domingo, 31 de mayo de 2026
A Closer Look at North Carolina’s Implementation of the 2025 Reconciliation Law Medicaid Provisions and Other Changes Amid Medicaid Budget Shortfalls Authors: Jada Raphael, Amaya Diana, and Anna Mudumala Published: May 29, 2026
https://www.kff.org/medicaid/a-closer-look-at-north-carolinas-implementation-of-the-2025-reconciliation-law-medicaid-provisions-and-other-changes-amid-medicaid-budget-shortfalls/
On April 30, 2026, North Carolina Governor Josh Stein signed legislation that includes Medicaid policy changes and closes an estimated $319 million shortfall in funding for the state’s Medicaid program for FY 2026. Many of the legislation’s Medicaid policy changes are related to implementation of the 2025 federal reconciliation law. The 2025 reconciliation law requires states to condition Medicaid eligibility for adults in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion group and enrollees in partial expansion waiver programs (Georgia and Wisconsin) on meeting work requirements starting January 1, 2027. The 2025 reconciliation law also limits states’ ability to raise the state share of Medicaid spending through provider taxes, restricts state-directed payments (SDPs) to hospitals, nursing facilities, and other providers, and increases barriers to enrolling in and renewing Medicaid coverage. As states are preparing to implement the reconciliation law provisions, many states are facing more tenuous budget situations with slowing revenue growth and broader reductions in federal funding.
Massachusetts sues UnitedHealth, alleging fraud in state’s Medicaid plans for seniors UnitedHealth made low-income seniors seem sicker than they were, attorney general alleges
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/29/united-healthcare-sued-massachusetts-ag-alleges-100-million-upcode-fraud-medicaid/?utm_campaign=daily_recap&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-81oxf27ClJ9QjbP9GryDJjNqJuSdqNgHMujkTvR8ZqC1rvUGa4kefA381bsANBsXisoP91jc54sj-y_fEyT7EtvJ5w1A&_hsmi=421345487&utm_content=421345487&utm_source=hs_email
By Bob HermanMay 29, 2026
Bob Herman is the author of Health Care Inc., an award-winning weekly newsletter about the business of health and medicine.
Trump administration seeks to overhaul federal grantmaking process, alarming researchers Changes, which officials say would combat waste, among other issues, would codify tightened political control
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/29/nih-grants-uniform-guidance-proposal-political-control/
By Anil OzaMay 29, 2026
General Assignment Reporter
China competition, ‘destruction’ at FDA give agency chance to restructure, Rick Pazdur says Former regulator suggests leaders ‘think creatively’ about industry and academic talent
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/30/rick-pazdur-fda-destruction-rebuilding-asco-2026/
By Elaine ChenMay 30, 2026
Elaine Chen, a national biotech reporter, is the co-author of The Readout, a newsletter about the business, science, and politics of biotech.
As Ebola outbreak grows, Trump administration veers from previous government playbook The Biden administration prepared hundreds of pages of plans. The Trump administration is opting for its own strategy
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/30/trump-ebola-response-biden-pandemic-preparations-thrown-away/
By Daniel Payne and Chelsea CirruzzoMay 30, 2026
Conscience And Discord Wendy E. Parmet May 29, 2026
https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/conscience-and-discord?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8vAmaaMyv1DD_h6tzfwr8YXFar_PxTJ2isuUBCPctMp3yO5aRhYd8FFEEtifFrqm69hoxWnpL1M13F1DY01gAgxQdfTQ&_hsmi=421319073&utm_source=hasu
In his 2025 book, The Conscience of Care: Navigating Health in the Culture Wars, Dov Fox argues that exemptions should extend not only to conscientious objection but also to conscientious provision.
To Rebuild Trust, FDA Should Start With The Accelerated Approval Program Anna Kaltenboeck May 28, 2026
https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/rebuild-trust-fda-should-start-accelerated-approval-program?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_TqfSG9SH05p9DdZiXX1l6xsth2kAbIUi4G9IeYGfWxwQV27KpqKq_eSCbclsCRjidHcSkbpU7qdZrE-T715IytXlRHw&_hsmi=421319073&utm_source=hasu
For serious conditions with high unmet need, earlier access to promising treatments can be worth the risk of greater uncertainty. But achieving this balance demands trust.
Maximizing The Potential Of Medicare’s Home Health Benefit Barbara LyonsandJane Andrews May 27, 2026
https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/maximizing-potential-medicare-s-home-health-benefit?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_C-Y37yRRvhYtEbTzomdqysyMvZDR81aSiGL3Few8bAnjJbv-SpjwOyjSxFnpDw0Aa-vpDDi9RWL8jx-PrU_5X_acPYw&_hsmi=421319073&utm_source=hasu
As home-based models of care continue to expand, it is equally important to strengthen and modernize the existing Medicare home health benefit.
Medical Speech Regulation In A Post-Chiles World Sean McBride,Carmel Shachar,Spencer Andrews,Jason Spitalnick,andJohn Card May 26, 2026
https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/medical-speech-regulation-post-chiles-world?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_rZZlx9D-npX5GKSy80LMw-hOrFbmDUv3S8XC2ZVqdJSsNiKqJSBffLQlMhBE2eD72Mmw3eaHOWhKREJdF28oWjORwYg&_hsmi=421319073&utm_source=hasu
There are still ways that Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy could survive the Supreme Court’s recent decision, despite the Court’s First Amendment concerns.
The Interaction Between The Manufacturer Discount Program And Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Yunjoo Karris Jeon,Kristi Martin,andSean D. Sullivan May 29, 2026
https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/interaction-between-manufacturer-discount-program-and-medicare-drug-price-negotiation?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6nxL5RAFsx35RSNYaCX1uk_-gfCBiK3gbCZ2kxXk0liJgu_ri9EWvtu_wUeMFTMf_28ozYtV455v2ti4B5UNA7obysw&_hsmi=421319073&utm_source=hasu
The Inflation Reduction Act introduced the Manufacturer Discount Program alongside the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program, but the two interact so that drugs selected for negotiation are exempt from the MDP.
When Cost-Effectiveness Thresholds Drift: Global HTA, MFN Pricing, And The Need For A Coherent Framework William V. Padula May 28, 2026
https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/cost-effectiveness-thresholds-drift-global-hta-mfn-pricing-and-need-coherent-framework?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Dp8BkR66_AgaO3lHHlOxAIkpdv7Y8qZf2wSdcpYCUfwsFgFNmGfD03XqKvpyH3S1ZfWuLCH6f8y7gCuWQlTM0CRkKwg&_hsmi=421319073&utm_source=hasu
Greater flexibility in cost-effectiveness thresholds used by health technology assessment bodies may appear manageable in isolation. But these shifts can reshape drug pricing far beyond national boundaries.
Guardrails For Private Equity: What Health Care Can Learn From The NFL Zirui Song May 29, 2026
https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/guardrails-private-equity-health-care-can-learn-nfl?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_csHvLeSY1QnmxtWn7Pw_SuBfIyRgtzDMxI_ng02JxdpN5F28C0ClAXe5oc3mf3kZIvoO7lWr30nRzUSQEjwyLorLIdw&_hsmi=421319073&utm_source=hasu
NFL team owners voted in 2024 to allow private equity, for the first time, to buy stakes in their teams. Yet, the NFL—with owners who know the private sector well—built 10 key guardrails that health care has systematically lacked.
Cost-Effectiveness Thresholds: Overvaluing Innovation, Undervaluing Health Leah Z. Rand,Mike Paulden,andAdam J. N. Raymakers May 28, 2026
https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/cost-effectiveness-thresholds-overvaluing-innovation-undervaluing-health?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9DEYl-gjBijywkWIcSTNPR-ABl9FwiTvuZ9QpO0cXp_q7BOj8YX_JMTlf059Skxsxbt6uGj6s_28BbHl1qeLy9c89FBw&_hsmi=421319073&utm_source=hasu
To address the gap between opportunity costs and cost-effectiveness thresholds, we must identify the marginal cost of a unit of health for health care systems.
China's Evolving Global Health Strategy And Its Implications For The US Jennifer BoueyandYanzhong Huang May 26, 2026
https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/china-s-evolving-global-health-strategy-and-its-implications-america-first-global?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-80QvOW273BNWpvqsKd4sLvoZag9gPBuRRVql0cC_JL32aq3d0DhZVIITm2Gox9tiIiKusqD6i2kH0s9ez5h9wg6MuI_w&_hsmi=421319073&utm_source=hasu
At the very moment that China’s structural limitations are most exposed, the US is moving to an America First Global Health Strategy.
HHS Finalizes Sweeping Marketplace Changes (Part 3): Essential Health Benefits, Non-Network Plans, And More Katie Keith May 27, 2026
https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/hhs-finalizes-sweeping-marketplace-changes-part-3-essential-health-benefits-non-network?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-__QYV2PdZz3GX23rFLPReXp1u5-Xt13c5zJUfbC5L-javD_WMEzqMYII0mmogY46EoJsoWpePJxpOsPZQi65h_AVfYEw&_hsmi=421319073&utm_source=hasu
This is the third article on the final 2027 payment rule. A fourth and fifth article will address changes to standardized and non-standardized plans, premium payment thresholds, and risk adjustment, as well as changes regarding exchanges, insurers, and agents and brokers.
