First Edition: Wednesday, March 4, 2026

KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES

KFF Health News: Lawmakers, Health Groups Resist Their States’ Rural Health Fund Plans
In the final days of 2025, governors around the country trumpeted the hundreds of millions of federal dollars they won from a new, $50 billion rural health fund. But plans to spend those nine-digit awards aren’t all warmly received. At least one group of Republican state lawmakers appears to have scuttled an initiative preapproved by federal officials. And at least one hospital association persuaded its state health leaders to alter who greenlights spending. Other critics are taking a more cautious approach. (Zionts and Tribble, 3/4)

KFF Health News: Despite Their Successes, Some Mobile Crisis Response Teams Are In Crisis
It was a snowy afternoon in Bozeman, a city of nearly 60,000 nestled among the mountains of southern Montana. Temperatures hovered in the mid-30s. The city’s mobile crisis team had just gotten a call about a man walking around outside without shoes. The man’s family told the team he was having a mental health crisis and wouldn’t come inside. As they drove down the highway toward the city’s outskirts, team member Evan Thiessen spoke with the relative who had reached out. (Bolton, 3/4)

KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest 'KFF Health News Minute'
Sam Whitehead reads the week’s news: Some places are bringing back house calls to try to fight maternal and infant mortality, and almost all Americans benefit from health care subsidies in different forms. (Cook, 3/3)

VACCINES

MedPage Today: USPSTF Meeting Pushed Back For Third Time In A Row
Yet another scheduled meeting of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has been postponed, HHS confirmed Tuesday. The task force, which typically meets three times a year, hasn't convened since March of last year, with meetings in July and November abruptly canceled. (Henderson, 3/3)

FiercePharma: Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla Levels Criticism Of CBER's Vinay Prasad
One of the most powerful voices in the biopharma industry, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla, Ph.D., has weighed in with sharp criticism of the FDA’s Vinay Prasad, M.D., and his performance as the chief of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), which regulates vaccines in the U.S. “We have a problem with the leadership of CBER,” Bourla said Monday at the TD Cowen healthcare conference. “I think the current director is not following the recommendations of his staff.” (Dunleavy, 3/3)

Bloomberg: Moderna To Pay $950 Million To Settle Arbutus, Genevant Vaccine Litigation
Moderna Inc. agreed to pay $950 million to settle litigation related to the delivery technology behind its Covid shot, removing a looming financial risk for the struggling vaccine maker. The company has settled all litigation worldwide with Arbutus Biopharma Corp. and Genevant Sciences GmbH over its existing and future vaccines, with no future royalties owed. At issue were claims that Moderna had infringed on patents owned by Genevant and Arbutus related to lipid nanoparticles, or tiny bubbles of fat that Moderna used to deliver its Covid shot inside patients. (Smith and Muller, 3/3)

MEASLES

AP: A Large Immigration Detention Camp In Texas Is Closed To Visitors Amid Measles Outbreak
A large immigration detention camp in Texas has been closed to visitors and attorneys due to a measles outbreak, a lawmaker said Tuesday. There are 14 active measles cases at the detention center on the Fort Bliss Army base and 112 people are being isolated, said U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, an El Paso Democrat whose district includes the facility, known as Camp East Montana. It will remain closed to visitors and attorneys until March 19 or March 20. (3/4)

The New York Times: In South Carolina Measles Outbreak, Vaccine Skepticism Led To Largest Outbreak Since 2000
The Global Academy of South Carolina, a public charter school, is housed in a glittering modern building on a sprawling campus, a 10-minute drive from the spunky downtown Spartanburg. It has Ukrainian- and Russian-language teachers on staff, reflecting that many of its roughly 600 students belong to a thriving Slavic community, whose lives revolve around the evangelical churches in surrounding Spartanburg County. But on Oct. 8, South Carolina’s public health department made an ominous announcement: Global Academy was one of two schools in Spartanburg County where measles had been detected. Only 21 percent of its students were vaccinated, one of the worst rates for a public school in the state. (Hartocollis, 3/3)

COVID AND FLU

CIDRAP: Up To 56,000 People Died From COVID-19 Or RSV Last Year
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) was associated with 190,000 to 350,000 hospitalizations from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, as well as 10,000 to 23,000 deaths, according to data published last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). During the same time, COVID-19 was associated with an estimated 290,000 to 450,000 hospitalizations and 34,000 to 53,000 deaths. (Szabo, 3/3)

