Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
From KFF Health News - Latest Stories:
KFF Health News Original Stories
Montana Hurries To Adopt Trump’s Medicaid Work Rules Amid Budget Woes
The state is ramping up to implement the federal work requirements six months ahead of the deadline. But Montana is one of several states already struggling to pay for health services.
Nurse Convicted in Patient’s Death Turns Fatal Drug Error Into a Cautionary Tale
RaDonda Vaught was convicted of negligent homicide for accidentally dispensing a deadly drug to a patient. She now gives speeches about hospital safety in an era of automation and artificial intelligence.
Readers Address Drugged Driving, Suicide Prevention, Worker Shortages
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Listen to the Latest 'KFF Health News Minute'
The "KFF Health News Minute” brings original health care and health policy reporting from our newsroom to the airwaves each week.
Here's today's health policy haiku:
'WE'RE WORKING ON IT'?
Ebola outbreak.
— Barbara Pease
Where was USAID?
On Trump’s cutting floor.
If you have a health policy haiku to share, please Contact Us and let us know if we can include your name. Haikus follow the format of 5-7-5 syllables. We give extra brownie points if you link back to an original story.
Opinions expressed in haikus and cartoons are solely the author's and do not reflect the opinions of KFF Health News or KFF.
Summaries Of The News:
Outbreaks and Health Threats
White House To Set Up Ebola Treatment Facility In Kenya For Americans
The New York Times: Trump Administration To Send Americans Exposed To Ebola To Kenya
The Trump administration plans to send to Kenya U.S. citizens exposed to the Ebola virus rather than bring them home for observation and treatment, according to three people with knowledge of the plans. The approach is a stark contrast to the way previous administrations responded to outbreaks, during which health care workers and other U.S. citizens exposed to the virus were brought home to be treated at specialized medical units. The administration this month flew an American doctor who developed symptoms to a hospital in Germany, and transported six other Americans for monitoring in Germany and the Czech Republic. (Mandavilli and Kanno-Youngs, 5/26)
Bloomberg: Ebola Outbreak Prompts CDC To Expand Airport Screening Efforts In US
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is seeking volunteers from its workforce to go to domestic airports and help screen for Ebola as the deadly viral outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda intensifies. The public health agency wants to expand its screening capabilities for international travelers and has prioritized so-called CDCReady Responders for screenings, according to an internal email sent Tuesday by Jay Bhattacharya and viewed by Bloomberg News. (Nix, 5/26)
More on the spread of Ebola —
The Wall Street Journal: Ebola Outbreak Is Now Third Largest In History. Here’s What To Know.
An outbreak of a rare strain of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo is already the third largest in history, just weeks after it likely began. It is spreading rapidly in one of the most volatile and vulnerable regions of the world, worrying U.S. and international health officials. Cuts to international health aid over the past year and a half are adding to the burden, some public-health leaders say. (McKay, 5/26)
The Washington Post: Ebola Conspiracies Are Rampant As Outbreak Widens
As a deadly outbreak of Ebola spreads through the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, one conspiracy theory is that nonprofit workers brought the disease to get more money. Another is that the outbreak has been fabricated to frighten the population and gain access to minerals, including gold. There are people who refuse to accept that preventing the spread of Ebola, which is transmitted through contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person, requires forgoing some traditional funeral rites. And there are others who do not believe Ebola exists at all — it is a fiction, they say, to steal aid money. (Ombuor, Chason and Weber, 5/27)
AP: People In Congo Displacement Camp Face Ebola Threat With Few Resources
There is one handwashing station and one infrared thermometer to fight the Ebola epidemic in a camp for 10,000 displaced people in Bunia, a city at the heart of the outbreak in eastern Congo. Camp leaders say they tell residents to wash their hands before eating — with soap for the lucky ones who have it. For the rest, the advice is to use oatmeal or sand. “My fear is that we are here with nothing to protect ourselves. We have no protection, no water or soap, and we live near garbage,” Francine Leve Janguzi, a resident of the so-called ISP camp told The Associated Press, as she opened an empty tap in a sea of tarpaulin roofs. (Kabumba and Pronczuk, 5/27)