Physician groups welcome landmark overhaul of federal dispute process
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260529/Physician-groups-welcome-landmark-overhaul-of-federal-dispute-process.aspx
The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and American College of Radiology (ACR) today applauded the final Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) Operations Rule under the No Surprises Act (NSA) released on May 28, commending federal agencies for their thoughtful and collaborative approach in addressing longstanding challenges and advancing a more functional, transparent dispute resolution system.
Ebola can be stopped — but only if world leaders prioritize public health The deadly disease was identified half a century ago in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is unacceptable that it continues to take lives.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-026-01630-5
Half a century ago, researchers and policymakers joined together to identify an unknown disease and bring it under control. That first Ebola outbreak took 280 lives from 318 cases in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). After it was reported in September 1976, rapid action — an organized campaign of surveillance, contact tracing, isolating cases and safe burials — meant that the outbreak was over within four months1.
sábado, 30 de mayo de 2026
Will the Medicare ACCESS Model Spark the Next Health Tech Gold Rush? Jeff ByersandAndrew G. Rundle May 29, 2026
https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hp20260528.458713/full/
Health Affairs Publishing’s Jeff Byers welcomes Andrew Rundle of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health to the pod to discuss his recent Forefront article about Medicare’s upcoming ACCESS model and its potential to expand digital health for chronic disease management. They discuss why the program could spur rapid growth in health tech while highlighting key challenges, including serving an older population with varying degrees of digital literacy and adapting to a new, evidence-driven marketplace.
Behind the Drug Discounts: 340B, Medicare Negotiation, and Transparency Rory MartinandKatheryne Richardson June 18, 2026, 2:00 PM
https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/he20260529.374685/full/
18Jun20262:00PMEDT
How do the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation and 340B programs intersect? Join Rory Martin of IQVIA and Katheryne Richardson of Second Sight Solutions, for insights on Medicare drug pricing, 340B transparency gaps, duplicate discounts, and evolving policy.
Health Care Workers In A Storm’s Path Author: Erin N. Marcus
https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01658
On September 5, 2017, Miami Beach, Florida, mayor Philip Levine warned the 92,000 residents of his barrier island that a “nuclear hurricane” was approaching and that they needed to leave. Hurricane Irma had leveled most buildings on the Caribbean island of Barbuda a few days before, and most of the Florida peninsula was in the cone of uncertainty. Local grocery store shelves were picked over, gas station pumps were dry, hotel rooms in the sliver of the county outside the flood zone were full, and flights out were completely booked.
Private Equity Acquisitions In Primary Care: Changes In Utilization, Spending, And Workforce Authors: Yashaswini Singh yashaswini_singh@brown.edu, Meehir N. Dixit, Amal N. Trivedi, and Christopher M. Whaley
https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01703?utm_campaign=june%202026%20issue&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8fVNzqMzru2NMZOrAXn1X8dM-CkJgGQ9TWo8IF8RyYb2IWYSWKM93e1zUr3l3FuaUj2qDm214Nk4Ai5GK-7oQ4f3r2bw&_hsmi=421318727&utm_content=ahead%20of%20print&utm_source=well%20read
Primary care is essential to advancing population health, yet it has faced underinvestment and workforce shortages in the US. Private equity (PE) investments could expand access by facilitating participation in value-based contracts and enhancing information technology capacity. However, PE’s emphasis on short-term profitability may impose productivity pressures on physicians, with uncertain implications for patient care. Using a stacked difference-in-differences design and national Medicare claims data, we examined 225 PE acquisitions of primary care practices during the period 2016–22. PE acquisition increased the number of services billed and patients seen by primary care physicians by 30 percent and 11 percent, respectively. Patients in PE-acquired practices received 12.9 percent more additional services, driven by laboratory testing and the Medicare annual wellness visit. PE acquisitions also increased the total number of primary care physicians and advanced practice providers, with the latter growing at a faster rate. Taken together, our results suggest that PE investments have the potential to increase the use of primary care services, in part through greater reliance on advanced practice providers.
Theme Issue Briefing: Climate, Health, and Equity Cecilia Sorensen,Stefan Wheat,Sacoby M. Wilson,Arturo Bustamante,Margaret Winchester,Jeff Romine,Carlos Gould,Kartikeya Bhatotia,Chris Boyer,Lisa Clemens-Cope,Elizabeth Moore,Cori Cohen Grant,Bradley Kramer,Maud Powell,Dhara Patel,Sebastian Bauhoff,Genevieve Silva,Erin N. Marcus,andCynthia Strathmann May 6, 2026, 1:00 PM
Value-Based Insurance Design In The Modern Era Kimberly Westrich,Yevgeniy Feyman,andJohn Michael O’Brien May 12, 2026
https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/value-based-insurance-design-modern-era-principles-promise-and-policy?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9GorXchk87lvEy9dVYiNNy-BsAKtZlzAzNCE12aT2UpHfZGE4j2Zm0RAOjQmbuqbOJGpnaOWoi42aS5Y66opX8uGdiJw&_hsmi=421318727&utm_source=well%20read
Concerns about health care affordability, intensifying scrutiny of rebate practices, and new pricing models are creating space for more ambitious thinking and deliberate reforms.
Modernizing The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule: What Problem Are We Trying to Solve? Christopher P. Childers,Christopher K. Senkowski,Don J. Selzer,Charles D. Mabry,Michael J. Sutherland,andThomas C. Tsai May 8, 2026
https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/modernizing-medicare-physician-fee-schedule-problem-we-trying-solve?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8RraeiiYJEEksQem8h1_Gck72GLEeGsCinYOlTgYAudVguGBgAD7u2jwo0DRtk9uts6AKFRu58Rnbpm-GnDrbopneajg&_hsmi=421318727&utm_source=well%20read
Before implementing additional fee schedule changes to increase primary care reimbursement, policy makers should evaluate the impact of changes already introduced. Equally important, we must understand the consequences of sacrificing specialty care.
Using Nutritious Food MA Supplemental Benefits To Fight Chronic Disease Alice Hm Chen,Michael A. Carson,Amanda P. Green,andHilary Seligman May 11, 2026
https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/enabling-efficient-medicare-advantage-spending-using-nutritious-food-supplemental?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8QnqL_XkH0TIpQTLObdXd7GJ6X4KidcV12tpCymd60EeTIlpTuE11lo0U5_-ubqR0v49i6GyOc_wV4qcbqyBaUSm2N2g&_hsmi=421318727&utm_source=well%20read
With MA now the predominant source of Medicare coverage, high-value supplemental benefits have enormous potential to reduce the burden of chronic disease, while ensuring efficient use of government funds.
Aligning Health Policy With Climate Action: Evidence-Based Interventions To Decarbonize Care, Improve Climate Resilience Authors: Stefan Wheat wheati2@uw.edu, Kristie L. Ebi, Jeremy J. Hess, Lawrence Rosen, Elizabeth Cerceo, and Hardeep Singh
https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01635?utm_campaign=may%202026%20issue&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8Ns9MVGxL8jyBlgE7vFgI-Vhh9iv6v2Croj1wT9aw8RtfjDTENqYAb-HQemvFFoYKN7VipXVfcVHX5tRMvfGRtXFW6Dw&_hsmi=421318727&utm_source=well%20read
The US health care system significantly contributes to climate change while increasingly facing its adverse consequences. Despite this dual challenge, policy efforts to incentivize carbon reduction and make care delivery climate-resilient remain fragmented. In this article, we identify policy interventions and other strategies that have the potential to accelerate the transition toward low-carbon, climate-smart health care systems. Drawing on academic literature and real-world implementation examples, we present a framework of strategies, highlighting the evidence in support of mechanisms such as green reimbursement models, integration of climate change into health professional education, and sustainable procurement standards. We further examine emerging policy levers, including circular economy practices and mandated carbon accounting. Last, we highlight opportunities for federal and state policy makers, payers, and health system leaders to guide future action. Ensuring that health policies actively support climate mitigation and adaptation is a moral and environmental imperative and a strategic opportunity to improve quality, reduce costs, and advance health equity.
Climate-Related Health Risks In US Hospital Community Health Needs Assessments: A Mixed-Methods Analysis Authors: Sara Locke sara.locke@yale.edu, Genevieve S. Silva, Cristina Arnés-Sanz, Matthew J. Eckelman, Melanie Marino, Abby Ong, Stephanie Vartany, Jeannette R. Ickovics, and Jodi D. Sherman
https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01652?utm_campaign=may%202026%20issue&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9PmkvgLQYjshQ4jlpNqbEgw3PRDRgelYx2skMvtIKqRnaPTabqb9HV-BwSCWaS7rbAWAOmorrR-tKRRPeP3KehVhj7wA&_hsmi=421318727&utm_source=well%20read
Nonprofit hospitals conduct a community health needs assessment every three years to maintain federal tax-exempt status. Federal rules do not require these assessments to consider climate-related health risks, despite evidence that climate change affects health and health care delivery. This study examined the extent to which hospitals address climate-related health in community health needs assessments. We reviewed a nationally representative sample of 566 community health needs assessments (2021–24) from 3,468 US hospitals. Climate-related content was scored on an eighteen-point rubric including climate hazards and health risks (for example, extreme heat and flooding). The assessments’ climate-related content was limited (mean score, 2.51 of 18). Hospitals serving more climate-vulnerable communities, especially those with greater socioeconomic disadvantage, were less likely to identify climate-related health risks. Scores in the Northeast and West were nearly twice those in the South and Midwest, although they were still low. Federal requirements should better align community health needs assessments with emerging public health risks, including climate change, to improve health system resilience.
