Global Health Funding in the FY 2027 President’s Budget Request Published: Apr 6, 2026

https://www.kff.org/global-health-policy/global-health-funding-in-the-fy-2027-presidents-budget-request/

Viewpoints: ‘The Pitt’ Exposes Burnout In The ER; Why People Watch Videos Of Strangers Getting Medical Results

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-the-pitt-exposes-burnout-in-the-er-why-people-watch-videos-of-strangers-getting-medical-results/

Penicillin Allergy Testing Can Now Be Done As Part Of Routine Hospital Care

Penicillin Allergy Testing Can Now Be Done As Part Of Routine Hospital Care An international study found that about 95% of people labeled as allergic to penicillin were misdiagnosed as children or have grown out of the allergy. A smartphone app assesses patients' risk, and those deemed to have a low-risk penicillin allergy can be offered a direct oral challenge — a penicillin antibiotic — and observed for a possible reaction. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/penicillin-allergy-testing-can-now-be-done-as-part-of-routine-hospital-care/

Colorado Bill Would Shield So-Called Orphan Drugs From Pricing Caps

Colorado Bill Would Shield So-Called Orphan Drugs From Pricing Caps The measure is facing pushback because it has the potential to ensnare FDA-approved medications prescribed for common conditions that also are used to treat rare diseases. Plus, news on Medicaid cuts and conversion therapy. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/colorado-bill-would-shield-so-called-orphan-drugs-from-pricing-caps/

As More Treatment Centers Close, Mich. Kids In Crisis Sent Out Of State

As More Treatment Centers Close, Mich. Kids In Crisis Sent Out Of State According to a recent Department of Health and Human Services report, 152 youths in Michigan's direct-placement program were living in out-of-state facilities as of September, with some placed as far away as Arizona and Hawaii. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/as-more-treatment-centers-close-mich-kids-in-crisis-sent-out-of-state/

Man’s Death Triggers Lawsuit Alleging Connecticut Hospital Ran ‘Tele-ICU’

Man’s Death Triggers Lawsuit Alleging Connecticut Hospital Ran ‘Tele-ICU’ A patient was complaining of abdominal pain when he was admitted to the Bridgeport Hospital ICU the day before he died. The family's lawyers contend that a lack of onsite physicians slowed down intervention and made it difficult to communicate the severity of his symptoms, leading to his death. Yale New Haven Health, which owns the hospital, said it was unable to comment on pending litigation. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/mans-death-triggers-lawsuit-alleging-connecticut-hospital-ran-tele-icu/

RSV Shots For Infants, Toddlers Urged As Virus Shows Few Signs Of Abating

RSV Shots For Infants, Toddlers Urged As Virus Shows Few Signs Of Abating Respiratory syncytial virus peaked late, and the test positivity rate is higher than normal for this time of year. Because of that, health officials have extended the immunization period through April. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/rsv-shots-for-infants-toddlers-urged-as-virus-shows-few-signs-of-abating/

CMS Sets A 2.48% Medicare Advantage Payment Rate Increase For 2027

CMS Sets A 2.48% Medicare Advantage Payment Rate Increase For 2027 CMS originally proposed a 0.09% rate increase but bumped it up following industry pushback. Other Trump administration news is on TrumpRx, ARPA-H, the immigration crisis, and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/cms-sets-a-2-48-medicare-advantage-payment-rate-increase-for-2027/

2026 Data Submission Dates for the AHRQ Surveys on Patient Safety Culture® Databases +++++ +

https://www.ahrq.gov/sops/surveys/hospital/index.html Health IT Patient Safety Supplemental Items for the SOPS Hospital Survey https://www.ahrq.gov/sops/surveys/hospital/supplemental-items/health-it.html Workplace Safety Supplemental Items for the SOPS Hospital Survey https://www.ahrq.gov/sops/surveys/hospital/supplemental-items/workplace-safety.html Value and Efficiency Supplemental Items for the SOPS Hospital Survey https://www.ahrq.gov/sops/surveys/hospital/supplemental-items/value-efficiency.html SOPS Nursing Home Survey https://www.ahrq.gov/sops/surveys/nursing-home/index.html Workplace Safety Supplemental Items for the SOPS Nursing Home Survey https://www.ahrq.gov/sops/surveys/nursing-home/supplemental-items/workplace-safety.html

Regulatory Education for Industry (REdI) Annual Conference 2026: Innovative Regulatory Strategies to Advance Medical Products May 19 - 20, 2026

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/regulatory-education-industry-redi-annual-conference-2026-innovative-regulatory-strategies-advance?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Growth in Sector, Private Equity Fuel Hospitalist Lawsuits Christine Bahls April 07, 2026 +++

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/growth-sector-private-equity-fuel-hospitalist-lawsuits-2026a1000ajk Patient Nondisclosure May Compromise Diagnosis and Care Christian Beneker https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/patient-nondisclosure-may-compromise-diagnosis-and-care-2026a1000aho April 07, 2026 SCOTUS Conversion Therapy Ruling: What You Should Know David Brzostowicki https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/scotus-conversion-therapy-ruling-what-you-should-know-2026a1000agn April 06, 2026

Advancing High-Value Pediatric Care: Using Data, AI, and Family Engagement to Improve Outcomes Event Date: April 28, 2026 | 3:00pm – 4:30pm ET

https://digital.ahrq.gov/national-webinars/advancing-high-value-pediatric-care-using-data-ai-and-family-engagement-improve Advancing High-Value Pediatric Care: Using Data, AI, and Family Engagement to Improve Outcomes April 28, 2026 | 3:00pm – 4:30pm ET https://digital.ahrq.gov/national-webinars

Project Facilitate Assisting Healthcare Providers with Expanded Access Requests for Investigational Oncology Products

https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/oncology-center-excellence/project-facilitate?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Oncology Center of Excellence (OCE) Project Facilitate is a single point of contact call and information center created to help oncology healthcare providers or regulatory professionals submit an Expanded Access Request (also referred to as: Compassionate Use, Emergency IND, Single-Patient IND, or Pre-Approval) for an individual patient with cancer through FDA's Expanded Access Program. FDA’s Expanded Access Program allows patients with life-threatening diseases or conditions such as cancer try investigational medical products (drug, biologic, or medical device) when no satisfactory therapies are available and there is no opportunity for the patient to enroll in a clinical trial.

Real-World Evidence: Advancing Regulatory Decision-Making for Medical Devices

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/fda-voices/real-world-evidence-advancing-regulatory-decision-making-medical-devices?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Today’s health care ecosystem is generating richer and more diverse data streams, providing new opportunities to modernize how Real-World Data (RWD) generates relevant and reliable Real-World Evidence (RWE). The U.S. FDA is working to provide clearer recommendations and more consistent acceptance of RWE as valid scientific evidence. RWE is the clinical evidence regarding the usage, and potential benefits or risks, of a medical product derived from analysis of RWD. Appropriately validated RWE can support a broad range of regulatory activities, including serving as the primary clinical evidence in premarket submissions.

An International Solution to a Domestic Doctor Shortage? Medscape Turning to Foreign-Trained Physicians Report 2026 Jon McKenna | February 20, 2026 | +++++

https://www.medscape.com/slideshow/Foreign-Trained-Physicians-Report-2026-6019106?ecd=WNL_physrep_260406_MSCPEDIT_physicians-report_etid8245355&uac=148436CN&impID=8245355 Expat MD: The Ultimate Guide to Working Abroad https://www.medscape.com/viewcollection/37936?ecd=WNL_physrep_260406_MSCPEDIT_physicians-report_etid8245355&uac=148436CN&impID=8245355 Want to Work Abroad? Here's How: Physicians are increasingly trading familiar turf for new challenges and opportunities. With nearly 19% of doctors in OECD countries now foreign-trained — and migration rising — this collection explores how doctors from around the world make the leap abroad, what regulatory hurdles await them, and what life really looks like once they land. Dive into detailed country guides and frank personal stories of ambition, adaptation, and the unexpected. How Should American Physicians Be Paid? George D. Lundberg, MD https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/how-should-american-physicians-be-paid-2025a1000nh8?ecd=WNL_physrep_260406_MSCPEDIT_physicians-report_etid8245355&uac=148436CN&impID=8245355 September 11, 2025 Infographic: Foreign-Trained Docs Help With Shortage Here Jon McKenna https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/infographic-foreign-trained-docs-help-shortage-here-2026a100056v?ecd=WNL_physrep_260406_MSCPEDIT_physicians-report_etid8245355&uac=148436CN&impID=8245355 February 26, 2026 Medicine in the Great White North: How Can International Physicians Practice in Canada? Medscape Staff https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/medicine-great-white-north-how-can-international-physicians-2025a1000sv3?ecd=WNL_physrep_260406_MSCPEDIT_physicians-report_etid8245355&uac=148436CN&impID=8245355 October 23, 2025

FDA READI-Home Innovation Challenge: Reducing Readmissions through Device Innovation for the Home

https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/home-health-care-hub/fda-readi-home-innovation-challenge-reducing-readmissions-through-device-innovation-home?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