Bloomberg: India Says Suspected Ebola Patient Has Tested Negative For Virus
India’s first suspected Ebola case has tested negative for the deadly virus, the country’s health ministry said on Wednesday, after a traveler who recently arrived in the country from Uganda developed symptoms and was isolated. (Gupta, Roy, and Sanjay, 5/27)
Vaccines are in development —
Bloomberg: Ebola Vaccine From Oxford Covid Team Nears Production For Trials
Production of an experimental Ebola vaccine from the developers of a Covid-19 shot is expected to begin soon, with animal studies underway as researchers race to bring a much-needed tool to the spiraling outbreak. Clinical trials for the shot could begin in two to three months, said Teresa Lambe, head of vaccine immunology, at the University of Oxford’s Pandemic Sciences Institute. “We are cautiously optimistic around that timing,” she said at a briefing. Animal studies, which are required for a vaccine to be tested in humans, have begun and more will get underway soon. (Furlong and Kew, 5/26)
Medical Xpress: Experimental MRNA Vaccine From China Shows Promise Against Multiple Ebola Strains
Scientists from China have developed a new broad-spectrum mRNA vaccine that could provide long-term protection against the most lethal family of Ebola viruses, including the Bundibugyo strain behind the current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. (Arnold, 5/25)
In related news —
CNN: Exclusive: Trump Admin Policy Shutting US Disease Researchers Out Of WHO Virus Response Talks
Key officials responsible for leading US research on infectious disease threats have been barred from speaking directly with the World Health Organization — effectively shutting some of them out of the global discussions on virus outbreaks, according to documents and multiple sources who spoke to CNN. The internal Trump administration policy stops individuals at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from communicating with the WHO unless authorized by senior staff. (Owermohle, 5/26)
FDA Panel Zeroing In On XFG Strain For Inclusion In Covid Vaccine
The Hill: FDA Committee To Discuss XFG Subvariant COVID-19 Vaccine
The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) advisory committee on vaccines this week will consider whether to change the COVID-19 vaccine to target the XFG subvariant for the upcoming 2026-2027 respiratory viral season. The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) will meet on Thursday to discuss whether COVID-19 vaccines should target the NB.1.8.1 and XFG subvariants of the virus. (Choi, 5/26)
Medical Xpress: Heart Health Affected The Risk Of Severe COVID-19 Infection During The Pandemic, Says Study
Better heart health before the pandemic was linked to a lower risk of severe COVID-19 events, according to research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Adults with the highest heart health scores at the beginning of the pandemic were nearly half as likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19 when compared to those with the lowest scores. (5/27)
EdSource: California Launches Trust Fund For Foster, Covid-Bereft Youth
California foster youth and children who have lost a parent to Covid-19 can now apply for a trust fund to help them begin their adult lives. (Lambert 5/26)
On shingles, staph infections, and Epstein-Barr —
The New York Times: Eli Lilly To Buy 3 Vaccine Developers
Eli Lilly said on Tuesday that it would buy three vaccine developers in deals collectively worth up to $4 billion, a move that signals a return to an area that had not been a major focus for the company in recent years. The three are Curevo, a Seattle-area company developing a vaccine against shingles; LimmaTech Biologics, a Swiss firm targeting staph infections; and Vaccine Company, homing in on the Epstein-Barr virus. None of the three have products on the market. (Robbins, 5/26)
On the rise of dengue in the United States —
CIDRAP: US Dengue Cases Jumped 359% In 2024 Amid Global Surge
The number of dengue cases reported in the United States in 2024 was 359% higher than the annual average reported from 2010 through 2023, according to a study published last week in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. The increase was driven almost entirely by infections acquired during international travel amid a surge in dengue cases that year. (Bergeson, 5/26)
Updates on the hantavirus outbreak —
AP: Hantavirus Cruise Ship Has To Undergo Extra Cleaning In Dutch Port
A cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak is undergoing further cleaning before it returns to its home port, the company that operates it said Tuesday. In a written statement, Oceanwide Expeditions said the extra work is being carried out on the advice of the GGD local health authority in the port city of Rotterdam, where the vessel returned early last week. It’s home port is in nearby Vlissingen in the southern Netherlands. (Corder, 5/26)