Extreme Heat, Health Care Use, And Costs: Evidence From Commercial Insurance, Medicaid, And Medicare Advantage Authors: Jeff Romine jeff.romine@carelon.com, Amy Liu, Daniel Cullen, Katelyn Tang, Hakon Mattson, Mark Talavera, Arax Nazarian, Melissa Clarke, and Winnie C. Chi
Extreme Heat, Health Care Use, And Costs: Evidence From Commercial Insurance, Medicaid, And Medicare Advantage
Authors: Jeff Romine jeff.romine@carelon.com, Amy Liu, Daniel Cullen, Katelyn Tang, Hakon Mattson, Mark Talavera, Arax Nazarian, Melissa Clarke, and Winnie C. Chi
https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01665?utm_campaign=may+2026+issue&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-94ZIAon4bDzDDLiUVpsjYmbVa9_lclEWrAQ8jjlRfj2_nSyjKh7T5-CEwk8_4P6y1aCuGktBaNHfQV_b6TqP_EsmBSPw&_hsmi=421318727&utm_source=well+read
Extreme heat events have been demonstrated to increase emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and mortality, but evidence of their impacts on the associated costs and on outpatient use is more limited. We used 2016–23 health insurance claims from a large, national insurer and national temperature and humidity data to conduct a regression analysis on the relationship between extreme heat exposure and ED, inpatient, and outpatient use and cost in the commercial insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare Advantage (MA) populations. One additional day with a heat index of 100°F or hotter within a week was associated with increased ED use and cost across nearly all coverage populations and age groups. Extreme heat was associated with significant increases in inpatient use for children with commercial coverage (1.4 percent), members ages 18–64 with Medicaid coverage (0.47 percent), and MA members (0.5 percent) but was not associated with statistically significant increases in inpatient cost for any population group. It was not associated with increases in outpatient use or cost in any population group. MA members had the highest annual cost due to extreme heat. These findings provide evidence to inform population health management strategies, seasonal preparedness planning, and policy interventions to mitigate heat-related morbidity and health care costs.
viernes, 29 de mayo de 2026
Blood pressure tech floods the market after FDA relaxes wearables oversight Tech companies including Oura, Samsung seize opportunity, while experts raise concerns
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/28/fda-wellness-guidance-unvetted-blood-pressure-tech-floods-market/
By Mario AguilarMay 28, 2026
Health Tech Correspondent
I’m a weight-loss doctor. Here’s why I worry about GLP-1 ‘microdoses’ Tiny doses, big unknowns
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/29/glp-1-microdose-popular-but-unsupported-by-evidence/
By Jody DushayMay 29, 2026
Dushay is an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and an attending endocrinologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
As Ebola outbreak in Central Africa grows, the U.S. turns itself into a fortress Bid to keep virus out may create risks for infected Americans and discourage volunteers
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/28/trump-ebola-travel-restrictions-discourages-medical-volunteers/
By Helen BranswellMay 28, 2026
Infectious Diseases Correspondent
Cheaper, Alternative Health Plans Are Having a Moment, but Critics Urge Caution Congress' decision not to extend enhanced marketplace tax credits has boosted the appeal of alternative health coverage with lower monthly premiums. By Sarah Kwon May 26, 2026
Cheaper, Alternative Health Plans Are Having a Moment, but Critics Urge Caution
Congress' decision not to extend enhanced marketplace tax credits has boosted the appeal of alternative health coverage with lower monthly premiums.
https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/alternative-health-plans-growth-sharing-ministries-short-term-aca-premiums/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20Colorado&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-95VyAYtcUtCCzv6ekT289odBrM13NET6qASlt2VnzpKhHX2s3SLqRlhSs76_DUJfvH517jB7JqTcjHzDHGFnM_upGBnQ&_hsmi=420603250&utm_content=420603250&utm_source=hs_email
By Sarah Kwon May 26, 2026
Cheaper, Alternative Health Plans Are Having a Moment, but Critics Urge Caution
By Sarah Kwon
Congress' decision not to extend enhanced marketplace tax credits has boosted the appeal of alternative health coverage with lower monthly premiums. Consumer advocates dismiss the plans as "junk insurance,” while proponents say patients need alternatives to pricey marketplace options. Alternative plans are also making a marketing push. Colorado insurance broker Samantha Albritton said that before ACA open enrollment, she saw more marketing from fixed-indemnity plans than in previous years.
Kids Keep Getting Stuck in Hospitals, Even After Being Cleared for Discharge By Cara Anthony May 18, 2026
Kids Keep Getting Stuck in Hospitals, Even After Being Cleared for Discharge
Across the country, the practice of allowing children to remain hospitalized “beyond medical necessity” has become a costly problem, and states have struggled to address the issue.By Cara Anthony May 18, 2026
https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/hospital-boarding-social-stays-children-kids-missouri-illinois/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20Colorado&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8D8YRUCOXrGtB4nYSU7Gg3gRZob1XJRpmp3Vl39rgrb_lnqUnqVq9bVrMLzWnzqpEQlkU0QYMzbBUkfoVjj9lH4gXnLw&_hsmi=420603250&utm_content=420603250&utm_source=hs_email
Kids Keep Getting Stuck in Hospitals, Even After Being Cleared for Discharge
By Cara Anthony
Some children are healthy enough to leave the hospital after a medical stay but have no place to go. Across the country, the practice of allowing children to remain hospitalized “beyond medical necessity” has become a costly problem, and states have struggled to address the issue. In Colorado, a hospital worker emailed a state representative for help after an autistic 13-year-old boy spent weeks at UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital in Longmont.
Study: Alzheimer's Signs Detected In Midlife
Study: Alzheimer's Signs Detected In Midlife
The cohort study found that Alzheimer's pathology can be detected in midlife in about 6% of adults. The changes are detected via blood markers and are linked to subtle cognitive differences. Also: The FDA relaxes oversight on blood pressure wearables.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/aging-lifestyle/
Europe Deploys Experimental Antiviral To Treat Hantavirus Patients
Europe Deploys Experimental Antiviral To Treat Hantavirus Patients
Also, the U.S. government will allow American cruise ship passengers exposed to the hantavirus to return home as early as Monday, but they must remain under constant state supervision for the remaining three weeks of their six-week quarantine.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-global/
US Cannot Open Ebola Quarantine Quarters In Kenya Just Yet, African Court Rules
US Cannot Open Ebola Quarantine Quarters In Kenya Just Yet, African Court Rules
The Trump administration had reached an agreement with the Kenyan government that would have allowed Americans exposed to the deadly virus to isolate in the East African nation. A human rights groups contends the plan poses “grave health risks” to the public, Bloomberg reports. The Kenyan judge will hear arguments in the case June 2.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-ebola-5/
FDA Panel Recommends Updating Covid Vaccine To Target XFG Strain
FDA Panel Recommends Updating Covid Vaccine To Target XFG Strain
The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee also discussed the "cicada" variant but in the end decided to focus on the current dominant strain.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-vaccines-pharma/
Uninsured Rate Remained Hovering Around 8% In 2025, CDC Says
Uninsured Rate Remained Hovering Around 8% In 2025, CDC Says
Although the rate has held steady for the past few years, Modern Healthcare reports the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects 10 million people will lose coverage over the next decade due to changes in health programs instituted by the Trump administration.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-healthcare-costs-industry/
A Trump Stronghold Grapples With Health Risks of ICE Detention Sites By Renuka Rayasam May 29, 2026
https://kffhealthnews.org/race-and-health/ice-detention-center-social-circle-georgia-lawsuit-trump-stronghold/
SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. — Until recently, this rural city about 45 minutes east of Atlanta was best known for its Blue Willow Inn cookbooks featuring recipes for Southern dishes such as baked pineapple casserole and kudzu blossom jelly.
Efforts To Understand the Nation’s Drugged Driving Problem Stall Under Trump By Jace DiCola May 19, 2026
https://kffhealthnews.org/public-health/drugged-driving-impairment-research-stalled-trump-policies/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20Colorado&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--5joEiMB8r-HC67SaOHJlH--_qSwq_UZ0XPDcQUGo1Er6pshvcAgLVqiTqvNxLoAT-Y3-Jl52N_BCPfgk2n2pVl3eu_w&_hsmi=420603250&utm_content=420603250&utm_source=hs_email
By Jace DiCola
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Two state transportation workers were replacing a sign on the shoulder of U.S. Highway 6 in western Colorado one morning when a Jeep Grand Cherokee swerved off the road and struck them.
The workers, Nathan Jones and Trent Umberger, died in the September 2024 crash, as did a passenger in the Jeep. Tests found that the driver, Patrick Sneddon, then 59, had oxycodone and six times Colorado’s presumed impairment threshold for THC — the psychoactive compound in cannabis — in his blood. He pleaded guilty and is serving 30 years in prison on three counts of vehicular homicide and other charges.
