Latest KFF Health News Stories
Kennedy Ousts Two Top HHS Aides; NIH Overhauls Advisory Roles
Chief of Staff Heather Flick Melanson and Deputy Chief of Staff for policy Hannah Anderson served just months on the job. At the National Institutes of Health, advisory council appointees have been let go, and the director’s advisory committee has been disbanded.
Medicaid Cuts Could Mean 1,000 More Deaths Each Year, Report Indicates
Cuts also could lead to almost 100,000 more hospitalizations each year, according to the report published Wednesday in JAMA Health Forum. Also: The Trump administration speeds up the clawback of $7.8 billion in Medicare payments to hospitals.
Editorial writers delve into these public health issues.
First Edition: Thursday, July 17, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Mifepristone Access May Be Limited In West Virginia, Appeals Court Rules
A divided 4th Circuit Court found that GenBioPro’s argument regarding the abortion pill “falls well short of expressing a clear intention to displace the states’ historic and sovereign right to protect the health and safety of their citizens.”
Minnesota Nurses Association Set To Ratify Contract For 15,000 Nurses
The contract, which was reached after months of negotiations and averted a strike, addresses staffing, workplace safety, and fair wages. Meanwhile, some Baltimore nurses prepare to go on strike. Also in the news: the impact of federal cuts in Texas, go-bags for seniors’ hospital visits, and more.
Are Early Detection Cancer Blood Tests Ready For Patients? Study To Decide.
The National Cancer Institute-funded study, which will include up to 24,000 people, will screen for a variety of cancers. More news is on dogs detecting Parkinson’s; progress in the Influenza Vaccines Research and Development Roadmap Initiative; and more.
Doctors Warn Against ‘Coffee Enema’ Alternative Wellness Trend
Medical experts advise that the purported benefits of of the procedure lack scientific evidence and actually could be hazardous. In other public health news: Declining vaccine rates might signal a resurgence in infectious diseases; measles and covid cases climb; and more.
Report: Anti-Addiction Funding Withheld By Trump Administration
CDC sources tell NPR that the Trump administration has delayed and might cancel roughly $140 million in grants to fund fentanyl overdose response efforts, known as the Overdose Data To Action program or OD2A. Other health programs facing funding cuts are also in the news
‘Underwhelming’: Doc Groups Criticize Proposed Medicare Payment Increase
Separately, Medicare is proposing “efficiency” pay cuts that would hit specialists. Also: Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) wants to repeal some of the new Medicaid cuts; LGBTQ+ Americans may face a “Medicaid coverage cliff” from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Viewpoints: Amid Growing Federal Distrust, State Health Departments Should Step Up Vaccine Guidance
Opinion writers discuss these public health topics.
First Edition: Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Mass Overdose Event In Baltimore Hospitalizes More Than 2 Dozen
The event, caused by a bad batch of an unspecified drug, prompted a surge in 911 calls. Experts think a potent batch of fentanyl might have caused the overdoses and that the specific blend is still out there. Other states making news: Iowa, New York, Texas, Ohio, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
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.
