Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
First Edition: Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025
KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES
KFF Health News: Optum Rx Invokes Open Meetings Law To Fight Kentucky Counties On Opioid Suits
UnitedHealth Group’s multibillion-dollar pharmacy benefit manager, Optum Rx, is suing five Kentucky counties in an attempt to force them out of national opioid litigation against the company. Pharmacy benefit managers, often called PBMs, act as middlemen that negotiate prescription drug prices between drug companies, insurance plans, and pharmacies. Some lawyers and advocates say PBMs helped fuel the overdose crisis by failing to restrict the flow of opioid prescriptions. (Pattani, 8/20)
KFF Health News: Kennedy’s Anti-Vaccine Strategy Risks Forcing Shots Off Market, Manufacturers Warn
Dining under palm trees on a patio at Mar-a-Lago in December, President-elect Donald Trump reassured chief executives at pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Pfizer that anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wouldn’t be a radical choice to head the Department of Health and Human Services. “I think he’s going to be much less radical than you would think,” Trump said later that month during a news conference at his Palm Beach, Florida, resort. Eight months have passed, and Kennedy is intensifying his attacks on the vaccine system. (Armour, 8/20)
KFF Health News: Planned Parenthood Bets On Redistricting To Push Back Against GOP Funding Cuts
Abortion rights groups are backing California Democrats in the escalating battle to redraw congressional maps, warning that Republicans are rigging seats on the heels of deeply unpopular cuts to safety net health programs and restrictions on reproductive care. And they worry there’s more to come, including a national abortion ban. (Mai-Duc, 8/20)
VACCINES
Politico: RFK Jr. Attacks Pediatricians’ Group Over Vaccine Recommendations
The gloves are off in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s feud with American doctors. Hours after the American Academy of Pediatrics, the professional society for doctors who care for children, issued Covid-19 vaccine guidance contradicting that of the health secretary, Kennedy accused the group of engaging in a “pay-to-play scheme to promote commercial ambitions of AAP’s Big Pharma benefactors” in a post on social media platform X. (Friedman, 8/19)
MedPage Today: No New Evidence To Support HHS Vaccine Changes, 'Shadow' Group Says
A sweeping review by the Vaccine Integrity Project (VIP) suggests no new evidence that would prompt the recent changes to fall COVID vaccine recommendations made by HHS. During a livestreamed meeting, members of the project presented evidence reviews for vaccination against three respiratory viruses in three specific populations: pregnant people, children, and those who are immunocompromised. (Fiore, 8/19)
CIDRAP: Vaccine Integrity Project Presents Reassuring Data On Vaccines For Upcoming Respiratory Virus Season
Today, the Vaccine Integrity Project of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota presented reassuring data from its comprehensive evidence review on the safety and efficacy of the US influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 vaccines ahead of the upcoming respiratory virus season. CIDRAP is the publisher of CIDRAP News. In April, CIDRAP launched the VIP to gather the latest evidence on vaccine effectiveness and safety for medical societies such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to draft and communicate their own guidelines independently. (Van Beusekom, 8/19)
CNBC: New Study Casts Doubts On RFK Jr.'s Reasons For Gutting Vaccine Panel
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently gutted a key government vaccine panel, saying it was necessary to eliminate what he called “persistent conflicts of interest” on the committee. But new research from the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics appears to challenge that argument. Conflicts on that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel had been at “historic lows for years” before Kennedy restacked it with new members, some of whom are widely known vaccine critics, the researchers found. (Constantino, Coombs and Capoot, 8/19)
Stateline: Should Pregnant Women Get COVID Vaccines? State Officials Encourage It
Heading into respiratory illness season, states and clinicians are working to encourage pregnant patients to get COVID-19 vaccinations, even though the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services no longer recommends that they should. Along with being older and having an underlying health condition, pregnancy itself is a risk factor. Pregnant women are more vulnerable to developing severe illness from COVID-19. They’re also at high risk for complications, including preterm labor and stillbirth. The vast majority of medical experts say getting the shot is safe and effective — much safer than having the illness. (Hassanein, 8/19)
