Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
November 14, 2025
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today’s selections are on vaccines, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, PTSD, and more.
Parents Win Pause On NC Medicaid Cuts For Intensive Autism Therapy
November 14, 2025
Morning Briefing
A lawsuit claimed North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services discriminated against children with disabilities by cutting Medicaid reimbursement rates for some behavioral health providers. More news comes from Oklahoma, Oregon, and Illinois.
Researchers Cheer Key Breakthroughs In Pig Kidney Transplant Surgery
November 14, 2025
Morning Briefing
A team at NYU Langone Health has discovered immune reactions that may explain why these organs get rejected, ABC News reported. The team also discovered a way to anticipate a potential rejection up to five days sooner. “I do believe that we will be in a position in the next few years where gene-edited pig organs will be an alternative to human organs,” said Dr. Robert Montgomery, director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute.
FDA Had Documented Multiple Safety Violations At ByHeart Factory In Pa.
November 14, 2025
Morning Briefing
The baby formula that is suspected to have caused several cases of infant botulism was not manufactured at the Pennsylvania plant, where inspectors found mold and thousands of dead insects, The New York Times reported. The findings prompted worry about ByHeart’s overall safety.
Morning Briefing for Friday, November 14, 2025
November 14, 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 !
Medicare Cuts Resulting From One Big Beautiful Bill Are Spared — For Now
November 14, 2025
Morning Briefing
The stopgap spending measure enacted Wednesday allows the Trump administration to sidestep budget rules that would have required the White House to offset the tax law’s $3.4 trillion in deficit spending over 10 years, Modern Healthcare reports. Also: What’s going on with ACA subsidies?
As Grocery Angst Surges, Trump Mulls Pullback Of Tariffs On Food Imports
November 14, 2025
Morning Briefing
The administration is said to be considering tariff exemptions on beef, citrus, and “things we don’t grow here,” such as coffee, bananas, and other fruits. Plus: SNAP recipients are still struggling; a USDA employee who warned about the effects of missed SNAP payments is being fired; and more.
Ultraprocessed Food Could Be To Blame For Colon Cancer Rise In Young Women
November 14, 2025
Morning Briefing
A study published Thursday in JAMA suggested that eating more UPFs is linked to an increased risk of precancerous colorectal growths in women under 50. Other news covers the first documented death from alpha-gal syndrome, a human bird flu case in Washington state, the Purdue Pharma lawsuit settlement, and more.
Represión de Trump empuja a inmigrantes víctimas de violencia doméstica a las sombras
By Cheryl Platzman Weinstock
November 14, 2025
KFF Health News Original
Además de ser más vulnerables a la violencia sexual, los inmigrantes enfrentan múltiples desafíos de salud física y mental, según los investigadores.
First Edition: Friday, Nov. 14, 2025
November 14, 2025
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Listen: New Federal Guidelines Could Weaken Consumer Protections Against Medical Debt
By Noam N. Levey
November 14, 2025
KFF Health News Original
The Trump administration has taken another step to weaken protections for Americans with medical debt, issuing rules that undercut state efforts to keep these debts off consumers’ credit reports.
Conflicting Advice on Covid Shots Likely To Ding Already Low Vaccine Rates, Experts Warn
By Phillip Reese
November 14, 2025
KFF Health News Original
About 1 in 4 American adults got a covid vaccine shot during the 2024-25 virus season, a fraction health care experts warn could be smaller this year as millions wrestle with conflicting advice from the government and trusted medical organizations about the value of a shot.
What the Health? From KFF Health News: The Government Is Open
November 13, 2025
Podcast
The record-long federal shutdown is over after a small group of Democrats agreed to a deal with most Republicans that funds the government through January — but, notably, does not extend more generous Affordable Care Act tax credits. Plus, new details are emerging about how the Trump administration is using the Medicaid program to advance its policy goals. Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, Shefali Luthra of The 19th, and Sandhya Raman of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News’ Emmarie Huetteman to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Julie Appleby, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month” feature.
New Flu Strain H3N2 Causes Alarm As Some Nations Are Swamped With Cases
November 13, 2025
Morning Briefing
The strain emerged in June after the makeup of this year’s flu shots had already been determined. Cases in the U.K. are already triple from the same time last year, and cases in Japan have surged to nearly six times from last year. In the U.S., experts warn of uncertainty because the CDC has not released a national flu report since Sept. 26 due to the government shutdown.
Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs
November 13, 2025
Morning Briefing
Each week, KFF Health News compiles a selection of health policy studies and briefs.
After Bishops’ Vote, Catholic Hospitals Ban Gender-Affirming Care Across US
November 13, 2025
Morning Briefing
According to the Catholic Health Association, more than one in seven patients in the U.S. are treated at Catholic hospitals daily, with some communities having no alternative medical centers. Meanwhile, transgender service members are suing the Air Force after an announcement that it would deny them retirement benefits.
Medicaid Cuts Lead To Closure Of 20 More Planned Parenthood Locations
November 13, 2025
Morning Briefing
The closures come after months of financial struggle due to President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill blocking the organization from billing Medicaid. Planned Parenthood has brought the issue to the courts in a battle that is ongoing. Plus: the potential effects of antidepressants on teenage sexuality.
FDA Unveils Blueprint For Custom Gene-Editing Treatments
November 13, 2025
Morning Briefing
The plan allows a company or academic group to craft custom treatments for “several” patients and then apply for approval. Rather than the FDA approving an individual, unchangeable drug, it would allow those creators to keep crafting bespoke editors for new individuals with new mutations, Stat explains.
