a decade. Reporters who tried to sign up to attend the annual meeting of the AMSUS Society of Federal Health Professionals were told that the media was being excluded this year. Those who managed to sign up received emails that their registrations had been canceled. (Kime, 3/3)

Axios: Medicaid Is A Health Issue To Watch In Trump Speech
Health care may not feature prominently in President Trump's address to Congress on Tuesday night, but whatever he says about Medicaid will be closely parsed. Trump has said he would "love and cherish" the safety net program, but it still could be in the crosshairs as Congress looks for ways to pay for an extension of the president's 2017 tax cuts. (Reed, 3/4)

The Washington Post: Justice Department To Drop Suit Over Alleged Cancer-Causing Pollution
The Justice Department is poised to drop a landmark lawsuit alleging that cancer-causing pollution from a Louisiana petrochemical plant poses an imminent danger to nearby communities, according to two individuals briefed on the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the decision is not yet final. (Joselow and Ajasa, 3/3)

Bloomberg: Trump’s NIH Pick Bhattacha Urges ‘Scientific Dissent’ In Senate Hearing Remarks
Jay Bhattacharya, President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the US National Institutes of Health, will tell senators this week that he plans to establish a culture of “scientific dissent” at the agency. “Over the last few years, top NIH officials oversaw a culture of coverup, obfuscation, and a lack of tolerance for ideas that differed from theirs,” Bhattacharya said in prepared remarks seen by Bloomberg ahead of a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee hearing on Wednesday. He pledged to “create an environment where scientists — including early career scientists – can express disagreement respectfully.” (Muller, 3/3)

Stat: Marty Makary, Trump Nominee To Lead FDA, Pledges To Act To Avoid Conflicts
Marty Makary, President Trump’s pick to be Food and Drug Administration commissioner, promised to step down as an adviser to various health tech, medical device, and telehealth startups if confirmed, and to sell off stock holdings in the companies as well, according to financial disclosures filed ahead of his confirmation hearing. (Lawrence, 3/3)

Politico: Top HHS Spokesperson Quits After Clashing With RFK Jr.
The top spokesperson at the Health and Human Services Department has abruptly quit after clashing with Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his close aides over their management of the agency amid a growing measles outbreak, two people familiar with the matter told POLITICO. Thomas Corry announced on Monday that he had resigned “effective immediately,” just two weeks after joining the department as its assistant secretary for public affairs. (Cancryn, 3/3)

CNN: ‘Irresponsible And Reckless:’ Warren Demands RFK Jr. Clarify Vaccine Stance Amid Deadly Measles Outbreak 
In the 18 days since Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was sworn in as secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, his department has postponed or canceled two major vaccine advisory committee meetings, he’s pledged to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule and he downplayed the seriousness of a measles outbreak that’s resulted in the first death from the disease in this country in a decade. Citing those moves and others – including an opinion piece from Kennedy on the measles response published by Fox News Sunday – Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, sent a letter demanding the secretary clarify his “intentions regarding vaccine policy.” (Tirrell, 3/3)

The Hill: Transgender Athletes' Sports Ban Fails Senate Vote
Legislation to prevent transgender athletes from participating in girls’ and women’s sports failed to advance in the Senate on Monday after all Democrats voted against it. The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act failed to clear an initial procedural hurdle on a 51-45 vote. It needed 60 votes to advance, which would have required at least seven Democrats to vote with all Republicans to move it. The bill cleared the House in January on an almost entirely party-line vote. (Migdon, 3/3)

ABC News: CDC Says It Is Monitoring Unknown Disease In Congo
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is closely monitoring an unknown disease that has killed dozens in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the agency said in a statement on Monday. "CDC is monitoring the situation closely and engaging with DRC officials on what support the agency can offer," the agency's spokesperson said. At least 1,096 people have been sickened and 60 people have died from the disease, the World Health Organization said Thursday in its most recent update. (Benadjaoud and Forrester, 3/3)

St. Louis Public Radio: Wash U Engineers Create Bird Flu Detector 
Engineers at Washington University have built a sensor that can detect the presence of bird flu particles within minutes. The researchers say the biosensor machine could keep farmers from having to cull their flocks when they detect the contagious virus. (Fentem, 3/4)

Bloomberg: Does Covid Lead To Dementia? How It Affects Your Brain
Five years after the pandemic began, researchers are increasingly recognizing the toll Covid can take on brain health. Many of those who have had the disease struggle with persistent issues such as brain fog, depression and cognitive slowing, hindering their ability to work and otherwise function. Scientists have found that those who have had Covid are more likely to have elevated levels in their blood of the same proteins that are prevalent in people with Alzheimer’s disease. (Gale, 3/3)

Bloomberg: Sycamore Nears Acquisition Of Walgreens Boots Alliance
Sycamore Partners is nearing an acquisition of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc., people with knowledge of the matter said, in a deal that could end the drugstore operator’s tumultuous run as a public company. The private equity firm and Deerfield, Illinois-based Walgreens are putting the final touches on a transaction that may be announced as soon as this week, according to the people. (Tse, Kirchfeld, and Basu, 3/4)