“Our four children are completely crushed without their Dad,” wrote Kristine Umberger, the wife of Trent, in a victim impact statement for the local district attorney. “We have lost our ability to live life like we used to.”
Federal highway safety officials have long tracked the role of alcohol in fatal crashes, but they don’t track deaths that involve a driver under the influence of drugs or a combination of drugs and alcohol.
That discrepancy is partly due to the challenges of proving impairment, since some drugs remain detectable for weeks after use. Sneddon’s attorney, Jennifer Gregory, said a driver can be presumed impaired under Colorado law if their blood contains 5 nanograms of THC or higher per liter. But that “permissible inference” threshold is different from a legal limit — such as the 0.08% blood alcohol content limit — and the level set by Colorado is not supported by published scientific studies, Gregory said.
Such information could prove useful as the nation struggles with an opioid crisis, the Trump administration loosens federal regulations on marijuana, and more than 40 states have legalized or decriminalized some forms of cannabis and psychedelic drugs.
“Impaired driving is a top public safety issue that extends beyond alcohol,” said Sean Rushton, a spokesperson for the federal highway safety agency, which is tackling the issue collaboratively, with resources to ensure a “comprehensive and coordinated approach.”
But President Donald Trump’s cuts to the federal workforce since he returned to office in 2025, along with dwindling federal investments, mean that efforts to expand and improve the tracking of impaired-driving deaths nationwide have slowed.
Bioequivalence Studies With Pharmacokinetic Endpoints for Drugs Submitted Under an Abbreviated New Drug Application May 2026
https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/bioequivalence-studies-pharmacokinetic-endpoints-drugs-submitted-under-abbreviated-new-drug?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
FDA publishes two final guidances for industry: “Bioequivalence Studies With Pharmacokinetic Endpoints for Drugs Submitted Under an ANDA” and “Statistical Approaches to Establishing Bioequivalence”
On May 28, 2026, FDA published two final guidances for industry related to establishing bioequivalence.
The guidance for industry entitled “Bioequivalence Studies with Pharmacokinetic Endpoints for Drugs Submitted Under an ANDA” provides recommendations to applicants planning abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) submissions on how to meet the bioequivalence (BE) requirements set forth in the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and FDA regulations. This final guidance is generally applicable to dosage forms intended for oral administration and to non-orally administered drug products in which reliance on systemic exposure measures is suitable for establishing BE (e.g., transdermal delivery systems and certain rectal and nasal drug products). This final guidance will also be useful to applicants planning BE studies to be conducted during the postapproval period for changes to a drug product approved under an ANDA.
This guidance finalizes the draft guidance of the same title that was issued in August 2021. It aligns the recommendations with the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) recommendations as reflected in the guidance for industry entitled “M13A Bioequivalence for Immediate-Release Solid Oral Dosage Forms” (October 2024) and includes clarifications about study population and study design and updates to the in vitro dissolution testing information.
In addition to this guidance, FDA also recommends that ANDA applicants routinely consult published product specific guidances (PSGs) when considering the appropriate BE study and/or other studies for a proposed generic product. For more information about FDA’s PSG publications and to search for the most recent version of a PSG, see the Product Specific Guidances for Generic Drug Development web page.
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/guidances-drugs/product-specific-guidances-generic-drug-development?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
The guidance for industry entitled “Statistical Approaches to Establishing Bioequivalence” provides recommendations to sponsors and applicants who intend to use equivalence criteria in analyzing in vivo or in vitro BE studies for investigational new drugs (INDs), new drug applications (NDAs), ANDAs, and their amendments and supplements. This guidance discusses statistical approaches for BE comparisons and focuses on how to use these approaches generally and in specific situations.
https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/statistical-approaches-establishing-bioequivalence?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
This guidance finalizes the draft guidance of the same title issued in December 2022 and replaces the guidance of the same title issued in February 2001. This guidance includes clarifying information on estimands and intercurrent events, sample size determinations, and outlier data, additional information on statistical analysis using population bioequivalence and statistical analysis using modified population bioequivalence, which was previously included in PSGs, and additional information on statistical analysis for the reference scaled average bioequivalence for narrow therapeutic index drugs and highly variable drugs, which was previously included in the draft guidance for industry “Bioequivalence Studies with Pharmacokinetic Endpoints for Drugs Submitted Under an ANDA” (August 2021).
These guidances are intended to help applicants more effectively plan their BE studies and use equivalence criteria in analyzing these BE studies. By providing clear information to applicants, these guidances will help generate savings by reducing duplicative efforts, regulatory delays, development costs, and process uncertainties for industry, as well as time spent by FDA assessing applications.
FDA is issuing these guidances as part of its Drug Competition Action Plan, which seeks to improve the efficiency of the generic drug development, review, and approval process. An efficient generic drug review process helps to expand access to safe, high-quality, effective generic medicines that can, in turn, help consumers lower their health care costs.
Oncology Pharmaceuticals: Streamlined Nonclinical Safety Studies for Biologics and Conjugated Products Draft Guidance May 2026
https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/oncology-pharmaceuticals-streamlined-nonclinical-safety-studies-biologics-and-conjugated-products?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a draft guidance to reduce unnecessary animal testing in nonclinical safety assessments for certain cancer drugs.
“This draft guidance not only supports the FDA’s commitment to expedite regulatory pathways for meaningful treatments but also fulfills the agency’s promise to reduce the use of animal testing during drug development,” said FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence Director Angelo de Claro, M.D. “With recommendations for eliminating unnecessary animal testing, using a single relevant species instead of two, or replacing animal studies with evidence-based approaches — as outlined in this draft guidance — the FDA is advancing a more efficient drug development process.”
When finalized, the guidance will provide recommendations for general toxicology studies, including when animal testing may be unnecessary because there is no binding or pharmacologic activity. In some cases, the guidance recommends using rodent studies only or replacing three-month non-human primate studies with a weight-of-evidence risk assessment. That assessment may include New Approach Methodologies, as appropriate. New Approach Methodologies were defined in a recent FDA webpage.
This draft guidance, “Oncology Pharmaceuticals: Streamlined Nonclinical Safety Studies for Biologics and Conjugated Products,” is part of the FDA’s broader work to reduce the estimated 10 to 12 years it can take to bring new drugs from discovery to patients. It builds on FDA data analysis of general toxicology studies and practices developed during the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce the use of non-human primates. It also supplements guidance issued by the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) and FDA guidance on nonclinical studies for oncology therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals.
https://www.fda.gov/science-research/science-and-research-special-topics/new-approach-methodologies-nams?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
The FDA requests that public comments on the draft guidance be submitted by July 30, 2026. The agency will review and consider comments received before finalizing the guidance.
https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/oncology-therapeutic-radiopharmaceuticals-nonclinical-studies-and-labeling-recommendations-guidance?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
Advancing Generic Drug Development: Bioequivalence Challenges for Patient-Centric Oral Formulations June 11, 2026
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/advancing-generic-drug-development-bioequivalence-challenges-patient-centric-oral-formulations?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
Advancing Generic Drug Development: Bioequivalence Challenges for Patient-Centric Oral Formulations Workshop
June 11, 2026
8:30 AM to 12:30 PM ET
Join us for the Advancing Generic Drug Development: Bioequivalence Challenges for Patient-Centric Oral Formulations workshop! This workshop is designed to facilitate discussions about the latest advancements and regulatory considerations in the evolving field of patient-centric (including pediatric) generic oral products, addressing product development and regulatory assessment challenges for these important medicines.
The scope of discussions will include chewable tablets, orally disintegrating tablets, pellet/granule formulations, suspension products, and sublingual/buccal formulations, with a focus on regulatory strategies for patient-centric and pediatric formulations, formulation-specific development issues, and innovative bioequivalence approaches including physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling to support generic pediatric product development. Through a series of expert-led presentations and Q&A sessions, participants will have the opportunity to hear from and pose questions to experts from FDA to help deepen their understanding of current best practices, challenges and opportunities, regulatory expectations, and emerging trends.
Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn how to improve your generic drug development!
https://events-na12.adobeconnect.com/content/connect/c1/1315899612/en/events/event/shared/4940910716/event_registration.html?sco-id=7010350222&_charset_=utf-8
Town Hall – Content of Human Factors Information in Medical Device Marketing Submissions, Final Guidance July 22, 2026
https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/medical-devices-news-and-events/town-hall-content-human-factors-information-medical-device-marketing-submissions-final-guidance?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
Town Hall – Content of Human Factors Information in Medical Device Marketing Submissions, Final Guidance
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will host a town hall for industry and other interested parties to discuss the final guidance titled Content of Human Factors Information in Medical Device Marketing Submissions. This guidance provides a risk-based framework to guide manufacturers and FDA staff on the human factors information that should be included in a marketing submission to the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) to facilitate the efficiency of the FDA review process.
