Latest KFF Health News Stories
Even With SNAP Restored, Food Banks Continue To See High Demand
Food banks and pantries across the country predict the increase in demand will continue through December. Other states making news: Missouri, North Carolina, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, and Maryland.
All HHS Workers Laid Off During Shutdown Have Been Brought Back
Thomas Nagy Jr., deputy assistant secretary for human resources at the Department of Health and Human Services, wrote in a federal court filing Friday that all 954 employees who received layoff notices were emailed Nov. 17 and told to return to work, The Hill reported.
Trump’s Supposed ACA Subsidy Plan Sidelined Before It Was Even Unveiled
Republicans were blindsided over news media reports that the plan would extend Obamacare subsidies, Axios reported. Meanwhile, more Americans say they will go without health insurance if subsidies aren’t renewed.
First Edition: Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Viewpoints: Caregiving Has Gotten Harder For American Families; Technology Helps Elderly Stay Home
Editorial writers tackle these public health topics.
Wash. Patient With Strain Of Bird Flu Never Before Seen In Humans Has Died
The resident of Washington state was an older adult with underlying conditions, The Washington Post reported, and was infected with the H5N5 strain. State health officials said the risk to the public is low. Other health news is on lung cancer screening, female crash-test dummy standards, and more.
Eli Lilly Becomes First Health Care Company To Hit $1 Trillion In Value
The company’s blockbuster GLP-1 weight loss drugs Zepbound and Mounjaro are slated to be the top-selling drugs in the world this year. Meanwhile, Bayer began to see positive results from its experimental stroke-prevention drug, asundexian, in a late-stage study.
DOGE Has Been Disbanded, Feds Say, But Effect On CDC Continues To Linger
Critics say the Department of Government Efficiency delivered few measurable savings, and many workers who were laid off were later offered their jobs back. But the roller-coaster ride of uncertainty left a huge dent in morale, particularly at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
RFK Jr. Personally Told CDC To Change Website On Vaccines And Autism
The New York Times reported that it is highly unusual for a health secretary to do so. Plus: Tatiana Schlossberg, the cousin of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and granddaughter of President John F. Kennedy, has revealed she has terminal cancer. She lashed out at her cousin for policy decisions that put her health at risk. Scroll down to our Editorials and Opinions section to read her story.
North Dakota Reinstates Abortion Ban After Court Overturns Earlier Ruling
The reversal makes abortion a felony, with doctors facing up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Patients, however, will be protected from prosecution. Also: Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho sue the FDA to stop generic mifepristone.
Trump Poised To Unveil Health Policy Plan With ACA Extension, Sources Say
The framework has been rumored to include a two-year extension of Obamacare subsidies, currently due to expire at the end of December, and could also include new limits on eligibility. Meanwhile, Bloomberg reports on how Google searches for Obamacare can lead buyers to insurance programs that don’t offer comprehensive coverage.
First Edition: Monday, Nov. 24, 2025
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to read. Today’s selections are on alpha-gal syndrome, “low T,” the role frogs play in human health, and more.
New Jersey High Court Declares Shaken Baby Syndrome Testimony Unreliable
The state Supreme Court decision comes amid two upcoming child abuse cases and called expert testimony “scientifically unreliable and inadmissible.” Other places making news include Illinois, Virginia, the Navajo Nation, California, and Washington state.
Smaller Clinics, Hospitals Rent Portable PET/CT Scanners As Demand Grows
Mobile medical equipment rental companies are growing as hospitals seek newer technology to keep up with the increased demand for diagnostic testing and imaging — without the hefty price tag. In other news, Medicare reimbursement is due to increase 2.2% for dialysis facilities next year.
Opinion writers discuss these public health issues.
Two-Thirds Of Cancer Patients Don’t Meet Cancer Screening Criteria: Study
The current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines disproportionately exclude women, minority racial and ethnic groups, and never-smokers. Also: Abbott Laboratories has signed a deal to buy a cancer screening company for $21 billion.
Trump Admin Floats Idea To Squelch States’ Regulation Authority Over AI
A leaked copy of an executive order maps out strategies for dealing with states that try to manage artificial intelligence while also giving that power to the federal government. Plus, AI chatbots are now dishing advice about how to reverse abortions.
GOP Senator Unveils Legislation For ‘Trump Health Freedom Accounts’
The bill from Sen. Rick Scott of Florida — which is called the “More Affordable Care Act” — resembles a health savings account but could be tapped to pay insurance premiums, Politico reported. However, the account could not be used to pay premiums for any health plan that covers abortion or gender transition procedures, the legislation says.
CDC Loses Credibility Among Experts After Vaccine-Autism Reversal
Backlash was swift after the agency altered its website to say: “The claim ‘vaccines do not cause autism’ is not an evidence-based claim.'” Even Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) chimed in: “What parents need to hear right now is vaccines … are safe and effective and will not cause autism.”