ON CAPITOL HILL + ++

IMMIGRATION CRISIS Spotlight PA: Jails Earn Millions Of Dollars Detaining Immigrants For ICE https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-jails-ice-revenue-00ece964d9f8e644e735b1f4efe9d04a?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8548pxJ6xFaLJhk_e5UsuE6k7Szqjpczmx3hDrHPysvxNfqQAmFA6fBDEJo2tAjRaoCsXAgV3IbkZSXcjeiU_-Kty3yw&_hsmi=412541607&utm_content=412541607&utm_source=hs_email A group of Pennsylvania counties has billed the federal government more than $21 million in recent years to detain immigrants in their jails, a first-of-its-kind review by Spotlight PA has found. While these agreements predate the second Trump administration by years or even decades, they are receiving new attention as the president executes a mass deportation campaign that relies heavily on local partners. (Huangpu and Ohl) Undark: A DNA Archive Built To Identify Missing Migrants Has Vanished https://undark.org/2026/04/07/missing-migrants-dna-database/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-84SgRVVhbscFMsQTNpGhAN4p9AhcvlF02w2HZY75Mf_bcHkiqf8KMENHioA0_2INFzM88vBPNaER_MmuGqbWxTjce5zA&_hsmi=412541607&utm_content=412541607&utm_source=hs_email In 2016, Irma Carrillo Nevares swabbed the inside of her cheek and signed a consent form allowing the Colibrí Center for Human Rights to add her DNA to its database. Carrillo Nevares’ son and daughter had gone missing while crossing the U.S.-Mexico border 17 years earlier. She was desperate to find out what had happened to them, and Colibrí’s database offered a ray of hope. (Schivone and Tracey, 4/7) ON CAPITOL HILL CNN: The Democrat Vying To Replace Marjorie Taylor Greene Faces A Tall Task, But Republicans Are Still Watching Closely https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/07/politics/georgia-special-election-results-shawn-harris-clay-fuller-marjorie-taylor-greene?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--a1NMxxcNog293DPxStnStHcwgpatqU2k6G8cX55JXdzLEUu6YOpGi3QLoPxJzPOETeDTN178IMWbTBFziAJbjI0iSfw&_hsmi=412541607&utm_content=412541607&utm_source=hs_email The race to replace Marjorie Taylor Greene, the former ally of President Donald Trump turned critic who resigned from Congress in January, advanced to a runoff when neither Democrat Shawn Harris, a retired Army brigadier general, nor Republican Clay Fuller was able to win a majority in a crowded all-party election on March 10. A potential win by Harris would be devastating to the House GOP majority, especially because a special election in New Jersey to fill Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s seat, in just over a week, will almost certainly add another Democrat to House ranks. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson can lose only one vote with his slim majority. Johnson could be looking at a scenario in which he cannot afford to lose a single vote. (English, 4/7)

THE LATEST FROM CMS ++ MORE ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ++++

THE LATEST FROM CMS Fierce Healthcare: CMS Gives MA Rates A 2.48% Bump For 2027 Plan Year In Final Rule https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/cms-gives-medicare-advantage-rates-248-bump-2027-plan-year-final-rule?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--rgFuKxjZ4PamUjcypdGmd_18RblTwBsvx5X8W3vSj89Yikgs_imTkRCypkYK7nNu70Grn93ncWLnsfmjyIX1B0NrYpQ&_hsmi=412541607&utm_content=412541607&utm_source=hs_email Following significant industry outcry over a proposal to keep Medicare Advantage rates largely flat in 2027, the Trump administration has bumped payments up slightly in the final policy. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services initially proposed a 0.09% increase in rates as part of the MA and Part D Advance Notice. In the final rule, the increase is instead set at 2.48%, which CMS said equates to about $13 billion in additional payments to plans for the coming plan year. (Minemyer, 4/6) Fierce Healthcare: CMS Unveils New Medicare Pilot For Hemp, CBD Products https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/regulatory/cms-unveils-new-medicare-pilot-hemp-cbd-products?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--mcP6xSYWi_S9DKPN83VFXAJNshQZ_qJzWv2_HIxBLEAMg0j-6iB9bz_ne8ymOlg1viJsKu94mxFp6xFxgMH5W-LIFnA&_hsmi=412541607&utm_content=412541607&utm_source=hs_email The Trump administration has announced a new initiative that would allow participants in certain alternative payment models to offer hemp-based products to patients when it aligns with clinical guidance. The new Substance Access Beneficiary Engagement Incentive (BEI) was unveiled on April 1 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The agency said it would be available to providers participating in the ACO REACH model as well as the Enhancing Oncology Model, and will be allowed under the eventual Long-Term Enhanced ACO Design (LEAD) Model beginning next year. (Minemyer, 4/6) MORE ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION CBS News: Two More Pharmaceutical Companies, Abbvie And Genentech, To Officially Launch On TrumpRx https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trumprx-abbvie-genentech-prescription-drugs/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9ZZ4FvfhXT60j_LGvpsdoA-UuTESg21gI60-RoCrmwlKxYpcQDoW1cDlJRYAqzNchMByxfLlfm6tR3nU4Qz634fjePPg&_hsmi=412541607&utm_content=412541607&utm_source=hs_email Two more drug-making giants will officially start selling popular commercial medications on the White House's discounted pharmaceutical site as soon as Monday, CBS News exclusively learned. American pharmaceutical companies Abbvie and Genentech become the 10th and 11th companies to provide their prescriptions at a reduced rate on the "TrumpRx" site. (Rinaldi, 4/6) The New York Times: Federal Agency Unveils Three Potential Osteoarthritis Treatments https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/health/arpa-h-osteoarthritis-bone-cartilage.html?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_hwwbpQY0jG5gtf4dakHHxYO9gS2_aoFyWW2g_e6jvfsU184LZEJMhsM5sNAC2W9mOKux3wGonLkDti-0C_beX_kVWqg&_hsmi=412541607&utm_content=412541607&utm_source=hs_email Three years ago, a little-known new federal agency announced its first big project: It would invest tens of millions of dollars over five years to find a cure for osteoarthritis, the painful wearing away of joints that affects 32 million Americans. Now the agency, ARPA-H (the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health), says it has several promising solutions. Its research teams are contractually obligated to start testing in patients within 18 months. (Kolata, 4/6) The New York Times: Trump’s USAID Overhaul Sent Millions More Dollars To Big U.S.-Based Contractors https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/health/trump-foreign-aid.html?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--vistGtUhboQiIkU_5nHWXRBWyBunW1PSFVCEKnJXRvmxVz7xyfkyQ9aD08TlqlQPfTWjxedo2GpZ28ZKFvfrJ28eYHw&_hsmi=412541607&utm_content=412541607&utm_source=hs_email When the Trump administration began its overhaul of foreign aid in January 2025, officials made no secret of their disdain for giant aid organizations and private businesses who received multimillion dollar contracts to deliver health services to poor nations. They characterized them as “beltway bandits” who charged bloated amounts of overhead. They vowed to shut down the big U.S. players and instead channel aid through smaller organizations based in the countries receiving assistance. (Nolen, 4/6) Stat: A Star Scientist Showed That Better Genetics Lessons Could Reduce Racism. It Was The Death Knell For His Career https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/07/brian-donovan-fighting-racism-with-genetics-education/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_xOu_j4gwOeuJMiJzjLxgnsbgoZwi3onDuDwBn1bmTgRQ8pUmPXRnT_oiZ9UErXsysumjqyx__4kFrnzABaR5ddGY0sA&_hsmi=412541607&utm_content=412541607&utm_source=hs_email Described as a "generational talent," Donovan's revamp of genetics education came crashing down with NSF budget cuts. (Molteni, 4/7)

Can I Opt Out of Having My Doctor Take Notes With AI? By Katherine Ruppelt, Nashville Public Radio and Cara Anthony and Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio April 7, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/healthq-ai-scribes-notetaker-doctor-visit-data-privacy/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_ClzNwijaWKszuf2GZ1qdKc3-TnIqjihGoYAKn3yu0PRQ1eyUrzz9ACHh-hs1EplGgtulzjcwmtK4SDsphaQFrkrvo_Q&_hsmi=412541607&utm_content=412541607&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: Can I Opt Out Of Having My Doctor Take Notes With AI? Family physician Eric Boose has been using an artificial intelligence tool to get back to what he calls “old-fashioned medicine” — talking with patients face-to-face, without having to type into a computer at the same time. “I can really just sit there and engage and just focus on them and listen,” said Boose, who practices at Cleveland Clinic. (Ruppelt, Anthony and Farmer, 4/7)

This Northern Cheyenne Doula Was About To Start Getting Paid — Then Medicaid Cuts Hit By Katheryn Houghton April 7, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/doula-care-indigenous-health-medicaid-cuts-montana-tribe/ KFF Health News: This Northern Cheyenne Doula Was About To Start Getting Paid — Then Medicaid Cuts Hit Misty Pipe had about an hour before her shift began at the post office. She used that time to check in on a new mom who lives a few miles outside this town at the heart of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. A mom of seven, Pipe is a doula on the reservation who supports new and expectant parents. She does that work free, around her day job. That’s because in this town of about 2,000 people, the closest hospital that delivers babies is 100 miles away. “Women need this help,” Pipe said. (Houghton, 4/7)

HPM Seeks a Junior to Mid-Level Associate With Healthcare Experience April 7, 2026