TVP World: Polish Captain Of Hantavirus Cruise Horror Quarantined After Return Home
Poland’s Chief Sanitary Inspectorate (GIS) announced on Tuesday that Captain Jan Dobrogowski was transported back to the country on the evening of May 24 from Rotterdam where he had also been held in quarantine. GIS said that Dobrogowski is “symptom-free” and has tested negative for the virus for the fourth time. (Kaminska, 5/27)
KCTV5: Three People Released From Kansas Hospital After Hantavirus Exposure
The three people exposed to a person with Andes hantavirus have been discharged from The University of Kansas Health System. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) said the three are still being monitored daily until the 42-day observation period ends on June 7. (Boring, 5/26)
The Aspen Times: County in Colorado Confirms Local Hantavirus Risk Differs From Strain Linked To Cruise Ship Outbreak
Colorado's Sin Nombre Virus strain cannot be spread from person to person. (Stingray, 5/26)
Science News: Why Is Hantavirus So Deadly? It's Not What You May Think
Andes hantavirus causes deadly lung failure, but its method of attack differs from other respiratory illnesses. The details might inform future treatments. (Saey, 5/26)
AP: How South African Scientists Identified Hantavirus On A Cruise Ship Thousands Of Miles Away
When South African infectious disease specialist Lucille Blumberg checked her email on the morning of May 1, while the country was celebrating the Labor Day holiday, an urgent message caught her attention. A U.K.-based colleague had written about a passenger from a cruise ship sailing thousands of miles away in the Atlantic Ocean who had been evacuated and admitted to a Johannesburg hospital with suspected pneumonia. Others aboard the vessel were also sick. (Gumede, 5/23)
Health And Race
Suicide Surge Among ICE Detainees Reveals A Broken System, AP Probe Finds
AP: ICE Detainees Dying By Suicide At 'Alarming' Rate, AP Investigation Finds
Brayan Rayo Garzon was distraught. Detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he was on his fourth day of isolation in a Missouri jail as he battled the fevers and chills of COVID-19. His request for mental health treatment had been put off, records show, and staff had forbidden Rayo from making his nightly call to his mother as a precaution intended to prevent the spread of illness. (Foley, Biesecker and Lee, 5/27)
NBC News: Expired Food, Neglected Medical Care And Hunger Strike Allegations Fuel Protests At N.J. ICE Facility
Days of protests outside a New Jersey immigration detention center, including clashes with federal law enforcement, continued Tuesday as demonstrators and lawmakers allege the facility, where detainees waged a hunger strike, has inedible food and lacks access to medical care. Selenia Destefani, the managing attorney for Nova Law Group, which she said represents dozens of detainees at Delaney Hall in Newark, told NBC News on Tuesday that her clients have been given expired food and meals with worms in them. (Silva, 5/27)
ProPublica: Lawmakers Demand Reforms To Immigration Officers’ Use Of Tear Gas And Pepper Spray
Three U.S. senators have called for an overhaul of federal agents’ use of tear gas and pepper spray, citing a ProPublica investigation that found at least 79 children were left screaming, coughing or hurt by these chemicals during President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Lawmakers said the findings showed more restrictions are needed to avoid injuring bystanders — including children — with chemical munitions. Such weapons were designed to combat rioters and soldiers, and their compounds are toxic, especially to children, who breathe more rapidly than adults relative to their body weight. (Song and Miller, 5/27)
San Francisco Chronicle: ICE Tried To Separate An SF Mom From Her Baby But She Fought Back
Yulisa Alvarado Ambrocio joined fellow asylum-seekers in blocking arrests at San Francisco’s immigration courthouses. They’re on the cusp of a bigger victory. (Hosseini, 5/26)
KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest 'KFF Health News Minute'
Katheryn Houghton reads this week’s news: Some Republican-controlled states require their public health agencies to participate in immigration enforcement. Plus, research finds work requirements for food assistance can drive up unemployment. (Cook, 5/26)
Administration News
Trump's Frequent Medical Exams Aren't Unusual For An Elderly Person, Former White House Doc Says
PBS NewsHour: Trump's 4th Medical Checkup Renews Public Scrutiny Of His Health
President Trump’s health is under renewed scrutiny as frequent screenings appear at odds with proclamations of exceptional well-being. This morning, the commander-in-chief had the fourth publicly announced exam of his second administration. White House correspondent Liz Landers reports on what we know – and don’t know – about the health of the president. (Landers and Midura, 5/26)