Date: July 22, 2026
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET
Registration is not required.
jueves, 28 de mayo de 2026
Maryland 'Glock Switch' Ban Prompts Panic Gun Sales Around Baltimore
Maryland 'Glock Switch' Ban Prompts Panic Gun Sales Around Baltimore
The new law, set to take effect Oct. 1, targets the "cruciform trigger bar." The device, which is known as a “Glock switch” even though it isn't affiliated with the manufacturer, allows weapons to be converted to illegal, fully automatic firearms, The Baltimore Sun explained. Residents who already own them will be grandfathered in.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/states-126/
Jill Biden Feared Her Husband Was Having Stroke During 2024 Presidential Debate: Report
Jill Biden Feared Her Husband Was Having Stroke During 2024 Presidential Debate: Report
In an interview with the former first lady, slated to air on CBS News this Sunday, Jill Biden discusses former President Joe Biden's performance at the debate. Plus: Pam Bondi's cancer recovery; pricing for new drugs under President Donald Trump; and more.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/administration-news-8/
Drew Altman To Retire As Longtime Leader Of KFF
Drew Altman To Retire As Longtime Leader Of KFF
Altman, who is founding president and chief executive of the nonprofit health policy organization, will step down at the end of 2026, he announced Wednesday. The New York Times noted that under his tenure, KFF has become a primary supplier of information and data on many of the most fiercely debated topics in healthcare, including the Affordable Care Act, vaccines, and gender-affirming care. (The Morning Briefing is part of KFF Health News, one of the three major operating programs at KFF.)
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-lauren-will-do-this-one-health-industry/
Drew Altman, Founding President and CEO of KFF, Announces Retirement Plans; Board Appoints Larry Levitt and Mollyann Brodie as Next Leadership Team
Dr. Altman has led the organization for nearly 40 years; Levitt and Dr. Brodie to assume leadership roles next year, after a combined six decades at KFF in senior positions guiding policy research and polling
Published: May 27, 2026
https://www.kff.org/other-health/drew-altman-founding-president-ceo-kff-announces-retirement/
Scientists Believe GLP-1s May Be Rewiring Parts Of Your Brain
Scientists Believe GLP-1s May Be Rewiring Parts Of Your Brain
As scientists begin to look at the effects GLP-1s have on neurons and nervous systems, questions still remain on how they can cross the blood-brain barrier. The Washington Post reports on the search for answers to how much of your personality can be changed by taking the blockbuster drugs.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/pharma-and-tech-4/
Weekly Shot Of New Drug Hailed As Functional Cure For Hep B
Weekly Shot Of New Drug Hailed As Functional Cure For Hep B
Scientists found that bepirovirsen prevents the virus from replicating in patients with chronic hepatitis B infections, allowing the immune system to attack. An FDA decision about whether Ionis Pharmaceuticals may market the drug in the U.S. is expected in late October, The New York Times reports.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-pub-health/
Suspected Ebola Cases In Congo Top 1,000; Uganda Shuts Shared Border
Suspected Ebola Cases In Congo Top 1,000; Uganda Shuts Shared Border
During the temporary closure, those who must cross the border will face mandatory isolation upon entry to Uganda, health officials said. As cases of the rare strain of Ebola rise, Congo makes a plea for an experimental treatment. Plus: updates from affected healthcare workers on the front line; preventing the spread of disease during the World Cup; and more.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-ebola-4/
In a Vaccine-Skeptical California County, a Potential Playbook To Contain Measles By Annie Sciacca May 28, 2026
In a Vaccine-Skeptical California County, a Potential Playbook To Contain Measles
By Annie Sciacca May 28, 2026
https://kffhealthnews.org/public-health/measles-outbreak-contained-vaccine-skeptical-california-shasta-county/
A patient from his rural Northern California county had measles, a disease so rare there that many physicians have never treated a case.
Conservative Shasta County stopped a measles outbreak from spreading, enlisting teachers, church leaders, and other trusted community members to get the public on board with health guidelines. Infectious disease specialists say the successful effort could be a guide for other communities struggling to contain the highly contagious virus.
Hantavirus Outbreak Revives COVID-Era False Health Claims Joel Luther , Hagere Yilma , and Irving Washington
https://www.kff.org/health-information-trust/hantavirus-outbreak-revives-covid-era-false-health-claims/?utm_campaign=22234741-KFF-Information-Trust&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--wjLq1wQ2GAuiFmP6gyibSdnt8Oi61-6rtpxnxXSONapqjHNGrRa4XGHKNU7mXcHDbEXwGEkVifLlGeXKfJLpaaltC6A&_hsmi=420963252&utm_content=420963252&utm_source=hs_email
A hantavirus outbreak linked to a Dutch cruise ship in early May was followed by false health claims that mirror patterns documented in previous outbreaks, including unsupported claims that ivermectin is an effective treatment, that the outbreak was planned in advance, and that it was caused by COVID-19 vaccines.
The Monitor also examines a new analysis of Americans’ relationship with health and wellness influencers, finding that most who get health information and advice from them express skepticism about what they hear.
FDA Announces Updates to Modernize, Strengthen Pesticide Monitoring Compliance Program
https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-announces-updates-modernize-strengthen-pesticide-monitoring-compliance-program?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
May 28, 2026
Today, the FDA's Human Foods Program announced several key enhancements designed to modernize and strengthen the agency’s monitoring of pesticides in domestic and imported human foods through revisions to Compliance Program 7304.004, last updated in 2011.
These updates strengthen the FDA’s regulatory pesticide residue monitoring program, through which the agency selectively monitors approximately 3,500 domestic and import samples yearly for residues of approximately 780 different pesticides. The FDA also monitors pesticides in human foods through focused surveys and the FDA’s Total Diet Study, and works with states through the Laboratory Flexible Funding Model Program to conduct additional monitoring.
The updated compliance program will focus exclusively on monitoring pesticide residues in foods. To reflect this, the program has been renamed "Pesticides in Human Foods - Domestic and Import." The updates streamline the program and clarify specific objectives such as:
Risk-based Sampling Priorities
The updates include a focus on sampling foods highly consumed by infants and children among more than 150 raw agricultural commodities the FDA samples as part of its responsibility to enforce EPA-established tolerances. These procedural enhancements ensure resources are directed toward the areas of greatest potential risk.
Enhanced Operational Procedures
Instructions for laboratory, compliance, and enforcement staff have been revised to align with updated FDA procedures. Updates to the laboratory testing methods reflect the transition by FDA regulatory laboratories to a harmonized multi-analyte gas- and liquid-chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for determination of pesticide residues and elimination of separate, analyte-specific methods, improving throughput and consistency of results. All activities related to industrial chemicals, including dioxins, will now be conducted under their own programs and references in the compliance program will be removed.
Strengthened Collaboration with Regulatory Partners
New information has been added that outlines interactions and partnerships with FDA centers, related FDA compliance programs, other federal agencies, and U.S. state and local counterparts, highlighting the FDA’s commitment to a collaborative approach to food safety.
Information on the FDA’s pesticide residue monitoring program, including annual summary reports and the newly released Pesticide Report Data Dashboard, visit FDA's Pesticides webpage.
https://www.fda.gov/food/chemical-contaminants-pesticides/pesticides?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
Indigenous-Led Study Targets Transplant Inequities Evra Taylor, MD ++
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/indigenous-led-study-targets-transplant-inequities-2026a1000hgi
For Farmers, Mental Health Care That Fits
Marilynn Larkin
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/farmers-mental-health-care-fits-2026a1000he6
‘Something Died in Me’: Why Dedicated Doctors Quit Medicine Cassie Shortsleeve May 28, 2026
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/something-died-me-why-dedicated-doctors-quit-medicine-2026a1000hrk
First, there were frequent and repeated personal insults. Then there was a stretch where her program’s entire second-year class was fired or held back, pushing calls from every fifth night to every third, with no relief. There was the chief who screamed at a junior resident in a crowded elevator that he was “f--king ugly” and should face the corner. The resident obeyed.
Doctors Say Patients Are Losing Trust in Their Treatment Advice: Medscape Survey Lisa O’Mary Healing a Broken Trust May 27, 2026
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/doctors-say-patients-are-losing-trust-their-treatment-advice-2026a1000ggm?ecd=wnl_edit_tpal_etid8377805&uac=148436CN&impID=8377805
Nearly half of the physicians believe that patients have less trust in their treatment recommendations today than they did several years ago, a possible reflection of growing public distrust in science, a new Medscape survey found.
“Just Let Me Die” After insurance repeatedly denied a couple’s claims, one psychiatrist was their last hope. by Duaa Eldeib, photography by Sarah Blesener for ProPublica
“Just Let Me Die”
After insurance repeatedly denied a couple’s claims, one psychiatrist was their last hope.
by Duaa Eldeib, photography by Sarah Blesener for ProPublica
https://www.propublica.org/article/mental-health-suicide-highmark-bcbs-insurance-denials?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=majorinvestigations&utm_content=secondary
This Little-Known Appeal Could Force Your Insurer to Pay for Lifesaving Care. Here’s How to File It.
by Duaa Eldeib
When a health insurer refuses to pay for your treatment, you may have the right to have the denial reviewed — and potentially overturned — by an independent provider. Here are six steps experts suggest to help you through the external appeal process.
https://www.propublica.org/article/health-insurance-denial-external-review?utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=majorinvestigations&utm_content=secondary
https://www.propublica.org/
Content of Human Factors Information in Medical Device Marketing Submissions Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff May 2026
https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/content-human-factors-information-medical-device-marketing-submissions?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
FDA Issues Final Guidance on Content of Human Factors Information in Medical Device Marketing Submissions
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a final guidance titled Content of Human Factors Information in Medical Device Marketing Submissions. The guidance provides a risk-based framework to guide manufacturers and FDA staff on the human factors (HF) information that should be documented and included in medical device marketing submissions to the Center for Devices and Radiological Health, including premarket notifications (510(k)s), De Novo requests, premarket approval applications (PMAs), and humanitarian device exemption (HDE) applications.