HPM Seeks a Junior to Mid-Level Associate With Healthcare Experience April 7, 2026 Hyman, Phelps & McNamara, P.C., one of the nation’s largest boutique food and drug regulatory law firms, seeks to add a junior to mid-level associate with two to five years of experience to its healthcare compliance team. https://www.thefdalawblog.com/2026/04/hpm-seeks-a-junior-to-mid-level-associate-with-healthcare-experience/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hpm-seeks-a-junior-to-mid-level-associate-with-healthcare-experience

EPA to put microplastics on study list of contaminants in drinking water Pharmaceuticals will also join candidate list of pollutants By Associated PressApril 2, 2026

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/02/microplastics-in-water-epa-contaminant-list/

Neurocrine Biosciences to buy Soleno Therapeutics in $2.9B deal Neurocrine will acquire approved drug for rare disease that leaves people with insatiable hunger

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/06/neurocrine-biosciences-soleno-therapeutics-acquisition-prader-willi-vykat/ By Allison DeAngelisApril 6, 2026 Biotech Startups and Venture Capital Reporter

How a four-month FDA delay forced a small biotech company to close its doors Kezar Life Sciences, developing a rare disease drug, blames agency dysfunction By Elaine ChenApril 6, 2026

How a four-month FDA delay forced a small biotech company to close its doors Kezar Life Sciences, developing a rare disease drug, blames agency dysfunction By Elaine ChenApril 6, 2026 Elaine Chen, a national biotech reporter, is the co-author of The Readout, a newsletter about the business, science, and politics of biotech. https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/06/fda-delay-cited-in-closure-kezar-life-sciences-biotech-startup/

UnitedHealth Group is making a $3 billion bet on AI. What does it mean for patients? AI could change how important decisions about patients’ care are made By Casey RossApril 6, 2026

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/06/unitedhealth-group-massive-artificial-intelligence-push-patient-implications/

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION +++ +++

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION Modern Healthcare: Trump Budget Request Seeks HHS Cuts, Moves 340B Program Under CMS https://www.modernhealthcare.com/politics-regulation/mh-trump-budget-request-hhs-340b-cms/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--OZv7TTlZvOmc5Ld-ol3ZxPB29sAOmlEuzKDJ-EjOzUaW6Z_v-4TpNDJv6wpUZkZNvqwhywwHc8lGti9mIAQtTGOdGQQ&_hsmi=412346811&utm_content=412346811&utm_source=hs_email The White House is redoubling its efforts to overhaul the Health and Human Services Department and cut its funding by 12.5%, according to an outline for its fiscal 2027 budget proposal issued Friday. President Donald Trump is seeking to reduce HHS funding and revive last year’s efforts to reorganize the department, chiefly by moving the 340B Drug Pricing Program under the purview of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The administration also wants to establish a new agency that would oversee health priorities currently managed by multiple agencies. (Early, 4/3) Stat: NIH Would Get $5 Billion Cut Under Trump’s 2027 Budget, But Congress Unlikely To Go Along https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/03/trump-budget-nih-5-billion-cut-in-2027/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8B-bTRoukxAVRcpusuOvyDT1WGc4J0sXKFz0VGlgxxTGNDRaCicKbyXMamxIT41-A5vekYSE66aLTdLAtnML3NyeCN2A&_hsmi=412346811&utm_content=412346811&utm_source=hs_email Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine who chairs the appropriations committee, called the funding cuts to biomedical research “unwarranted” in a statement responding to the president’s proposed budget. ... In January, Congress offered a near total refutation of the administration’s plan, slightly increasing the NIH’s budget for the current federal fiscal year. In that funding package, legislators included language intended to prevent the NIH from implementing a 15% indirect-cost reimbursement cap. (Molteni and Oza, 4/3) CIDRAP: CDC, Health Groups Spent Millions To Buy Ads On Websites Flagged For Misinformation https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/anti-science/cdc-health-groups-spent-millions-buy-ads-websites-flagged-misinformation?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9C0_HaGKa5tshFNt3C8DzRbf_Vt4msQWuhQEzNSGMyFa21WVo1_UmeaL7YT4GvttixqsccDq1kvTVY-D8mKiTAAewh8Q&_hsmi=412346811&utm_content=412346811&utm_source=hs_email Government agencies, health advocacy groups, and health-related businesses spent nearly $37 million over four years to advertise on news websites accused of promoting misinformation, a new study shows. Although authors of the report question the wisdom of financially supporting websites whose content undermines public health, marketing experts say it’s important to reach vaccine-hesitant consumers, wherever they’re found. (Szabo, 4/3) Montana Free Press: Tribes In Montana Lose Millions After USDA Kills Farm Grants https://apnews.com/article/usda-farm-grants-terminated-piikani-lodge-e3e99c00bb4382d881ab8d389f57ceb8?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9jmUaGJDf9-ZldVhGK_om8fBgwHpTBj1fj6ti9Yz-9SLkDEk6j0jgTFmgAsBEWoxSSNBv7WQrig9x2o1U-n5TdgC3_Hw&_hsmi=412346811&utm_content=412346811&utm_source=hs_email Kim Paul, executive director of the Piikani Lodge Health Institute, a nonprofit on the Blackfeet Reservation that promotes health and well-being, saw the email notification flash across her computer screen as she was working late last week. It was the U.S. Department of Agriculture saying a nearly $9 million grant contract with Piikani Lodge had been terminated. “The U.S. Department of Agriculture has determined that awards under this program involved discriminatory preferences based on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and wasteful spending that did little to further lawful agricultural land purchases,” the USDA wrote. (Mabie, 4/3) AP: Toddler Suffered Alleged Abuse While In Federal Immigration Custody https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-trump-detention-abuse-b799ace25087c594339298685438e888?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--W_IPOOnXAad2w3M_wqG9Ni09BEgZ_NHiKKewNq9Evu-GidAoWiqxRcUMxHDCAyoPYo9OD153Bb9Mm7NmsqqcKaGXe6A&_hsmi=412346811&utm_content=412346811&utm_source=hs_email For five months, the young father waited for his 3-year-old daughter’s release from federal custody after she crossed the U.S.-Mexico border with her mother, hoping through delays for their safe reunion. Only when he turned to the courts as a last resort did he learn that the girl had suffered alleged sexual abuse at the foster home where she’d been placed after immigration officials separated her from her mother. (Gonzalez, 4/5) Stat: What The Peptide Craze Reveals About Americans’ Relationship With Risk https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/06/rfk-jr-apparent-contradiction-peptides-vaccines-medical-libertarianism/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_kWQ-ov17oQBMRit6wgr1-61EuF14DvLqlyx6eNK0UMy05TXdrrIJ4BG8-KnGXk556hbl1v_X3s9lKe8e5V1hZ4i2Mxw&_hsmi=412346811&utm_content=412346811&utm_source=hs_email RFK Jr.'s apparent contradiction on vaccines and peptides reflects a deeper belief: Americans have a right to try and can choose their own risks. (Todd, 4/6)

Viewpoints: For Rural Communities, Rural Health Program Could Be Their Downfall; HRT Is About Living Better

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-for-rural-communities-rural-health-program-could-be-their-downfall-hrt-is-about-living-better/

White House Budget Would Cut HHS Funding By 12.5%, Move 340B To CMS

White House Budget Would Cut HHS Funding By 12.5%, Move 340B To CMS The proposed budget includes cuts to several other agencies, including a $5 billion cut for the National Institutes of Health, which Stat reports Congress is unlikely to support. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/white-house-budget-would-cut-hhs-funding-by-12-5-move-340b-to-cms/

Trump Admin Shifts Focus Of Title X From Contraception To Conception

Trump Admin Shifts Focus Of Title X From Contraception To Conception The White House released the budget changes for the program, which provides reproductive and sexual health care for millions of low-income Americans. These changes would go into effect when the clinics are due to reapply for funding in January 2027. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/trump-admin-shifts-focus-of-title-x-from-contraception-to-conception/

HHS Has A Strategy For Reinstalling RFK Jr.’s Preferred Vaccine Advisers

HHS Has A Strategy For Reinstalling RFK Jr.’s Preferred Vaccine Advisers After a judge last month invalidated the makeup and recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a backer of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. floated the idea of broadening the range of expertise outlined in the committee's charter, a change that could allow Kennedy to argue that his appointed panelists are now qualified. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/hhs-has-a-strategy-for-reinstalling-rfk-jr-s-preferred-vaccine-advisers/

Midwest Food Pantry Network Shutters, Affecting 300,000 Families

Midwest Food Pantry Network Shutters, Affecting 300,000 Families Ruby’s Pantry served families at 87 locations across Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Colorado has banned arrests based solely on the results of colorimetric drug tests, which are inexpensive and fast but can lead to false positives. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/midwest-food-pantry-network-shutters-affecting-300000-families/

Elevance Says Its Controversial Fine For OON Referrals Will Soon Apply To NY

Elevance Says Its Controversial Fine For OON Referrals Will Soon Apply To NY The insurer's policy to penalize hospitals that send patients to out-of-network providers has been introduced in 11 other states. In New York, with a few exceptions, hospitals’ pay could be cut by 7.5% if the insurer's members are directed elsewhere for care. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/elevance-says-its-controversial-fine-for-oon-referrals-will-soon-apply-to-ny/

Studying Autism And Alzheimer’s Together May Unlock New Treatments

Studying Autism And Alzheimer’s Together May Unlock New Treatments Although more study needs to be done, an analysis shows that people with autism are 2.6 times more likely to be diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, and some studies point to a higher risk of Parkinson’s disease. Plus, scientists now believe that longevity is ruled by both genes and environment equally. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/studying-autism-and-alzheimers-together-may-unlock-new-treatments/

Immigrant Seniors Lose Medicare Coverage Despite Paying for It By Vanessa G. Sánchez, El Tímpano April 6, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/immigrant-seniors-medicare-california-big-beautiful-bill-eligibility-taxes/ OAKLAND, Calif. — Rosa María Carranza leaned forward to hold a 3-year-old’s back as the girl climbed a rock in the forested hills of northeast Oakland.

