CMS Reportedly Will Allow Voluntary Coverage Of Weight Loss Drugs
August 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
The Washington Post says it has obtained documents that detail the five-year experiment involving state Medicaid programs and Medicare Part D plans. Plus: CMS has bumped up Medicare payments for inpatient services and long-term care.
California To Drop Health Insurance Of DACA Recipients Due To Policy Changes
August 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
Covered California said it will end coverage of more than 2,300 DACA enrollees by Aug. 31. In other state news: Wildfire smoke wreaks havoc on the Midwest; measles cases grow; and more.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
August 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today’s selections are on parenting, mental health, nutrition and fitness, the screwworm, and more.
Pharma Companies Have 60 Days To Lower Drug Prices In US, Trump Says
August 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
In line with President Donald Trump’s “most favored nation” model, letters were sent Thursday to 17 of the world’s biggest drug companies demanding price cuts for Americans and direct-to-consumer sales options. Meanwhile, the administration is testing the efficacy of a rebate system for safety-net providers that participate in 340B rather than discounting prices upfront.
Trump Withholds Millions In Medical Research Funding From UCLA
August 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
The administration has accused the University of California, Los Angeles of continuing to engage in race discrimination. Separately, a Senate Appropriations Committee voted in favor of increasing the NIH budget by $400 million.
CDC Tells Outside Experts Their Input On Vaccine Policy Is No Longer Needed
August 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
Subcommittee members who offer policy recommendations have been excluded from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ working groups. Other news is about HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s focus on preventive care and vaccine harm, lower kindergarten vaccine rates, and more.
Another Bonus Of Weight Loss Drugs: They May Prevent Erectile Dysfunction
August 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
Researchers saw significant increases in testosterone levels for men with obesity or Type 2 diabetes while taking GLP-1 medications, The Hill wrote. Also in the news: vaping, PFAS, junk food, and more.
Morning Briefing for Friday, August 1, 2025
August 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
Behind on your reading? Catch up on this week's KFF Health News stories with The Week in Brief, delivered every Friday to your inbox. Sign up here !
First Edition: Friday, Aug. 1, 2025
August 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Deep Staff Cuts at a Little-Known Federal Agency Pose Trouble for Droves of Local Health Programs
By Sarah Jane Tribble Henry Larweh
August 1, 2025
KFF Health News Original
The workforce of a federal agency that oversees billions in grants for primary health care, HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health services, and workforce training has been slashed, sparking fears of what’s to come.
This Test Tells You More About Your Heart Attack Risk
By Paula Span
Updated August 1, 2025
Originally Published August 1, 2025
KFF Health News Original
Coronary artery calcium scans can offer a more precise estimate of a patient’s chances for major cardiac events. Some cardiologists say it remains underused.
Una prueba que ofrece información clave sobre el riesgo de infarto
By Paula Span
August 1, 2025
KFF Health News Original
Se trata de una tomografía computarizada breve e indolora que indicaría si se estaba desarrollando calcificaciones y placa en las arterias que llegan al corazón.
What the Health? From KFF Health News: Next on Kennedy’s List? Preventive Care and Vaccine Harm
July 31, 2025
Podcast
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of Health and Human Services, is eyeing an overhaul of two more key entities as part of his ongoing effort to reshape health policy. And President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week that would enable localities to force some homeless people into residential treatment. 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. Also, Rovner interviews Sara Rosenbaum, one of the nation’s leading experts on Medicaid, to mark Medicaid’s 60th anniversary this week.
Health Officials Warn Of Legionnaires’ Disease Outbreak In NYC
July 31, 2025
Morning Briefing
The city’s health department is investigating a cluster of cases that has killed one person and sickened more than 20 others. Separately, researchers have noted a surge in pediatric cases of influenza-associated acute necrotizing encephalopathy.
Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs
July 31, 2025
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of the latest health research and news
California Governor Signs Executive Order To Boost Men’s Mental Health
July 31, 2025
Morning Briefing
The order is aimed at improving the mental health struggles of men and boys ranging from loneliness to suicide rates. Other states making news: New Hampshire, Texas, Louisiana, South Carolina, Illinois, North Carolina, West Virginia, and New York.
Type Of HPV On Skin Can Cause Skin Cancer In The Immunocompromised
July 31, 2025
Morning Briefing
While HPV can help UV-damaged DNA build up in cells and turn cancerous, the study found that the virus itself could cause cancerous lesions to form. More studies in the news focus on how extreme heat makes us sicker, how SNAP participation is linked to slower cognitive decline, and more.
Communities In A Bind After Private-Equity Payouts Gutted Hospitals
July 31, 2025
Morning Briefing
The Wall Street Journal delves into the bankruptcies of two hospital systems that left gaps in health care and financially strained state and local governments. Separately, the workforce shortage afflicting the health care sector might worsen under President Trump’s budget cuts.