HEALTHCARE COSTS
Modern Healthcare: Employer Healthcare Costs To Increase By 9% In 2026: Report
Employers are renegotiating vendor contracts, paring back benefits and implementing new pharmacy models to offset the largest projected rise in healthcare costs in at least a decade. Large companies’ median healthcare costs will grow by an estimated 9% in 2026, up from 8% this year, and the highest increase since at least 2017, according to a report the Business Group on Health published Tuesday. Employers plan to use a variety of strategies to combat rising expenses. Making changes to the health insurance they offer employees could reduce the anticipated increase in costs to 7.6% next year, the report said. (Tepper, 8/19)
Stat: That AI Scribe Your Doctor Is Using? It May Make Your Bill Go Up
Like any conscientious health policy PhD student, Paige Nong went to the doctor for her free annual well visit. But as she checked in, the person at the front desk said something that made her anxious. “Just so you know, don’t discuss any problems while you’re in the room,” she recalled the receptionist saying. “Because if you do, we’ll change the visit to an office visit and you’ll get charged for it.” (Trang, 8/20)
MEDICAID
MedPage Today: CMS Announces Plan To Disenroll Noncitizens From Medicaid And CHIP
The Trump administration announced a new initiative Tuesday aimed at getting noncitizens disenrolled from the Medicaid program and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). "CMS will begin providing states with monthly enrollment reports identifying individuals whose citizenship or immigration status could not be confirmed through federal databases," the agency said in a press release. "States are responsible for reviewing cases, verifying the citizenship or immigration status of identified individuals, requesting additional documentation if needed, and taking appropriate actions when necessary, including adjusting coverage or enforcing noncitizen eligibility rules." (Frieden, 8/19)
Becker's Hospital Review: North Carolina To Cut Medicaid Provider Reimbursement Rates By 3%
North Carolina Medicaid providers will see at least a 3% cut in reimbursement rates beginning Oct. 1, with services like long-term behavioral healthcare, hospital care, nursing homes and physicians seeing 8% to 10% in cuts. The cuts come after state lawmakers passed a stopgap “mini budget” spending plan, which leaves Medicaid with a $319 million shortfall, despite allocating $600 million for Medicaid oversight fund and rebase. (Ashley, 8/19)
Fierce Healthcare: Young Medicaid Patients Seeking ED Psych Care Face Boarding
More than 1 in 10 psychiatric emergency department visits by young Medicaid patients lead to boarding, with rates of boarding varying widely from state to state, according to a recent analysis. Boarding, or a delay in the time until an ED patient is given an inpatient bed, has been cited as an increasing issue across the country’s EDs. The longer wait for appropriate care not only imposes a potential physical and emotional toll on patients but can increase the costs of care delivery while increasing stress and personal safety risks for staff. (Muoio, 8/19)
VETERANS' HEALTH
The New York Times: Trump’s Get-Tough Approach On Homelessness May Sweep Up Veterans
In an executive order issued late last month, President Trump instructed government agencies to stop funding Housing First programs which, the order said, “deprioritize accountability and fail to promote treatment, recovery and self-sufficiency.” Though veterans are not mentioned in the executive order, they are at the heart of the nation’s homelessness crisis. Roughly one in every 11 homeless people is a veteran, according to the government’s annual census, and housing them is a major priority for Congress, which allotted $3.2 billion for that purpose this year. Many who work with homeless veterans said they were blindsided by the president’s new policy. (Barry, 8/19)
Military.com: Pentagon Drops Coverage Of GLP-1 Weight Loss Meds For Medicare-Eligible Retirees
Military retirees and family members on Tricare for Life, and civilians with access to military hospitals and clinics, will lose coverage for weight loss drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound starting Aug. 31, according to the Defense Health Agency. Military health officials said earlier this month that Medicare-eligible retirees -- those who use Tricare for Life -- and Defense Department civilians and others with access to military hospitals but who aren't on Tricare will no longer be able to get these popular medications through the DoD health system. (Kime, 8/19)
CNBC: FDA Approves Signos Glucose Monitoring For Weight Loss
The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved the first-ever glucose monitoring system specifically for weight loss from the startup Signos, establishing a new option for Americans to manage their weight. (Constantino, 8/20)
Stat: Blood Glucose Sensors: Medical Device Or Wellness Tool?