These Women Had Their Breasts Removed To Thwart Cancer. Then Came the Pain. By Brett Kelman and Amy Maxmen April 6, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/post-mastectomy-pain-syndrome-breast-cancer-surgery-pmps/ Three weeks after Sophia Bassan’s mastectomy, she felt a stabbing pain beneath her right armpit. In the following months, painful shocks radiated through her chest and back. Her body became so sensitive that at times she couldn’t wear a shirt or lift a fork to her mouth.

OTC Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments (OMUFA): Understanding FY 2026 User Fees and Registration May 5, 2026

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/otc-monograph-drug-user-fee-amendments-omufa-understanding-fy-2026-user-fees-and-registration?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

AI can now generate academic papers that pass peer review. What are the risks? Charlotte Sachs | Deutsche Welle | April 6, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/04/06/ai-can-now-generate-academic-papers-that-pass-peer-review-what-are-the-risks/

Social media sharing: Americans are caught in a health and science ‘misinformation paradox’ The Harris Poll | April 6, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/04/06/social-media-sharing-americans-are-caught-in-a-health-and-science-misinformation-paradox/

GLP podcast: Overdose crisis—Illicit opioids spread like drug-resistant bacteria? Cameron English, Liza Lockwood | April 6, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/04/06/glp-podcast-overdose-crisis-illicit-opioids-spread-like-drug-resistant-bacteria/

Swiss Industry Body Says US Tariffs on Pharmaceuticals Will Harm Patients Marleen Kaesebier April 03, 2026

https://www.medscape.com/s/viewarticle/swiss-industry-body-says-us-tariffs-pharmaceuticals-will-2026a1000aa5

Neurologists Alone Can’t Meet the Demand for Brain Health: Scaling Strategies That Work Kathrin LaFaver, MD; Lidia M.V.R. Moura, MD, PhD, MPH April 06, 2026

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/neurologists-alone-cant-meet-demand-brain-health-scaling-2026a100087n

‘Unsustainable’: Physicians, Lawsuit Challenge Medicare’s WISeR Prior Auth Experiment Steph Weber April 06, 2026

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/unsustainable-physicians-lawsuit-challenge-medicares-wiser-2026a1000ae8

Living near Salton Sea linked to reduced lung growth in children

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260403/Living-near-Salton-Sea-linked-to-reduced-lung-growth-in-children.aspx Children who live within 11 kilometers of the Salton Sea, a drying body of water with a high concentration of salts and contaminants in Imperial Valley, California, have slower lung function growth between ages 10 and 12 than children who live farther away. The impact is comparable to living within 500 meters of a freeway and could affect respiratory health into adulthood. The study, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health, was just published in JAMA Network Open.

Editorial Amplifying African voices to lead science for better health The Lancet Regional Health – Africa +...

https://www.thelancet.com/issue/S3050-5011(26)X2001-6 “Despite making up 19% of the world’s population, Africa contributes only 1-2% to global knowledge production across multiple fields of research.” https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanafr/home?dgcid=hubspot_update_feature_lanafrlaunch_lanplh&utm_campaign=update-lanplh&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--i510ihPM57HS3F15a4nBHxE2X98FywawlEnTNAA4h_yFHyp7s2949ya_FfHuUckp3Mg7NUnCIcKlvcOiO9u8zilCUxA&_hsmi=411606699&utm_content=411556560&utm_source=hs_email

Editorial The nature of national and job security The Lancet Planetary Health +...

Editorial The nature of national and job security The Lancet Planetary Health https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/issue/vol10no2/PIIS2542-5196(26)X2002-2

Editorial Reimagining radiology reporting The Lancet Digital Health +... +++

Editorial Reimagining radiology reporting The Lancet Digital Health https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landig/issue/vol8no2/PIIS2589-7500(26)X2002-7 Large language models for simplifying radiology reports: a systematic review and meta-analysis of patient, public, and clinician evaluations Samer Alabed, PhDa,b s.alabed@nhs.net ∙ Abigail Andersona ∙ Ahmed Maiter, FRCRa,b ∙ Anthony Hughes, MScc ∙ Niamh McAnenlya ∙ Mahan Salehi, MSca,b ∙ et al. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landig/article/PIIS2589-7500(25)00142-6/fulltext?dgcid=hubspot_update_feature_updatealerts_landig&utm_campaign=update-landig&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8ZzPQV5_onyNzWbAajWW4vV13Q5Wi_hQLwcqYer5bkKnWXNnJRtIKMZyNFEEZ1um6JLu9LTf8yyKwssaGQu-DkAXk3tw&_hsmi=411594870&utm_content=411556250&utm_source=hs_email Smartwatch-derived versus self-reported outcomes of physiological recovery after COVID-19, influenza, and group A streptococcus: a 2-year prospective cohort study Yosi Levi, PhDa ∙ Varun Gande, BSb ∙ Erez Shmueli, PhDa ∙ Tal Patalon, MDc ∙ Sivan Gazit, MDc ∙ Prof Margaret L Brandeau, PhDb,∗ ∙ Dan Yamin, PhD https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landig/article/PIIS2589-7500(25)00138-4/fulltext?dgcid=hubspot_update_feature_updatealerts_landig&utm_campaign=update-landig&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz---SwX6xhMBI_VAydei-e1ARg3QdcDQy9-5NBMk645xUN5XrL0NXnyZnQn7Hj3PYY1tggrOZ5OApfF0WZS_2mneWLUcug&_hsmi=411594870&utm_content=411556250&utm_source=hs_email End-to-end integrative segmentation and radiomics prognostic models for risk stratification of high-grade serous ovarian cancer: a retrospective multicohort study Kristofer Linton-Reid, PhDa,b ∙ Haonan Lu, PhDa,b,c ∙ Georg Wengert, MDa,b,d,f ∙ Prof Christina Fotopoulou, MDa ∙ Philippa Lee, MDd ∙ Federica Petta, MDe ∙ et al. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/landig/article/PIIS2589-7500(25)00137-2/fulltext?dgcid=hubspot_update_feature_updatealerts_landig&utm_campaign=update-landig&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8i0oPEN4Tsxp729O2I1BrImmRmk3s3iX2E6UjMewKyjblu_3LZ6KoySfqRpVW9S5oZKUTcH8NcJaGmFVJLiFFqZFQQoQ&_hsmi=411594870&utm_content=411556250&utm_source=hs_email

Journalists Capsulize Weight Loss News and ACA Premium Pressures April 4, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/on-air-april-4-2026-weight-loss-pills-aca-premiums/

Trump’s Hunt for Undocumented Medicaid Enrollees Yields Few Violators By Phil Galewitz March 31, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/medicaid-undocumented-enrollees-review-few-violators/ Federal health officials have ordered states to reverify the immigration status of hundreds of thousands of Medicaid enrollees. After seven months, findings from five states show the reviews have uncovered few immigrants without legal status who are improperly receiving benefits.

Workplace Violence Against Nurses Is a Patient Safety Crisis, not “Part of the Job” Open Access

Workplace Violence Against Nurses Is a Patient Safety Crisis, not “Part of the Job” Open Access Kathryn Connell, PhD, RN, CCRN , Juliana Gabrielle Byers, BSN, RN , K Jane Muir, PhD, APRN https://academic.oup.com/healthaffairsscholar/advance-article/doi/10.1093/haschl/qxag077/8566060?rss=1&login=false

Cost-Effectiveness Thresholds Used in the United States versus Most Favored Nations Open Access

Cost-Effectiveness Thresholds Used in the United States versus Most Favored Nations Open Access Hanxuan Yu , Peter J Neumann , David D Kim , Joshua T Cohen , Ashley A Leech https://academic.oup.com/healthaffairsscholar/advance-article/doi/10.1093/haschl/qxag081/8586328?rss=1&login=false

Patient and Staff Safety Implications of Emergency Department Boarding: A Systematic Review Open Access

Patient and Staff Safety Implications of Emergency Department Boarding: A Systematic Review Open Access Marisa Dowling, MD, MPP , Steve Farmer, MD, PhD , Surbhi Dixit, MS, MBBS , Nicholas Taylor, PhD, MPH , Lynn Chollet-Hinton, PhD, MSPH , Alice Tang, DO, MPH, MBA , Ericka Powell, MD, MBA , Sean Michael, MD, MBA https://academic.oup.com/healthaffairsscholar/advance-article/doi/10.1093/haschl/qxag084/8586715?rss=1&login=false

Podcast: Abandon High‑Deductible Health Plans Linked to Health Spending Accounts | Jeanne Lambrew Jeff Byers Jeanne M. Lambrew April 3, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hp20260402.644698/full/?utm_campaign=podcast&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9nx5Vu8In12Mr5oR-0R8Rs3jNUt18O6rUvEQ17Su7dS3afcwdHA-fBIYR3kHERXqpUz0wv6c1bTnJMurQWXSmHXvV-qg&_hsmi=412144863&utm_content=hatw&utm_source=hasu