Modern Healthcare: Sutter Health Antitrust Lawsuit Reaches Settlement
Sutter Health agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging the health system inflated healthcare costs by forcing insurers into restrictive contracts. The Sacramento, California-based nonprofit system reached an agreement on March 2 with individuals and businesses that alleged Sutter used all-or-nothing contract provisions with insurers to monopolize Northern California hospital markets and drive up costs, according to a U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California filing. All-or-nothing contracts require insurers to include all of a health system’s facilities in their networks regardless of cost. (Kacik, 3/3)

Modern Healthcare: UnitedHealth To Cut Prior Authorization For Some Home Services 
UnitedHealth Group is taking another step to refine its prior authorization requirements as it continues to face public frustration. The healthcare giant’s insurance business, UnitedHealthcare, plans to cut nearly 10% of prior authorizations this year, the company said in a notice Saturday. (Berryman, 3/3)

Modern Healthcare: Mayo Clinic To Invest $1.9B In Phoenix Campus Expansion
Mayo Clinic is investing nearly $1.9 billion in its Phoenix campus as part of the Bold. Forward. Unbound. strategy being implemented across the system's multistate footprint. The project covers 1.2 million square feet, including a new procedural building, an expanded specialty care building, 11 new operating rooms and two new patient units that support 48 beds, according to a Monday news release. (Hudson, 3/3)

Health News Florida: Tampa General Opens A Primary Care Center Dedicated To Treating The Military 
Tampa General Hospital has opened a primary care clinic dedicated to treating only military personnel and veterans. The Military & Veteran Primary Care Center, at 2106 S. Lois Ave., offers primary care, behavior health, labs and pharmacy services, the hospital said in a Friday news release issued. (Mayer, 3/3)

Crain's Detroit Business: Blue Cross Michigan Reports $1B Loss For 2024 On Rising Costs
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan reported a hefty $1.03 billion loss in 2024 as rising costs in the sector batter the health insurer's bottom line in “unsustainable” market conditions. The Detroit-based nonprofit mutual insurance company paid out more than $20.7 billion in claims last year, all costs including administrative expenses totaling $26.4 billion, up more than $3 billion from 2023, while collecting $24.7 billion in premiums and administrative fees. (Walsh, 3/3)

Modern Healthcare: Providence, Compassus Finalize First Phase Of Joint Venture
Providence and Compassus kicked off Monday the first phase of a joint venture to manage the health system’s home care operations. Brentwood, Tennessee-based Compassus will manage six Providence home health locations in Alaska and Washington and five of the health system’s hospice and palliative care locations in Alaska, Texas and Washington. The operations will be run under a new entity called Providence at Home with Compassus, the companies said in a news release. Neither company disclosed the financial terms of the deal. (Eastabrook, 3/3)

Stat: DOJ Probes Semler Marketing Of QuantaFlo Test Used By Insurers 
The Department of Justice is investigating Semler Scientific for possible violations of a federal anti-fraud law related to its marketing of a product known as QuantaFlo, a test used in the diagnosis of peripheral artery disease by UnitedHealth Group and other large insurers. (Lawrence and Ross, 3/3)

Modern Healthcare: Microsoft Launches AI-Enabled Dragon Copilot At HIMSS 2025
Microsoft is beefing up its artificial intelligence capabilities for clinical users. At the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society’s annual conference in Las Vegas on Monday, the big tech company announced a new way for clinicians to interact with its AI tools. Microsoft launched a natural language chat interface called Dragon Copilot, which takes clinician's text commands and documents them in the electronic health record. (Turner, 3/3)

Modern Healthcare: AI-Enabled Digital Stethoscope Detects Heart Failure Early: Study
An artificial intelligence model for digital stethoscopes can identify patients with weakened hearts that can’t pump blood effectively, according to a new peer-reviewed study published in the March issue of JACC: Advances. This condition, known as reduced ejection fraction, is an indicator of heart failure. An echocardiogram is typically used to diagnose it, but it’s not widely available because the technology is expensive, it requires specialist training and it’s a time-consuming examination. The new AI model is intended to be used by primary care physicians to detect heart problems earlier before symptoms escalate. (Dubinsky, 3/3)

Axios: Amazon Palm-Scanning Tech Comes To NYU Langone Health Facilities
New York University's Langone Health will use Amazon's palm recognition technology for patient check-ins, the health system announced Monday as a major health information technology conference kicked off. The new system, which will be optional for patients, aims to make it easier and faster to verify patient identities when they show up to an appointment. (Goldman, 3/4)

NBC News: Synthetic Hair Marketed To Black Women Contains Carcinogens And Lead, Report Finds
Ingredients that can cause cancer were found in 10 synthetic hair products used in braids, extensions and other hairstyles popular with Black women, including artificial hair from popular brands such as Magic Fingers, Sensationnel and Shake-N-Go, according to a Consumer Reports study published Thursday. Lead, which can cause serious health and developmental problems, was also found in nine of the 10 packs of synthetic hair surveyed, including one package of braiding hair that exceeded the maximum allowed dose of lead by more than 600%, according to the study. (Schwanemann, 3/3)

