Morning Briefing: Today's News Summaries Tuesday, Mar 24 2026 ++++++ +

Morning Briefing: Today's News Summaries Tuesday, Mar 24 2026 Despite Restrictive State Laws, Number Of Abortions In US Remains Consistent An estimated 1,126,000 people ended pregnancies in 2025, roughly the same number as in 2024, according to a Guttmacher Institute report. More people relied on telemedicine and fewer people were forced to travel to obtain abortions, the report suggests. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/despite-restrictive-state-laws-number-of-abortions-in-us-remains-consistent/ CMS Ditching Antiquated Fax Machines For Claims-Related Documentation With the exception of prior authorization, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is shifting to electronic submission standards for attachments and digital signatures. The agency expects to save $781 million annually with the change. Plus, the challenge of finding a new CDC director. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/cms-ditching-antiquated-fax-machines-for-claims-related-documentation/ Congress Will Open Inquiry Into Alleged Hospice Fraud In California In an announcement Monday, House Republicans alleged "rampant hospice fraud" in Southern California that is costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. Other states making news: Minnesota, Nebraska, Florida, North Carolina, Missouri, and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/congress-will-open-inquiry-into-alleged-hospice-fraud-in-california/ 18% Of Deaths Among Hospitalized Kids In US Linked To Sepsis: Study The study was based on electronic health records and included data from nearly 4 million admissions from 2016 through 2023. Also: Axios looks at how the Trump administration's visa policy may be sidelining possibly thousands of foreign-born doctors. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/18-of-deaths-among-hospitalized-kids-in-us-linked-to-sepsis-study/ Highly Mutated Covid Strain That's Lurking In US Could Cause Trouble The BA.3.2 variant has been detected in wastewater samples from 25 states. The strain is "genetically distinct from the JN.1 lineages that have circulated in the United States since January 2024,” CDC researchers said. The current formulation of the 2025-26 covid vaccine targets the JN.1 subvariants — which means BA.3.2 might have the ability to evade protection from vaccines. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/highly-mutated-covid-strain-thats-lurking-in-us-could-cause-trouble/ Eating Disorder Hospitalizations Fall To Pre-Pandemic Levels Starting in October 2024, eating disorder-related hospitalizations among 8- to 25-year-olds dropped to about 350 per month, which is on par with the pre-pandemic period. Also: the impact of exercise on Alzheimer's risk; sleep EEGs to predict dementia; and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/eating-disorder-hospitalizations-fall-to-pre-pandemic-levels/ Viewpoints: Covid Scapegoating Left Us Unready For The Next Pandemic; Surgeon General Position Is Unneeded https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-covid-scapegoating-left-us-unready-for-the-next-pandemic-surgeon-general-position-is-unneeded/