Study Links Type 2 Diabetes With Higher Risk Of Cancer (++)

Study Links Type 2 Diabetes With Higher Risk Of Cancer A Danish study looked at 27 years of data and found an increase of cancers related to obesity, like colorectal cancer and postmenopausal breast cancer, in people with Type 2 diabetes, Newsweek reported. Between 2010 and 2022, obesity-related cancers were 45% higher in men and 30% higher in women with Type 2 diabetes than those without. Plus: birth control for men, BuzzBallz, peripheral artery disease, and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/public-health-093026/ Viewpoints: The Current State Of The World Is Wearing Down Our Health; Coal's Real Comeback? Black Lung Disease https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-the-current-state-of-the-world-is-wearing-down-our-health-coals-real-comeback-black-lung-disease/

GAO: Trump Can't Void Millions That Congress OK'd Spending On HHS Programs (+++)

GAO: Trump Can't Void Millions That Congress OK'd Spending On HHS Programs Following President Donald Trump's Friday announcement that he'd use a “pocket rescission” to cancel more than $800 million in spending approved by Congress for immigrant services and diversity-focused initiatives, the Government Accountability Office let lawmakers know that he's not allowed to withhold funds beyond the end of the fiscal year ending Wednesday, AP reported. Most of the cuts are aimed at Health and Human Services programs that serve refugees and unaccompanied minors accused of being in the country illegally. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/immigration-and-race-093026/ Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor Takes Helm At Powerful Pharma Lobby Group The trade group Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America has tapped Cantor, a Republican, as its next president, Politico reported. Also: Lawmakers urge the Trump administration to rethink a new federal rule that could keep Americans from getting Canadian meds. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/pharma-and-tech-093026/ Despite Safety Claims, Six Flags Shuts Down Thrill Ride Some Allege Caused Brain Injuries The X2 roller coaster at California's Magic Mountain was retired a week after three people sued Six Flags and S&S Worldwide, The New York Times reported. The companies previously settled lawsuits with the families of two people who died after riding the X2. Plus, an Ohio woman has sued Selby General Hospital and her doctors for gross negligence, battery, and reckless conduct after the wrong leg was amputated during surgery. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/state-watch-093026/

Health Secretary RFK Jr. Says AI Will 'Free Us From Medical Tyranny' (++)

Health Secretary RFK Jr. Says AI Will 'Free Us From Medical Tyranny' On Tuesday at a MAHA conference, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed that artificial intelligence is "better informed than any doctor in the country." He also allegedly agreed with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who claimed it would be malpractice for a doctor to make a diagnosis without consulting AI, The New York Times reported. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/artificial-intelligence-093026/ Preventive Services' Guidance On Cervical Cancer Screening Was Quashed, Ex-Chair Says "Despite the efforts, the task force has been blocked from publishing even a single recommendation since July 2025," Michael Silverstein wrote in the Annals of Internal Medicine. "This means that primary care providers across the country may be following cancer, heart disease, or other prevention guidelines that are based on outdated evidence, and Americans are possibly being denied insurance coverage for highly effective services." https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/more-administration-news-093026/

KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES (++++)

KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES KFF Health News and AP: Rural MAHA Followers Say Trump Health Policies Haven’t Reached Their Communities President Donald Trump has championed sprawling health policy changes under the Make America Healthy Again movement, but a KFF-Associated Press survey of rural voters found people aren’t seeing the initiatives reach their communities. (Swenson, Tribble, and Sanders, 9/30) https://kffhealthnews.org/rural-health/kff-ap-poll-rural-voters-maha-make-america-healthy-again-local-impact-midterms/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--mCZg8wNam2KKOdNMSat2ew-bSh9dX9XSGK9RCrY0sdgOT70NMWBgORssX8AkQRY05v7FOhLdXs3V4WBCdPre-mXHN6w&_hsmi=441803617&utm_content=441803617&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: Drugs Are Widely Used To Sedate Dementia Patients. Her Sons Wanted To Keep Her Off Them In December 2024, Marjorie Tingley’s adult sons received an urgent email from the dementia care unit at Vista Grande Villa, a Michigan senior living community. They were told that their 85-year-old mother was a major safety threat. On at least 10 days the previous month, Tingley had hit, kicked, or elbowed aides when they were trying to help change her briefs, get dressed, bathe, or go to the bathroom, according to Vista Grande behavior logs. Vista Grande wanted permission to sedate her. (Rau, 9/30) https://kffhealthnews.org/aging/dementia-drugs-antipsychotic-dangers-memory-care-seniors-alzheimers-michigan/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8amkn8j2btRbpAT64xxlhn7pfHY613va06Rq_24qHB2sgFRda2Hl9OQgrruAiWWY4qRZxMigg2akaEWC8KC4Vd2w_P1A&_hsmi=441803617&utm_content=441803617&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: US Poised To Boot Legal Immigrants From Medicaid, Including Refugees And Sex-Trafficking Victims Hundreds of thousands of immigrants with legal status are at risk of losing government health coverage starting Oct. 1, state data shows, signaling that the impact of Medicaid changes in President Donald Trump’s signature legislation from 2025 may be greater than anticipated. Many lawfully present immigrants will be among the first people to lose Medicaid coverage under congressional Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which is expected to cut spending by more than $900 billion through 2034 for the state-federal health program for people with low incomes or disabilities. The law will strip many more immigrants of their Affordable Care Act plan subsidies and Medicare coverage next year. (Galewitz, Jones and Boyd-Barrett, 9/30) https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/immigrants-kicked-off-medicaid-refugees-asylum-seekers-trump-big-beautiful-bill-cbo-2/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--eb3Ur0WyJ1q9CvijtiooQrlqVlKLhf-72KGeB-3WE6z8HDCobCItrgSnFGqGSM_O-ojlzDkdI_hlwzkBR28K60KEjuw&_hsmi=441803617&utm_content=441803617&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: These 100 Nursing Homes Face Perilous Flood Risk. Minnesota Shows What Can Happen Floodwater seeped through the nursing home’s front door just before sunrise. Inside the New Richland Care Center, staff members rushed to move 36 residents out of the building on Sept. 19 while they still could. They pushed elderly residents in wheelchairs through 4-inch-deep water to buses waiting in the parking lot, said nursing home administrator Robert Johannsen. (Kelman, Hacker, Chang, McLister and Rantala, 9/30) https://kffhealthnews.org/public-health/nursing-home-flood-risk-analysis-minnesota-evacuation/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-83DCLRY6Yd1K5dm0qNsKxjOjqCy9trXwZG5kv0X4LikRcnbjESAciPVgwgAro8C3WxMeQO9ZvCGBzCCf5ap_KVHMnFDw&_hsmi=441803617&utm_content=441803617&utm_source=hs_email

Advancing Regulatory Science (+++++) INFORMATION ABOUT FDA'S REGULATORY SCIENCE RESEARCH

Advancing Regulatory Science https://www.fda.gov/science-research/science-and-research-special-topics/advancing-regulatory-science?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Regulatory Science is a field of scientific research focused on developing the tools, standards, and approaches needed to generate the data and information on which FDA assesses the safety, efficacy, quality, and performance of FDA-regulated products. Advances in regulatory science are critical to support regulatory decision-making and to help enable the translation of discoveries in science and technology into safe and effective medical products. FDA: Overview of our Role Regulating and Approving Drugs | Video Series https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-consumers-and-patients-drugs/overview-our-role-regulating-and-approving-drugs-video-series?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery FDA oversees prescription, generic, biosimilars, and over-the-counter drugs. Learn more. CDER Office of New Drugs- Regulatory Science Research https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/cder-offices-and-divisions/office-new-drugs-regulatory-science-research The Office of New Drugs (OND)-led regulatory science research projects are designed to address knowledge gaps identified during regulatory review of investigational or new drug applications. Learn more. CDER Office of Generic Drugs- Science and Research https://www.fda.gov/drugs/generic-drugs/science-research?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery The Office of Research and Standards within the FDA's Office of Generic Drugs (OGD) supports the Science and Research program established under the Generic Drug User Fee Amendments (GDUFA). In collaboration with industry and the public, FDA creates an annual list of its regulatory science initiatives on generic drugs. Learn more. Research Tools and Resources https://www.fda.gov/drugs/science-and-research-drugs/research-tools-and-resources?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Developing and sharing knowledge and scientific resources with researchers in the public and private sectors is at the heart of what CDER scientists do. Learn more.