CIDRAP: Report: COVID Survivors At Nearly 5 Times The Risk For Kidney Failure
COVID-19 infection is a significant predictor of chronic kidney disease (CKD), acute kidney injury (AKI), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and kidney failure, suggests a study by Penn State researchers published in Communications Medicine. (Van Beusekom, 3/3)

CIDRAP: Many With Long COVID Remain On The Job Despite Reduced Ability To Work
More than half of people in a cross-sectional study reporting on post-COVID condition (PCC) symptoms, or long COVID, in 2021 said their ability to work was poor, yet most were still working, suggesting a substantial burden of “presenteeism,” or reduced productivity while on the job. (Bergeson, 3/2)

CIDRAP: Public Health Alerts: Antibodies Elicited By The 2025-2026 Influenza Vaccine
In spite of fears of immune evasion by a widely circulating H3N2 influenza variant called subclade K, a Public Health Alerts report published today shows that the current flu vaccine produces antibodies that efficiently recognize subclade K in almost 40% of people. (Wappes, 3/3)

AUTISM

The Washington Post: Scientists Form Independent Autism Panel, Citing Concerns Over RFK Jr.
A group of prominent scientists launched an independent autism advisory panel Tuesday over fears that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has politicized the key federal autism advisory board he oversees. The shadow committee will focus on developing a coordinated scientific agenda for autism research and will function as a counterweight to the advisory board Kennedy reshaped in January by appointing new members. Many of those members have echoed his controversial views, including promoting debunked claims linking vaccines to autism and advocating for unproven treatments. (Sun, 3/3)

Modern Healthcare: How Autism Care Startups Navigate ABA Scrutiny, Medicaid Pay Cuts
Health tech companies specializing in autism care find themselves under the microscope, navigating a world where private and public insurers are scrutinizing treatments and therapies. In the past year, state Medicaid plans in North Carolina, Nebraska, Idaho and Indiana either have attempted to or been successful at cutting payments to providers offering applied behavioral analysis. Private insurers such as UnitedHealth Group have limited coverage for autism care in some states. (Perna, 3/3)

GUN VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC

AP: Father Who Gave Gun To Georgia School Shooting Suspect For Christmas Is Guilty Of 2nd-Degree Murder
A Georgia man who gave his teenage son the gun he’s accused of using to kill two students and two teachers at a high school was convicted Tuesday of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Jurors took less than two hours to find Colin Gray guilty of all charges in the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, northeast of Atlanta. Gray now joins a growing number of parents being held responsible in court after their children were accused in shootings. (Martin, 3/3)

HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY

The Wall Street Journal: Two Of The Biggest Patient-Assistance Charities Are Combining
Two of the largest charities that provide hundreds of millions of dollars in financial assistance to help Americans pay for medical treatments merged in one of the biggest combinations in the nonprofit healthcare sector. The Patient Advocate Foundation combined with the Patient Access Network Foundation, and will operate as the Patient Advocate Foundation, the groups said Tuesday. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier Tuesday that an announcement of the deal was imminent. (Loftus, 3/3)

Modern Healthcare: CMS' 2027 Medicare Advantage Rate Proposal Leaves Insurers Vexed
Medicare Advantage insurers warn that a plan to hold their federal payments virtually flat next year will have negative consequences for the program and its beneficiaries. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has proposed raising Medicare Advantage rates by just 0.09% in 2027 as the agency continues a multiyear effort to rein in Medicare Advantage spending. The draft regulation issued last month also would tighten the Medicare Advantage risk-adjustment program, costing insurers revenue. (Early, 3/3)

Stat: UnitedHealth Promised Transparency. Instead, It’s Cutting Back Key Disclosures
Amid financial and reputational turmoil, top executives at UnitedHeath Group have promised to bring more transparency. A new reporting policy from the health care giant is doing the opposite. This week, UnitedHealth listed just 10 subsidiaries in its annual report, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A year ago, the company disclosed nearly 3,100. (Herman, 3/4)

