Morning Breakouts

Latest KFF Health News Stories

Medicare May Group Drugs With Same Ingredients For Price Talks, Court Rules

Morning Briefing

Novo Nordisk argued in a lawsuit that each of its medications should be considered separately. By lumping together meds, Medicare is able to negotiate lower prices for more than the Inflation Reduction Act cap allows. In Novo Nordisk’s case, six insulin drugs were counted as one.

White House Turns To Tariff Revenue To Keep WIC Funding Flowing

Morning Briefing

The food aid program for mothers and young children was set to run dry soon. It’s not clear whether the Trump administration has the authority to redirect funds without Congress. Plus, the United Network for Organ Sharing has had to limit activities because of the government shutdown.

Nobel Prize In Physics Awarded To Trio With Ties To UC Berkeley

Morning Briefing

John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret, and John M. Martinis are being lauded “for the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunneling and energy quantization in an electric circuit.” Clarke’s related work has been applied in some biomedical uses.

Asthma Inhalers Are ‘Substantial’ Contributors To Climate Change: Study

Morning Briefing

Researchers found that the propellants that push the medication out of the inhaler, called hydrofluoroalkanes, are contributing to planet-warming pollution. Also: the link between exposure to sulfur dioxide and ALS; the stubborn problem of lead water pipes; and more.

Amgen Launches Direct-To-Consumer Drugs At Discount, Joins TrumpRx

Morning Briefing

Patients who pay cash through the drugmaker’s online portal will receive up to 60% off, the company announced. Other pharmaceutical news looks at where vital medicines get their start, antibiotics, cough syrup, breast cancer treatments, and more.

Trump, GOP Say Shutdown Must End, But ACA Subsidy Negotiations Can Wait

Morning Briefing

Neither side seems willing to budge on whether Obamacare tax credits should be extended. Republicans want to conduct those talks separately. Democrats insist their health care priority be addressed now, before insurers set market rates.

CDC Wants To Break Up MMR Vaccine; Covid Shot Guidelines Updated

Morning Briefing

The CDC previously said there was “no published scientific evidence” for separating the shots — and no monovalent vaccines are currently approved in the U.S. Meanwhile, the CDC has approved ACIP’s recommendation for people to talk to a health care professional before getting a covid shot.

Nobel Prize in Medicine Awarded To Trio Including Two American Scientists

Morning Briefing

The three scientists, Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi, have discovered how the immune system protects us from invading pathogens and how regulatory T cells prevent immune cells from attacking our own body. Scientists hope their discoveries will lead to cures for common autoimmune diseases.

Sepsis Causes More Than 3 Million Childhood Deaths Globally Each Year

Morning Briefing

According to the Sepsis Alliance, diagnosis in children can be very difficult, with up to 10% of cases missed in the ER. Of the 3.4 million childhood fatalities yearly, up to 85% are children younger than 5. Also: Mosquito-borne chikungunya is on the rise.

Rite Aid Closes Its 89 Remaining Stores Across The US

Morning Briefing

The pharmacy chain, in business since 1962, struggled financially after filing for bankruptcy twice in the past two years. Other U.S. health news comes from Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Washington, Florida, Ohio, and Maryland.

Costco Will Offer Wegovy, Ozempic For $499 Monthly To Uninsured Members

Morning Briefing

Novo Nordisk announced Friday that it wanted to ensure everyone had access to the “authentic” drugs. Also, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) has pushed for more details regarding the White House’s deal with Pfizer; Colorado has placed a price cap on Enbrel, a drug used to treat some autoimmune diseases; and more.

Shutdown Is Latest Dose Of Misery For Federal Health Workers

Morning Briefing

Many federal employees, interviewed by The Washington Post across three dozen agencies, said the shutdown and related fear of layoffs felt like the last straw. Other shutdown news is on the impact to Native American communities, support for ACA subsidies, and more.

Trump Weighs Raising Qualifying Age Threshold For Disability Benefits

Morning Briefing

If the policy change goes into effect, hundreds of thousands of Americans would no longer be eligible to receive Social Security payments for being unable to work. Plus, The Washington Post contends Veterans Affairs has been targeted by veterans filing bogus disability claims.