Morning Breakouts

Latest KFF Health News Stories

As Kennedy Visits Bullet-Riddled CDC, Critics Insist He Stop Vaccine Rhetoric

Morning Briefing

The HHS secretary also met with the widow of officer David Rose. Meanwhile, the agency says it is adding safety and security measures before it brings back employees, who are reeling from the trauma and have the option of working remotely this week. “I think most of us would very much like the next message we hear from [Kennedy] to begin with ‘I hereby resign,’” one staffer said.

VA Hospitals Having Difficulty Wooing Doctors, Nurses Amid Federal Turmoil

Morning Briefing

Internal documents examined by ProPublica show nearly 4 in 10 of the approximately 2,000 doctors offered jobs from January through March turned them down — quadruple the rate during the same period last year — because the doctors worried the jobs weren’t stable.

Boar’s Head Plant At Center Of Listeria Outbreak Will Reopen Soon In Virginia

Morning Briefing

The plant was shut down in September amid the outbreak that killed 10 people and sickened dozens. Recent inspections have found health concerns at other Boar’s Head facilities, however. Plus: Covid cases are rising everywhere, particularly in Louisiana.

Supreme Court Is Formally Petitioned To Reverse Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

Morning Briefing

The appeal, which comes 10 years after the historic Obergefell case, is being brought by Kim Davis, the former Kentucky county clerk who was jailed for refusing marriage licenses to a same-sex couple.

Ousted Vaccine Regulator Vinay Prasad Is Back At FDA

Morning Briefing

It is not clear whether Prasad will still serve as the agency’s chief medical and scientific officer, Stat reports. Meanwhile, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research staff grill top drug regulator George Tidmarsh about the challenges they face.

Trump Demands Homeless People ‘Immediately’ Get Out Of DC

Morning Briefing

The president’s crackdown on homelessness in the nation’s capital comes after an alleged assault of a former Department of Government Efficiency staffer. Separately, the Commerce Department will launch an investigation into Harvard University’s patents that received government funding.

CDC Leaders And Staff Express Fear, Anger, And Resolve After Shooting

Morning Briefing

In a call with employees, agency brass told employees that the attack on the office complex was deliberate: “This was not stray bullets.” Employees are calling for the resignation of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who one says is “propagating misinformation and distrust.” Law enforcement sources say the suspect might have blamed his health concerns on the covid-19 vaccine.

Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed

Morning Briefing

Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today’s selections are on public health policy, abortion undergrounds, medically assisted death, and more.

Proposed California Bill Aims To Protect Access To HIV Treatments

Morning Briefing

Assembly Bill 554 would protect access to PrEP and PEP medications by requiring insurers to cover the antiretroviral drugs. Other states making news: Florida, Missouri, Ohio, and Colorado.

Eli Lilly Says Weight Loss Pill A Success, Will Apply This Year For FDA Approval

Morning Briefing

During a 72-week study, those taking the highest dose of orforglipron lost an average of 27.3 pounds. While injections might cause people to lose more weight, a pill has advantages over them, specifically that it doesn’t need to be kept cold. And in health tech news, GPT-5 has been released.

To Make Up For Federal Medicaid Cuts, Calif. County Aims To Raise Sales Taxes

Morning Briefing

Santa Clara County will add a ballot measure to November’s special election. “We cannot afford to sit back and tell ourselves it won’t be that bad because it will, for all of us,” County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg said. Plus, more news on the Medicaid reductions.

Heart Association: Americans Should Be Picky About Ultraprocessed Foods

Morning Briefing

In its new guidelines, the American Heart Association says not all ultraprocessed foods are so bad — such as whole grain breads, low-sugar yogurts, tomato sauces, and nut or bean-based spreads. The MAHA Commission report on ultraprocessed foods is due Tuesday.

Trans Troops Forced Out Of Air Force After 15-18 Years Won’t Get Benefits

Morning Briefing

The move means that transgender service members will now have to take a lump-sum separation payment offered to junior troops or be removed from service, AP reported. Other news is about VA collective bargaining, maternal and mental health programs cuts, and more.

Senators Want UnitedHealth Group’s Records On Nursing Home Transfers

Morning Briefing

Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren have asked to see internal company documents after a Guardian investigation alleged that the company partnered with nursing homes across the country to cut back on residents’ hospital transfers in an effort to reduce expenses.