Morning Breakouts

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Nashville School Shooter Manipulated Mental Health Providers, Report Says

Morning Briefing

Audrey Hale, who died in the 2023 attack, was able to convince providers and family members that her “homicidal and suicidal ideations were well in her past,” the investigative case summary concludes. Meanwhile, efforts are underway in Florida’s Miami-Dade County and in Ohio to ban fluoride from public drinking water. More news comes from Indiana, North Carolina, and California.

Mass General Brigham Staff Rocked By Layoffs Of Chaplains, Abuse Counselors

Morning Briefing

Chaplains help families navigate the decision to take loved ones off life support and also comfort employees struggling with traumatic situations. Among other jobs cut were a clinical social worker who led violence intervention and prevention programs and a tobacco treatment specialist.

Senators Offer Up Budget Plan That Could Ease Some Health Care Cuts

Morning Briefing

Modern Healthcare reports that the Senate Budget Committee’s proposal includes the House’s recommendations that could lead to billions in health program cuts but also provides for greater flexibility. Plus: a proposal to offer nondairy milk options in school lunches.

Supreme Court Justices Differ On South Carolina’s Planned Parenthood Case

Morning Briefing

Planned Parenthood’s attorney, along with liberal justices, stated that “preventing the medical provider from suing over South Carolina’s actions could allow states to exclude providers from Medicaid for any reason at all,” Roll Call reported. Also, the CDC’s IVF unit was cut Tuesday; doctors take a deeper look at the cases of three patients who died because of abortion bans; and more.

Missed Deadline: Novavax’s Covid Shot Still Awaiting FDA’s Full Approval

Morning Briefing

The Food and Drug Administration had already indicated that it approved the vaccine, but new agency leaders are now requesting more data. Meanwhile, FDA staffers who oversaw expert panel meetings on vaccines have been dismissed. Other news is on measles and shingles.

FDA Layoffs Will Likely Force Cutbacks In Food And Drug Inspections

Morning Briefing

CBS reports that roughly 170 workers were laid off from the FDA’s Office of Inspections and Investigations. In related FDA news, the pharmaceutical industry is worried about the cuts; layoffs include senior veterinarians working on bird flu; and more. Also, President Donald Trump’s tariff exemptions for pharma.

Study: Exposure To Phthalates May Impact Brain Development In Infants

Morning Briefing

The study, published Wednesday in the journal Nature Communications, looked at moms’ phthalate exposure and newborns’ brain development. Other health news is on a promising new drug in the fight against ovarian cancer, the impact of “cold-water immersion” on your body’s cells, and more.

LA County Forms New Homeless Agency Despite Mayor’s Disapproval

Morning Briefing

According to the Los Angeles Times, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors approved a plan Tuesday to move more than $300 million in funds from the existing homeless services agency. Other news is from Massachusetts, Georgia, Colorado, Illinois, and North Carolina.

Prosecutors To Seek Death Penalty For Mangione In UnitedHealthcare Slaying

Morning Briefing

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi accused Luigi Mangione, 26 — on trial in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson — of committing a “cold-blooded assassination.” President Donald Trump has restored the use of federal executions, which had been on hold since mid-2021 under the Biden administration.

Wisconsin High Court Keeps Liberal Tilt With Abortion Rights On Docket

Morning Briefing

Liberal Judge Susan Crawford bested conservative Judge Brad Schimel for a seat on the court. Separately: Wyoming makes it harder for people to obtain procedural abortions; funding freezes limit contraception access nationally and globally; and more.

House Panel Discusses Vulnerability Of Aging Medical Devices

Morning Briefing

Alabama Republican Rep. Gary Palmer noted that even though the hardware can last up to 30 years, software tends to become outdated more quickly, potentially exposing patients to risk and hospitals to cybersecurity threats. New York Democrat Yvette Clarke wondered how these issues can be addressed after government departments have been gutted.

23 States Sue Trump Administration Over $11B In Health Funding Cuts

Morning Briefing

AP reports that the attorneys general involved in the lawsuit say the funding cuts will result in “serious harm to public health.” In related news about the Trump administration and DOGE: rural internet access, a kidney donor held by ICE, and more.

‘Liberation Day’ Arrives; Some In GOP Try To Stop Tariffs On Canadian Drugs

Morning Briefing

An analysis recently published in JAMA found that the tariffs would likely result in price hikes on a “wide range of medications, from antibiotics to mental health treatments,” the lead author said. In related news, Mark Cuban says his Cost Plus Drugs will be forced to raise prices if tariffs take effect.

HHS Guts Health Agencies, Ousts 5 NIH Directors In Broad Reduction In Force

Morning Briefing

During a day of widespread layoffs, NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya told employees he plans to “implement new policies humanely,” while FDA Commissioner Marty Makary touted his “impeccable credentials” in an email to his charges. News outlets break down what programs were affected by Monday’s purge and what’s next.