A Novel Stratum-Specific Trial Design Improves Statistical Power for Rare Diseases with Heterogenous Clinical Symptoms September 22, 2026

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/regulatory-science-action/impact-stories?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery A Novel Stratum-Specific Trial Design Improves Statistical Power for Rare Diseases with Heterogeneous Clinical Symptoms Clinical trials for rare diseases face significant statistical challenges: small patient populations limit enrollment and the heterogeneous clinical presentations common to many rare diseases further reduce statistical power by making it difficult to identify a single primary endpoint applicable to all participants. Traditional trial designs either enroll all patients using uniform endpoints regardless of their symptoms or restrict enrollment to patients experiencing all symptoms under investigation — both approaches can substantially limit a trial's power. To address these challenges, CDER statisticians developed a novel stratum-specific trial design in which patients are grouped into subpopulations based on the symptoms they experience at baseline, and treatment efficacy is evaluated using only the endpoints relevant to each patient's subpopulation. Using computer simulations, researchers compared this design against traditional global test approaches and found substantial gains in statistical power for a given subpopulation size — meaning fewer total patients are needed to achieve the same level of evidence as a traditionally designed trial. When followed by the Hochberg method for multiple testing correction, the design also maintained reasonable power to draw conclusions about treatment effects on specific symptoms. The stratum-specific design has important limitations, including a weaker interpretation of significant global test results compared to traditional trials, and an assumption of well-defined, accurately categorized subpopulations at baseline that does not account for patient misclassification or post-randomization symptom changes. Despite these limitations, CDER researchers suggest this framework offers a valuable and flexible paradigm for rare disease drug development, with the potential to support more efficient clinical trials and strengthen the evidence base for regulatory approval of effective therapies. Sponsors are encouraged to explore this design further through FDA's Complex Innovative Trial Design Meeting Program and the LEADER 3D initiative. Advancing Regulatory Science https://www.fda.gov/science-research/science-and-research-special-topics/advancing-regulatory-science?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

C3TI Demonstration Program CDER Center for Clinical Trial Innovation (C3TI) (+...)

https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/cder-center-clinical-trial-innovation-c3ti/c3ti-demonstration-program?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery CDER Center for Clinical Trial Innovation (C3TI) Demonstration Program Fosters Early Engagement with Drug Developers on Innovative Clinical Trial Approaches The CDER Center for Clinical Trial Innovation (C3TI) Demonstration Program provides an opportunity for drug developers to test and scale the integration of innovative approaches to clinical trial design and conduct. In this program, clinical trial sponsors can engage early with CDER review teams and subject matter experts in a structured and direct manner on innovative trial elements. A key objective of the C3TI Demonstration Program is to share insights related to the innovative elements of selected trials with the broader clinical trial community. To support this goal, participating sponsors and FDA will agree on what aspects of the development program can be shared publicly. Generally, participating sponsors will be expected to share select details of their clinical trials and the implementation of innovative approaches as the trials progress. This may include updates and insights that focus on general principles and innovative aspects while maintaining the necessary confidentiality of proprietary or sensitive information. The Demonstration Program accepts projects on a rolling basis and is open to selected sponsors conducting innovative clinical trials under a pre-investigational new drug application (pre-IND) or IND with CDER. These trials should be intended to support new drug approvals or changes to approved drug labeling. C3TI currently has three demonstration project areas: Bayesian Statistical Analysis Selective Safety Data Collection Streamlined Trials Embedded in clinical Practice More information about C3TI and its demonstration program, including eligibility criteria and how to submit a proposal, is available on the C3TI webpage. https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/center-drug-evaluation-and-research-cder/cder-center-clinical-trial-innovation-c3ti?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

April - June 2026 | New Safety Information or Potential Signals of Serious Risks Identified by the FDA Adverse Event Monitoring System (AEMS) [Formerly FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS)]

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/fda-adverse-event-monitoring-system-aems/april-june-2026-new-safety-information-or-potential-signals-serious-risks-identified-fda-adverse

FDA Launches Nationwide Effort to Expand Scientific Expertise and Consumer Voices to Advisory Committees