Modern Healthcare: Why CommonSpirit Health Sold Its Stake In Tenet’s Conifer
CommonSpirit Health is betting it will save money from cutting ties with Conifer Health Solutions, Tenet Healthcare’s revenue cycle management subsidiary. Chicago-based CommonSpirit said in February it sold its 24% stake in Conifer back to Tenet and would move its revenue cycle functions in-house over the course of 2026. CommonSpirit agreed to pay $1.9 billion to Dallas-based Tenet over the next three years, offset by $540 million Conifer will pay for CommonSpirit’s stake. (Hudson, 3/3)

Bloomberg: Cigna Names Brian Evanko CEO As David Cordani Moves To Executive Chair
Cigna Group Chief Executive Officer David Cordani is stepping back from the top job on July 1 and will be replaced by Chief Operating Officer Brian Evanko, who will execute the insurer’s business overhaul that spooked investors when it was announced last year. Evanko, 49, has long been seen as CEO-in-waiting. (Tozzi, 3/3)

The New York Times: Columbia Is Investigated For Handling Of Sex-Abuse Claims Against Doctor 
The New York attorney general is investigating Columbia University for its handling of allegations against Robert Hadden, a former university gynecologist who continued to work at one of its hospitals for weeks after his 2012 arrest on sex crimes. A spokeswoman for the attorney general, Letitia James, confirmed the investigation into the university on Monday. About 1,000 women have accused Mr. Hadden of sexually assaulting them during medical exams between 1993 and 2012. So far, Columbia has settled about $1 billion in claims. (Meko, 3/3)

MedPage Today: Doctors' Mistrust Of Insurers Is Holding Up Instant Prior Authorization, Dr. Oz Says
Doctors' distrust of insurers is one reason instantaneous prior authorization hasn't happened yet, according to CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, MBA. "When I ask insurance companies about why they don't accelerate prior authorization and do it instantaneously, the answer they give me -- and we've done this with all the big players -- is that doctors won't share data," Oz said here Tuesday at a conference sponsored by Accountable for Health, an advocacy group that promotes the adoption of accountable care programs. (Frieden, 3/3)

PHARMACEUTICALS

Newsweek: Major Pharmacy Chains Close Hundreds Of Stores Nationwide
Two major pharmacy chains are closing hundreds of stores across the U.S., reshaping access to everyday health care in many communities. Pharmacy chains have been under pressure for years as shopping habits change and costs rise. (Stevenson, 3/3)

Fierce Biotech: Disc Lays Off 20% Of Employees To Steady Ship After FDA Rejection Of Rare Disease Drug
Disc Medicine is laying off a fifth of its workforce as the biotech reels from the FDA’s rejection of its rare blood disease candidate. Last month, the agency knocked back an approval application for the glycine reuptake inhibitor bitopertin in erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) and X-linked protoporphyria. (Waldron, 3/3)

Stat: Prime Medicine Seeks FDA Treatment Approval After Two-Patient Trial 
Prime Medicine said Tuesday it will ask the Food and Drug Administration to approve a gene-editing treatment that has been given to only two patients. The application will test an agency that has promised to speed new gene-editing treatments to patients but has recently come under scrutiny from regulators, executives, and advocates for spurring a string of gene therapies for neurological diseases. (Mast, 3/3)

Bloomberg: FDA Says Novo Nordisk Ozempic Ad Misleads Consumers On Drug’s Use 
Less than a month after the US Food and Drug Administration said a TV advertisement for Novo Nordisk A/S’ Wegovy weight-loss pill included “false or misleading” claims, the company was hit with a notice for its original blockbuster Ozempic. (Thornton, 3/3)

STATE WATCH

Stat: Virginia Lawmakers Push New Approach To Prescription Drug Affordability Board
As more states look to contain the cost of prescription drugs, Virginia lawmakers are pushing an affordability board that they believe will go further than similar efforts attempted by other states. At the heart of the approach is a plan to use Medicare as a benchmark. Rather than start from scratch to identify medicines that are considered expensive, each year the board would target the same drugs that have been chosen by Medicare for price negotiations. The board would also set upper payment limits to create a ceiling on what would be paid. (Silverman, 3/3)

CalMatters: Newsom Threatens California Counties For Failing To Use His New Mental Health Court 
Frustrated by the slow adoption of one of his signature efforts to get Californians with severe mental illness off the streets, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday threatened to take funding from counties he said aren’t doing enough. Newsom called out 10 counties that he said are underperforming when it comes to CARE Court – a program he launched in 2023 that uses the courts to get people into mental health treatment. Counties that “haven’t gotten it done” in his view are: Los Angeles, Orange, San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Bernardino, Kern, Riverside, Yolo, Monterey and Fresno. (Kendall, 3/3)

