Ohio Is The Latest State Hit By The Measles Outbreak
March 21, 2025
Morning Briefing
The Ohio Department of Health reports this first case is in an unvaccinated adult, according to 10TV. Also, two new measles cases are confirmed in Maryland; a former surgeon general criticizes RFK Jr.’s anti-vaccination stance; and more.
FDA Investigation Finds Problems At Indian Drug Factory Tied To Recalls
March 21, 2025
Morning Briefing
The generic drug manufacturer was linked to the death of eight people last year, and was responsible for an outsized share of recalls for pills that didn’t dissolve properly and could harm people. Other news includes drug reimbursements, Medicare price negotiations, and more.
Morning Briefing for Friday, March 21, 2025
March 21, 2025
Morning Briefing
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First Edition: Friday, March 21, 2025
March 21, 2025
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Workers Prep To Meet ICE Officials at the Health Clinic Door
By Jackie Fortiér
March 21, 2025
KFF Health News Original
Recent arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in northern Virginia have put immigrant communities in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area on alert. Health clinics that serve those communities say they are working to continue to care for patients amid detention and arrest fears.
What the Health? From KFF Health News: Federal Health Work in Flux
March 20, 2025
Podcast
It’s the Trump administration vs. the federal courts, as the Department of Government Efficiency continues to try to cancel federal contracts and programs and fire workers. But in the haste to cut things, jobs and programs are being eliminated even if they align with the new administration’s goal to “Make America Healthy Again.” Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, Sarah Karlin-Smith of the Pink Sheet, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more.
US Judge Names Receiver To Take Over California Prisons’ Mental Health Program
By Don Thompson
March 20, 2025
KFF Health News Original
A federal judge has named a receiver to run California’s troubled prison mental health system. Colette Peters, a reformist with a rocky tenure as director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, will have four months to develop a plan to adequately care for tens of thousands of prisoners.
While Still High, US Drug Overdose Deaths Are Falling, Early Data Show
March 20, 2025
Morning Briefing
The Wall Street Journal charts a year-by-year look at overdose deaths and areas of the country hit the hardest. Also: The Trump administration has extended the opioid emergency declaration; U.S. Customs and Border Protection is seizing more egg products than fentanyl at the border this year.
Abortion Clinics’ Safety A Top Concern As Factions Chart Ways Forward
March 20, 2025
Morning Briefing
As abortion-sympathetic states and localities look to shore up safety measures, opponents are ramping up efforts to shut down operations and are turning to the courts to upend state and city protections for clinics. Also, the feds plan to appeal a block on Trump’s trans military ban.
Study Shows Promise In Using Anti-Amyloid Therapy To Stall Alzheimer’s
March 20, 2025
Morning Briefing
The people involved in the study have rare genetic mutations, making it nearly certain they will develop Alzheimer’s. AP reports on how mass firings and funding restrictions at the NIH are affecting the next steps in the Alzheimer’s research. Other research is on hair loss treatments, treatments for pediatric brain tumors, and more.
State Officials Brace For Fallout If Massachusetts Insurer Collapses
March 20, 2025
Morning Briefing
Commonwealth Care Alliance provides health care to nearly 50,000 elderly, disabled, and low-income individuals. Also in the news: Veradigm, Cigna, Cone Health, Jefferson Health, and Hippocratic AI.
NC Bills Would Raise Age For Tobacco Sales To 21, Up From 18
March 20, 2025
Morning Briefing
North Carolina Health News reports the House bill would also establish a tobacco retail sales permitting system. North Carolina and six other states still allow 18-year-olds to buy tobacco. Other news from around the nation comes from West Virginia, Florida, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, and California.
Cannabis Use Elevates Risk Of Heart Attack In Some Users, Study Finds
March 20, 2025
Morning Briefing
Healthy users younger than 50 are more likely to experience stroke, heart attack, or heart failure than people who don’t use the drug, Fox News reports. Also: MRI images show “brain rot” is linked to smartphone usage; the U.S. hits the lowest levels of happiness on record; and more.
Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs
March 20, 2025
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of the latest health research and news.
Trump Set To Order Education Department Shutdown; Millions Of Youths With Disabilities Left In Lurch
March 20, 2025
Morning Briefing
Formally closing the department requires an act of Congress, NBC News noted. But President Donald Trump can make it impossible for DOE employees to do their work, similar to what he has done at USAID. Of all the groups affected, children with disabilities, poor children, and students who receive federal financial aid will be the most severely affected.
First Edition: Thursday, March 20, 2025
March 20, 2025
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
In New York, Providers Must Put Patient Costs on the Table
By Michelle Andrews
March 20, 2025
KFF Health News Original
The governor’s fiscal year 2026 budget revises a law designed to limit unexpected bills that can put people at risk for unfair medical billing practices and reduce medical debt. Consumer groups say it doesn’t go far enough.
Amid Plummeting Diversity at Medical Schools, a Warning of DEI Crackdown’s ‘Chilling Effect’
By Annie Sciacca
March 20, 2025
KFF Health News Original
Enrollment of underrepresented groups at medical schools fell precipitously this academic year after the Supreme Court’s 2023 ban on affirmative action. Education and health experts worry the Trump administration’s anti-DEI measures will only worsen the situation, even in states like California that have navigated bans on race-conscious admissions for years.