For years, blood glucose sensors have straddled the line between wellness and medicine. While most continuous glucose monitors are still found on the arms of people with diabetes, helping to dose insulin and catch dangerous overnight dips in glucose, a small batch of companies have quietly been prescribing them off-label, using the data streams to nudge users into habits that promote metabolic health and weight loss. (Palmer, 8/20)
Stat: Viking Therapeutics Oral Weight Loss Drug Hits Mark In Mid-Stage Trial
A new oral weight loss drug developed by Viking Therapeutics hit the mark in a mid-stage clinical trial, but the side effect and discontinuation rates have disappointed investors. (DeAngelis, 8/19)
Bloomberg: WeightWatchers Bets On Community In The GLP-1 Era
At a time when shedding pounds may be just a shot away, WeightWatchers is returning to its roots and its community to chart a new path forward. Fresh off a major restructuring, the 62-year-old grand dame of weight loss is finding its footing in a market that’s more competitive than ever. Drugs like Novo Nordisk A/S’s Wegovy and Eli Lilly & Co.’s Zepbound help people shed up to 20% of their body weight in months, but offer little in the way of support when it comes to side effects, proper nutrition and insights on what to do when the shots aren’t working. (Muller, 8/19)
Newsweek: Coffee May Hide Secret To Diabetes Management
Compounds found in coffee beans could offer a new way to help people living with diabetes manage their condition. Three compounds in particular have demonstrated significant inhibitory effects on α-glucosidase, a key enzyme in carbohydrate digestion. This could lead to new functional food ingredients targeting type 2 diabetes, according to the study by the Kunming Institute of Botany in China. (Millington, 8/19)
HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY
Stat: Elevance Loses Medicare Advantage Star Ratings Lawsuit
A federal judge in Texas struck down Elevance Health’s lawsuit that argued the government unfairly lowered its Medicare Advantage quality ratings — a decision that could cost Elevance $375 million in bonus revenue. (Herman, 8/19)
Modern Healthcare: Judge Vacates Biden-Era Medicare Advantage Marketing Rule
A federal judge vacated a regulation that would have limited how Medicare Advantage insurance companies can pay for marketing. Judge Reed O’Connor, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Fort Worth, ruled the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services exceeded its statutory authority and violated the Administrative Procedure Act by prohibiting insurance companies from offering marketers volume-based bonuses and other incentives to sell their policies and capping payments for administrative expenses at $100. (Tepper, 8/19)
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Modern Healthcare: Epic Releases Generative AI Tools For Clinicians, RCM
Epic is releasing generative artificial intelligence tools for clinicians, patients and revenue cycle management functions, CEO Judy Faulkner announced Tuesday. The company is developing native AI charting, called Art for Clinicians, that will use ambient generative AI to create patient summaries, make diagnostic insights and find patients with similar diseases through Epic’s Cosmos platform. The patient-facing generative AI tool, called Emmie, will help patients schedule visits, set their agendas and understand what they need to do after visits. (Perna, 8/19)
Modern Healthcare: Health, Medical Business To Expand AI Use In 2026: Chase Report
Small- and medium-sized health and medical services businesses in 2026 will use AI more than similar-sized businesses in other industries, according to a report published Wednesday. The report, by Chase for Business, the consumer and commercial banking business of JPMorgan Chase, analyzed how 600 small- and medium-sized businesses with between $100,000 to $20 million in annual revenue from several industries about their AI plans for next year. (Broderick, 8/19)
The Washington Post: Mental Health Experts Say ‘AI Psychosis’ Is A Real, Urgent Problem
Hundreds of millions of people chat with OpenAI’s ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence chatbots each week, but there is growing concern that spending hours with the tools can lead some people toward potentially harmful beliefs. Reports of people apparently losing touch with reality after intense use of chatbots have gone viral on social media in recent weeks, with posts labeling them examples of “AI psychosis.” (Tiku and Malhi, 8/19)
OUTBREAKS AND HEALTH THREATS
AP: Fifth Death In New York City Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak
Health officials have uncovered another death in connection with a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in New York City, health officials said. The outbreak in Central Harlem has sickened dozens since it began in late July and the latest death was announced late Monday night. Officials said they had concluded the death of a person with the disease who died before mid-August is associated with the cluster, bringing the death toll in the city to five. Fourteen people were hospitalized as of Monday, according to the health department. (8/19)
Los Angeles Times: California Plague Case Believed To Be Caused By South Lake Tahoe Flea
A South Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for the plague — yes, the same pest-transmitted disease estimated to have killed 25 million Europeans in the Middle Ages. It is believed that the person contracted the rare and dangerous disease after being bitten by an infected flea while camping in the South Lake Tahoe area, according to El Dorado County health officials. The patient is under the care of a medical professional and recovering at home, health officials said. (Harter, 8/19)
CIDRAP: Officials Track Measles Exposures At Airports In Colorado, Montana
Health officials in Colorado and Montana confirmed new measles cases and warned about potential exposure at airports, one in Denver and the other in Bozeman, Montana. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment yesterday reported a second recent case in Mesa County, home of Grand Junction. The patient is an adult whose vaccination status is unknown who may have had a common exposure with a Mesa County case reported last week. (Schnirring, 8/19)
