NY Mayor, Governor Pitch Free Child Care Plan For 2-Year-Olds
January 9, 2026
Morning Briefing
The 2 Care program will serve about 2,000 children when it opens later this year and will be paid for with existing state funds for the next fiscal year, Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday. Other news comes from Connecticut, Hawaii, Louisiana, Texas, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
Morning Briefing for Friday, January 9, 2026
January 9, 2026
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 !
House Revives ACA Subsidy Extension; Senate Reaching For Compromise Bill
January 9, 2026
Morning Briefing
The bill that gained the support of 17 House Republicans would renew premium tax credits for three years. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is hopeful that some of the GOP sticking points will be ironed out soon. Plus, insurers are being called to Capitol Hill to answer questions about health care costs.
J&J Wins Tariff Reprieve In Exchange For Drug Discounts, Investment Pledge
January 9, 2026
Morning Briefing
The pharmaceutical company agreed to offer lower-cost drugs on the not-yet-available TrumpRx website and build facilities in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. It did not disclose how long its tariff reprieve would be. Plus, five states are suing the government over withheld social safety net funds.
US Kids Now Protected From Fewer Diseases By Vaccines Vs. Foreign Peers
January 9, 2026
Morning Briefing
The rationale given for the policy change that pared down the child vaccine schedule was to bring it in line with other countries’ plans, but data from the World Health Organization show all but one of the 20 so-called peer countries protect kids from more diseases than the U.S. now does.
Jefferson Health Accuses Drug Firms, PBMs Of Manipulating Insulin Prices
January 9, 2026
Morning Briefing
The large nonprofit health system, based in Philadelphia, is suing multiple companies, saying they colluded to raise the price of insulin, which in turn forced the health system to spend more on patient care. In separate statements, the three main PBMs at the center of the lawsuit — CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and Optum Rx — denied the allegations, Health Exec reported.
Thrift Store. Clinic. Roller Rink. Center Becomes ‘Radical’ Lifeline Amid Homelessness, Drug Crises.
By Aneri Pattani
January 9, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Located in the Lower 9th Ward, this abandoned building has become a community sanctuary and resource.
California Ends Medicaid Coverage of Weight Loss Drugs Despite TrumpRx Plan
By Don Thompson
January 9, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Low-income Californians who use Wegovy and similar medications for weight loss lost their coverage at the start of the new year, with officials advising diet and exercise instead. California and other states say the drugs are too costly, even as the Trump administration announces plans to lower prices.
What the Health? From KFF Health News: New Year, Same Health Fight
January 8, 2026
Podcast
Congress returned from its break facing a familiar question: whether to extend the expanded subsidies for Affordable Care Act health plans that expired at the end of 2025. Meanwhile, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. broke a promise to Bill Cassidy, the chairman of Senate health committee, by overhauling the federal government’s childhood vaccine schedule to reduce the number of diseases for which vaccines will be recommended. Sarah Karlin-Smith of Pink Sheet, Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, and Lauren Weber of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss those stories and more.
The Body Shops
January 8, 2026
Page
Featured Story More From the Project Share Your Story With Us Have you had liposuction, a “Mommy Makeover,” a tummy tuck, a Brazilian butt lift, or another type of cosmetic surgery? We’d like to hear about your experience. Click below to contact our reporting team. Credits Reporting Fred SchulteErin McLaughlin, NBC NewsJason Kane, NBC News Photography […]
Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs
January 8, 2026
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of health policy studies and briefs.
RFK Jr. Suggests Fewer Kids Should Get Flu Vaccine; Boston Sees First Pediatric Flu Deaths In More Than A Decade
January 8, 2026
Morning Briefing
In an interview with CBS News, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said it might be a “better thing” if fewer youths received that shot. He also said insurance would still cover the vaccine, but the decision to vaccinate a child must be made in consultation with a doctor. Plus: Two young children have died from flu complications in Boston.
Chicago Area Records 40% Drop In Fatal Drug Overdoses For 2025
January 8, 2026
Morning Briefing
The Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed that 683 people died of opioid overdoses last year, though that number might increase as more toxicology test results roll in. At its most recent peak, the county reported 2,001 fatal opioid overdoses just three years earlier in 2022.
‘ChatGPT Health’ Soon Will Connect To Your Electronic Medical Records
January 8, 2026
Morning Briefing
The new feature from OpenAI allows users to analyze medical test results and seek guidance on diets and workout routines, but the company stressed that it will supplement, not replace, the judgment of doctors. Initially, OpenAI will let users sign up for a waitlist to try it out, Bloomberg reported, but the program will expand in the coming weeks.
Red Meat, Full-Fat Dairy Get Top Billing In Updated Dietary Guidelines
January 8, 2026
Morning Briefing
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s guidance still encourages people to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, as well as limit sugar intake. Americans also are advised to consume less alcohol, but unlike previous guidance, no clear limits are indicated.
Bipartisan Coalition Pushes The House Forward On ACA Subsidies Extension
January 8, 2026
Morning Briefing
Nine House Republicans joined Democrats in forcing a vote on a three-year extension of the tax credits, bucking GOP leadership. A vote is slated to take place Thursday. Meanwhile, zero-dollar premiums appear to be a sticking point in discussions on the Senate side.