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-launches-nationwide-effort-expand-scientific-expertise-and-consumer-voices-advisory-committees?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery FDA Launches Nationwide Effort to Expand Scientific Expertise and Consumer Voices to Advisory Committees The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced a broad, nationwide recruitment effort to expand the range of qualified voices and perspectives on its advisory committees— the independent bodies that inform some of the most consequential decisions in American public health. As part of an effort to broaden and strengthen participation on its advisory committees, the FDA is publishing two Federal Register notices: one seeking qualified scientific, technical, and professional voting members across all committees with current or anticipated vacancies, and a companion notice seeking consumer representatives to ensure the public’s voice is at the table. “FDA advisory committees bring together leading scientific minds to engage with the most difficult questions in public health. We are actively inviting people from across the country who are on the forefront of their fields — clinicians, researchers, and community voices who can bring the latest science, real-world experience, and fresh perspectives to the FDA’s deliberations,” said Acting FDA Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Kyle Diamantas, J.D. “These panels provide independent expertise and rigorous scrutiny as the FDA navigates complex and rapidly evolving areas of science. The Trump Administration is deeply committed to strengthening the partnership between the FDA and the nation’s brightest minds. Advisory committees are a cornerstone of the FDA’s science-based, transparent regulatory process. These committees and panels bring together scientific experts such as physicians, researchers, biostatisticians, along with patient advocates and consumer representatives to evaluate the evidence on drugs, vaccines, biologics, medical devices, and other FDA-regulated products — providing independent recommendations that help the FDA make well-informed decisions on behalf of the American public. The FDA is recruiting qualified candidates for vacancies spanning multiple scientific domains — from oncology and cardiovascular medicine to neurology, genetics, and medical devices. Interested candidates — whether applying as scientific experts or as consumer representatives — are encouraged to begin the process through the centralized FDA Advisory Committee Membership Nomination application portal. Nominees for scientific and technical voting member positions must demonstrate subject-matter expertise relevant to one or more FDA advisory committees, the ability to interpret complex scientific and technical information, an understanding of the public health significance of issues before the committee, and the capacity to provide objective, independent advice. Nominees for consumer representative positions should have demonstrated affiliation with or active participation in consumer or community-based organizations, and the ability to analyze technical data, discuss benefits and risks, and evaluate product safety and efficacy from a public perspective. The FDA will consider nominations for current and anticipated near-term vacancies and will accept nominations on a continuing basis. To receive first consideration for current and near-term vacancies, nominations for consumer representative positions should be submitted no later than November 15, 2026, and nominations for scientific, technical, professional, and other voting-member positions should be submitted no later than November 30, 2026. Nominations received after these dates will be considered as later vacancies arise. Self-nominations are accepted. Members are invited to serve for terms of up to four years.

FDA Releases FY 2024 Pesticide Residue Monitoring Report (+... ...)

