Latest KFF Health News Stories
HHS Reviews Create Bottlenecks At Indian Health Service Facilities
New HHS contract reviews are delaying care and filling of vacancies, IHS insiders tell Stat News. Meanwhile, KFF Health News dives into rehabilitation hospitals.
Study: No Link Between Aluminum In Vaccines And Kids’ Chronic Diseases
The 24-year study of more than 1.2 million children in Denmark found that aluminum exposure didn’t raise the risk of autism, asthma, or other chronic diseases. Other science and research news is on smoking cessation, dementia, inflammatory bowel disease, and more.
Menopause In Focus: 15 States Launch Bills Supporting Women’s Health
The legislation relates to insurance coverage for menopause care, awareness and education, and clinician training. More news is on weight-loss drugs and kids, medicine recalls, and more.
CMS Proposes 2.5% Medicare Doctor Pay Rate Increase In 2026
Separately, CMS is proposing to start a competitive bidding program for medical goods such as glucose monitors and insulin pumps, Modern Healthcare reports. Also: Rural hospitals look to add services as a potential way to weather the looming cuts.
Editorial writers tackle these public health topics.
Layoffs Formally Resume At HHS As Agency Undergoes Restructuring
Almost all employees who had received a layoff email on April 1 have now been officially severed from the agency, an HHS spokesperson says. Other administration news includes the gutting of the Education Department; federal cuts hitting Texas school programs; and more.
First Edition: Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
North Carolina To Build Stand-Alone 500-Bed Children’s Hospital
The Raleigh-area facility will be built as a joint agreement between UNC Health and Duke Health. More news comes from Texas, New York, Arizona, and Maryland.
US Sees Fewer Health Care Data Breaches This Year, But Cases Still High
Other health care industry news is on the impact of immigration policies on nursing home staffing, a long-covid clinic closure in St. Louis, and more.
Severe Climate-Related Disasters Affect Area Health Care For Years: Study
While severe climate-related disasters were linked with decreased access to health care infrastructure, moderate climate-related disasters were linked with increased access and redevelopment. In other news, GLP-1 drugs are showing promise in areas of addiction. Also: bariatric surgery, muscle loss, and menopause.
Effectiveness Of Involuntary Mental Health Care Inconclusive, GAO Finds
Despite HHS finding favorable outcomes, GAO disagrees, claiming the earlier assessments are unreliable due to methodological flaws. In other news: some common sweeteners can increase the risk of early puberty; Propecia causes fertility issues for some users; and more.
Arizonan Dies Of Pneumonic Plague
The diagnosis was confirmed through rapid testing after the Coconino County resident was admitted to Flagstaff Medical Center. Pneumonic plague is the only form of the plague that can be transmitted person to person, but officials say the risk of exposure is low.
Judge Reverses Biden-Era Rule That Wiped Medical Debt Off Credit Reports
Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports that the FDA may offer to fast-track drug reviews for companies that lower their U.S drug prices. Also: a billion-dollar backlog of delayed grants at HHS, and more.
Hospitals Ready Lobbying Efforts To Fight Big Cuts From Trump’s Megabill
Delayed implementation until 2028 gives hospitals time to persuade Congress to rescind $340 billion in cuts to their budgets. The Republican One Big Beautiful Bill Act included the money to pay for tax cuts and other priorities. Separately, the legislation is also expected to impact insurers due to the volatility in Medicaid-eligible patients.
First Edition: Monday, July 14, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Opinion writers discuss these public health issues.
Health Systems Bolstering Ranks By Offering Loan Repayment For Pledges
Medical providers are employing methods to counter the Trump administration’s rules that make it harder for students to borrow money. Plus, the Joint Associations Group has a counterproposal to Trump’s research overhead cuts.
Missouri Repeals Voter-Approved Paid Sick Leave Provision
Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe signed legislation that lifts the sick leave requirement beginning Aug. 28. Other states making news: Michigan, New Mexico, Texas, and California.
Common Pain Drug Gabapentin Linked To Dementia Diagnoses In Adults
Research shows that patients with six or more prescriptions for gabapentin, commonly used to treat lower back pain, were 29% more likely to be diagnosed with dementia and 85% more likely to be diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment within 10 years of their initial pain diagnosis.
Nearly 1 in 3 US Teens Has Prediabetes, CDC Data Indicate
The estimate, which was previously 1 in 5, is being questioned by scientists who note the absence of a peer-reviewed published paper or raw data, along with the unexplained change in the methodology used to calculate the figures.