Podcast: What Rising Disenrollment Rates Reveal About Medicare Advantage Rob Lott Em Balkan March 31, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hp20260326.782864/full/?utm_campaign=podcast&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_5_58yHFLOHXSy_zph7FuTJIGNQnKiP9-K3hCmu63pdJC7fckIqs-qjnpZum696AyUDXXbKHw-d2s0jMN5-bJ2PGlIrg&_hsmi=412144863&utm_content=ahp&utm_source=hasu

Nearly Fifty Years Ago, Researchers Found That Elevated BP Readings Were Too Often Dismissed In The ED -- That Failure Persists Kimberly Souffront Marcee Wilder Aleksandra Degtyar Lynne Richardson April 3, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/nearly-fifty-years-ago-researchers-found-elevated-bp-readings-were-too-often-dismissed In 1978, Roger Glass and colleagues at Mount Sinai Hospital published a paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) establishing the emergency department (ED) as an ideal setting for hypertension screening and linkage to follow-up care. Their reasoning was simple: Blood pressure is measured universally in the ED, even for patients without access to primary care, and uncontrolled hypertension comes with serious short- and long-term consequences. Yet, when Glass and colleagues reviewed ED patient charts across three affiliated institutions, fewer than 50 percent of patients with elevated readings were recognized as hypertensive. And at some sites, hypertension went unrecognized in nearly three out of four patients. Even among those identified, only 10 percent were referred to follow-up care.

To Ensure Patient Safety While Modernizing Health IT, HTI-5 Must Preserve Core Certification Protections Raj M. Ratwani Rollin J. Fairbanks Jacob Reider April 2, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/ensure-patient-safety-while-modernizing-health-hti-5-must-preserve-core-certification Electronic health records (EHRs) are used in nearly every patient encounter, so it should come as no surprise that the technology’s usability is directly associated with patient safety. Poorly designed EHRs have been associated with harm to adults and children. There are numerous examples, from confusing displays causing erroneous documentation of patients’ vital signs, to text truncation and pre-populated fields leading medications to be delivered at the wrong dose. To prevent these types of threats to patient safety, policy makers have embedded protections in EHR certification requirements. The aim is to ensure usability, auditability, clinical decision support transparency, and quality management.

When A Resolved Billing Scandal Becomes Embedded In New Payment Policy Thomas Kornfield Daniel K. Shenfeld Ezekiel J. Emanuel April 1, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/resolved-billing-scandal-becomes-embedded-new-payment-policy Between 2019 and 2024, fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare spending on skin substitutes—wound coverings used to treat chronic ulcers and similar skin conditions—rose nearly 40-fold, from roughly $256 million to more than $10 billion. This spike wasn’t driven by a sudden epidemic of skin ulcers. Perverse payment rules allowed providers to bill at an extraordinary scale: An investigation by the New York Times found cases of $14 million charged for a single patient’s bandages in one year, $6 million for coverings that failed to heal a wound, and $1.3 million for a patient who did not have a wound. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) eventually acted, overhauling skin substitute payment rules for 2026 and projecting nearly $20 billion in savings as a result.

Rethinking Medicare’s Bundled Payment Model For Opioid Treatment Programs Haiden A. Huskamp Alisa B. Busch Dominic Hodgkin Christopher Tompkins Richard G. Frank April 1, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/rethinking-medicare-s-bundled-payment-model-opioid-treatment-programs The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act of 2018 is a comprehensive law intended to combat the ongoing opioid epidemic in part by expanding access to evidence-based opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment, including Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications that treat OUD. Fewer than one in five people with OUD receive medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in part due to difficulty in finding a local prescriber. Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) are strictly regulated providers of OUD care and the only facilities in the US authorized to dispense methadone, a Schedule II controlled substance, for the treatment of OUD. To expand MOUD options available to Medicare beneficiaries with OUD, Section 2005 of the SUPPORT Act called for the creation of a Medicare benefit for services provided by OTPs. In this Forefront article, we examine the design of the payment system for OTPs in the benefit, and we propose some directions for modifying the policy to better align the incentives with the goal of expanding access to OUD treatment services.

Herd Immunity Is A Newborn’s First Vaccine—And It’s A Policy Choice Jesus Ruiz April 1, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/herd-immunity-newborn-s-first-vaccine-and-s-policy-choice

Building Multi-Year Health Insurance Christopher Pope April 3, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/building-multi-year-health-insurance This article is the latest in the Health Affairs Forefront featured topic, “Health Policy at a Crossroads,” produced with the support of the Commonwealth Fund. Articles in this topic offer timely analysis of regulatory, legislative, and judicial developments in health policy under the Trump-Vance Administration and the 119th Congress.

Why Alternative Payment Models Need Patient-Reported Trajectory Measures Rena Xu March 30, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/why-alternative-payment-models-need-patient-reported-trajectory-measures This article is the latest in the Health Affairs Forefront featured topic, Accountable Care for Population Health, featuring analysis and discussion of how to understand, design, support, and measure patient-centered, cost-efficient care under the umbrella of accountable care. Additional articles will be published through April 2026. Readers are encouraged to review the Call for Submissions for this featured topic. Health Affairs Forefront alone reviews all submissions then selects, edits, and publishes them only if they meet Forefront’s editorial standards. We are grateful to Arnold Ventures for their support of this work.

The California Hospital Association’s Legal Challenge To State’s Cost-Growth Benchmarks Suhasini Ravi Katie Keith April 2, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/california-hospital-association-s-legal-challenge-state-s-cost-growth-benchmarks This article is the latest in the Health Affairs Forefront series, Provider Prices in the Commercial Sector, featuring analysis and discussion of physician, hospital, and other health care provider prices in the private-sector markets and their contribution to overall spending therein. Additional articles will be published throughout the first half of 2026. Readers are encouraged to review the Call for Submissions for this series. We are grateful to Arnold Ventures for their support of this work. Health Affairs Forefront alone reviews all submissions then selects, edits, and publishes them only if they meet Forefront’s editorial standards.

Marking The Sixteenth Anniversary Of Dual-Eligible Policy Initiatives In The ACA Laura M. Keohane March 31, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/marking-sixteenth-anniversary-dual-eligible-policy-initiatives-patient-protection-and?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9ztQL0jTt52reeePXVrHD8ukABeqbScgZxrcE4D6NxDim96cUYW_PSVJ0jxzM1RsjCAWvKTW2Zw8m1odU0PAbWd6RO7g&_hsmi=412144863&utm_source=hasu This is the latest in the Health Affairs Forefront featured topic, Medicare and Medicaid Integration. The featured topic includes analysis, proposals, and commentary that will inform policies on the state and federal levels to advance integrated care for those dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the deadline. Health Affairs Forefront alone reviews all submissions then selects, edits, and publishes them only if they meet Forefront’s editorial standards. We are grateful to Arnold Ventures for supporting this project.

The Evolution of Medicare Advantage and the Market Implications Sachin H. Jain David J. Meyers Grace Mackleby April 20, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/he20260313.697167/full/?utm_campaign=insidermarketing&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-877Lf_k3KEgTQaId2bY-dZEffawPCIGGPS3I4VomD_rXSHPlwfI7_pVDuYjbCDx5F5lKHNX_ogCjWVI9XZsZ_C49XyUA&_hsmi=412144863&utm_content=eventspecific&utm_source=hasu Join Health Affairs Publishing on April 20 for an exclusive Insider virtual event exploring how the evolving the Medicare Advantage market will impacts payers, employers, and patients. Moderated by Sachin Jain, president and CEO of the SCAN Health Plan, speakers included: Grace Mackleby, USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service David Meyers, Brown University’s Center for Advancing Health Policy Through Research

‘Takeover Tuesday’ saves biotech’s quarter Plus: A preview of Cytokinetics’ ACACIA heart study, and a closer look at Biogen

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/02/biotech-takeovers-cytokinetics-biogen/ By Adam FeuersteinApril 2, 2026 Senior Writer, Biotech

Proposed ‘preclinical obesity’ diagnosis ignites global debate among experts Endocrine Society says new framework mishandles diabetes and could delay care

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/02/bmi-new-obesity-definition-endocrine-society-debate/ By Elizabeth CooneyApril 2, 2026 Cardiovascular Disease Reporter

NIH would get $5 billion cut under Trump’s 2027 budget, but Congress unlikely to go along President wants to axe institutes studying health disparities and alternative medicine

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/03/trump-budget-nih-5-billion-cut-in-2027/ By Megan Molteni and Anil OzaApril 3, 2026

White House proposes 12% cut to federal health agencies in 2027 budget request Congress ignored many of Trump’s previous proposals, and this budget could meet a similar fate

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/03/trump-budget-health-care-12-percent-cut-hhs/ By Chelsea Cirruzzo and John WilkersonApril 3, 2026

Insurers’ Prior Authorization Data Offers Little Insight Into What Gets Approved or Denied Published: April 2, 2026

https://www.kff.org/quick-take/insurers-prior-authorization-data-offers-little-insight-into-what-gets-approved-or-denied/?utm_campaign=KFF-This-Week&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_SyBpxsogVzXiJHNnibDvjcjBJ5rTcb4yQNG6euSAVS000N7-ge6WEvQJBp6fB5Cy0KqFT17uhanXu7yguDsWuoP44tA&_hsmi=412115690&utm_content=412115690&utm_source=hs_email “Because the information is aggregated across all items and services (except prescription drugs), with no breakdown about what types of services are being approved and denied, these statistics provide limited insight into insurers’ prior authorization practices.” Kaye Pestaina Vice President Director, Program on Patient and Consumer Protection

Public Opinion on Prescription Drugs and Their Prices Authors: Audrey Kearney, Julian Montalvo III, Ashley Kirzinger, and Liz Hamel Published: Mar 31, 2026

https://www.kff.org/health-costs/public-opinion-on-prescription-drugs-and-their-prices/?utm_campaign=KFF-This-Week&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_z1W3A0asmaa3oNjrTAwmePWhciisrL4TGR7oYZTCVP34zB6bFEtxOp5XU4XJiIwpT568gctmdGUSz33jNSmT8HTIyag&_hsmi=412115690&utm_content=412115690&utm_source=hs_email Public Opinion on Prescription Drugs and Their Prices This chart collection draws on recent KFF poll findings to provide an in-depth look at the public's attitudes toward prescription drugs and their prices. Results include the U.S. public’s experiences with prescription drug costs, use of GLP-1 medications, and support for policy solutions.