https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-releases-fy-2024-pesticide-residue-monitoring-report?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery FDA Releases FY 2024 Pesticide Residue Monitoring Report September 30, 2026 Today, the FDA made available its annual Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Report for Fiscal Year 2024, summarizing findings from FDA testing of human and animal foods for 781 different pesticides and selected industrial compounds from Oct. 1, 2023, through Sept. 30, 2024. Companies that grow, produce or manufacture food products sold in the U.S. must comply with applicable Environmental Protection Agency and FDA regulations. To protect public health, the FDA’s pesticide residue monitoring program tests FDA-regulated foods shipped in interstate commerce to determine whether they comply with pesticide tolerances, or maximum residue levels, set by EPA. If the FDA finds that the amount of pesticide residue detected on a food exceeds any existing tolerance, or has no established tolerance, the FDA will take action as appropriate. Monitoring focuses on raw agricultural foods of dietary importance (i.e., foods that comprise the greater part of the U.S. diet and can most contribute to pesticide exposure in people) and foods consumed in large amounts by infants and young children. Pesticide Residue Monitoring Report and Data for FY 2024 https://www.fda.gov/food/pesticides/pesticide-residue-monitoring-report-and-data-fy-2024?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Setting Tolerances for Pesticide Residues in Foods https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-tolerances/setting-tolerances-pesticide-residues-foods?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Pesticides are widely used in producing food. These pesticides may remain in small amounts (called residues) in or on fruits, vegetables, grains, and other foods. To ensure the safety of the food supply for human consumption, EPA regulates the amount of each pesticide that may remain in and on foods. This webpage briefly describes how EPA sets limits, called tolerances, for pesticide residues in foods and animal feeds. For FY 2024, findings show that the levels of pesticide chemical residues in the U.S. food supply are generally in compliance with EPA pesticide tolerances. Overall Findings Human Food Samples: 3,528 total samples (893 domestic food samples from 46 states and 2,635 import food samples from 76 countries/economies). 98.2% of domestic samples and 84.4% of import samples were compliant with federal regulations (below EPA tolerances). No pesticide chemical residues were detected in 36.8% of domestic samples and 36.5% of import samples. Historically, the violation rate for imported foods has been higher than for domestic foods, and the FY 2024 results continue that trend. This higher violation rate affirms the risk-based approach, which prioritizes for sampling, among other factors, imported food products that are more likely to contain violative pesticide chemical residues, and the countries more likely to export them. This may be based on past problem areas, findings from state and federal monitoring, and foreign pesticide usage data. Animal Food Samples: 306 total samples (153 domestic food samples from 24 states and 153 import samples from 13 countries). 93.5% of domestic samples and 91.5% of import samples were compliant with federal regulations (below EPA tolerances). No pesticide chemical residues were detected in 47.1% of domestic samples and 42.5% of import samples. Focused Sampling In FY 2024, the FDA conducted pesticide analyses for the “Domestically Produced Animal-Derived Foods” assignment. The FDA collected and analyzed 110 samples of selected animal-derived domestic foods, consisting of 29 milk, 34 shell egg, 19 honey and 28 game meat samples. No violative pesticide chemical residues were found in any of these foods, and 93.6% of the samples contained no pesticide residues. Pesticide Report Data Dashboard FY 2024 pesticide monitoring data are available to view on the FDA Pesticide Report Data Dashboard, a data visualization tool that enables users to interact with the tables and figures presented in the report and more directly view the data underlying the summaries. The FDA developed the dashboard in 2025 to support the agency’s commitment to transparency and enhancement of the food chemical safety program. The FDA plans to update the FDA Pesticide Report Data Dashboard next fiscal year to visualize multiple years of data. https://www.fda.gov/food/pesticides/fda-pesticide-report-data-dashboard?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Reports and Data https://www.fda.gov/food/pesticides/pesticide-residue-monitoring-program-reports-and-data?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Questions and Answers https://www.fda.gov/food/pesticides/pesticide-residue-monitoring-program-questions-and-answers?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Pesticides https://www.fda.gov/food/chemical-contaminants-pesticides/pesticides?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery FDA Total Diet Study (TDS) https://www.fda.gov/food/reference-databases-and-monitoring-programs-food/fda-total-diet-study-tds?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

New federal autism committee head has financial ties to leucovorin STAT News | September 29, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/29/new-federal-autism-committee-head-has-financial-ties-to-leucovorin/ Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has handed the reins of federal autism research to a doctor with a commercial stake in one of the administration’s favorite autism treatments. As STAT’s Amanda Erickson reports, the HHS secretary has installed pediatric neurologist John Gaitanis as chair of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, the panel that helps the federal government decide how to allocate roughly $2 billion in autism research.

RFK, Jr. likely violated federal ethics guidelines in accepting more than $4,275,000 in gifts and book advances from MAHA allies New York Times | September 29, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/29/rfk-jr-likely-violated-federal-ethics-guidelines-in-accepting-more-than-4275000-in-gifts-and-book-advances-from-maha-allies/ Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. accepted $4 million in book advances and more than $270,000 in gifts over the past year from close allies working to advance his Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda, according to his latest financial disclosure. Ethics experts say the arrangements may violate federal rules barring officials from profiting from their positions, as The New York Times’ Christina Jewett and Sheryl Gay Stolberg report. https://www.nytimes.com/by/christina-jewett

The exploding controversy over AI’s built-in survival drive Peter Marshall | September 29, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/29/the-exploding-controversy-over-ais-built-in-survival-drive/ In controlled safety tests described earlier this year, researchers asked AI models to solve a series of simple math problems. Partway through the exercise, the instructors warned the bots that if they tried to solve the next problem, the computer environment they were operating in would be shut down. In some runs, the shutdown occurred as specified. In others, models interfered with the shutdown script and continued with the remaining problems.