On PTSD treatments —
Military.com: VA Launches MDMA Clinical Trial To Measure Effects On PTSD, Mental Health
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on Tuesday announced a new clinical trial of methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted therapy, more commonly known as MDMA, to evaluate the safety and efficacy when treating current and former military personnel for severe mental health disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder. The latest announcement comes on the heels of a strong federal government-wide push across multiple branches to study and, ultimately, lawfully recognize different modalities like MDMA, psilocybin, LSD and ibogaine. Legislation has been crafted on bipartisan levels in both the U.S. House and Senate to accelerate the pace for which the VA, Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) can collectively give the green light for more widespread use in controlled settings. (Mordowanec, 5/26)
MedPage Today: FDA Approves Neuromodulation Device To Treat PTSD Symptoms
The FDA granted de novo approval for a neuromodulation device to treat symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), maker Neurovalens announced Tuesday. The wearable, non-invasive device -- dubbed Modius Spero -- uses electrical vestibular system stimulation to target specific brain areas. It is prescribed and overseen by a healthcare professional as part of a comprehensive PTSD care plan. (Monaco, 5/26)
More news about the Trump administration —
NBC News: Trump Administration Floats Requiring All Federal Workers To Sign NDAs
The Trump administration is proposing a rule to require federal workers to sign nondisclosure agreements, according to a draft notice the Office of Personnel Management posted Tuesday. “OPM believes that a governmentwide NDA form will promote consistency across Government, better protect confidential information, and better inform Federal employees of their rights and obligations regarding confidential information,” says the notice, which was posted to the Federal Register. (Gregorian and Dean, 5/26)
KFF Health News: Montana Hurries To Adopt Trump’s Medicaid Work Rules Amid Budget Woes
Montana plans to be one of the first states to enforce President Donald Trump’s work mandate for Medicaid enrollees, adding another challenge for state health officials trying to plug a massive budget hole. Clinicians and patient advocates say the incoming changes will deliver a twofold blow: They expect the work requirements to kick more patients off Medicaid, meaning fewer can afford care, while the health department’s budget problems make it harder for doctors to serve those who keep the coverage. (Houghton, 5/27)
USA Today: RFK Jr. Wrangles Snakes Barehanded, Gets Bitten In Latest Animal Video
Add snakes to the list of creatures Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has wrangled. Kennedy, in a now-viral video he posted May 26 on X, is seen grabbing and picking up two of the creatures at the home of Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Walrath-Holdridge, 5/26)
Also —
Bloomberg: Why The US Is Importing Record Amounts Of Honey
Honey is hot these days, with Americans consuming more of it per capita than ever, even as wider sweetener use plateaus. Demand is being fueled by a combination of trends, including a move by consumers away from processed sweeteners such as high-fructose corn syrup and toward so-called clean eating. Even though honey still spikes blood sugar like any other sweetener, it benefits from a vague health halo — It has antioxidants! It might help with your allergies! Bees make it! — that’s driving both restaurants and home chefs to increasingly swap it in. (Peng, 5/26)
Pharma and Tech
FDA Approves New Treatments For Triple-Negative Breast Cancer And Chronic Hepatitis D
MedPage Today: New First-Line Option Approved In Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
The FDA on Friday approved datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd; Datroway) as a first-line option for unresectable or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer patients ineligible for immunotherapy. (Bassett, 5/26)
MedPage Today: FDA OKs First Treatment For Chronic Hepatitis D Infection
Chronic hepatitis delta virus (HDV) infection has its first FDA-approved treatment, after the agency granted accelerated approval to bulevirtide (Hepcludex) injection for adults without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis. The most severe form of viral hepatitis, HDV infection only occurs in people with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and brings greater risks of disease progression, liver failure, and mortality than HBV alone. An estimated 40,000 people in the U.S. have chronic HDV. Bulevirtide blocks entry of both HBV and HDV into liver cells. (Rudd, 5/26)
In other research —
