The Week in Brief: Friday, June 20, 2025
At Some Federal Beaches, Surf’s Up but the Lifeguard Chair’s Empty
Stephanie Armour
Some of the nation’s most well-known beaches are managed by the National Park Service, which saw about 1,000 employees laid off in February by the quasi-agency Department of Government Efficiency, then led by Elon Musk. The void has become a serious public health and safety concern.
Kennedy’s Vaccine Advisers Sow Doubts as Scientists Protest US Pivot on Shots
Arthur Allen and Sam Whitehead
A new vaccine advisory panel appointed by the HHS secretary, a longtime anti-vaccine activist, reflected his unsupported claims about the safety of childhood inoculations.
What RFK Jr. Isn’t Talking About: How To Make Vaccines Safer
Arthur Allen
Vaccines are under fire from the top of the Trump administration. Federal programs to monitor them and make them safer have always been underfunded.
Many Older People Embrace Vaccines. Research Is Proving Them Right.
Paula Span
Newer formulations are even more effective at preventing illnesses that commonly afflict seniors — perhaps even dementia.
‘We Need To Keep Fighting’: HIV Activists Organize To Save Lives as Trump Guts Funding
Amy Maxmen
While Congress fails to stave off cuts to HIV care, community leaders in Mississippi and beyond race to limit the damage.
5 Takeaways From Health Insurers’ New Pledge To Improve Prior Authorization
Lauren Sausser and Phil Galewitz
Dozens of health insurance companies pledged on Monday to improve prior authorization, a process often used to deny care. The announcement comes months after the killing of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson, whose death in December sparked widespread criticism about insurance denials.
Too Sick To Work, Some Americans Worry Trump’s Bill Will Strip Their Health Insurance
Phil Galewitz and Stephanie Armour
Republicans claim 4.8 million Americans on Medicaid who could work choose not to. The GOP’s work-requirement legislation could sweep up disabled people who say they’re unable to hold jobs.
Federal Proposals Threaten Provider Taxes, Key Source of Medicaid Funding for States
Bernard J. Wolfson
Republican proposals to tighten the use of special taxes to fund Medicaid programs could deprive states of billions of dollars for safety net health care. In California, any such limit would come on top of Medicaid cuts proposed by California Democrats in response to a $12 billion state deficit.
Thune Says Health Care Often ‘Comes With a Job.’ The Reality’s Not Simple or Straightforward.
Arielle Zionts
Sixty percent of Americans have health insurance through their own workplace or someone else’s job. But not all employers provide health insurance or offer plans to all their workers. When they do, cost and quality vary widely, making Thune’s statement an oversimplification.
Dual Threats From Trump and GOP Imperil Nursing Homes and Their Foreign-Born Workers
Jordan Rau
Understaffed nursing homes face a workforce crisis if President Donald Trump and Republicans further curtail immigration and cut Medicaid.
Live From Aspen — Governors and an HHS Secretary Sound Off
In this special episode taped before a live audience at Aspen Ideas: Health, three former governors — one of whom also served as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services — discuss how state and federal officials can work together to improve Americans’ health. Democrat Kathleen Sebelius, former Kansas governor and HHS secretary under President Barack Obama; Republican Chris Sununu, former New Hampshire governor; and Democrat Roy Cooper, former North Carolina governor, join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner.
Push To Move OB-GYN Exam Out of Texas Is Piece of AGs’ Broader Reproductive Rights Campaign
Annie Sciacca
Following a petition from Democratic state attorneys general, the American Medical Association adopted a position that medical certification exams should not be required in person in states with restrictive abortion policies. The action’s success was hailed as a win for Democrats trying to regain ground after the fall of Roe.
California’s Much-Touted IVF Law May Be Delayed Until 2026, Leaving Many in the Lurch
Sarah Kwon
California lawmakers are poised to approve a six-month delay in implementing the state’s in vitro fertilization law, pushing its start to January 2026. The plan to postpone, which has drawn little attention, is part of the state budget package and has left patients, insurers, and employers in limbo.