This guidance is designed to streamline and, where appropriate based on risk, minimize the amount of HF information manufacturers need to provide in medical device marketing submissions, saving industry time and resources while reducing unnecessary burden. By clearly defining expectations upfront, the guidance is intended to enhance predictability of the review process and support more efficient review, with FDA resources focused on submissions with the highest usability risks.
This guidance is intended to be used as a companion to the final guidance titled "Applying Human Factors and Usability Engineering to Medical Devices."
miércoles, 27 de mayo de 2026
How Kyle Diamantas defied expectations as he rose to lead the FDA Unlike many leaders at Marty Makary’s FDA, new acting commissioner earned trust of career staff
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/26/kyle-diamantas-acting-fda-commissioner-wins-trust-exceeds-expectations/
By Lizzy LawrenceMay 26, 2026
FDA Reporter
MIT president: Why so many optimistic scientists are losing heart
High-impact science is being damaged and derailed
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/27/science-funding-derailed-breakthroughs/
By Sally KornbluthMay 27, 2026
Kornbluth is the president of MIT.
Sen. Dick Durbin: Trump is letting Big Tobacco target children
Allowing the sale of kid-friendly e-cigarette flavors will set back hard-won progress
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/27/flavored-vapes-e-cigarettes-fda-trump-durbin/
By Dick DurbinMay 27, 2026
Durbin is the senior U.S. senator from Illinois.
It’s the end of science as we know it, and I feel fine Let’s stop mourning the end of the ivory tower and start celebrating what comes next
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/27/science-enterprise-replication-crisis-ivory-tower-community/
By Jonathan JacksonMay 27, 2026
Jackson is a cognitive neuroscientist and clinical trialist.
How Stanford patients help expose ‘fault lines’ in health AI adoption Patient panels offer Stanford Health Care a window into what patients want from AI tools
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/27/stanford-patient-panels-feedback-on-ai-shaping-health-care/
By Brittany TrangMay 27, 2026
Health Tech Reporter
‘Are we just going to give up and die like every other generation?’ At the Vitalist Bay longevity conference, dreamers and entrepreneurs launch an industry By Sarah ToddMay 27, 2026
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/27/longevity-movement-shift-fringe-idea-to-big-business/?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8L2Pnmr9kiCB6RyV7Z3DvOTidg_TxMG-Loh4JI-7ExYWemzkJeYZx2o7oWpJ5Z30hrX0ivN4JziweFW8CUNbF9BEq2bQ&_hsmi=420814327&utm_content=420814327&utm_source=hs_email
The longevity movement is becoming a booming industry
Though the longevity movement still faces widespread skepticism and has a long way to go before becoming mainstream, there's no doubt that it's rapidly gaining steam and investment.
That was no more apparent than at Vitalist Bay, a recent longevity conference that brought together founders, investors, researchers, and biohackers. My colleague Sarah Todd attended the festival this year and takes us into the burgeoning industry, which includes scores of companies developing body scans, blood tests, and lab-grown organs.
As the community shifts from “a movement to really more of an industry,” as one attendee put it, it has to grapple with key questions like how rigorous its science has to be and how accessible the new technology will be.
Kailera Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results and Provides Clinical Data Updates May 26, 2026
https://investors.kailera.com/news-releases/news-release-details/kailera-reports-first-quarter-2026-financial-results-and?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--rt-yETpHe7TC-qElm6tCl1MSsQeYQwmmhjO4a73CF98vQ1Kr7Tvpiz1QVnNCfcUzfTTlf03jhoDdvOrr6o4nKjOFpCw&_hsmi=420814327&utm_content=420814327&utm_source=hs_email
Kailera's own 'triple-G' drug also looks very powerful
Kailera said yesterday that its investigational obesity drug that targets three hormones led to significant weight loss in a Phase 1 study.
After 12 weeks, patients who received the highest dose of the weekly injectable drug, called KAI-4729, experienced up to 16% weight loss, while those on placebo lost 5.4% of their weight.
That's a really rapid rate of weight loss. For context, Novo Nordisk's Wegovy led to 15% weight loss over 68 weeks in its pivotal trial. (It is notable, though, that the placebo group experienced a higher rate of weight loss than we typically see with placebo groups.)
Kailera's drug activates receptors of the GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon hormones. It's similar to Eli Lilly's investigational treatment retatrutide (also known as the “triple-G” drug). Retatrutide has been shown to be very efficacious in Phase 3 studies, but it's also raised concerns about whether the field is pushing patients to lose too much weight loss too quickly.
Kailera launched in 2024 with a plan to develop and sell obesity drug candidates from the Chinese company Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals. Last month, it raised $625 million when going public.
Hengrui ran this latest study in China and Kailera said it will start another Phase 1 trial outside of China this year, with data expected next year.
Apogee Therapeutics Announces $1.3 Billion Strategic Financing Collaboration with Blackstone Life Sciences to Advance Phase 3 Development and Commercialization of Zumilokibart
https://investors.apogeetherapeutics.com/news-releases/news-release-details/apogee-therapeutics-announces-13-billion-strategic-financing?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--AE_lRviz5uTdzuaSeIS7j4n4Tii-OET1hZ-xR5Y7-Wtpsqj7yRT7EJFT9KJgYg7PS590IQ8XYea9EzAsP5JTzyL8UQQ&_hsmi=420814327&utm_content=420814327&utm_source=hs_email
Blackstone Life Sciences, a private equity fund, is providing Apogee Therapeutics with up to $1.3 billion to pay for the Phase 3 development and potential commercialization of zumilokibart, the biotech's long-acting treatment for atopic dermatitis.
US FDA decision date extended for SERENA-6 filing of camizestrant to enable review of additional data
https://www.astrazeneca.com/media-centre/press-releases/2026/us-fda-decision-date-camizestrant-extended.html?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--TO9rHilB0PJ0Ul9jc-LZtbCbZMHt4OB414_MzUu1l5lN88Dgpwuu6mE2-6VcdNNgaXAb0Rfx0g8uh3RsJLmHDP4PyGg&_hsmi=420814327&utm_content=420814327&utm_source=hs_email
The FDA has pushed back the decision date for AstraZeneca's experimental breast cancer drug camizestrant, following a negative vote from a group of agency advisers, the company said. The extra time will allow the FDA to review additional analyses that AstraZeneca is providing. FDA advisers took issue with the study design of the pivotal SERENA-6 trial, though European regulators have recommended the drug be approved. AstraZeneca did not specify the new target date for an FDA decision.
CVS Health Sues Tennessee Pharmacy Board Over New Law Targeting PBMs
CVS Health Sues Tennessee Pharmacy Board Over New Law Targeting PBMs
The new law will prohibit pharmacy benefit managers from owning pharmacies in Tennessee, Modern Healthcare reports. CVS Health alleges in the lawsuit that it unfairly favors independent, local pharmacies and is unconstitutional.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/health-industry-10/
1 Dead, 9 Missing After Hazardous Chemical Tank Implodes In Washington State; Authorities Say There's No Threat To Public
1 Dead, 9 Missing After Hazardous Chemical Tank Implodes In Washington State; Authorities Say There's No Threat To Public
Another nine people were hurt, some of them severely, at the paper mill in Longview, AP reported. The tank was holding a liquid consisting of mainly sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide, which is used with heat to break down wood to make kraft paper. The effort to stabilize the tank will continue during daylight today.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/states-125/
FDA Approves New Treatments For Triple-Negative Breast Cancer And Chronic Hepatitis D
FDA Approves New Treatments For Triple-Negative Breast Cancer And Chronic Hepatitis D
Datopotamab deruxtecan gained approval as a first-line option for triple-negative breast cancer patients ineligible for immunotherapy, MedPage Today reports, while the bulevirtide injection became the first FDA-approved treatment for chronic hepatitis delta virus. Also: Researchers have identified a protein that facilitates the spread of Parkinson’s disease in the brain.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/pharma-and-tech-3/
Trump's Frequent Medical Exams Aren't Unusual For An Elderly Person, Former White House Doc Says
Trump's Frequent Medical Exams Aren't Unusual For An Elderly Person, Former White House Doc Says
Dr. Jeffrey Kuhlman, who served under three presidents, told PBS NewsHour that most 80-year-olds go to the doctor frequently. President Donald Trump, who turns 80 next month, spent more than three hours at Walter Reed medical facility on Tuesday. Kuhlman explained that Walter Reed is usually used for performing more advanced checkups, such as colonoscopies and CT scans.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/trumps-frequent-medical-exams-arent-unusual-for-an-elderly-person-former-white-house-doc-says/
Suicide Surge Among ICE Detainees Reveals A Broken System, AP Probe Finds
Suicide Surge Among ICE Detainees Reveals A Broken System, AP Probe Finds
The increase in detainee suicides “reflects failures in how the system’s being operated," one jail expert noted. An AP investigation found that detention center staff ignored signs of distress, delayed mental health treatment, and did not monitor at-risk detainees.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-immigration/
FDA Panel Zeroing In On XFG Strain For Inclusion In Covid Vaccine
FDA Panel Zeroing In On XFG Strain For Inclusion In Covid Vaccine
The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will meet Thursday to discuss the composition of the next covid shot. XFG is considered a variant under monitoring, The Hill reports. Other news outlets report on the surge in dengue cases in the U.S., the latest news on the hantavirus outbreak, and more.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-covid-other-outbreaks/
White House To Set Up Ebola Treatment Facility In Kenya For Americans
White House To Set Up Ebola Treatment Facility In Kenya For Americans
The New York Times reports that U.S. citizens exposed to the Ebola virus will be taken to Kenya for observation and treatment. Public health experts say the plan to treat U.S. citizens in foreign lands is surprising, given the U.S. has multiple facilities with state-of-the-art resources for monitoring and treating dangerous diseases, including Ebola.
