First Edition: Wednesday, March 18, 2026

KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES

KFF Health News: Evidence Shows ACA’s Mandated Benefits Alone Don’t Drive Up Costs. The Debate Continues
In January, when President Donald Trump unveiled his one-page outline to address health care spending, dubbed “The Great Healthcare Plan,” he specifically mentioned the Affordable Care Act’s role in driving up costs. “I call it the unaffordable care act,” he said. He reprised the line in his 2026 State of the Union address, blaming “the crushing cost of health care” on Obamacare. (Appleby and Boden, 3/18)

KFF Health News: Maker Of Device To Treat Addiction Withdrawal Seeks Counties' Opioid Settlement Cash
In the early 2000s, Michelle Warfield worked at a factory, hauling heavy seats for Ford trucks on and off an assembly line. To suppress daily aches in her back and hips, her doctor prescribed opioid painkillers. They worked for a bit. But by 2011, Warfield struggled to walk. And “by that time, I was addicted,” said Warfield, now living in Shelbyville, Kentucky. (Pattani, 3/18)

KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest 'KFF Health News Minute'
Katheryn Houghton reads the week’s news: Looming Medicaid cuts could mean states stop covering dental care for adults, and a growing number of U.S. nurses are moving to Canada. (Cook, 3/17)

GUN VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC

AP: Gunman Killed And Employee Hospitalized After A Shooting At A Georgia VA Clinic, Police Say
There was a shooting Tuesday at a Department of Veterans Affairs clinic in a small town at the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains in Georgia, and the gunman was shot and killed, police said. A Veterans Affairs employee was taken by helicopter to a hospital after the gunfire Tuesday afternoon, VA spokesman Peter Kasperowicz said. (Megnien and Martin, 3/18)

VACCINES

The New York Times: Ruling On RFK Jr.’s Vaccine Policy Changes Leaves Health Groups Scrambling 
On Tuesday, experts in public health, law and government said they were still trying to understand its ramifications. In at least one case, some unintended harm may result: The decision leaves unresolved questions about the status of a shot that protects against respiratory syncytial virus, or R.S.V., the leading cause of hospitalization among infants. That shot may no longer be available for free to children who need it because its inclusion was authorized by the current vaccine advisers. (Mandavilli, 3/17)

CIDRAP: Vaccine Lawsuit Against Kennedy Could Reach Supreme Court
Although a federal judge in Boston has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s changes to the US childhood immunization schedule, the US Supreme Court could have two chances over the next year to weigh in on the decision, legal experts say. US District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy said the sweeping overhaul of federal vaccine recommendations by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. likely violated a law that governs how public policy changes are made, as did Kennedy’s firing of all 17 members of an influential immunization advisory panel. (Szabo, 3/17)

NBC News: Bernie Sanders Demands Bill Cassidy Hold A Hearing To Debunk RFK Jr.'s Vaccine Claims
Sen. Bernie Sanders is demanding that Senate Health Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy hold a hearing to set the record straight that there is no link between vaccines and autism. Cassidy, R-La., a doctor, has been outspoken about his belief that vaccines are “safe and effective and will not cause autism.” (Leach, 3/17)

The Wall Street Journal: Exclusive | HHS Has A Potential Solution For Cancers That Keep Coming Back: Vaccines
The Trump administration, which has been skeptical of vaccines that prevent infections, is going all in on a new initiative to deploy novel vaccines against cancer. The Department of Health and Human Services, through the National Cancer Institute, has initiated a potential $200 million public-private partnership to fund clinical trials of vaccines that spark an immune attack on tumors. These vaccines may ward off cancer in patients who have been treated for the disease, but are at high risk for recurrence. (Gormley, 3/17)

ON CAPITOL HILL

Fierce Healthcare: Bipartisan Bill Would Exempt Health Workers From $100K Visa Fee
Lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill Tuesday that would exempt physicians and other healthcare workers from a $100,000 fee for H-1B visa petitions critics said would exacerbate workforce shortages. The Physicians and the Healthcare Workforce Act (PDF) is endorsed by a slew of provider and hospital associations. Alongside addressing the elevated, $100,000 fee outlined in President Donald Trump’s September executive order and implemented by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shortly after, it would also block additional fees for healthcare workers beyond those already outlined in immigration law. (Muoio, 3/17)

Politico: Trump Is Pressuring The Hill On Voter Verification — But Not His Own Housing Plan 
President Donald Trump is aggressively pushing the Senate to pass voter verification legislation, speaking about it at length, posting repeatedly on social media and threatening to withhold endorsements from defectors. But as a marquee housing bill containing one of his signature affordability proposals flounders on the Hill, he’s been virtually silent on it. (Messerly and Gangitano, 3/18)