The New Ideas Conundrum in Health Policy Author: Drew Altman Published: Apr 1, 2026

https://www.kff.org/from-drew-altman/the-new-ideas-conundrum-in-health-policy/?utm_campaign=KFF-This-Week&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--0LAVcF_kd3nqkrsG4O3_3caytOXSNqS7pMnXePum7MSVSCnJUxmVgvNzRVx6ybCxGL5dNKSzCFHGLPldFr1qzgKW9cA&_hsmi=412115690&utm_content=412115690&utm_source=hs_email In a new column, President and CEO Dr. Drew Altman writes about the “conundrum of health policy ideas” facing Democrats searching for new proposals because of competing, and complex, priorities: rebuilding Medicaid and the ACA after trillion-dollar cuts, reconstructing federal health agencies, and tackling underlying health care costs, when candidates want simple ideas they can campaign on and voters want their costs to come down.

A Preview of the Role Health Care May Play in the 2026 Election Authors: Shannon Schumacher, Julian Montalvo III, Ashley Kirzinger, and Liz Hamel Published: Apr 2, 2026

https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/a-preview-of-the-role-health-care-may-play-in-the-2026-election/?utm_campaign=KFF-This-Week&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--c2dgph66k0Jcng4A9mHr0vBlC1AoRYb0qcHFpf-mjOUJUMwyrPHZmQUL2_y0lskuNdGnc2cqXdZQqdQI1mXFwy73hzQ&_hsmi=412115690&utm_content=412115690&utm_source=hs_email The Role Health Care May Play in the 2026 Election Ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, KFF examines the role health care has played in previous elections and what that may suggest about its potential role in 2026. KFF polls have consistently found that the cost of health care is an important part of voters’ economic concerns.

State-Run Insurance Plans for Foster Kids Leave Some of Them Without Doctors By Andrew Jones April 2, 2026 +++

Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act Darkens Outlook for Government-Backed Clinics By Phil Galewitz https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/federal-funded-community-health-centers-revenue-loss-under-trump/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--3KKpX6ACX9s7b_dt9lpo4wLVNiRnAC25HpklrXc5_boAeDwFheKV6lepp6M38LjJPazA14HeMnocDRHTk6Pz0sZ6OaA&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email About 17,000 federally funded health clinics stand to collectively lose $32 billion under GOP-backed fiscal policies in the next five years — just as more uninsured patients will rely on them for low-cost care. Trump’s Hunt for Undocumented Medicaid Enrollees Yields Few Violators By Phil Galewitz https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/medicaid-undocumented-enrollees-review-few-violators/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8UaSt_zn7N4t31Gq1wP7IJ3_KbJgMlQVeFLwnD-hbSCM7i9tiDyMI_iHZ6-tWqwnDsGq-FJDlL4gLo3HuwWhL0vrEQLg&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email Federal health officials have ordered states to reverify the immigration status of hundreds of thousands of Medicaid enrollees. After seven months, findings from five states show the reviews have uncovered few immigrants without legal status who are improperly receiving benefits. State-Run Insurance Plans for Foster Kids Leave Some of Them Without Doctors By Andrew Jones https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/foster-children-insurance-specialized-medicaid-healthy-blue-north-carolina/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--tNf_j888gIAFmzYnHjr6mvNIVyUtIduAKwIOH2MH1FqWBkjzGvqkpc-23MLiTd_OGKqJ0vMe3jax0i31zP_kGlbhRVA&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email North Carolina rolled out a $3.1 billion insurance plan for kids in foster care, but many doctors did not accept patients on the plan. The state is one of several experimenting with a model that has left kids’ guardians scrambling to find health care providers.

Inside the High-Stakes Corporate Fight Over Feeding Preterm Babies One company’s directive to employees to win hospital contracts: ‘It is time to open up a can of “Whoop Ass.”’ By David Hilzenrath March 30, 2026

Inside the High-Stakes Corporate Fight Over Feeding Preterm Babies One company’s directive to employees to win hospital contracts: ‘It is time to open up a can of “Whoop Ass.”’ By David Hilzenrath March 30, 2026 https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/infant-formula-fortifier-high-stakes-corporate-battle-preemies-abbott-mead-johnson/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_UVSB4EHKWnEArC90rVRn6ScM7qtjCpDlXnaLOv8-BwHm0DzsJAWX1QMuh3rvckypxHHUbZ5fJD3F001Rh2gHsmg7LXA&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email Behind their warm-and-fuzzy marketing, infant formula industry giants Abbott, maker of Similac products, and Mead Johnson, maker of the Enfamil line, have turned neonatal intensive care units into arenas of brutal competition. https://www.instagram.com/p/DWkM36EjX3P/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D&utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8asTj086c7TRyxG9TWYPcZqQO3uk8ONmGoCe8zxU_PAepgX0ZeouWjXrP1bnpQlzF6GwJNZIy7e_n_93JezOY0YydL3A&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email

After Man’s Death Following Insurance Denials, West Virginia Tackles Prior Authorization By Lauren Sausser April 1, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/prior-authorization-insurance-delays-coverage-denials-state-laws-west-virginia/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--1iInYHbKHXYKqm09Op7Mb2v6rXrUlFpDbrC2t6ETHhYLNXB7sT_tCHvtRsiJXYppflnO0cTcYsAU-yr-ZQeAfDYZyag&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email After Man’s Death Following Insurance Denials, West Virginia Tackles Prior Authorization By Lauren Sausser After Eric Tennant died, his widow vowed to speak out against West Virginia’s Public Employees Insurance Agency, which had denied cancer treatment recommended by Tennant’s doctor. Her efforts paid off. In March, West Virginia’s governor signed a bill to protect some patients from harm tied to prior authorization. Designed by health insurance companies to prevent doctors from deploying expensive, ineffectual procedures, prior authorization — sometimes called preauthorization or pre-certification — has become a confusing maze that denies or delays care, burdens physicians with paperwork, and perpetuates racial disparities. Proposed federal rules may not be enough to solve the problems. https://kffhealthnews.org/deadly-denials/?utm_campaign=khn-weeklyedition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2anqtz-9msaeap5jvtdve8rvplnrx33dmz7x9vk4qmvioyq6plxu894uot3cc-2djchmv1sppzgny7mdxqbklffjkrkuj8kxm8w&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email

She Owed Her Insurer a Nickel, So It Canceled Her Coverage By Elisabeth Rosenthal March 30, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/insurer-missed-payments-dropped-coverage-florida-bill-of-the-month-march-2026/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9_uy_-yELVOaiHesfJJuspsjxt5RwXri4U0miaUsszt3GRaLedJ2OWK2gww5gHZSqrvuO_qT7IfXT2ykHH9qLPo9g6oA&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email She Owed Her Insurer a Nickel, So It Canceled Her Coverage By Elisabeth Rosenthal When medical bills started rolling in, a teacher’s aide in Florida wondered why her insurance suddenly wasn’t covering them. The answer? She owed a balance of 5 cents, so her insurer canceled her policy. Bill of the Month This crowdsourced investigation by KFF Health News dissects and explains your medical bills every month in order to shed light on U.S. health care prices and to help patients learn how to be more active in managing costs. https://kffhealthnews.org/news/tag/bill-of-the-month/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8FAxff16uFbiXzLX3tfQDL1Lc48Dq-5tbe5RMeG_wIIavckiOLcNVI0wdV5bKzMOZ7QYCke3aOOINIW4jIhJu2sJQRjQ&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email

US Scientists Sequence 1,000 Genomes From Measles, a Disease Long Eliminated With Vaccines By Amy Maxmen Updated April 2, 2026 Originally Published April 2, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/measles-genome-cdc-data-elimination-status-outbreaks-rfk/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--lmL2qdpycvKvtK3MRXUc6ZBp2u0g0gHNw7fARnxQvje6EbXz5mt5ToVw5N8g3h422BWX8tOBz-3j63zMvy1rcTDkvJQ&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email US Scientists Sequence 1,000 Genomes From Measles, a Disease Long Eliminated With Vaccines By Amy Maxmen This week, the CDC began to publish long-awaited data that will reveal the extent of measles’ comeback. While applauding the science, researchers say the Trump administration has done little to contain the virus. “That we’re even talking about this is nuts,” one virologist said.