The Baltimore Sun: Scientists Identify Protein Driving Parkinson's Spread In The Brain
Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania have identified an immune-system protein that facilitates the spread of Parkinson’s disease to new brain cells and regions. (Hille, 5/27)
MedPage Today: So Far, So Good For PCSK9-Targeting Gene Therapy In Hypercholesterolemia
An investigational gene therapy passed muster for reducing PCSK9 and LDL cholesterol levels, with reassuring safety, among patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) or premature coronary artery disease (CAD), an interim analysis of a phase Ib trial suggested. (Lou, 5/26)
The Wall Street Journal: The GLP-1 Revolution Comes With A Catch: Muscle Wasting
Chanel Robinson achieved exactly what the gold rush of blockbuster weight-loss drugs promised: She lost nearly 100 pounds, lowered her cholesterol to normal levels and reined in her polycystic ovary syndrome. Yet, nearly three years into her journey on Mounjaro, the 30-year-old from Atlanta, Ga., is discovering the hidden costs of the slimmed-down life. (Dangoor, 5/26)
State Watch
1 Dead, 9 Missing After Hazardous Chemical Tank Implodes In Washington State; Authorities Say There's No Threat To Public
AP: Chemical Tank Implodes At Washington Mill, Killing 1 And Leaving 9 Missing
A massive chemical tank holding nearly a million gallons of a highly corrosive liquid imploded and collapsed Tuesday at a Washington paper mill, killing at least one worker and leaving nine others unaccounted for with no hope for rescue, authorities said. (Rush and Boone, 5/27)
The New York Times: Evacuation Orders Lifted As Southern California Chemical Tank Cools
Southern California officials lifted a sweeping evacuation order in Orange County late Tuesday after firefighters announced they had stabilized a damaged chemical tank that had posed a risk of a potentially catastrophic explosion or spill. (Hubler and Raney, 5/26)
Reproductive health news from North Carolina and Arkansas —
WXII: ‘Legacy Of Life’: North Carolina Family Shares How Kyle Busch’s Bundle Of Joy Fund Helped Them Overcome Infertility
In the wake of his death, NASCAR driver Kyle Busch is being remembered not only for his historic wins on the track but also for his work to help families experiencing infertility. In 2015, he and his wife, Samantha, started the Bundle of Joy Fund after struggling to conceive and undergoing in vitro fertilization to have their two children. The couple recognized that the cost of IVF procedures can be out of reach for many families, so they decided to help lift that burden by providing grants. (Kendall, 5/25)
ProPublica: In Arkansas, Emily Waldorf Nearly Died After Being Denied Miscarriage Care
On the morning of Sept. 16, 2024, Emily Waldorf’s preschooler found her curled on the bathroom floor. Waldorf had felt a strange pressure during a shower, like a balloon bulging into her vagina, and was now bleeding. “I can be your pillow, mommy,” her daughter said, nuzzling into her neck. Waldorf was 17 weeks pregnant. She and her husband, Justin, dropped their daughter off at her grandparents’ and rushed to Washington Regional Hospital in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where Waldorf worked as an acute care physical therapist. (Surana, 5/26)
More health news from across the U.S. —
WLRN Public Media: Florida Lawmakers Reach Deal To Restore Funding For HIV Medication Assistance Program
Florida lawmakers have reached a budget deal to fund the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, reversing the cuts made by the Florida Department of Health earlier this year. The new deal, struck Monday, restores eligibility to 400% of the federal poverty level ($62,600 per year), reverses the drug restrictions and provides $75 million to run the program. (Gillespie, 5/26)
AP: Supreme Court Rejects Meta's Bid To Avoid Vermont Teen-Harm Lawsuit
The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a push to avoid a lawsuit alleging that Facebook and Instagram harmed young users, a decision that comes as social media companies increasingly face legal scrutiny. Parent company Meta Platforms Inc. appealed after Vermont’s highest court allowed a suit filed by its attorney general in 2023 to move forward. The company is facing similar lawsuits from states across the country, accusing it of knowingly designing addictive features. (Whitehurst, 5/26)
The Baltimore Sun: Maryland Advocates Call For Mandatory Radon Testing Laws
As a nonsmoker with no family history of cancer, Anju Bhargava had no reason to think her occasional cough could be something serious. But then, about four years ago, she was diagnosed with lung cancer, and a subsequent test of her Ellicott City home found elevated levels of the radioactive gas radon, the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. (Marbella, 5/27)
The Washington Post: Human Composting Turns Bodies To Soil. Now It's An Option In Maryland.
