Hit Hard by Opioid Crisis, Black Patients Further Hurt by Barriers to Care
By Melba Newsome
April 2, 2025
KFF Health News Original
The rate of overdose deaths from opioids has grown significantly among Black people. Yet, even after a nonfatal overdose, this group is half as likely to be referred to or get treatment compared with white people. Advocates and researchers cite implicit bias, insurance denials, and other systemic issues.
Listen to the Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’
April 1, 2025
KFF Health News Original
“Health Minute” brings original health care and health policy reporting from the KFF Health News newsroom to the airwaves each week.
Nearly 2,000 Scientists Call Out Trump For ‘Assault On US Science’
April 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
The scientists — all of whom are elected members of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine — signed a letter warning that President Donald Trump’s actions have created a “climate of fear,” The Washington Post reported. Plus: Harvard’s funding is in jeopardy.
Doctors Will No Longer Be Required To Record Patients’ Sexual Orientation
April 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
The electronic health record rules — which also included taking data on gender identity — were set to be enforced by Jan. 1, 2026. Stat reports that providers can still gather the information if they want to. Plus: updates on lab-developed tests, health care fraudsters, and military combat fitness.
Feds Freeze Family Planning Funds From Planned Parenthood
April 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
Nine of the nonprofit’s affiliates got word Monday that the Trump administration is withholding Title X funds. Separately, a federal judge has ruled it is a violation of the First Amendment and the right to travel if Alabama’s attorney general tries to punish anyone who aids in out-of-state abortions.
Hospitals Reportedly Receive Extortion Threats Over Alleged Oracle Hack
April 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
Fierce Healthcare says the incident — in which patient data was reportedly stolen from servers sometime after Jan. 22 — has not yet been announced by Oracle Health but was reported Friday in an information security publication called Bleeping Computer. That publication said a hacker is demanding millions in cryptocurrency.
‘Say Something’ School Shooting Tip Line Is Successfully Saving Lives
April 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
The anonymous tip line, founded by parents of victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting, alerts police and school authorities to potential threats to students. According to The Washington Post, the tip line has prevented 18 school shootings. Other states making news are Colorado, Texas, Montana, New York, California, and North Carolina.
HHS Workers Begin Getting Pink Slips
April 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
As many as 10,000 people could be let go across the Department of Health and Human Services. Forbes looks at how this might affect the health of everyday Americans.
First Edition: Tuesday, April 1, 2025
April 1, 2025
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
Montana May Start Collecting Immunization Data Again Amid US Measles Outbreak
By Mara Silvers, Montana Free Press
April 1, 2025
KFF Health News Original
Montana is the only state that doesn’t collect immunization reports from schools, creating a data gap for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and community health officials. With more than 480 measles cases reported in the U.S., state lawmakers are considering a bill to restart the data collection.
Trump Says He’ll Stop Health Care Fraudsters. Last Time, He Let Them Walk.
By Brett Kelman
April 1, 2025
KFF Health News Original
In his first term, President Donald Trump granted pardons or clemency to more than 60 convicted fraudsters, including health care executives who defrauded Medicare out of hundreds of millions of dollars, courts and juries found. Now, Trump says cracking down on fraud is a priority.
This Year’s Projected Honeybee Losses Could Devastate Farmers, Food Supply
March 31, 2025
Morning Briefing
Farmers depend on bee colonies to pollinate their crops, such as apple trees. Other health and wellness news is on flu, bird flu, sleep, junk food, and more.
A Dose Of Upbeat And Inspiring News
March 31, 2025
Morning Briefing
Today’s stories are on cholesterol, HIV, an at-home test for STIs, stem cell storage, and more.
Biotech Industry Wary After Top FDA Vaccine Official Forced To Resign
March 31, 2025
Morning Briefing
In a statement Saturday, John Crowley of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) said the loss of Dr. Peter Marks would “erode scientific standards,” The Guardian reported. In his resignation letter, Marks wrote that “misinformation and lies” from HHS led him to tender his resignation.
Fox News Reporter Nominated To Lead Office Of National Drug Control Policy
March 31, 2025
Morning Briefing
Sara Carter, who is no longer listed on the network’s website, has worked on border issues in her career as a journalist but has never worked in government nor dealt with drug policy, public health, or law enforcement, Stat reports.
CDC Withholds Measles Risk Analysis, Makes Vaccine A ‘Personal Choice’
March 31, 2025
Morning Briefing
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention appears to be shifting its message from promoting vaccines to one that is less certain about its benefits, ProPublica reports. Meanwhile, the Texas outbreak has now afflicted 400 people as more counties report cases.
Health Systems Eye Microhospitals In Effort To Increase Access At Lower Cost
March 31, 2025
Morning Briefing
Modern Healthcare reports that many health systems, including Baylor Scott & White, Intermountain Health, and CommonSpirit Health, have invested in microhospitals, which tend to fall somewhere between urgent care centers and full-size traditional hospitals in terms of services. Other health industry news is on Solventum, Corewell Health, nonprofit hospital margins, and more.
