Latest KFF Health News Stories
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today’s selections are on malaria, abortion, smoking, pesticides, aging, and more.
Average Age Of First-Time Moms Rises To Nearly 28; Teen Pregnancies Decline
A CDC study shows that the average age of all mothers giving birth in the U.S. is at 29.6 as of 2023. Other news is on SIDS prevention, the popularity of Zyn with women, and more.
Illinois Lawmakers Vote To Strengthen Law That Helps Sexual Abuse Survivors
The changes come after an investigation showing dozens of hospitals violated the 49-year-old law. It’s unclear whether Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker will sign the bill.
AMA Seeks More Reliable AI Tools, Proposes Third-Party Verification
In order for doctors to trust AI in a clinical setting, artificial intelligence must explain its clinical decisions and cite sources, according to an association report.
Ousted ACIP Adviser Says Physicians Should Now Seek Guidance Elsewhere
Helen Chu, MD, urged doctors to find “science-based recommendations” from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Family Physicians. Chu noted, “It puts us in a very dangerous place if we can’t trust the national recommendations made by ACIP.”
Trump Team Pressures Pharma Companies To Voluntarily Lower Prices
The administration issued an order in May directing companies to begin negotiating drug pricing to bring them in line with other economically comparable nations, but pharmaceutical executives note that the order was light on details. Plus: RFK Jr.’s threat to yank medical school funding.
Bipartisan HALT Fentanyl Act Clears House, Heads To President Trump
The legislation makes permanent an emergency rule issued in 2018 that classifies copycats of fentanyl as Schedule I controlled substances. However, it does not add funding for public health or anti-drug-trafficking efforts to combat addiction and deaths. Another bill advancing in the House would legalize for-profit VA claims consultants, a measure veterans’ advocates have fought against.
Teen Wins Supreme Court Case Over Disability Accommodations At School
In Thursday’s ruling, justices unanimously agreed that the burden placed on students to prove their school is not meeting their disability accommodations is too high. In other news: “Wheelchair rules” for airlines will not be enforced until August.
First Edition: Friday, June 13, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Study: Alcohol-Related Liver Disease Deaths Doubled Between 1999-2022
The report in JAMA Network Open noted that the pandemic “further exacerbated these trends.” Also in the news: recalls due to fungal contamination and mold, climate disasters and their effects on babies’ brains, and more.
Democratic Governors Scale Back State-Funded Health Care For Immigrants
The cuts, which would freeze or pare down funded health care for undocumented immigrants, have been largely attributed to budget restraints. The governors in question come from California, Illinois, and Minnesota. Other news comes out of Ohio, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, and Colorado.
UnitedHealth Group’s Credit Rating Downgraded From ‘Stable’ To ‘Negative’
Moody’s and S&P Global noted their downgrades were unusual for the insurance giant and expressed optimism that the company will overcome multiple operational difficulties, Modern Healthcare reported.
Megabill Scraps ‘Silver Loading,’ Potentially Disrupting ACA Plans
Although the measure would reduce Silver plan premiums, an estimated 300,000 people would lose health coverage, experts say. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans won’t be targeting Medicare Advantage changes after all.
CDC Rehires More Than 400 People Who Had Received Layoff Notices
Politico reports that roughly half of those rehired work for the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention. Also: the effect of CDC cuts on women with chronic diseases; the oncology community sounds the alarm over budget cuts; and more.
Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of the latest health research and news.
Editorial writers examine these public health issues.
RFK Jr. Picks Covid Skeptics For CDC Vaccine Advisory Panel
News outlets dig into the histories of the new members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and find immunization skeptics and nonspecialists among the group. One has experience in epidemiology. One promoted hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin to treat covid-19.
First Edition: Thursday, June 12, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Proposed PFAS Reclassification Isn’t Backed By Science, Experts Warn
A group of 20 scientists has warned that narrowing the definition of what constitutes “forever chemicals” could be detrimental, lead to more lax laws, and is entirely politically and economically motivated. Also in the news: climate mandate reversals, “dirty dozen” list, and more.
Opinion writers dissect these public health issues.
