Journalists Demystify Bird Flu, Medicaid Work Requirements, and Reproductive Health Research
March 22, 2025
KFF Health News Original
KFF Health News journalists made the rounds on national and local media recently to discuss topical stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Medicaid Cuts Would Kneecap Health Services, Tribal Leaders Warn
By Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez
March 21, 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.
New Studies Link Red Meat Allergy To Two More Types Of Tick
March 21, 2025
Morning Briefing
Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is potentially life-threatening and is estimated to affect 450,000 Americans. Also: E-reminders for the flu vaccine might lower uptake of the covid vaccine; educating caregivers of Down syndrome adults about Alzheimer’s; and more.
Rikers To Be Replaced With 4 Facilities, With One Dedicated To Mental Health
March 21, 2025
Morning Briefing
According to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the new site will be a “state-of-the-art mental health facility,” CBS News reported. Other states making the news are Illinois, California, Alabama, New Hampshire, Montana, and South Carolina.
Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
March 21, 2025
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today’s selections are on mental health, gun safety, the science behind “Severance,” and more.
Hospitals Advised To Boost Security After Terrorist Threat Is Posted On X
March 21, 2025
Morning Briefing
The threat has not been verified, but the American Hospital Association and Health-ISAC are urging the health sector to alert staff and be on the lookout for suspicious activity.
Trump Orders End To Education Dept.; Funds For Rural Projects, Poor Unclear
March 21, 2025
Morning Briefing
Although the administration vowed to preserve funding formulas for schools, staffing cuts might complicate efforts that ensure students with disabilities, or those from high-poverty or rural schools, get the support they need.
Possible CDC Chief Contenders Include Florida’s Ladapo And Texas’ Burgess
March 21, 2025
Morning Briefing
As the White House searches for its next nominee, the president’s allies have put forward two office holders, both of whom criticized covid protocols. Other possible contenders have turned down the job. Meanwhile, the feds have put off a requirement that companies track tainted food.
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
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 !
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.
KFF Health News' 'What the Health?': 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.