Tax Time Brings Surprises for Some Who Receive ACA Subsidies By Julie Appleby and Andrew Jones April 3, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/tax-tips-aca-affordable-care-act-obamacare-subsidies-income-owing/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_kcpz6CImq4uaUSYXuT_FCiltG4uHZTmWtmmfyJVSiq4vbXTQEOYFdoi_D6Zpm3yB8b3yka121DJZ6jqfcx84AlDZ5SA&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email Tax Time Brings Surprises for Some Who Receive ACA Subsidies By Julie Appleby and Andrew Jones Some people find they owe money back for subsidies if their income changed from what they estimated. In 2026, more people may find themselves in this situation — and face higher repayment amounts — if they don’t carefully track their income. Skyrocketing health care costs and insurance premiums combined with congressional inaction have forced a perilous decision upon many people: Pay higher prices for health insurance or go uncovered. KFF Health News is telling their stories. https://kffhealthnews.org/priced-out/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--rIuqOYEoKhUXbvB4jJ65KVO53kQP-IRfbdpe0MDkjTGLMPaItxceR0lPDvYhk8fxqCJgBdzQuSYiNm2v7jh-DtaRrow&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email

States Pay Deloitte, Others Millions To Comply With Trump Law To Cut Medicaid Rolls By Samantha Liss and Rachana Pradhan March 31, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/state-medicaid-work-requirements-eligibility-systems-deloitte-accenture-optum/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9s6N0awq4pI9dMDlHdTB_3q880ri0i4t2NIJOxP5jQN6GGcpuOJGm30vlStxQZ5B4weeJAHUyD-dbeG5BIOh9p4to-xg&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email We’re Samantha Liss, a Midwest correspondent, and Rachana Pradhan, a senior correspondent, at KFF Health News. We’re reporting on the impact of President Donald Trump’s signature tax-and-spending legislation on Medicaid and other social programs. You can reach us at samanthal@kff.org or rachanap@kff.org. By Samantha Liss and Rachana Pradhan States are paying contractors such as Deloitte, Accenture, and Optum millions of dollars to help them comply with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — a law that will strip safety-net health and food benefits from millions. State governments rely on such companies to design and operate computer systems that assess whether low-income people qualify for Medicaid or food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps. Those state systems have a history of errors that can cut off benefits to eligible people, a KFF Health News investigation showed. States are now racing to update their eligibility systems to adhere to Trump’s sweeping tax-and-spending law. The changes will add red tape and restrictions. They are coming at a steep price ― both in the cost to taxpayers and coverage losses ― according to state documents obtained by KFF Health News and interviews. The documents show government agencies will spend millions to save considerably more by removing people from health benefits. While states sign eligibility system contracts with companies and work with them to manage updates, the federal government foots most of the bill. The law’s Medicaid policies will cause 7.5 million people to become uninsured by 2034, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Roughly 2.4 million people will lose access to monthly cash assistance for food, including those with children. In five states alone, company estimates developed for state officials and reviewed by KFF Health News show that changes will cost at least $45.6 million combined. The law requires most states to tie Medicaid coverage for some adults to having a job, and imposes other restrictions that will make it harder for people with low incomes to stay enrolled. SNAP restrictions began to take effect in 2025. Major Medicaid provisions begin later this year. Documents prepared by consulting company Deloitte estimate that a pair of computer system changes for Medicaid work requirements in Wisconsin will cost nearly $6 million. Two other changes related to the state’s SNAP program will cost an additional $4.2 million, according to the documents, which Deloitte drafted for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. In Iowa, changes to its Medicaid system are expected to cost at least $20 million, according to an estimate prepared by Accenture, a consulting company that operates the state’s eligibility system. Optum — which operates the platform Vermont residents use for Medicaid and marketplace health plans under the Affordable Care Act — estimated that it could cost roughly $1.8 million to evaluate and incorporate new health coverage restrictions. Initial changes in Kentucky, which has had a contract with Deloitte since 2012, have cost the state $1.6 million. And in Illinois, Deloitte estimated modifications will cost at least $12 million. Medicaid for Millions in America Hinges on Deloitte-Run Systems Plagued by Errors By Rachana Pradhan and Samantha Liss June 24, 2024 https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/medicaid-deloitte-run-eligibility-systems-plagued-by-errors/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--PJrDHymj67oy5t9rApRcMovzMdn71uc0Q9oQha6DibC6rYREnlgxHXlhgr483JbZB6Qu1XBUvRaLp5mpuGaJ-8TTAhg&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email Florida’s Deloitte-Run Computer System Cut Off New Moms Entitled to Medicaid By Daniel Chang and Samantha Liss November 26, 2024 https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/florida-deloitte-medicaid-computer-system-women-pregnancy-disenroll/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_j0lyWNffBa10UbedKbNYd84WXoPfHjzT7OrTLS0dSMu33Ys-J9vZX6fccxm1EPWkZl6BGjQD4X8RGj5vcuBUgd1Iksw&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email Errors in Deloitte-Run Medicaid Systems Can Cost Millions and Take Years To Fix By Samantha Liss and Rachana Pradhan September 5, 2024 https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/deloitte-run-medicaid-systems-errors-cost-millions-take-years-to-fix/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8gaXN3sfNN0iR0S5HxJFk1v-88qHN-VZ_jpjAEOL-_kP_AOXmVweBPSKc0FDVL1Tdl9wpq0RiNECFMOVYLwVGFRliOeg&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email Estimated Effects of Public Law 119-21 on Participation and Benefits Under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2025-08/61367-SNAP.pdf?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_OXnN9mAMtoyeVNhW6Gau5LJaJUFRMgUoUsYO6fuVrlRfFCKKOjlLapSgBG_ZDwHffOprtW-sK1ZxcXaXXI-RMiDCD8w&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email OBBB Project https://www.documentcloud.org/projects/224400-obbb-project/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Joyf5lOjbO9BZG1XJR9FSk8DTgsaKMTb0zSbwBO9TGlLMr2L3nTWu6rVFAsw4WaH5d66VGTCLotwObr6mJTTOgrpSLQ&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email WI CARES Project SOW HR1 Community Engagement Requirements – Intelligent OCR (iOCR) for Earned Income (1) https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/27919947-wi-cares-project-sow-hr1-community-engagement-requirements-intelligent-ocr-iocr-for-earned-income-1/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_mICAPAVMiPv5-pUxtzwsYlnp9CZDs6TaI9WhSPTiHK_vRUsqAjyGN4qYDNYPQ4PjZywPhFMWj5vND0gmsIeMJKKgvVQ&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email WI CARES Project SOW Amendment 2025 FRA HR1 FoodShare ABAWD Policy Changes https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/27919945-wi-cares-project-sow-amendment-2025-fra-hr1-foodshare-abawd-policy-changes/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--TzmAyTJAunkRdFAk9XKiGET7EH5JNVL6ipT5yC0qeROFvrERLzzjAw9GM00Xj7yZKVMCR0gMpZFPnhN-5kxCUP0YmnQ&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email Iowa - ELIAS HR1 071125 https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/27919953-iowa-elias-hr1-071125/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--2GuzDMRMlU1d9IJfJ9yjXbgFBW7QOciBCqtEi5ppsJYUDON9D20NIpfgLyjvg-QFUkc2xQfN0v5Fo2J2KI29sszwuug&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email VT CR-206 HR1 Medicaid Community Engagement NTEUnredacted https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/27919950-vt-cr-206-hr1-medicaid-community-engagement-nteunredacted/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8wre87w4jbz6dLu1hU6qZNTuJqlF0R0Out9ZTZP1EFK89R3pdCOZht1MgLm0pOB-obFhnmVEvqejr4B1YdhUcKtpBVBw&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email KY CR 2428 - HR1 SNAP Immediate Changes.docx https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/27919946-ky-cr-2428-hr1-snap-immediate-changesdocx/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--_fJzCPY3IS_lu-ZwiGK9e3TnJt1607QpjAwGMC5e3z4zilHB8ERTPn7x3GkUq1cQi2NGYkqzlRmFWpu1lM1aTLbhA_A&_hsmi=412113676&utm_content=412113676&utm_source=hs_email

Viewpoint: Worried about Big Ag and Big Pharma? They’re nothing compared to the grifting hypocrisy of the MAHA wellness movement Paul Offit | April 1, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/04/01/viewpoint-worried-about-big-ag-and-big-pharma-theyre-nothing-compared-to-the-grifting-hypocrisy-of-the-maha-wellness-movement/

Microplastic scare claims take another turn—Study suggests lab gloves may be key culprit Anne McNeil, Madeline Clough | April 2, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/04/02/microplastic-scare-claims-take-another-turn-study-suggests-lab-gloves-may-be-key-culprit/