The Hill: Bravo's 'Real Housewives' Stars Push HIV Prevention On Capitol Hill
A housewife’s place … is in the Capitol: A heavy dose of “Housewives” are hitting the Hill. Several stars from different iterations of Bravo’s “Real Housewives” — including Nene Leakes, Erika Jayne, Luann de Lesseps, Phaedra Parks, Melissa Gorga, Candiace Dillard Bassett and Marysol Patton — will be swapping their on-camera fireworks for the political drama in Congress with a visit to Congress. The group — which ITK is dubbing the Housewives Caucus — will head to the Russell Senate Office Building on Wednesday to advocate for expanding access to HIV prevention and treatment. (Kurtz, 3/17)

MORE ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

Military Times: VA’s Review Of Disability Claims For Fraud Won’t Include Past Filings, Officials Say
The Department of Veterans Affairs is developing a tool that will analyze veterans’ disability claims applications for fraud — a program VA officials say could identify providers or companies that abuse the system. The tool will not, however, be used to pursue potentially fraudulent past claims, a concern that arose recently among veterans following a congressional hearing that divulged the program’s development. (Kime, 3/17)

Stat: NIH Head Pledges To Spend Full Budget Despite Slow Start On Grants 
National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya promised a House Appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday that, despite the sluggish pace of grant awards, the agency will spend its full budget by the end of the 2026 fiscal year. (Wosen, 3/17)

Stat: Cigarette Smoking Dips Below 10%. The CDC Didn't Tell You 
The cigarette smoking rate among U.S. adults fell below 10% for the first time in recorded history in 2024. That’s a big deal in itself. Also remarkable is how everyone is finding out about it. (Todd, 3/17)

HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY

San Francisco Chronicle: Sutter Health To Combine With Midwest Provider Allina
Sutter Health, Northern California’s largest hospital system, is poised to combine with Allina Health, a major health care provider based in Minneapolis that will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Sutter, the two organizations said Tuesday. The two providers have signed a letter of intent to combine Sutter’s 27 hospitals in Northern California with Allina’s 13 hospitals in Minnesota and Wisconsin. (Ho, 3/17)

Barron's: Google Partners With CMS On Linking Medical Records To Fitbit 
Google is partnering with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on an initiative for consumers to gather and store their personal medical records on the Fitbit app, the company said at an event Tuesday. Rishi Chandra, who leads the Fitbit team at the tech giant, said the collaboration with the government agency, along with several other firms, will facilitate app users in verifying their identity to collect their own health records from medical providers, and link them to the app. (Dunn, 3/17)

Modern Healthcare: How Primary Care Is Expanding Into Senior Living Communities
Primary care is moving into senior living communities as companies add more healthcare options in order to keep residents living there longer. The trend is helping some senior living operators move the needle on health outcomes and lower healthcare costs for older, sicker residents. On average, people living in senior communities have up to three chronic conditions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Eastabrook, 3/17)

Stat: How A Texas Couple Is Getting Rich Off Out-Of-Network Medical Bills
When they met, it was at a party in Las Vegas, music bumping. Alla Kosova, newly divorced, told her friend to pick out her next husband, and she ushered over a stranger from the crowd. The next day, just before their first date, Scott LaRoque, an entrepreneur visiting from Texas, rushed to the Bellagio to swap out his $20 shirt for a Giorgio Armani one. Alla picked him up in a Ferrari. (Bannow, 3/18)

MedPage Today: Prehospital Whole-Blood Transfusion No Better Than Standard For Severe Hemorrhage
Logistical advantages and safety aside, whole-blood transfusion offered no clinical improvement for the treatment of life-threatening hemorrhage in the prehospital setting, the randomized SWiFT trial found. (Lou, 3/17)

STATE WATCH

AP: Wisconsin Senate Passes $133M Package To Combat Forever Chemicals
The Wisconsin Legislature sent a $133 million plan to combat contamination from so-called forever chemicals to Gov. Tony Evers for his approval Tuesday, promising an end to years of squabbling between the Democratic governor and Republican lawmakers over the issue. Evers said immediately after the Senate approved the bills Tuesday afternoon that he would sign them into law. The rare bipartisan compromise offers at least some hope for the scores of Wisconsin villages, towns and cities grappling with PFAS pollution in their groundwater. (Richmond, 3/17)

Minnesota Public Radio: Minnesota Department Of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm Has New Role 
Gov. Tim Walz announced Tuesday that former Minnesota Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm will work with Minnesota hospitals to address financial challenges. (Zurek, 3/17)

Jackson Hole Community Radio: About A Dozen Patients Turned Away After Last Week’s Abortion Ban 
By the end of last week, more than 10 patients had been turned away and two scheduled procedures have been cancelled at the state’s only clinic for medication and procedural abortions. (McMurtry, 3/17)