The Hill: California Family Says Home Lab Belonging To Teen Trying To Cure Cancer Was Misread By FBI
A California family whose home was surrounded by FBI agents and SWAT Team members after “suspicious” items were found in its garage says there is nothing nefarious about the discovery. The investigation started on Feb. 23 when the landlord of the property, located in the gated Altair community in Irvine, called police to report “suspicious” materials. (Conybeare, 3/3)

San Francisco Chronicle: Invasive 'Ankle Biter' Mosquito Spreading In California, Officials Say
Bay Area officials are warning residents to clear their yards of any items that carry standing water, as the non-native yellow fever mosquito — known as “ankle biters” for their penchant for biting the lower extremities — continues to spread across California, including parts of the Bay Area. The yellow fever mosquito, or Aedes aegypti, was first found in Southern California about 15 years ago and has since spread to about 25 counties, including Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Alameda and Solano, with detection in cities such as San Jose, Antioch, Livermore and Dixon, according to the California Department of Public Health. (Ho, 3/3)

The New York Times: Offering Warmth And Care To The Homeless, As Cold Deaths Mount 
As darkness settled over New York City on Sunday night, a hulking white van raced through Lower Manhattan. Its driver, Christians Perez, peered through the windows, looking for the subtle signs of hidden life on city streets. It’s something you can’t exactly teach: how to spot the homeless New Yorkers trying to blend into the night — people resting on bus stop benches, curled up on doorsteps, tucked into the shadows of scaffolding. (Goldberg, 3/3)

Politico: Trump Administration Can’t Stop New York's Congestion Pricing, Court Rules
A federal court on Tuesday ruled against the Trump administration’s bid to halt New York City’s congestion pricing. The MTA’s congestion pricing program launched last January and is a first-in-the-nation tolling program for a defined area. The program aims to raise revenue for the MTA while reducing traffic and pollution. While initially controversial, public opinion has shifted in the year following the program’s implementation. Polls have found that even drivers — who were overwhelmingly against it — are increasingly supportive of the program thanks to its impacts on traffic. (Zhang, 3/3)

PUBLIC HEALTH

ABC News: Maternal Mortality Rate In The US Declines To Its Lowest Since 2018: CDC
Maternal mortality rates in the United States have dropped to their lowest levels in recent years, according to new data published on Thursday. The report, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics, compared maternal deaths in 2023 and 2024, with maternal deaths defined as the death of a woman during pregnancy or within 42 days of pregnancy termination. In 2024, 649 women died of maternal causes in the U.S., with a rate of 17.9 deaths per 100,000 births, according to the report. (Kekatos, 3/3)

NBC News: ChatGPT Health 'Under-Triaged' Half Of Medical Emergencies In A New Study
ChatGPT Health — OpenAI’s new health-focused chatbot — frequently underestimated the severity of medical emergencies, according to a study published last week in the journal Nature Medicine. In the study, researchers tested ChatGPT Health’s ability to triage, or assess the severity of, medical cases based on real-life scenarios. (Ozcan, 3/3)

The Hill: Colorectal Cancer Demographics Shift Toward Younger Americans: Research
The rate of colorectal cancer is increasing among younger Americans and is now the leading cause of cancer deaths in adults under the age of 50, according to research published by the American Cancer Society on Monday. Researchers found that 45 percent of new colorectal cancer diagnoses are occurring in individuals younger than 65, a 27 percent increase from 1995. Meanwhile, rates among older adults have declined over the past decade or so. An estimated 55,230 patients are expected to die from the disease in 2026, nearly one-third of whom fall within the under-65 demographic, according to the report. (Brams, 3/3)

ABC News: Possible Person-To-Person Swine Flu Case Reported In Spain. Should We Be Concerned? 
Over the weekend, health officials in Spain reportedly informed the World Health Organization (WHO) of a possible human case of swine flu that may have been caused by person-to-person transmission. The WHO's reference laboratory for influenza in Britain is conducting additional tests to confirm the diagnosis, according to Reuters. The patient in Spain did not have direct contact with pigs, according to the wire agency. (Kekatos, 3/3)