Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Drew Altman To Retire As Longtime Leader Of KFF
The New York Times: KFF’s Chief Executive To Retire
Drew Altman, the founding president and chief executive of KFF, who helped shape the organization into one of the nation’s most influential nonprofit health policy sources, told his staff on Wednesday that he would retire at the end of the year. Dr. Altman, 75, has worked at KFF since 1990. It was formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation. He will be replaced by two senior KFF executives, Larry Levitt, 63, who will serve as chief executive, and Mollyann Brodie, 59, who will serve as president. (Abelson, 5/27)
More health industry news —
CNBC: Amazon's Top Health Exec Is Stepping Down, Will Be Replaced By Amwell Co-Founder
Amazon’s top health-care boss will step down from his role and be replaced by the cofounder of telemedicine company Amwell, the company announced Wednesday. (Palmer, 5/27)
MedPage Today: Seattle Hospitalists Vote To Unionize
A group of about 115 hospitalists at five Swedish Medical Group locations across the Seattle area voted to unionize as a wave of physician organizing continues nationwide. The hospitalists voted to join Northwest Medicine United (NWMU), AFT Local 6552, which represents hundreds of physicians and advanced practice providers throughout the Northwest, the union announced. They represent the first group of doctors in the Providence health system to organize in the state of Washington. (Henderson, 5/27)
Chicago Tribune: Nurses At Saint Mary Of Nazareth Hospital Protest
Nurses at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Chicago rallied outside the facility Wednesday, protesting what they describe as a crackdown on their efforts to unionize by owner Prime Healthcare. (Schencker, 5/27)
Cardinal News: Carilion Announces Plan For New Rehab Hospital
Carilion Clinic partnered with a Pennsylvania-based Select Medical Corporation to open a rehabilitation hospital in Roanoke. Carilion announced plans for the new free-standing rehabilitation hospital in 2024 shortly after submitting a letter of intent to the state’s Certificate of Public Need Division. In August 2025, the division approved the project. (Schabacker, 5/28)
WKYC: Cleveland Clinic's Mobile Stroke Unit Brings The Emergency Room To Your Front Door
The mobile unit functions as a fully equipped emergency department on wheels. When a patient calls 911 with stroke symptoms, the unit responds alongside traditional emergency services. Onboard, a CT scanner captures brain images within minutes of patient contact. A vascular neurologist evaluates the patient remotely via telemedicine in real time, while a neuroradiologist reviews imaging from the scanner — all while the unit is still moving. (Robins, 5/27)
On healthcare costs and coverage —
Fierce Healthcare: GoodRx Rolls Out Healthcare Subscription Program
GoodRx announced Wednesday the launch of GoodRx Companion, a subscription program that offers access to virtual healthcare services and prescription medications at discounted prices. Through the $14.99 monthly GoodRx Companion subscription, users can access free and low-cost generic medications, online care visits and additional healthcare services. The company says the new subscription advances its strategy by adding broader offerings alongside its weight loss, erectile dysfunction and hair loss programs. (Gleeson, 5/27)
AP: About 8% Of The Country Lacked Health Insurance In 2025, New Data Shows. That Could Rise Next Year
The proportion of Americans without health insurance held steady at around 8% of the population in 2025, according to new findings from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The national survey results, released Thursday, show the all-ages uninsured rate has stayed significantly down from where it was several years ago, but the ranks of the uninsured could soon expand as the Trump administration’s sweeping changes to the health landscape begin to take hold. (Stobbe and Swenson, 5/28)
NBC News: When Drug After Drug Failed, A Teen Hoped Brain Surgery Could Fix Her Daily Seizures. Insurance Denied It
Brandi Sharp tends to find herself restless at night. Her 13-year-old daughter, Cambrie, has uncontrolled seizures. Sharp, a mother of three, is constantly up, checking to make sure Cambrie is breathing. During the day, when she’s not at work as a school nurse, Sharp, of rural Hazel Dell, Illinois, is laser-focused on finding effective treatment for Cambrie’s epilepsy. It’s all-consuming, she said. “We tried everything,” Sharp said, listing off more than 20 anti-seizure medications Cambrie’s doctors have prescribed over an eight-year span, including multiple benzodiazepines and phenobarbital. (Taylor, Kopf and Vespa, 5/27)
Modern Healthcare: Hospitals Use AI To Curb Insurance Claim Denials, Boost Revenue
Health systems are spending more on artificial intelligence to combat claim denials. They also are investing in their people. Some AI models cannot yet interpret payer-specific policies or aggregate complex denial appeals, underscoring the need for people to be involved in the process, particularly as insurers ramp up claim denials, executives said. (Kacik, 5/27)
Modern Healthcare: CMS Home Health Freeze Could Slow Hospital Discharges
A federal initiative aimed at cracking down on fraudulent operators could further hamstring efforts to expand access to home healthcare. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ six-month freeze on new home health provider enrollments in Medicare also means established operators can’t open locations in new territories or expand into home health services. (Eastabrook, 5/27)
KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’
Jackie Fortiér [FOR-tee-ay] reads this week’s news: Suicide prevention experts argue that improving Americans’ financial well-being could save lives. Plus, the Trump administration proposes looser artificial intelligence safeguards to speed innovation in healthcare. (5/28)
