Trump Administration Again Ordered To Unfreeze Federal Grants
February 11, 2025
Morning Briefing
A federal judge initially ruled Jan. 29 that the administration could not “pause, freeze, impede, block, cancel, or terminate” money that Congress had allocated to the states to pay for Medicaid, low-income housing subsidies, and other essential services. Monday’s ruling orders the administration to comply. Separately, another federal judge has temporarily blocked attempts to limit research funding.
Hegseth Halts Gender-Affirming Care For Trans Service Members
February 11, 2025
Morning Briefing
ABC News also reports that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed a pause on all new military promotions for those “with a history of gender dysphoria.” News outlets also cover thoughts from the highest-ranking trans elected official in the country, the effects of President Donald Trump’s executive orders on trans identity, and more.
Mass General Brigham Laying Off Hundreds Of Employees
February 11, 2025
Morning Briefing
The Boston Globe reports that the layoff is the largest in the organization’s history and comes amid financial shortfalls and operational challenges. Also in industry and pharma news: the nurse strike in Oregon, Kaiser Permanente’s earnings boost, AI-prescribed drugs, and more.
Bill Would Block Abortion In Montana, Despite Results Of November Election
February 11, 2025
Morning Briefing
Voters approved a state constitutional right to abortion, but the new “personhood” bill would confer rights to an embryo at conception, ruling out the use of in vitro fertilization or other methods without risking criminal penalties. Other news: a lawsuit to protect abortion patients’ information; abortion videos in health class; and more.
Nevada Adult Infected With New Bird Flu Strain; Human Risk Still Low
February 11, 2025
Morning Briefing
The D1.1 version of the virus had sickened a Canadian teenager and led to the death of a Louisiana man, The Washington Post reports. In other news, North Carolina lawmakers tackle preauthorization delays; Florida has the lowest passing rate of students taking the nurse licensing exam; and more.
First Edition: Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025
February 11, 2025
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations. Note to readers: We’d like to speak with personnel from the Department of Health and Human Services or its component agencies about what’s happening within the federal health bureaucracy. Please share your story at https://kffhealthnews.org/hhs-tips/ , or contact reporter Arthur Allen directly by email or Signal at ArthurA@kff.org or 202-365-6116.
Kaiser Permanente Back in the Hot Seat Over Mental Health Care, but It’s Not Only a KP Issue
By Bernard J. Wolfson
February 11, 2025
KFF Health News Original
Mental health workers on strike in Southern California say Kaiser Permanente is woefully understaffed, its therapists are burned out, and patients are often denied timely access to care. The insurer says it has largely fixed the problem. But across California and the nation, mental health parity is still not a reality.
A Year After Super Bowl Parade Shooting, Trauma Freeze Gives Way to Turmoil for Survivors
By Bram Sable-Smith Peggy Lowe, KCUR
February 11, 2025
KFF Health News Original
Survivors and witnesses of gun violence often freeze emotionally at first, as a coping mechanism. As the one-year mark since the parade shooting nears, the last installment in our series “The Injured” looks at how some survivors talk about resilience, while others are desperately trying to hang on.
Mission Health’s Sale To HCA Brought No Lasting Improvements, Study Finds
February 10, 2025
Morning Briefing
An academic study of the merger hopes to give insight into how attorneys general can strengthen certificate-of-need laws and the importance of having more power over sales. Other industry news focuses on private equity; weight loss drugs and the consequences; and more.
Second Person Living With Pig Kidney Is Off Dialysis And Out Of Hospital
February 10, 2025
Morning Briefing
A 66-year-old New Hampshire man received the kidney as part of a small pilot study at Mass General Brigham. United Therapeutics, another developer of gene-edited pig organs, just won FDA approval for the world’s first clinical trial. Meanwhile, studies suggest a link between sleeping pills and the risk of dementia.
To Prevent Suicides, Gun Bill Would Let Coloradans Join ‘Do Not Sell’ Registry
February 10, 2025
Morning Briefing
The legislation would allow people experiencing mental health struggles to temporarily restrict themselves from purchasing firearms. If passed, Colorado would become the fifth state to implement such a registry. Plus: News from Florida, Texas, New York, California, and Maine.
Morning Briefing for Monday, February 10, 2025
February 10, 2025
Morning Briefing
We’d like to speak with personnel from the Department of Health and Human Services or its component agencies about what’s happening within the federal health bureaucracy. Please share your story here or contact reporter Arthur Allen directly by email or Signal at ArthurA@kff.org or 202-365-6116.
Medical Researchers Face Drastic Cuts After NIH Issues New Funding Policy
February 10, 2025
Morning Briefing
The policy change, effective today, limits institutions’ payments to 15% for indirect costs such as support staff, equipment, and overhead expenses. In other news, as the legality of Elon Musk’s role in the U.S. government is challenged in court, his team starts searching for evidence of fraud in Medicaid and Medicare logs.
Public Health Officials Scramble To Archive Data As Websites Are Scrubbed
February 10, 2025
Morning Briefing
Scientists and organizations are attempting to preserve data by saving it to Substack accounts and personal websites. They’re also trying to figure out a new system to share health data, The Hill said.
2 Million Baked Goods Recalled — Some Sold At Dunkin’ — Over Risk Of Listeria
February 10, 2025
Morning Briefing
Separately, the FDA has linked ready-to-eat mini pastries imported from Canada with a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 18 in the U.S. Other outbreak news is on mpox, measles, flu, covid, Legionella, bird flu and more.
First Edition: Monday, Feb. 10, 2025
February 10, 2025
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations. Note to readers: We’d like to speak with personnel from the Department of Health and Human Services or its component agencies about what’s happening within the federal health bureaucracy. Please share your story at https://kffhealthnews.org/hhs-tips/ , or contact reporter Arthur Allen directly by email or Signal at ArthurA@kff.org or 202-365-6116.
Blood Transfusions at the Scene Save Lives. But Ambulances Are Rarely Equipped To Do Them.
By Michelle Andrews
February 10, 2025
KFF Health News Original
More than 60,000 people bleed to death every year in the United States. Many of those deaths occur before the patient reaches a trauma center where blood transfusions can be given.
House Cats With Bird Flu Could Pose a Risk to Public Health
By Sarah Boden
February 10, 2025
KFF Health News Original
The current strain of bird flu is spreading from wildlife and livestock to house cats. To keep pets healthy, many virologists and veterinarians say, house cats shouldn’t eat raw food and should be kept indoors. Despite no known cases of H5N1 transmission between cats and people, some public health agencies and virologists are warning cat owners to be mindful of the theoretical risks to the health of humans in their households if a pet gets sick.