https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/top-3-ebola-3/
Nurse Convicted in Patient’s Death Turns Fatal Drug Error Into a Cautionary Tale By Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio May 27, 2026
https://kffhealthnews.org/syndicate/nurse-drug-errors-hospital-safety-radonda-vought-tennessee/
When RaDonda Vaught got her first speaking request, it had been a year since that day in a Nashville courtroom, when she listened as a jury read her guilty verdict for negligent homicide and neglect of an impaired adult.
Montana Hurries To Adopt Trump’s Medicaid Work Rules Amid Budget Woes The state is ramping up to implement the federal work requirements six months ahead of the deadline. But Montana is one of several states already struggling to pay for health services. By Katheryn Houghton May 27, 2026
https://kffhealthnews.org/medicaid/medicaid-work-requirements-trump-montana-budget-shortfalls/
Montana plans to be one of the first states to enforce President Donald Trump’s work mandate for Medicaid enrollees, adding another challenge for state health officials trying to plug a massive budget hole.
martes, 26 de mayo de 2026
Eli Lilly says Verve’s gene editor lowers cholesterol levels in early study Treatment was center of $1 billion buyout
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/25/eli-lilly-verv-102-gene-editing-cholesterol-phase-1-trial-data/?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9jih8AOmLYTNhfcako_Oakyta8q3YBhmCNx-22C4RPQCQh1ppFLeOtxiuw3u4axGqr_mvd59Ax_6XhGYoAm2Gr2_7guA&_hsmi=420539245&utm_content=420539245&utm_source=hs_email
By Jason MastMay 25, 2026
General Assignment Reporter
Lilly's one-time cholesterol edit shows promise
Eli Lilly’s experimental gene-editing therapy lowered LDL cholesterol by 62% in an early-stage trial. The treatment, acquired through Lilly’s $1 billion buyout of Verve Therapeutics, works by permanently disabling PCSK9 in the liver through a single-letter DNA edit. It suggests that a one-time DNA edit could someday replace lifelong cholesterol medication.
“The results appear durable (likely permanent),” Steven Nissen, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic, said in an email.
Importantly, researchers reported no treatment-related serious adverse events, STAT’s Jason Mast writes — a notable outcome after Verve abandoned an earlier candidate over safety concerns. The data, published in the NEJM, showed LDL reductions lasting up to 575 days in lower-dose cohorts. Still, major questions remain about whether patients will embrace irreversible gene editing when existing PCSK9 drugs already work well with periodic dosing
Eli Lilly to buy three small vaccine developers The companies are working on shots against pathogens that can cause long-term health issues
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/26/eli-lilly-acquisitions-vaccine-developers/?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8ALuHnUhg-wOSdJnkpBSgzTtMBEBG8SW_G2msUBKnpeTSgTJ3rhJJUvJxIppiL2shtOjfJw4BPpXxQSB3n6vxw_53s1Q&_hsmi=420539245&utm_content=420539245&utm_source=hs_email
By Andrew JosephMay 26, 2026
Europe Correspondent
Lilly is also spending more of its GLP-1 cash
Indeed, this morning brings another round of deal-making for Lilly. The pharma giant announced plans to acquire three early and mid-stage vaccine developers for a combined $4 billion, my colleague Andrew Joseph reports.
The companies being bought are Curevo, LimmaTech Biologics, and Vaccine Company.
The new acquisitions will give Lilly a much larger footprint in infectious diseases, an area that hasn’t recently been a priority for the company. Lilly framed the move as one that fit with a broader focus on preventing serious health problems.
An AI biotech CEO sets the record straight on AI drug development hype Peyton Greenside, CEO of BigHat Biosciences, gets real about what AI can and can’t do
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/26/ai-biotech-bighat-biosciences-ceo-on-ai-drug-development-hype/?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_z0rAgkGSDVZQwtFqwfJhR1hLNostdtp2-Djy1wNPSXMLbxuluLphCOmt-26mjsC7lED2ySkg5kQex2tLqzortS3JUFA&_hsmi=420539245&utm_content=420539245&utm_source=hs_email
By Brittany TrangMay 26, 2026
Health Tech Reporter
An AI biotech CEO sets the record straight
BigHat Biosciences CEO Peyton Greenside has a refreshingly unsentimental take on AI drug discovery hype: designing a protein in six hours — or even 20 minutes — is the easy part. The hard part, she argues, is everything that comes afterward: validating molecules, engineering them into actual drugs, testing toxicity, manufacturing them, and proving they work in humans.
Speaking with STAT’s Brittany Trang, Greenside said the real opportunity with AI isn’t cranking out endless simple antibodies faster than China or flashy de novo design startups. Instead, the goal is to engineer highly sophisticated multispecific molecules capable of hitting difficult biology that conventional antibodies can’t safely target.
“We’re in a business where success is really low frequency, right — most things fail. So how do you climb percentages of probability of success towards what you want?” she said.
The innovation trap: How pharma weaponizes a word to extend monopolies The patent system has become more of an exclusivity system for financial investment, not invention
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/26/humira-patents-abbvie-innovation-pharma-monopoly-excerpt/?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--NqIYrTSeyL_QWImwocq__kMwvu4Uqd-XBN-0WjHYurxeY8CGB8KyAoDdbQSPtt3xGkIPaEqH3CAMQPbQubsqSKwyMnA&_hsmi=420539245&utm_content=420539245&utm_source=hs_email
By Tahir Amin and Rohit MalpaniMay 26, 2026
Amin and Malpani are the authors of “Pharma Monopoly: The Battle for the Future of Medicines,” out now from Polity, from which this essay is adapted
Humira became pharma's masterclass in monopoly
Rather than using it to protect innovation, biopharma has transformed the patent system into a machine designed to maximize profits and delay competition, opine patent policy experts Tahir Amin and Rohit Malpani.
To them, Humira is the clearest example: After the blockbuster drug’s original patent expired in 2016, AbbVie built a thicket of 136 patents around dosing tweaks, manufacturing methods, and additional disease uses. This extended its monopoly for years, generating $114 billion in extra revenue — and the drug’s price climbed 470%.
Congressional investigations later revealed McKinsey consultants actively helped devise strategies to block biosimilar competition. Much of what pharma calls “innovation” today, Amin and Malpani write, consists of legally repackaging existing science into incremental changes that offer little therapeutic benefit.
“For policy-makers and anyone else affected by the pharmaceutical medicines system, a 50-year fealty to the god of innovation should force some serious questioning of the system,” they write in this essay, adapted from their book, "Pharma Monopoly: The Battle for the Future of Medicines."
8 former CDC directors: Reform PEPFAR, don’t dismantle it A State Department plan scheduled to be implemented June 1 would strip the U.S. of decades of disease defense
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/26/pepfar-state-department-plan-dismantling-hiv-cdc/
By William Roper, Jeffrey Koplan, Richard Besser, Tom Frieden, Anne Schuchat, Robert Redfield, Rochelle Walensky, and Mandy CohenMay 26, 2026
The authors are former directors or acting directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
How Kyle Diamantas defied expectations as he rose to lead the FDA Unlike many leaders at Marty Makary’s FDA, new acting commissioner earned trust of career staff
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/26/kyle-diamantas-acting-fda-commissioner-wins-trust-exceeds-expectations/?utm_campaign=the_readout&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9UONnCkcAe00w4vX8ZujHHfhjcWEmT1HoVsFNs1Z-pu2sLIodO8brwKxMr1vuC8QTOMSwg2Ee2_xH5AoDndMRTVBqBQw&_hsmi=420539245&utm_content=420539245&utm_source=hs_email
By Lizzy LawrenceMay 26, 2026
FDA Reporter
The unexpected rise of Acting FDA chief Diamantas
When the Trump administration last year appointed Florida attorney Kyle Diamantas as the FDA’s top food official, the broader public health world expected a politically connected industry lawyer with little scientific credibility. Instead, food industry groups, consumer advocates, and FDA staffers are describing him as unusually competent, prepared, and willing to listen, STAT’s Lizzy Lawrence writes. He has presented a sharp contrast with some other recent FDA leaders who alienated career staff by steamrolling scientific expertise.
“Kyle is someone who listens to everyone,” said Scott Faber, senior vice president of the Environmental Working Group. “He’s earned the respect of career staff and the FDA stakeholder community. He’s a natural leader, but he isn’t going to rush to the cameras.”
