California Taps Medicaid To Train and Recruit Behavioral Health Workers
By Christine Mai-Duc
August 8, 2025
KFF Health News Original
Get our weekly newsletter, The Week in Brief, featuring a roundup of our original coverage, Fridays at 2 p.m. ET.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
August 8, 2025
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today’s selections are on public health policy, abortion undergrounds, medically assisted death, and more.
To Make Up For Federal Medicaid Cuts, Calif. County Aims To Raise Sales Taxes
August 8, 2025
Morning Briefing
Santa Clara County will add a ballot measure to November’s special election. “We cannot afford to sit back and tell ourselves it won’t be that bad because it will, for all of us,” County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg said. Plus, more news on the Medicaid reductions.
Proposed California Bill Aims To Protect Access To HIV Treatments
August 8, 2025
Morning Briefing
Assembly Bill 554 would protect access to PrEP and PEP medications by requiring insurers to cover the antiretroviral drugs. Other states making news: Florida, Missouri, Ohio, and Colorado.
Eli Lilly Says Weight Loss Pill A Success, Will Apply This Year For FDA Approval
August 8, 2025
Morning Briefing
During a 72-week study, those taking the highest dose of orforglipron lost an average of 27.3 pounds. While injections might cause people to lose more weight, a pill has advantages over them, specifically that it doesn’t need to be kept cold. And in health tech news, GPT-5 has been released.
Morning Briefing for Friday, August 8, 2025
August 8, 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 !
Senators Want UnitedHealth Group’s Records On Nursing Home Transfers
August 8, 2025
Morning Briefing
Democratic Sens. Ron Wyden and Elizabeth Warren have asked to see internal company documents after a Guardian investigation alleged that the company partnered with nursing homes across the country to cut back on residents’ hospital transfers in an effort to reduce expenses.
Trans Troops Forced Out Of Air Force After 15-18 Years Won’t Get Benefits
August 8, 2025
Morning Briefing
The move means that transgender service members will now have to take a lump-sum separation payment offered to junior troops or be removed from service, AP reported. Other news is about VA collective bargaining, maternal and mental health programs cuts, and more.
Heart Association: Americans Should Be Picky About Ultraprocessed Foods
August 8, 2025
Morning Briefing
In its new guidelines, the American Heart Association says not all ultraprocessed foods are so bad — such as whole grain breads, low-sugar yogurts, tomato sauces, and nut or bean-based spreads. The MAHA Commission report on ultraprocessed foods is due Tuesday.
First Edition: Friday, Aug. 8, 2025
August 8, 2025
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Even in States That Fought Obamacare, Trump’s New Law Poses Health Consequences
By Daniel Chang Sam Whitehead
August 8, 2025
KFF Health News Original
GOP lawmakers in 10 states have refused for a decade to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. But when President Donald Trump got another whack at Obamacare, these holdout states went unrewarded.
What the Health? From KFF Health News: Kennedy Cancels Vaccine Funding
August 7, 2025
Podcast
The Health and Human Services secretary is winding down nearly $500 million in mRNA research funding, citing false claims that the technology is ineffective against respiratory illnesses — and notching a victory for critics of the covid vaccines. And President Donald Trump is demanding drugmakers drop their prices, quickly, but it’s unclear how he could make them comply. Lauren Weber of The Washington Post, Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call, and Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more.
Cancer Patients at NIH: Share Your Story With Us
August 7, 2025
Page
Are you a cancer patient whose care at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Maryland, or another hospital, has been affected by the Trump administration’s cuts? Are you a family member or caregiver of a cancer patient who has received care at the NIH? We’d like to hear about your experience. Tell us […]
Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs
August 7, 2025
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of the latest health research and news.
Three Studies Show Far-Reaching Health Effects Of Maui, LA Wildfires
August 7, 2025
Morning Briefing
The studies looked at the impact of the 2023 wildfires in Maui and the 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles. In Maui, 1 in 5 people suffered lung damage and up to half had symptoms of depression. In Los Angeles, there were more than 400 additional deaths due to interruptions to health care and other factors. Other news comes from Illinois, Missouri, Texas, Iowa, and elsewhere.
Louisiana Set To Lose Last Two Planned Parenthood Clinics
August 7, 2025
Morning Briefing
The clinics, scheduled to close Sept. 30, provided medical care for more than 10,000 patients last year. In other reproductive news: Hey Jane expands its reproductive telehealth care to Michigan; the Tennessee attorney general’s office demands abortion records from medical centers; and more.
Doctors Urged To Run For Congress Amid Dems’ Outrage Over Health Cuts
August 7, 2025
Morning Briefing
Historically, most physicians serving in Congress have been Republican. Now, a Democrat-affiliated PAC known as 314 Action aims to change that by electing at least 100 health professionals to Congress and other offices by 2030. Plus: a look at wait times in ERs, hospital closures, and more.
