Maine Family Planning Clinics End Primary Care Amid Medicaid Cuts
October 2, 2025
Morning Briefing
The clinics, with 18 locations and a mobile unit, provide birth control, sexually transmitted disease testing, cancer screenings, and routine OB-GYN visits, as well as primary care to nearly 1,000 patients. Also, a Texas judge transfers the abortion pill battle to Missouri; and more.
Genetic Analysis Finds Different Forms Of Autism, Study Shows
October 2, 2025
Morning Briefing
The study found that rather than being one single genetic condition, autism is instead a cluster of conditions with similar features. In other autism news: folate supplements vs. leucovorin; the dementia drug memantine may help a small subset of ASD youth with social functioning; and more.
Health Agencies Stymied As Congress Remains Deadlocked On Funding Deal
October 2, 2025
Morning Briefing
The Department of Health and Human Services — particularly the National Institutes of Health — is seeing significant staff reductions as lawmakers continue the shutdown showdown largely over whether ACA subsidies should be extended. Plus, hospitals already filled to the brim are receiving an influx of patients now that CMS reimbursements for hospital at home care have been halted.
Morning Briefing for Thursday, October 2, 2025
October 2, 2025
Morning Briefing
It’s that spooktacular time of year again: Send us your best scary health care haikus for our seventh annual Halloween contest! The deadline is 11:59 p.m. ET on Oct. 19. The top winners will receive custom cartoons that appear in the Morning Briefing on Oct. 31. Click here for the rules and to enter! 👻
First Edition: Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025
October 2, 2025
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
‘Demon Copperhead’ Author Lays Foundation for Women in Appalachia To Beat Addiction
By Taylor Sisk
October 2, 2025
KFF Health News Original
Barbara Kingsolver won a Pulitzer Prize for her bestselling novel about Appalachia’s drug crisis. She invested some of the proceeds into a home for women trying to beat substance use disorders.
Workers’ Wages Siphoned To Pay Medical Bills, Despite Consumer Protections
By Rae Ellen Bichell
October 2, 2025
KFF Health News Original
Health care providers and debt collectors are biting from people’s paychecks to cover old medical bills. A KFF Health News investigation in Colorado shows that this aggressive collection practice is widespread even in a state considered to have strong consumer protections.
Hospital At Home Programs Grind To A Halt Amid Government Shutdown
October 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
A pandemic-era program that allowed hospitals like UMass Memorial to deliver inpatient care in people’s homes comes to an end, putting extra strain on hospitals. Plus, Modern Healthcare looks at why some providers are betting on home health units, even now.
Trump Directs Use Of AI For Pioneering Pediatric Cancer Research
October 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
The administration also announced that it is doubling the funding for the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative. Separately, the administration has restored most of the research grants it had stripped from UCLA. It also says it’s close to a deal with Harvard University.
Louisiana Becomes Fourth State With No Planned Parenthood Locations
October 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
Growing financial and political pressure led to the closures of its Baton Rouge and New Orleans clinics. No abortions were performed at the clinics, which provided other medical care services to nearly 11,000 patients last year, AP reported. Meanwhile, Pope Leo said Tuesday that people who support the death penalty are “not really pro-life.”
Scientists Find Twofold Rise In Long Covid Risk In Kids After Reinfection
October 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
Evidence indicates that over a six-month period, 1,884 per million young people developed long covid after two infections, twice the rate of 904 per million for young people with one infection, The New York Times reports. Plus, states have not been able to order updated covid shots for low-income children.
In Boon For Rural Health, Hospital In Rolla, Missouri, Will Double Size Of ER
October 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
The expansion at Phelps Health comes as 21 other hospitals, many of them in rural areas, have closed in the state in the past decade. Other states making news: Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Maryland, Minnesota, Maine, and New Hampshire.
Federal Health Workers Await Their Fates As Government Comes To A Halt
October 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
The impasse over Affordable Care Act subsidies continues, and there is no sign the shutdown will be over quickly, Politico reported. Two labor unions have sued the Trump administration over its threats to cut thousands of federal workers during the closure.
President Unveils ‘TrumpRx’ Site For Discounted Drugs And Deal With Pfizer
October 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
Pfizer has agreed to sell its drugs at lower prices to Medicaid patients and also to sell some of its meds on a “TrumpRx” website. The Wall Street Journal looks at how “TrumpRx” might work, while Mark Cuban gives the site a “B.”
First Edition: Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025
October 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
At Least 170 US Hospitals Face Major Flood Risk. Experts Say Trump Is Making It Worse.
By Holly K. Hacker Brett Kelman Daniel Chang
Videos by Hannah Norman Data visualizations by Lydia Zuraw
October 1, 2025
KFF Health News Original
As a warming climate intensifies storms, KFF Health News has identified more than 170 U.S. hospitals at risk of significant and potentially dangerous flooding. Climate experts warn that the Trump administration’s cuts leave the nation less prepared.
Summon Your Spookiest Halloween Health Care Haikus
By KFF Health News Staff
Illustrations by Oona Zenda
October 1, 2025
KFF Health News Original
Submissions are open for KFF Health News’ seventh annual Halloween haiku competition. Conjure your most chilling verses — if you dare.
Shutdown Halts Some Health Services as Political Risks Test Parties’ Resolve
By Stephanie Armour Julie Rovner Amanda Seitz Arielle Zionts Rachana Pradhan
October 1, 2025
KFF Health News Original
Congressional Democrats and Republicans are at an impasse in negotiations. Which side will blink first?
