Morning Breakouts

Latest KFF Health News Stories

UnitedHealthcare Group CEO Thompson Shot, Killed In NYC

Morning Briefing

Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare Group’s insurance unit, was shot and killed in New York City on Wednesday morning, police have confirmed. He was in the city for the company’s annual investor conference, which was abruptly ended on news of the shooting.

Massachusetts Scores Big With ARPA-H Hub

Morning Briefing

Research universities, hospitals, and life sciences companies collectively received $276 million in federal funds after the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health opened in Cambridge last fall. In other news: The nationwide McDonald’s E. coli outbreak is officially over.

Study: Most Teens With Long Covid Recover After 2 Years

Morning Briefing

Researchers followed a large group of older kids and teens after they tested positive on a PCR test for covid, checking in every three months for symptoms of long covid. Most who developed the condition recovered fully after 24 months.

Now Included In First-Aid Guidelines: Overdoses, Seizures, And More

Morning Briefing

In the first update since 2010, the American Heart Association and the American Red Cross have included how to treat opioid overdoses and open chest wounds, among other things. Other industry news includes strikes, hospital closures, Medicare Advantage, and more.

Study: Nearly 3 In 10 US Drugstores Shuttered In One Decade

Morning Briefing

The study, published Tuesday in Health Affairs, found the pharmacy losses were most acute in Black and Latino neighborhoods. Also in pharma news: Orexo scraps plans for an app that treats depression; scientists explore encapsulating medicines in silk; and more.

European Restrictions on Trans Care May Play Role In Supreme Court Fight

Morning Briefing

Four European countries have made moves to restrict some transgender care for minors. Conservatives might cite actions abroad as they argue in support of Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care in front of the Supreme Court today.

DEA Nominee Chronister Bows Out

Morning Briefing

Also, news outlets weigh the fallout of some of President-elect Donald Trump’s plans and policies: a reduced home health and long-term care workforce if certain immigrants are deported; and more than 3 million Medicaid recipients at risk of losing coverage.

Visceral Fat May Be Early Marker Of Alzheimer’s

Morning Briefing

New research points to a link between excess belly fat in middle age and shrinkage in the memory centers of the brain, which could be an early indicator of a future Alzheimer’s diagnosis. In other news, ProPublica reports that formaldehyde is the most cancerous air pollutant in the country: “Nobody in the United States is safe.”

Texas Activists Advocate Shoring Up Ailing Rural Maternal Health System

Morning Briefing

A set of proposals titled “The Rural Texas Maternal Health Rescue Plan” will be put in front of legislators for the upcoming session. Almost half of all Texas counties offer no maternity care services. Other news includes a death penalty case in Texas; mental health in Colorado and California; and more.

Even Negotiated Medicare Prices Of 10 Drugs Higher Than In Peer Nations

Morning Briefing

Researchers analyze the prices on drugs negotiated by Medicare, in comparison to what they cost in other countries. Other Medicare news relates to Medicare Advantage ratings, open enrollment, and veterans.

Wary Of Restrictions From Trump, Transgender People Stock Up On Meds

Morning Briefing

President-elect Donald Trump has said he would “sign an executive order instructing every federal agency to cease the promotion of sex or gender transition at any age” on his first day in office, The Guardian notes. Plus: LGBTQ+ news from the Supreme Court, Utah, and Boston.

Justices Hint At Support Of FDA’s Reach Regarding Sweet Vapes Hawked To Kids

Morning Briefing

The Supreme Court’s decision on whether the FDA acted properly in preventing companies from marketing fruit-flavored e-cigarettes is expected in the coming months, AP says. However, the incoming Trump administration could change the rules. Trump himself has dithered on the subject.

House Covid Panel Releases Final Report Critical Of Pandemic Response

Morning Briefing

The House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic criticized efforts of the WHO, as well as social distancing and mask mandates, and credited Operation Warp Speed. Also in covid-related news, Donald Trump’s health agency nominees, nursing homes, and more.