The Hill: HHS Will Allow Emergency Use Of Animal Drugs In New World Screwworm Fight
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) became authorized Tuesday to allow the use of animal drugs to treat or prevent infestations caused by the New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite that has recently disrupted the cattle industry. A declaration from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will allow the FDA to issue emergency use authorizations for animal drugs to treat the insect. A spokesperson for the HHS did not specify what medicines have been greenlighted to combat the parasite. (O’Connell-Domenech, 8/19)
STATE WATCH
The CT Mirror: Chris Murphy Slams Prospect Medical, Private Equity In Hospitals
U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., called on Connecticut to take a “hard line” and ban private equity ownership of hospitals, citing deteriorating conditions at three facilities owned by Prospect Medical Holdings, a hospital operator formerly backed by private equity investors. (Golvala, 8/20)
North Carolina Health News: NC Employers Look To Smaller PBMs Without “Shenanigans”
Some employers and health systems in North Carolina are looking to change how they manage prescription drug benefits for their employees. More employers are considering alternative pharmacy benefit managers — or PBMs — to run the drug benefits in their employees’ health insurance plan. For the past few years, the market has been dominated by three big pharmacy benefit managers: CVS Caremark, Optum Rx and Express Scripts, which together processed nearly 80 percent of all prescription claims in the U.S. in 2024. (Vitaglione, 8/20)
The Hill: Kentucky Fights Back Against Deadly 'Designer Xanax'
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said on Monday that bromazolam, also known as “Designer Xanax,” has received an emergency state designation as a Schedule I controlled substance. As a Schedule I substance, the drug is banned sale in Kentucky, and the move provides law enforcement the ability to make arrests for sales or possession. A release from Beshear’s office said the designation is in response to a growing number of overdose deaths from the drug. Forty-eight overdose deaths were tied to bromazolam in Kentucky in 2024. (Meffert and Martichoux, 8/19)
The Oklahoman: Two Men, Including Suspect, Die After Officer-Involved Shooting At Oklahoma Hospital
Two people are dead after a shooting involving police officers at a hospital in Enid, about 100 miles northwest of Oklahoma City. Shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, officers with the Enid Police Department responded to a domestic issue at a residence near E. Walnut Avenue and N. 12th Street in Enid. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, now the lead agency on the case, said that police had identified an adult male suspect who had come to Integris Health Hospital, where officers said they'd found the suspect's vehicle. (Smith, 8/18)
AP: Minnesota Sues TikTok Over Addictive Algorithms Targeting Youth
Minnesota on Tuesday joined a wave of states suing TikTok, alleging the social media giant preys on young people with addictive algorithms that trap them into becoming compulsive consumers of its short videos. “This isn’t about free speech. I’m sure they’re gonna holler that,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said at a news conference. “It’s actually about deception, manipulation, misrepresentation. This is about a company knowing the dangers, and the dangerous effects of its product, but making and taking no steps to mitigate those harms or inform users of the risks.” (Karnowski, 8/19)
WUSF and Climate Central: Extreme Heat Increasing Health Risks For Pregnant Floridians
Christina Duarte, 43, is cheerful with long brown hair. She’s glowing at more than six months pregnant with her eighth child. "I have had four during the summertime… I don't know if it's my age or this heat, but it has never felt this hot to me," she said. (Meszaros, 8/20)
CANCER RESEARCH
The New York Times: Are Marathons And Extreme Running Linked To Colon Cancer?
A small, preliminary study found that marathoners were much more likely to have precancerous growths. Experts aren’t sure why. (Rabin, 8/19)
The Hill: Cancer Vaccine Research Shows 'Promising' Results In Preventing Some Recurring Cancers
An experimental cancer vaccine has shown promising results in keeping pancreatic and colorectal cancers from coming back. In a clinical trial led by the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, researchers tested the vaccine on 25 patients who had previously been treated for pancreatic and colorectal cancers. (Perkins, 8/19)
Newsweek: Breakthrough Nanobody Tech Hits Lung Cancer Cells Like A Drone Strike
A nanobody-based technology can precisely identify and attack lung cancer cells—sparing surrounding healthy tissue. This is the promise of researchers at the Bio-Nano Research Center at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), who say that the approach could improve cancer therapy by reducing harmful side effects and maximizing efficiency. (Millington, 8/19)
PUBLIC HEALTH
NBC News: Walmart Shrimp May Have Been Exposed To Radioactive Material, FDA Says
The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that the public should avoid eating certain frozen shrimp sold at Walmart due to concerns that the seafood may have been contaminated with radioactive material. Health officials said in a news release that it is investigating reports of Cesium-137 (Cs-137) contamination in shipping containers and frozen shrimp products processed by an Indonesian company, PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati of Indonesia, also known as BMS Food. (Lavietes, 8/19)
MedPage Today: Higher Omega-3 Intake Linked To Lower Myopia Risk In Kids
Higher dietary intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was associated with a reduced risk of myopia in children, according to findings from a population-based study in Hong Kong. Among over 1,000 children, axial length was longest -- indicating myopia -- in the lowest quartile group of dietary omega-3 fatty acid intake compared with the highest quartile group, reported Jason C. Yam, MBBS, MPH, of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and colleagues in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. (Dotinga, 8/19)
