HHS Requests Inquiry of Johns Hopkins Over Alleged ‘Sex-Rejecting Procedures’
February 6, 2026
Morning Briefing
The Health and Human Services Department’s general counsel, Mike Stuart, said he has referred the Baltimore-based hospital and health system to the Office of Inspector General. In other news from Baltimore, the Justice Department is investigating the city’s health department over allegations that it holds racially segregated trainings, CBS News reported.
World Trade Center Health Program Receives Full Funding Through 2040
February 6, 2026
Morning Briefing
The program has helped more than 150,000 people get long-term care and medical monitoring after being exposed to toxins after the 9/11 attacks. Also, the latest news about the immigration crisis.
Morning Briefing for Friday, February 6, 2026
February 6, 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 !
TrumpRx Website Opens For Business
February 6, 2026
Morning Briefing
The government-run portal allows people to search for meds — about 40 were available at launch — and either buy them through manufacturers’ direct-to-consumer sites or get coupons to use at certain pharmacies. Uninsured people and those who “self-pay” for prescriptions are most likely to benefit from the website, but experts remain skeptical that the platform will meaningfully affect affordability.
First Edition: Friday, Feb. 6, 2026
February 6, 2026
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Effective but Underprescribed: HIV Prevention Meds Aren’t Reaching Enough People
By Zach Dyer
February 6, 2026
KFF Health News Original
PrEP has been available for more than a decade, but billing mistakes, lack of awareness, and lingering stigma keep many people from getting the lifesaving HIV prevention medication.
With ICE Using Medicaid Data, Hospitals and States Are in a Bind Over Warning Immigrant Patients
By Phil Galewitz Amanda Seitz
February 6, 2026
KFF Health News Original
The Trump administration’s move to give deportation officials access to Medicaid data is forcing hospitals and states to consider alerting immigrant patients that information from emergency medical coverage applications could be used in efforts to remove them from the country.
What the Health? From KFF Health News: HHS Gets Funding, But How Will Trump Spend It?
February 5, 2026
Podcast
Congress has passed — and President Trump has signed — the annual spending bill for the Department of Health and Human Services. But it’s unclear whether the administration will spend the money as Congress directed. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Joanne Kenen of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Politico Magazine, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss that story and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Renuka Rayasam about a new reporting project, “Priced Out.”
Blaze Destroys Part Of Pa. Hospital; 77 Patients Flee To Safety In Frigid Temps
February 5, 2026
Morning Briefing
Lehigh Valley Hospital-Dickson City appeared to sustain major damage Wednesday night as firefighters worked into Thursday in single-digit temperatures to put out hot spots. The orthopedic section of the building appeared to be “a total loss,” an emergency official said. The Times-Tribune of nearby Scranton reported that any closure of the hospital would only worsen the strained local health care landscape.
Several Fall Ill In Las Vegas Airbnb, An Alleged Bio Lab Linked To Federal Case
February 5, 2026
Morning Briefing
Police found a “possible biological laboratory,” including “refrigerators with vials containing unknown liquids.” Two people became very ill after being exposed to the area. The federal case involves the alleged manufacturing and distributing of misbranded medical devices at a warehouse in California. More news is from Idaho, Utah, Texas, Louisiana, and New York.
Just Weeks After Launch, Wegovy Pill Sees High US Demand
February 5, 2026
Morning Briefing
Novo Nordisk says that more than 170,000 Americans are taking its new GLP-1 pill. Related news is on GLP-1 drugs’ impact on heart failure events in diabetes patients; the intersection between obesity drugs and eating disorders; and more.
Wildfire Pollution Linked To 24,100 Deaths A Year In The US, Study Shows
February 5, 2026
Morning Briefing
The researchers looked at the deaths linked to chronic exposure to fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, which is the main concern from wildfire smoke. Also: A global study suggests nearly 40% of cancer cases are linked to preventable risk factors; pregnancy and breastfeeding may be connected to stronger long-term cognitive health; and more.
Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs
February 5, 2026
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of health policy studies and briefs.
Senate Efforts To Revive ACA Subsidies ‘Effectively Over,’ Snubbing Millions
February 5, 2026
Morning Briefing
The roughly 20 million Americans who lost the enhanced Obamacare tax credits at the end of 2025 are contending with higher health insurance premiums. Negotiators couldn’t find common ground on how to handle abortion coverage. Plus, how insurers are hoping to cash in on the premium spike.
Study Dispels Long-Held Notion That Autism Afflicts More Boys Than Girls
February 5, 2026
Morning Briefing
A study based on data from millions of people found that it’s not that fewer girls and women have autism but instead that they aren’t diagnosed until later in life. Also: A study on leucovorin as a treatment for autism has been retracted; the FDA has withdrawn a webpage that warned about dangerous autism treatments; and more.
Newsom ajusta su discurso sobre la salud de inmigrantes enfocado en una posible candidatura presidencial
By Christine Mai-Duc
February 5, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Newsom propuso que el estado no intervenga cuando, a partir de octubre, el gobierno federal deje de brindar cobertura médica a unos 200.000 residentes legales, entre ellos solicitantes de asilo y refugiados.
First Edition: Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026
February 5, 2026
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Newsom Walks Thin Line on Immigrant Health as He Eyes Presidential Bid
By Christine Mai-Duc
February 5, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Progressives are assailing Gov. Gavin Newsom for proposing to pull back coverage for some legal residents, such as refugees and asylum-seekers, while conservatives lambaste the California Democrat for using limited state funds on Medicaid coverage for immigrants without legal status.