St. Louis Public Radio: Black Pediatric Patients Have Barriers To Care, Study Shows
Black pediatric patients believed to have neurological conditions are falling through the cracks. Half of Black pediatric patients completed the necessary genetic tests for diagnosis and treatment. That puts them well behind white pediatric patients at 75%. This is just one disparity highlighted in a new study from Washington University’s School of Medicine. WashU Medicine neurology professor Dr. Christina Gurnett said these tests are necessary to unlock treatment options. (Lewis-Thompson, 3/4)

Axios: High Maternity Costs Hit Black And Hispanic Patients Hardest: Study
Black and Hispanic people paid more in out-of-pocket costs for maternal care than Asian and white people with the same commercial insurance, a new study published in JAMA Health Forum found. Black mothers in the U.S. face a pregnancy-related death rate that is more than three times the rate for white mothers. About 80% of these deaths are preventable. The maternal mortality rate for Hispanic women is similar to that of white mothers but has surged in recent years. (Goldman, 3/3)

Modern Healthcare: What UnitedHealth, Cigna, And Humana Say, Or Don’t, About DEI
The largest health insurers, including UnitedHealth Group, CVS Health, Cigna, Humana and Elevance Health, are expressing less interest in diversity, equity and inclusion strategies, and more worry about bad publicity and the Trump administration, based on what they've tucked into their 2024 annual reports. Each year, publicly traded companies file the reports for investors with the Securities and Exchange Commission, filling the pages with dense details on finances, operations, leadership and risks. (Berryman, 3/3)

The Colorado Sun: 270 Colorado Kids Ran Away From Foster Care And Treatment Centers In One Year. Now State Lawmakers Are Talking About A Fence.
Colorado is on track to make key changes to prevent children and teens from running away from residential treatment centers and foster care, and keeping track of them when they do. Part of the plan is to allow a state-owned residential treatment center for young people with behavioral health problems to put up a fence — something currently prohibited under Colorado law. Legislation would allow a new youth treatment center set to open in Denver next year to build a secure perimeter fence. (Brown, 3/3)

AP: Emergency Room Security Guard Shot And Wounded In Arizona; Man Arrested
A security guard at an Arizona hospital was shot and wounded over the weekend, and the man suspected in the attack was quickly disarmed and taken into custody, authorities say. The security guard was shot around 1 p.m. Sunday inside the emergency room at HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Medical Center, Scottsdale Police said in a news release. The shooting was the latest in a series of incidents of increasing violence against U.S. healthcare workers and highlighted the challenges of protecting them. (3/4)

AP: A ‘Super-Aged’ Population Poses Major Challenges For Hawaii
Hawaiʻi faces a reckoning as its population of kūpuna age 75 and older surges, consuming more resources than they bring in. The challenge, outlined in a recent report, is on the state’s doorstep: how to meet the needs of a group described as the super-aged. (Hay, 3/3)

The New York Times: Grei Mendez Sentenced To 45 Years For Fatal Fentanyl Poisoning At Day Care
After fentanyl sickened three toddlers and killed a fourth at the Divino Niño day care, its proprietor, Grei Mendez, professed to be caught up in a bewildering catastrophe. She told investigators at a police precinct in 2023 that she had no idea how narcotics had gotten into the day care, which she ran out of a Bronx apartment, according to court documents. She denied that contraband there belonged to her or her husband, who had fled while a 22-month-old, Nicholas Feliz Dominici, lay dying. (Moynihan, 3/3)

CNN: James Harrison, Blood Donor Whose Rare Plasma Saved Millions Of Babies, Dead At 88 
James Harrison, a prolific Australian blood donor famed for having saved the lives of more than two million babies, has died at age 88. Harrison, whose plasma contained a “rare and precious antibody” known as Anti-D, donated blood more than 1,100 times, according to Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, which confirmed his death in a statement published Saturday. Harrison, who was known as the “Man with the Golden Arm,” died in his sleep at a nursing home north of Sydney on February 17, according to the statement. (Guy, 3/3)

Bloomberg: Snack Makers Are Removing Fake Colors From Processed Foods
If a potato chip isn’t bright red, will people know it’s spicy? This type of question kicked off a yearlong effort by PepsiCo Inc.’s marketing innovation, research and development, and consumer insights teams to invent a new kind of seasoning. The result will hit grocery store shelves in North America on March 3: Simply Ruffles Hot & Spicy. The chips are not flaming red. They’re orangish and speckled with spices, but placed next to the famous Ruffles Flamin’ Hots, these chips are basically beige. (Shanker, 3/3)

Bloomberg: China, India And US Driving Global Obesity Surge, New Research Shows
China, India and the US will have the world’s largest populations of adults living with overweight and obesity by 2050, according to new research that highlights the global public health crisis and the potential for colossal economic losses. (Tong, 3/3)