Latest KFF Health News Stories
Health Care Led Job Creation Last Year; Hiring Continued To Rise In March
Meanwhile, Modern Healthcare reports on how people are spending less on health care relative to GDP. This is in part due to technological advances that are creating fewer complications and more procedures moving to outpatient settings, which lowers overhead costs.
FDA Sanctions Eli Lilly’s Easier-To-Use GLP-1 Weight Loss Pill Foundayo
Unlike Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill, Lilly’s orforglipron pill can be ingested at a user’s leisure and is not required to be taken on an empty stomach. The company “designed this to fit into people’s lives as easily as possible,” a Lilly official said. Plus, a group of teens has developed a wearable device to help people with dementia track everyday tasks.
Bill Would Limit Insulin Costs At $35 For Patients With Private Insurance
About 57% of people with private health insurance plans don’t get any relief from state measures to cap costs. The bipartisan bill also calls for a program to provide more affordable insulin to uninsured Americans in 10 states, AP reported. Previous attempts to cap insulin costs have failed in Congress.
CDC Puts Rabies And Pox Virus Testing On Hold As Staff Dwindles
As part of an agency-wide review, the CDC has been reevaluating what pathogen tests it offers to help states that are not equipped to conduct them. Experts are worried about the shortage of clinical expertise and testing offered. By July, the rabies team will have only one person equipped to advise state and local officials, and the pox virus team will have none.
Trump Ready To Levy 100% Tariffs On Some Imported Name-Brand Drugs
The tariffs would apply to pharmaceutical companies that haven’t struck most-favored-nation deals or that aren’t negotiating with the administration to bring down drug prices in the U.S. Plus, the latest on the partial government shutdown and the birthright citizenship case before the Supreme Court.
First Edition: Thursday, April 2, 2026
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers tackle these public health topics.
Judge Orders Trump Admin To Scrap New Criteria For Homelessness Funding
Plaintiffs in the case had argued against new political considerations for receiving funds that included whether jurisdictions “support sanctuary protections, harm reduction practices, or inclusive policies for transgender people.” Other state news is from California, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Maryland, and Alabama.
Novo Nordisk Ups Ante Against Lilly, Offers GLP-1 Cash Subscription Plans
Starting Tuesday, the Danish drugmaker will offer subscriptions for three months, six months, or 12 months through select telehealth partners, including Ro, Weight Watchers, and LifeMD. Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk has cut 400 jobs at its Bloomington, Indiana, facility.
Surveys Of 20,000 Family Doctors Find Nearly Half Of Them Are Burned Out
An analysis of data collected from 2016 to 2020 showed that 44% felt burned out, leading to higher instances of job changes or quitting medicine altogether. Young or female physicians experienced more burnout, according to the first national-level analysis.
Suicides In Military Fell 11% In 2024
Despite the decline, suicide rates among active-duty troops overall still have gradually increased from 2011 to 2024, AP reported. In other mental health news, ARMR Sciences Inc. is testing whether its anti-fentanyl vaccine could prevent overdoses.
Health Clinics Fret Title X Grants Won’t Be Renewed By Today’s Deadline
The Trump administration, which delayed — and then rushed — the Title X application process, is being mum about whether the funds will be distributed on time. Clinics are making contingency plans to continue reproductive health care. Plus, updates about the surgeon general nomination, peptide restrictions, blood donations, Americans’ health care concerns, and more.
Colorado Law Banning Conversion Therapy For LGBTQ+ Kids Struck Down
Eight Supreme Court justices concurred that the First Amendment prohibits states from using their licensing power to prevent therapists from sharing particular views with patients, Politico reported. The ruling could have implications for other states.
First Edition: Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Editorial writers examine these public health issues.
Seattle Sees Dramatic Decline In Syphilis Cases After DoxyPEP Rollout
Using public data from January 2017 to June 2025, researchers saw a 52% relative reduction in overall syphilis cases after the post-exposure prophylaxis was introduced in March 2023 compared with the pre-implementation period. The process involves taking a dose of the antibiotic doxycycline within 72 hours of unprotected sex and is recommended for men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women who have sex with men.
Mexico Decries ICE Facility Conditions, Vows Action After 14th National Dies
Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said the country will file a brief in support of a federal lawsuit over detention conditions at U.S. ICE centers and raise the matter with the Organization of American States, which promotes human rights. Plus, California alleges the government is still sharing private health data with immigration officials despite a court order to stop.
After 1-Year Delay, Montana Governor Signs Bill Defining Sex As Binary
The bill — which defines sex as either male or female, depending on a person’s reproductive system — technically passed the Legislature in April 2025, but it appears to have been delayed from the governor intentionally to prevent it from becoming entangled in litigation. Still, the new law likely will be challenged in court.
CVS To Open More Stores This Year Than It Closes, Signaling Comeback
Over the past four years, as health insurers have cut drug reimbursements and consumers have increasingly turned to discount chains or online shopping, CVS has closed more than 1,100 locations while only opening 200. This year the company is predicting opening about 60 stores, including nearly 20 pharmacy-only sites, Bloomberg reported.
