When the Doctor Needs a Checkup
By Paula Span
February 4, 2026
KFF Health News Original
The physician workforce is aging fast, and some hospitals now require that older clinicians undergo testing for cognitive decline. Many have resisted.
Listen: Many Tents Are Gone, but Washington’s Homeless — And Their Health Problems — Aren’t
By Angela Hart
February 4, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Sweeps of encampments scatter homeless people, as medications are tossed and street medicine providers scramble to reconnect with their patients. KFF Health News senior correspondent Angela Hart discusses the aftermath on the Jan. 28 edition of WAMU’s “Health Hub.”
Under New State Law, Texas Man Sues California Doctor Over Abortion Pills
February 3, 2026
Morning Briefing
A Texas law that took effect Dec. 4 allows private citizens to sue anyone who manufactures, distributes, mails, or provides abortion medication to or from the state. Plus: The issue of recreational pot won’t appear on Florida’s ballots after petition signatures fell short.
Researchers Discover How To Turn Off Chronic Inflammation
February 3, 2026
Morning Briefing
Researchers at the University College London have found that promoting tiny, fat-derived molecules called epoxy-oxylipins can help regulate a type of immune cell linked to chronic inflammation. Plus: why men develop heart disease earlier than women; the gap in hypertension control in the U.S.; and more.
Emerging Bat-Borne Virus Found In Suspected Nipah Virus Patients’ Swabs
February 3, 2026
Morning Briefing
Bangladeshi researchers are uncovering a worrying co-circulation of the dangerous bat-borne virus Pteropine orthoreovirus (PRV) and NiV, which has led to the recommendation that patients with NiV-like illness also be scanned for PRV. Plus: The fallout from foreign aid cuts, and more.
Measles Reported At Crowded ICE Site In Texas; Doctors Seek Urgent Action
February 3, 2026
Morning Briefing
One San Antonio-based physician implored the state to take “an immediate, unified command-and-control of the measles outbreak.” He emphasized that “this is a public health emergency,” given workers who come and go from the facility can spread the disease.
RFK Jr. Unveils $100M Faith-Based Plan To Stem ‘Spiritual Disease’ Of Addiction
February 3, 2026
Morning Briefing
The Safety Through Recovery, Engagement and Evidence-Based Treatment and Supports (STREETS) initiative expands the role of religious organizations in helping people who are both homeless and mentally ill or addicted, The New York Times reported. More administration news is about animal testing, NIH workers, a Planned Parenthood lawsuit, and more.
HHS Aggressively Rolling Out AI, Data Show, But Transparency Is Missing
February 3, 2026
Morning Briefing
A year into President Trump’s revamped federal AI plans, new data show that while the Department of Health and Human Services’ use of AI tools is up by 64%, only two of the 467 use cases identify adverse impacts, appeal processes, and incorporate feedback from users and the public, achieving “high-impact” status. Both are in the pre-deployment phase.
Morning Briefing for Tuesday, February 3, 2026
February 3, 2026
Morning Briefing
Tomorrow is the final day to enter our Health Policy Valentines contest! We want to see your clever, heartfelt, or hilarious tributes to the policies that shape health care. Submit your poem — whether conventional, free-form, or haiku — by noon ET on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Click here for the rules and to enter!
First Edition: Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026
February 3, 2026
Morning Briefing
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations.
NIH Grant Disruptions Slow Down Breast Cancer Research
By Martha Bebinger, WBUR
February 3, 2026
KFF Health News Original
The Trump administration has made the future of federal funding for cancer research uncertain. At one groundbreaking breast cancer research lab, work that could save lives has slowed significantly.
If You’re Pregnant and Uninsured, Medicaid Might Be Your Answer
By Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio Cara Anthony Emily Siner, Nashville Public Radio
February 3, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Prenatal care can make a huge difference to the long-term health of both the parent and baby. Every state offers health coverage to lower-income pregnant women who might otherwise go uninsured.
Si estás embarazada y no tienes seguro de salud, Medicaid podría ser la solución
By Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio Cara Anthony Emily Siner, Nashville Public Radio
February 3, 2026
KFF Health News Original
Todos los estados ofrecen cobertura de Medicaid a las mujeres embarazadas que cumplen con ciertos requisitos de ingresos. Pero cambia dependiendo del estado.
Speaker Johnson Hopeful He’ll Secure A Quick End To Government Shutdown
February 2, 2026
Morning Briefing
Funding measures for Health and Human Services and other departments cleared the Senate, but the appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security has been pulled back for more consideration. The House must again take up votes on the measures passed by the Senate.
More States Are Rolling Out New SNAP Work Requirements
February 2, 2026
Morning Briefing
The requirements mean that 18- to 64-year-olds without dependents will have to work a minimum of 80 hours a month to be eligible. Those not meeting the requirements can receive benefits for only three months within a three-year period. Rollout has been varied across states.
Justice Department Begins Civil Rights Inquiry Into Nurse’s Killing In Minn.
February 2, 2026
Morning Briefing
Alex Pretti was shot and killed Jan. 24 while protesting federal agents. The Department of Homeland Security is also investigating the shooting, Bloomberg reported.
Judge Takes Death Penalty Off The Table In UnitedHealthcare CEO Slaying
February 2, 2026
Morning Briefing
Judge Margaret Garnett has dismissed two charges against Luigi Mangione, who is accused of killing Brian Thompson in 2024. However, Mangione still faces a charge of second-degree murder in the case. The judge also ruled that evidence collected from his backpack is admissible. Prosecutors have 30 days to appeal the death penalty decision.
A Germy Mix Of Flu, Coupled With Covid And RSV, Is Afflicting The Nation
February 2, 2026
Morning Briefing
Influenza A rates have remained stable, but influenza B is starting to spread. This comes as the CDC reports evidence of a covid upsurge in 11 states and respiratory syncytial virus in 21 states. Plus, two more children sick with flu have died this season. “It is not too late to get vaccinated,” the CDC says.