From the outside, the grocery-store-size facility that sits off a highway a short drive from Baltimore looks like a Costco store. Inside is the equipment for one of the funeral industry’s fastest-growing trends: human composting. (Hedgpeth, 5/27)
MPR News: South Minneapolis Native American Clinic And Housing Set To Open In September
The Native American Community Clinic announced this week that its south Minneapolis health clinic and affordable housing project is expected to open in September. And those interested in applying for one of its units are able to apply today. (Medina, 5/26)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: St. Louis Police Look To Launch Drone Unit To Respond To Emergencies
St. Louis police aim to launch a fleet of remote-controlled drones to respond to emergencies before officers can arrive on scene. The department said Tuesday that drones would be stationed at docking stations throughout the city "based on crime trends, 911 call volume, response patterns and operational needs." (Nelson, 5/26)
KFF Health News: KFF Health News’ ‘Letters To The Editor’: Readers Address Drugged Driving, Suicide Prevention, Worker Shortages
KFF Health News gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories. (5/27)
Health Industry
CVS Health Sues Tennessee Pharmacy Board Over New Law Targeting PBMs
Modern Healthcare: CVS Files Lawsuit Against Tennessee Pharmacy Board Over PBM Law
CVS Health sued the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy over a law targeting pharmacy benefit managers. The law, signed by Gov. Bill Lee (R) last week and set to go into effect in 2027, will prohibit people or companies from owning, managing or controlling pharmacies in the state at the same time as PBMs and health insurance issuers. In the complaint filed Friday in the Middle District Court of Tennessee, CVS Health argues the law allegedly unfairly favors independent, local pharmacies and is unconstitutional. (DeSilva, 5/26)
More health industry developments —
MedPage Today: Gender Pay Gap A Problem In Pediatrics, AAP Policy Statement Says
Equity in pay should be a professional and public health imperative in pediatrics, where pervasive gender-based pay gaps impact an increasingly female pediatric workforce, a new policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said. The organization made several recommendations to help organizations address those inequities, including metric-based compensation, family-friendly work practices, transparent career advancement pathways, and equitable attainment of leadership positions. (Henderson, 5/26)
Honolulu Civil Beat: Insurer's Latest Move Could Worsen Doctor Shortage
Dr. Katie Min was 36 when she took over her father’s primary care practice in the Queen’s Physicians Office Building in Honolulu’s Punchbowl neighborhood in 2022. Min’s father had taken the practice over from his father, who had started it in the 1940s. Now after three generations, Min says the multigenerational practice is facing an existential financial threat after the state’s largest insurer gave her 60 days’ notice that it was radically changing its reimbursement model for primary care doctors. (Yerton, 5/26)
San Francisco Chronicle: UCSF Doctor Has Bold Plan For Universal Primary Care In California
Leading Democratic candidates for California governor say they support universal healthcare, but have offered few concrete plans on how to make it happen. An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association last week, co-authored by a UCSF physician, proposes one way the state could move toward a single-payer system: Make primary care a public utility, like electricity or clean water, and create a “common fund” financed by public and private sources that would directly pay primary care doctors to treat patients. (Ho, 5/26)
KFF Health News: Nurse Convicted In Patient’s Death Turns Fatal Drug Error Into A Cautionary Tale
When RaDonda Vaught got her first speaking request, it had been a year since that day in a Nashville courtroom, when she listened as a jury read her guilty verdict for negligent homicide and neglect of an impaired adult. That was in 2022. Vaught was sentenced to three years of probation for administering the wrong medication and killing a patient at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2017. (Farmer, 5/27)