Diamantas, a former Jones Day attorney who represented food and tobacco clients and apparently hunts wild turkeys with Donald Trump Jr., has built credibility by doing something shockingly rare in Washington: reading briefing materials before meetings and treating stakeholders seriously.
HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY +++ +++ +
HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY
Modern Healthcare: Travel Nursing Market Steadies As Profitability Issues Persist
https://www.modernhealthcare.com/providers/staffing/mh-travel-nursing-market-profitability-survey/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--U-V1V5vBzmca8VdRzfR7wL2zgMLcgi2gPpwVQPUuYlxduyFHt5bH_cPEKxfxUCN1yK9X3EZe_klUkUK0m9QGCHTKsdQ&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email
The travel nurse market is normalizing and several key performance metrics appear to be stabilizing above pre-Covid pandemic levels, according to the annual SIA NATHO Travel Nurse Benchmarking Survey. At the same time, profitability remains under pressure even as bill rates hold relatively steady. Overall, the data suggests the market is no longer in sharp decline but is instead moving into a more stable and operationally disciplined environment. (Fullilove, 5/22)
AP: State Asylums' Psychiatric Records Are Often Hard To Get
https://apnews.com/article/state-asylum-psychiatric-records-df3ae6af27ca1d51df9a98fdb34185a7?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--O254e2OWTsYyWPA4krE0tQCnLplKKmTpR-Z03-4C1nUrhV5lPnpWNmcy3JgHF0NTmwh3IQfn1tBOa_8q2hdsOFIeY9A&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email
Breta Meria Conole was in a state psychiatric hospital for more than two decades. But the reason why is a family mystery. Debby Hannigan, her great grandniece, tried for years to access Conole’s medical records, because she thought they might hold clues to mental health issues in her family, including her oldest daughter’s depression. Hannigan twice wrote to the state of New York for the records. The second time she included a supporting note from her daughter’s therapist, who said the details would help “to know their family medical history better.” Both times she was turned away. (Stobbe, 5/24)
NPR: Mental Health Therapists Who Use AI To Take Notes Face Questions About Trust
https://www.npr.org/2026/05/26/nx-s1-5826943/talk-therapy-mental-health-ai-artificial-intelligence-privacy-trust?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_NpT7xegl8Bpuit16O461WCI3lc3X5mqrdNmikfzmR5aYuCE8kcw4SXVzw8ruEUTpFeAZD5F8GJSTknJ3YNhrv2i0Ucg&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email
For two years, Molly Quinn trusted her therapist with things she hadn't told anyone else. So when her therapist mentioned trying an artificial intelligence tool to take notes, Quinn didn't immediately refuse. The 31-year-old librarian from Fayetteville, Ark., asked to research it first. She wanted to understand where her words would go — whether they would stay local or be processed somewhere in the cloud. (Johnston, 5/26)
The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer: Ohio Therapists See Clawbacks Paused, Pay Reduced
https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2026/05/caresource-halts-medicaid-clawbacks-but-cuts-pay-for-ohio-therapists.html?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9LwMBjjbO8-qubVEQWrvDhkf827lUsSy4AvOf-xZqFtf2rX1e3B6Ca3pjXAyEsUBf20dnhpznFpZkOqs3XNX0trNqJyQ&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email
The first thing Ohio therapists saw was the bill. It came from CareSource, Ohio’s largest Medicaid managed care plan, which covers more than 1.4 million members. In April, the Dayton-based organization told some behavioral health providers that it had been paying them too much for treating Medicaid patients — and that the therapists would have to pay the money back. (Washington, 5/25)
The Baltimore Sun: Eastern Shore Receives $3.1 Million Federal Healthcare Funding
https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/05/24/eastern-shore-health-funding/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--SNZwxxDXUiPoJa3QNfp9GEGqqWAdr4odExWCaXDtGIU88_QNAQoVXdbnpqVKJv5-OgZ6jur4a0vG8cl3KFRCHK1A8Ow&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email
Communities on Maryland’s Eastern Shore have received more than $3 million in federal funding to assist with clinic staffing and other health care needs. The $3,139,017 in funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced Sunday by U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, will go to Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties. (Hubbard, 5/24)
Carolina Public Press: UNCW Gets UNC System Blessing To Continue Medical School Planning
https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2026/05/24/uncw-gets-unc-system-blessing-to-continue-medical-school-planning/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8GYkSW0xg7Ubqj3wm4D7T2zsfvP-8vVRwwNznQFo2R_D3fagxYe4PtSWtVqVdS5y8ujnKCKLuPfWXGyhfu8smn2XfQ6w&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email
The University of North Carolina System Board of Governors voted Thursday to let UNC-Wilmington move forward with the planning process for its proposed medical school. It’s the next step — though an unusual one — in the university’s effort to mend healthcare inequity by increasing access in Southeastern North Carolina. (Denning, 5/24)
The Washington Post: Weight-Loss Compounder Hims & Hers Is Shifting To Wellness And Longevity
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/05/24/weight-loss-compounder-hims-hers-is-shifting-wellness-longevity/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-867zLRuiEkfxeIoLc1k4prGCkiEhDiZLpwrRWHAUG3GyB_Iqv61y6yQIhApuaUKVVPxO6UlQOmlXRddxOxjPplUPFOAg&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email
The next phase of Andrew Dudum’s quest to change how Americans get their health care is taking shape behind the walls of a nondescript factory, tucked off a side street in Silicon Valley. As co-founder and CEO of telehealth company Hims & Hers, Dudum has helped lead the tech industry’s encroachment on traditional medicine, using social media to sell popular prescription drugs over the internet. (Rowland, 5/24)
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ++++ +
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
Bloomberg: Trump Doctor Visit Renews Health Scrutiny As 80th Birthday Nears
President Donald Trump’s upcoming medical examination is intensifying health-related scrutiny that has surrounded him ever since his first campaign for the nation’s highest office more than a decade ago. Trump on Tuesday is heading to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for his fourth publicly disclosed doctor’s appointment since the start of his second term. The White House has offered few details about the visit, saying it would involve “routine annual dental and medical assessments.” (Lucey, 5/24)
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-24/trump-doctor-visit-renews-health-scrutiny-as-80th-birthday-nears?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8uV_9LP_fhGgKnuj4DoUUPkEjpx036y31fkA510UZxT536LOlSQeEa8U4ysLcsJyuyjjjbjA_dQLuzX77XK-bJlXq6kg&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email
Stat: What Prompted, And What's Holding Up, An Agency For Men's Health
Just before he was sworn in as assistant secretary for health at the end of 2025, Admiral Brian Christine — a urologist whose practice treated primarily male patients — talked at an FDA panel on testosterone about a series of alarming statistics: Male life expectancy is close to seven years shorter than women’s; men have higher mortality rates in 10 of the leading causes of death; and they make up the vast majority of deaths by suicide. (Merelli, 5/22)
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/22/state-of-mens-health-act-new-office-slowed/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-89v3AC0kO3vi7mXDhM3oAWKDqDVk3sVpzp3dpN6-7Kt2ZFHw3WhMjF0GPqFP289f7HagwrYgdJZpEfwuHQlYBycpTdiw&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email
Stat: Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas Is Defying Expectations
People in the food world didn’t know what to expect when the Trump administration appointed a little-known Florida attorney as the FDA’s top food official in 2025. (Lawrence, 5/26)
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/26/kyle-diamantas-acting-fda-commissioner-wins-trust-exceeds-expectations/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--9cZ_Qk1DmrNTxjrpgs9WbCvWSuSvumX8l0pNVNDbjl8Anv4DQM9eiVYaPBzOwGqqeg5CFHSwRtXIn_s7jCmFc4tyzVA&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email
Stat: Trump Wants To Expand Medicaid Cuts, Building On Tax Cut Bill
Hospitals and other providers are bracing for an end to the extra money they’ve gotten for treating Medicaid patients, one of the many cuts contained in Republicans’ sweeping 2025 tax law. But the Trump administration disclosed this week that it plans to take the cuts to state directed payments even further, setting up what’s likely to be a showdown with provider groups. (Bannow, 5/22)
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/22/medicaid-state-directed-payments-trump-proposes-more-cuts/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_7JqZDGEUwQDsy_78c88ggjVVmf_dymJL51YIm0TRtgvJoepM39OHauyplFlIFr_azaBWeNfTOoifxZrgaowuKjCHELQ&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email
MILITARY HEALTH
Military.com: Robert Irvine’s 23-Year Fight To Fix Military Food Is Finally Paying Off
The Army spends roughly $3 billion annually on food procurement and has been expanding a campus-style dining modernization effort designed to improve quality, access and flexibility for soldiers. Robert Irvine says the transformation is long overdue. (Lindsay, 5/25)
https://www.military.com/robert-irvines-23-year-fight-to-fix-military-food-is-finally-paying-off?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9aDR2PSsAdhzhEBNzGoNKD-Bq6NRk9ZDn5M5PcLzSTz-eZqvf2J1ZswiJ60csvSJfepSFlp0akSuPX2zKZVPJ2VhFvyg&_hsmi=420530587&utm_content=420530587&utm_source=hs_email
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