The Week in Brief: Friday, Nov. 21, 2025
What To Know About the CDC’s Baseless New Guidance on Autism
Arthur Allen
A reshaped CDC website suggesting that vaccines cause autism has appalled the medical community.
US Cancer Registries, Constrained by Trump Policies, To Recognize Only ‘Male’ or ‘Female’ Patients
Rachana Pradhan
Under Trump policies, cancer registries in 2026 will have to classify sex data strictly as male, female, or unknown, a change scientists and advocates say will harm the health of one of the nation’s most marginalized populations.
The GOP Circles the Wagons on ACA
Republicans are solidifying their opposition to extending pandemic-era subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans and seem to be coalescing around giving money directly to consumers to spend on health care. Meanwhile, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. continues to leave his mark on the agency, with the CDC altering its website to suggest childhood vaccines could play a role in causing autism. Paige Winfield Cunningham of The Washington Post, 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 those stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Avik Roy.
Ticked Off Over Preauthorization: Walk-In Patient Avoided Lyme Disease but Not a Surprise Bill
Lauren Sausser
A Maine woman sought care at a clinic for a tick bite, then paid full price after her insurer denied coverage. Its reason? She didn't have preapproval for the walk-in visit, even though testing later detected the pathogen that causes Lyme disease.
After Series of Denials, His Insurer Approved Doctor-Recommended Cancer Care. It Was Too Late.
Lauren Sausser
Eric Tennant’s doctors recommended histotripsy, which would target, and potentially destroy, a cancerous tumor in his liver. But by the time his insurer approved the treatment, Tennant was no longer considered a good candidate. He died in September.
Complaints About Gaps in Medicare Advantage Networks Are Common. Federal Enforcement Is Rare.
Susan Jaffe
Health systems drop out of Medicare Advantage plans all the time. Yet government documents obtained by KFF Health News show that federal regulators rarely warn plans that their networks of health providers are so skimpy they violate legal requirements.
FDA’s Plan To Boost Biosimilar Drugs Could Stall at the Patent Office
Arthur Allen
Drug industry officials and analysts praised the FDA’s plans to streamline regulation of “biosimilars,” which are cheaper alternatives to biologic drugs. But patents that block such drugs from the U.S. market are getting harder to fight.
Waning Immunity and Falling Vaccination Rates Fuel Pertussis Outbreaks
Céline Gounder
New details from health officials suggest the whooping-cough surge may be part of a national pattern driven by slipping vaccine coverage and waning immunity, with infants bearing the brunt of the consequences.
A Hidden Health Crisis Following Natural Disasters: Mold Growth in Homes
Jonathan R.M. Charles
As extreme weather wreaks havoc, the risk of dangerous mold looms. An estimated 47% of homes already have mold or dampness, leaving their residents exposed to mold spores and associated allergens that can cause respiratory problems.
Once a Patient’s in Custody, ICE Can Be at Hospital Bedsides — But Detainees Have Rights
Claudia Boyd-Barrett
Federal law allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to guard detainees at health care facilities, but patients can ask to speak privately with medical providers and lawyers.
Cancer Stole Her Voice. She Used AI, Curse Words, and Kids’ Books To Get It Back.
April Dembosky, KQED
After a total glossectomy and laryngectomy to treat her cancer, Sonya Sotinsky can no longer speak. She searched for a way to sound like herself again and now pays out-of-pocket for an artificial intelligence app that can replicate her old voice — emotion, inflection, and all.
Breast Cancer and Birth Control: A Huge New Study Shows How Science Can Be Distorted
Céline Gounder
The study sought to answer questions about how breast cancer risk differs by type of hormonal contraceptive. Doctors say the results won’t change how they counsel patients.
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Journalists Untangle Issues of Health Care Costs and Food Benefits
KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national or local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.