Chicago Tribune: Faith Leaders, Doctors Press To Reopen West Suburban Hospital
With the future of West Suburban Medical Center still up in the air, local faith leaders, doctors and employees gathered in front of the hospital Tuesday to demand it be reopened with the community’s needs in mind. “We need to have a serious call to action,” said Bishop Dwight Gunn of Heritage International Christian Church in Austin, noting that his two children were born there. “Not so long ago this hospital stood as a place of hope for many.” (Schencker, 5/26)
Modern Healthcare: WakeMed Backs Atrium Merger Over UNC Health Proposal
WakeMed Health & Hospitals rejected an unsolicited proposal from UNC Health to combine. The proposal followed Atrium Health’s May 1 announcement it plans to merge with WakeMed. A UNC Health spokesperson said the Chapel Hill, North Carolina-based system submitted a proposal to WakeMed for a “broader partnership” May 5. (Hudson, 5/26)
Modern Healthcare: Healthcare Construction Growing Despite Delays, High Costs
High construction costs, shrinking margins and lower reimbursement rates are making it harder for healthcare organizations to invest in capital projects. (DeSilva, 5/26)
On AI in healthcare —
Stat: Stanford Health Care Brings Patients Into Decisions On AI Tools
At Stanford University, it’s easy to get carried away with technology. The computer mouse was invented there. So was Google. And now, it’s pumping out a myriad of tools for artificial intelligence in health care. (Trang, 5/27)
Modern Healthcare: How Health Systems Are Shaping Chief AI Officer Roles
Chief artificial intelligence officer, vice president of AI and chief data & AI officer — the titles may differ but the newest executives in the C-suite are taking on larger roles as the technology becomes a critical part of healthcare.As these roles have become more common, the expectations for them have evolved. Defining the role, and finding the right person for it, depends on the specific needs of the health system. For example, a chief AI officer might be focused on AI governance, ethics and implementation. A chief data and AI officer might oversee the data environment, with AI as one component of the work. (Famakinwa, 5/26)
Editorials And Opinions
Viewpoints: Medical System Deserts Women After Birth; What Covid Taught Us About Traveling And The Spread Of Disease
The New York Times: Nine Months Of Medical Attention. Then Almost Nothing.
One year after my daughter’s birth, I’m still experiencing health complications. (Sejal Hathi, 5/25)
The Conversation: Planes, Trains And Pandemics: Lessons From COVID-19 About Travel Risks Posed By Hantavirus And Ebola
Both outbreaks underscore how human mobility can play a critical role in the spread of deadly diseases, including pathogens with pandemic potential. As researchers on the Pandemics and Borders Project, we have spent the past six years studying the use of international travel measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other global public health emergencies. Lessons from COVID-19 on the effective use of international travel measures in managing serious infectious disease outbreaks are critical to ongoing pandemic readiness. (Julianne Piper, Kelley Lee and Miranda Nonis, 5/26)
The Washington Post: Abdul El-Sayed's Medicare-For-All Plan Looks Nothing Like Medicare
Even with premiums, co-pays and deductibles, the federal government cannot afford Medicare-for-some. (5/26)
Stat: Big Tobacco Has An Ally In The Trump Administration
When I was 14 years old, I lost my father to lung cancer. He was 53 and smoked two packs of Camels a day. I have made it a priority during my time in Congress to champion policies that help spare others from this tragedy. (Dick Durban, 5/27)
Stat: The Ivory Tower Era Of Science Is Over
A few years ago, my lab published a study comparing memory complaints across racial groups. We matched participants on age, IQ, socioeconomic status, depression, genetics — everything we’d been trained to match on. We ran them through the most sophisticated statistical machinery I knew. And we got a finding that felt righteous: proof that the assessments were biased. I was proud of it. My name was first author. (Jonathan Jackson, 5/27)