St. Louis Public Radio: Rolla Bans Some Forms Of Kratom And Regulates Other Supplements 
Rolla is the latest municipality in Missouri to restrict the sale and possession of plant-based supplements including Kratom. The Rolla City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Monday night making synthetic kratom and 7-hydroxymitragynine (also known as 7-OH) illegal to possess or sell. The measure also makes natural kratom, delta-7 THC and delta-8 THC available only to people over 21. (Ahl, 3/17)

St. Louis Public Radio: St. Louis Wraps First Year Of Code Blue Homeless Shelter Plan 
Homeless services providers and city officials agree that St. Louis’ new protocol to help vulnerable people during the coldest days of winter was an improvement over other years. The city activated its new Code Blue cold-weather plan more than four dozen times this winter to protect homeless residents, according to officials. (Fentem, 3/17)

OUTBREAKS AND HEALTH THREATS

CIDRAP: South Carolina Measles Outbreak Reaches 997 Cases
The South Carolina measles outbreak stands at 997 cases after just one new case was reported in recent days, suggesting the outbreak may be nearing containment. The outbreak began in the Upstate region last October, and was linked to several private schools with low vaccination rates among the student body. Cases mounted and then soared over the holidays, with multiple exposures at churches noted. (Soucheray, 3/17)

The Texas Tribune: 136 Measles Cases Reported In Texas So Far This Year
At least 136 measles cases have been reported in Texas this year. The vast majority of them are in federal detention facilities, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. (Nguyen, 3/17)

MedPage Today: New Mexico Offers Model To Manage Measles Outbreaks
New Mexico paired a broad public communications campaign with expanded statewide access to measles vaccination for children and adults to end a 2025 measles outbreak and boost statewide measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination rates. The state's multipronged strategy could offer other states a model as the U.S. grapples with local and regional outbreaks of the highly infectious respiratory virus, said Chad Smelser, MD, of the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) in Santa Fe, and colleagues in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. (Rudd, 3/17)

CIDRAP: More Animals Die From H5N1 Avian Flu At Ano Nuevo State Park In California
California officials have confirmed that nine more elephant seals, a sea lion, and an otter have died from avian flu H5N1 at Ano Nuevo State Park in San Mateo County. “As you probably imagine, this count reflects only the animals that have gone through sampling and confirmatory testing in multiple labs,” Christine Johnson, VMD, PhD, director of the Institute for Pandemic Insights at University of California, Davis told local media. “So there are likely more animals that we will be updating on in the coming weeks.” (Soucheray, 3/17)

LIFESTYLE AND HEALTH

CNN: PFAS Chemicals Linked With Lower Bone Density In Kids 
The “forever chemicals” known as PFAS are increasingly known to potentially pose many threats, the latest of which may be child bone health, according to a new study. (Rogers, 3/17)

CNN: Brain Aging Slowed By Over 2 Years With Unique Diet 
Eating a combination of two award-winning diets slowed aging in key structures inside the brain by over two years, according to a new study. (LaMotte, 3/17)

The Wall Street Journal: Eating A Lot Of Ultraprocessed Food Raises The Risk Of Heart Attacks, Strokes
People who eat around nine servings a day of ultraprocessed foods like chips and doughnuts have about a 67% higher risk of heart attacks, strokes and dying from heart disease compared with those who eat about one serving a day, according to a new study. The risks rose with each additional serving a person ate, according to the study published Tuesday in JACC: Advances, a journal of the American College of Cardiology. (Petersen, 3/17)

Stat: Severe Burns From Smoking Opioids A New Factor In Harm Reduction 
As U.S. drug use behavior has shifted away from injecting and toward smoking, public health experts have been almost uniform in their reaction. The development, they’ve said, is almost entirely positive: Smoking drugs like fentanyl, instead of injecting, can help reduce infections, disease transmission, and potentially even overdose rates. (Facher, 3/18)

GLOBAL WATCH

Bloomberg: Progress In Reducing Child Mortality Has Slowed, UN Report Finds
Reductions in child mortality have slowed around the world and even stalled in some places, with communities in sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia particularly at risk, a United Nations report has found. Nearly 7 million people died before turning 25 in 2024, with 4.9 million children dying before the age of 5, according to an analysis released late Tuesday by the UN entities that estimate child and adolescent mortality. (Del Valle, 3/18)

Politico: ‘Worst-Case Scenario’: Middle East Nuclear Concerns Haunt Top Health Officials 
World Health Organization officials are preparing for a nuclear catastrophe if the U.S.-Israel war with Iran escalates further. U.N. staff are monitoring the fallout of U.S-Israeli attacks on Iran’s atomic sites and remain "vigilant" for any type of nuclear threat, Hanan Balkhy, WHO regional director for the eastern Mediterranean, told POLITICO. (O'Neill, 3/17)