The Week in Brief: Friday, March 13, 2026
RFK Jr.’s Very Bad Week
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had another tough week. In addition to Kennedy having rotator cuff surgery, the nomination of his ally to become surgeon general is teetering, the controversial head of the FDA's vaccine center is resigning next month, and a new survey shows Americans trust government health officials less than they do former Biden official Anthony Fauci. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Shefali Luthra of The 19th join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.
Medicare Advantage ‘Dark Money’ Group Attempts To Win Higher Payments for Insurance Companies
Fred Schulte and Maia Rosenfeld and David Hilzenrath
Medicare Advantage insurers say a proposal by the Trump administration to keep their payments nearly flat next year may lead to service cuts that harm seniors struggling to afford health care. A decision is due by early next month.
Doctors Warn of a Deadly Complication From Measles Outbreaks
Rae Ellen Bichell
U.S. doctors are getting the word out about how to spot a rare measles complication that had been a relic of the past: subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. It affects a person years after a measles infection, often starting with mobility issues and progressing to paralysis. It’s nearly always fatal.
Families Scramble To Pay Five-Figure Bills as Clock Ticks on Promised Preauthorization Reforms
Lauren Sausser
Last summer, the Trump administration announced a voluntary pledge by health insurers to reform prior authorization, which often requires patients or their doctors to seek preapproval from insurers before proceeding with medical care. Patient advocates and medical providers remain skeptical.
Cosmetic Surgery Investigation Prompts Warnings for Patients, and a Push for Tighter Safety Standards
Fred Schulte
A national plastic surgeons group is warning people to “do their homework” before having liposuctions, Brazilian butt lifts, or other cosmetic procedures after an investigation into cosmetic surgery chains by KFF Health News and NBC News.
Banks Are Becoming Bulwarks Against Scams for Vulnerable Seniors
Paula Span
Older Americans are losing billions of dollars annually to financial exploitation. Banks and investment firms are training employees to spot red flags and stop the transactions.
Republicans Fret Over RFK Jr.’s Anti-Vaccine Policies While MAHA Moms Stew
Amanda Seitz and Stephanie Armour
A top GOP pollster has said anti-vaccine policies could create risks for the Trump administration in the midterm elections. But backing away from those policies — and other initiatives that have been high on the Make America Healthy Again to-do list — threatens to upset a key voting bloc.
As Lung Disease Threatens Workers, Lawmakers Seek Protections for Countertop Manufacturers
Céline Gounder
Crystalline silica, which is released into the air when workers cut and polish engineered stone, can scar human lungs beyond repair. Kitchen countertops made with this stone have triggered an increased rate of this fatal illness, doctors say.
Newsom Picks a Dogfight With Trump and RFK Jr. on Public Health
Angela Hart
Scientists are cheering California Gov. Gavin Newsom as he builds a public health bulwark against health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vaccine stance and President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization. Still, federal cuts have sapped morale and left local health departments less prepared for outbreaks.