Science Literacy Project Daily Digest ++++ ++++

Science Literacy Project Daily Digest PTSD is almost incurable. Psychedelics can help — but only in three U.S. states and Australia Andrew Jacobs | New York Times https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/04/03/ptsd-is-almost-incurable-psychedelics-can-help-but-only-in-three-u-s-states-and-australia/ Many nail polishes contain dangerous chemicals Ingrid Schou | Science Norway https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/04/03/many-nail-polishes-contain-dangerous-chemicals/ Viewpoint: How AI-enabled corruption of the information environment might lead to an increased risk of nuclear escalation Herbert Lin | Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/04/03/viewpoint-how-ai-enabled-corruption-of-the-information-environment-might-lead-to-an-increased-risk-of-nuclear-escalation/ How China engineered its agricultural revolution David Mahon | Fair Observer https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/04/03/how-china-engineered-its-agricultural-revolution/ Aspirin for your heart? Decongestants? Here are 5 popular medications that you should avoid Trisha Pasricha | Washington Post https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/04/02/aspirin-for-your-heart-decongestants-here-are-5-popular-medications-that-you-should-avoid/ As China’s science investment soars, U.S. cuts spending dramatically Xiaoying You | Nature https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/04/02/as-chinas-science-investment-soars-u-s-cuts-spending-dramatically/ Palantir: The company in the middle of the first AI war Steven Levy | Wired https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/04/02/palantir-the-company-in-the-middle-of-the-first-ai-war/ Under pressure from the Trump administration, medical schools are dropping health inequity education Anil Oza | STAT https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/04/02/under-pressure-from-the-trump-administration-medical-schools-are-dropping-health-inequity-education/

Practice-Based Research Networks: The Value of Research in Real Primary Care Practices jueves, 9 de abril de 2026 15:00 - 16:30 (UTC-03:00)

https://abtassociates.webex.com/webappng/sites/abtassociates/meeting/register/b024eba563414550b5425337c660c7fe?ticket=4832534b0000000862f6a73710c14a121b0bfedd1591419b1cb42243a9b67b6955e57e5b192188d8×tamp=1775313209237&RGID=r3ba62bc32187d382cd045598eb07e86b&isAutoPopRegisterForm=false Upcoming Webinar - Practice-Based Research Networks: The Value of Research in Real Primary Care Practices Join AHRQ’s National Center for Excellence in Primary Care Research (NCEPCR) for a webinar, Practice-Based Research Networks: The Value of Research in Real Primary Care Practices, on April 9 from 2–3:30 p.m. ET. In this webinar, learn about key findings from AHRQ’s Primary Care Practice-Based Research Networks Publications, 2014–2023: Synthesis Report. Three Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN) researchers will share information about their research network and the kinds of research they conduct. They will also discuss the value and impact of PBRN research, followed by Q&A.

French Nutrition Expert Targeted by Health Deepfakes Christophe Gattuso Medscape Europe April 03, 2026

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/french-nutrition-expert-targeted-health-deepfakes-2026a1000a7z

Infection Prevention in Europe, Part 2: Six Futures to 2040 Petra Kittner Medscape Europe April 03, 2026

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/infection-prevention-europe-part-2-six-futures-2040-2026a1000a7d

Small drugmakers, facing threat of tariffs, negotiate pricing deals with White House Officials seek to replicate strategy used with larger companies in bid to lower prices

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/02/drugmakers-white-house-negotiating-deals-drug-prices/ By Daniel PayneApril 2, 2026 Washington Correspondent

EPA to put microplastics on study list of contaminants in drinking water Pharmaceuticals will also join candidate list of pollutants By Associated PressApril 2, 2026

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/02/microplastics-in-water-epa-contaminant-list/

Medicare Advantage plans win extra $18.6 billion as feds cut star ratings measures Trump administration changes will lead to more bonuses for Medicare insurers

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/02/medicare-advantage-star-ratings-changes-18-billion-windfall-health-insurers/ By Bob HermanApril 2, 2026 Business of Health Care Reporter

White House proposes 12% cut to federal health agencies in 2027 budget request Congress ignored many of Trump’s previous proposals, and his latest budget is likely to meet a similar fate

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/03/trump-budget-health-care-12-percent-cut-hhs/ By Chelsea Cirruzzo and John WilkersonApril 3, 2026

Biotech investors’ plea to Trump, and a busy M&A week By Elaine Chen, Adam Feuerstein, and Allison DeAngelisApril 2, 2026

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/02/readout-loud-podcast-biotech-investors-fda-trump-eli-lilly-psychedelics/ By Elaine Chen, Adam Feuerstein, and Allison DeAngelisApril 2, 2026

Subscription pricing could expand access to HIV prevention breakthrough while controlling costs The ‘Netflix model’ has worked for hepatitis C treatment and can work for lenacapavir

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/03/lenacapavir-subscription-pricing-model-hiv-prevention/ By Michael RoseApril 3, 2026 Rose is an internist and pediatrician at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

My patient would rather take a peptide than a statin. That reveals an uncomfortable truth in medicine The more evidence behind a therapy, the less the public trusts it

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/03/peptides-statins-research-trust-bpc-157/ By Vikas PatelApril 3, 2026 Patel is a board-certified emergency medicine physician, former U.S. Navy flight surgeon, and founder of MD Longevity Lab.

Trump announces 100% tariffs on brand-name drugs, with plenty of carveouts The taxes won’t apply to many large drugmakers or to some of the U.S.’ biggest trading partners

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/02/trump-pharma-tariffs-100-percent-on-some-imported-drugs-exemptions/ By Daniel PayneApril 2, 2026 Washington Correspondent

Supreme Court conversion therapy decision could ripple through medicine State regulation of clinician speech, talk therapy, and even telehealth could be implicated

https://www.statnews.com/2026/04/03/conversion-therapy-ruling-scotus-impact-state-medical-boards/ By Theresa GaffneyApril 3, 2026 Morning Rounds Writer and Reporter

FDA Grand Rounds – Clinical Omics Biomarker Discovery and Validation in Precision Medicine Applications Thursday, April 9, 2026 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. ET

https://www.fda.gov/science-research/about-science-research-fda/fda-grand-rounds?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Date: Thursday, April 9, 2026 Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm ET Via webcast About the Presentation: This lecture will provide an overview of Systems Biology omics and biomarker concepts with four examples of omics analyses of human blood samples. The examples include metabolomics and miRNA analysis of serum during acetaminophen-induced liver toxicity, proteomic analysis of serum to predict kidney recovery from dialysis, baseline proteomics analysis of blood from patients receiving doxorubicin treatment, and method for discovery and validation of miRNA-proteins pairs in plasma associated with respiratory disease.

Viewpoints: Subscription Pricing Could Expand HIV Drug Access; Make Nursing Home Inspections Unpredictable

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-subscription-pricing-could-expand-hiv-drug-access-make-nursing-home-inspections-unpredictable/

Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed

Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today's selections are on aging, radiation, mental health, and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/longer-looks-interesting-reads-you-might-have-missed-258/

8 Arrested Amid Federal Investigation Of Alleged Health Care Fraud In Calif.

8 Arrested Amid Federal Investigation Of Alleged Health Care Fraud In Calif. The fraud schemes allegedly totaled $50 million in and around Los Angeles. Five of the cases involved hospice services, two involved labor union health care plans, and one was about immigration medical documents. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/8-arrested-amid-federal-investigation-of-alleged-health-care-fraud-in-calif/

After 2 Years Of Talks, Allina Health, Doctors Union Reach Tentative Deal

After 2 Years Of Talks, Allina Health, Doctors Union Reach Tentative Deal Allina providers unionized in 2023 and have been in negotiations since February 2024. Allina Health is headquartered in Minneapolis. Plus: More people with chronic or unexplainable illnesses are turning to AI for help. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/after-2-years-of-talks-allina-health-doctors-union-reach-tentative-deal/

Anti-Abortion-Pill Legislation Awaits Signature Of Mississippi Governor

Anti-Abortion-Pill Legislation Awaits Signature Of Mississippi Governor Under this newest bill, anyone who distributes, or intends to distribute, abortion medication could face criminal charges and up to 10 years in prison. Experts worry that criminalization would deter doctors from using these drugs for postpartum hemorrhage and miscarriage care. GOP Gov. Tate Reeves is expected to sign the bill. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/anti-abortion-pill-legislation-awaits-signature-of-mississippi-governor/

Cicada, The Newest Covid Variant, Is Spreading Mostly Among Children 3-15

Cicada, The Newest Covid Variant, Is Spreading Mostly Among Children 3-15 An analysis of data from New York City indicates that kids are about five times more likely to be infected by this variant compared with others, CNN reported. Cicada has been detected in 25 states. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/cicada-the-newest-covid-variant-is-spreading-mostly-among-children-3-15/

Hoping To Dodge Trump’s Tariffs, Small Drugmakers Mull Pricing Deals

Hoping To Dodge Trump’s Tariffs, Small Drugmakers Mull Pricing Deals Smaller pharmaceutical companies that don't negotiate deals to lower drug costs could see the administration's latest tariffs — set at 100% — go into effect in 180 days. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/hoping-to-dodge-trumps-tariffs-small-drugmakers-mull-pricing-deals/

HHS To Examine Health Effects Of Tiny Plastic Particles That Leach Into Water

HHS To Examine Health Effects Of Tiny Plastic Particles That Leach Into Water A goal of the program is to find a way to remove microplastics from the human body. The announcement of the $144 million program was made in tandem with an EPA declaration that microplastics, along with pharmaceuticals, will be added to the contaminant candidate list. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/hhs-to-examine-health-effects-of-tiny-plastic-particles-that-leach-into-water/