The last ‘breakthrough’ devices to get special treatment from Medicare After this month, devices with this FDA label must demonstrate substantial clinical improvement for extra Medicare payments

https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/29/fda-breakthrough-medical-devices-special-treatment-medicare/ By Katie PalmerSept. 29, 2026 Health Tech Correspondent

Drug pricing, Medicaid, and research funding: The key policy issues at stake in the midterms November’s elections could reshape key health care debates in Washington

https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/29/healthcare-industry-midterm-elections-analysis/ By Daniel PayneSept. 29, 2026 Washington Correspondent

Federal Bill Takes Aim at Private Equity’s Role in Healthcare Randy Dotinga

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/federal-bill-takes-aim-private-equitys-role-healthcare-2026a100100o?src= As Oregon goes, so goes the nation. That’s the hope of a Democratic US senator who wants to limit private equity’s role in healthcare via legislation modeled on the Beaver State’s strict policies. The Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act, introduced this month by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and congressional colleagues, aims to tightly control who can own a medical practice or contract for medical services. “It is a federal override,” said Chicago attorney John Saran, JD, a partner with the law firm of Holland & Knight. “These legislators think the Oregon model is what is needed right now.”

Is Being a Millennial Doctor Actually Harder Financially Than Being a Boomer Doctor Was? Jennifer Nelson

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/being-millennial-doctor-actually-harder-financially-than-2026a100109m For as long as millennial physicians have been telling their older colleagues that medicine feels harder now, older physicians have had a ready response: We had it harder. We just didn’t complain about it. It’s become one of medicine’s most durable generational arguments — and, like most durable arguments, it’s rarely been tested against actual numbers.

Junior Doctors Work 57 Hours a Week: Is This Sustainable? Petra Kittner

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/junior-doctors-work-57-hours-week-this-sustainable-2026a10010bg How satisfied are doctors at the start of their careers with their work, continuing education, and personal lives? The REST JD Report, published in 2025 by the European Junior Doctors Association (EJD), provides a Europe-wide overview using a standardized methodology. The survey included doctors in specialty training in 26 countries. A total of 6165 responses were received, of which 5831 responses from 19 countries met the specified response rates and were included in the analysis. The participants were 29 years old on average, and 80% were in the first 4 years of their training.

Canada: Physician Compensation Report 2026 Edited by Erik Greb

https://www.medscape.com/p11/canada-physician-compensation-report-2026-2026a1000zpg Medscape recently surveyed 363 full-time practicing physicians in Canada about compensation and the financial realities of medical practice. General practitioners and specialists described their average 2025 compensation, but their perceptions of its fairness varied. Respondents also described the time and financial demands that shaped how they viewed their compensation.

Viewpoints: Is This The Answer To Ever-Increasing Healthcare Costs?; AI's 'Pretend Empathy' Is A Dangerous Illusion

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-is-this-the-answer-to-ever-increasing-health-care-costs-ais-pretend-empathy-is-a-dangerous-illusion/

Most Blood Work Does Not Require 8-Hour Fasting, New Research Shows

Most Blood Work Does Not Require 8-Hour Fasting, New Research Shows The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, showed that glucose and lactate were significantly lower per additional hour of fasting, while lipid results showed no change from more hours of fasting. The new findings support more targeted fasting requirements over a more standardized practice, MedPage Today reported. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/pharma-and-tech-092926/

H. Pylori, HPV, Hepatitis B, And Other Infections Linked To Millions Of Cancer Cases In 2024, Study Finds

H. Pylori, HPV, Hepatitis B, And Other Infections Linked To Millions Of Cancer Cases In 2024, Study Finds The study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) was published Monday in Lancet Oncology. It shows that infection control could significantly reduce the number of worldwide cancer cases. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/public-health-092926/

Come 2027, Veterans Prescribed Psychotropic Substances Must Provide Written Consent

Come 2027, Veterans Prescribed Psychotropic Substances Must Provide Written Consent The new policy applies to veterans younger than 30 and is intended to ensure people seeking mental health treatment understand the risks and benefits of antidepressants. Veterans' groups also want lawmakers to pass the Written Informed Consent Act, which would impose even stricter standards on VA hospitals, The New York Times reported. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/veterans-healthcare-092926/

Toxic Effects In The Air And On The Ground Lingered Long After Maui Wildfires Were Extinguished, Study Finds

Toxic Effects In The Air And On The Ground Lingered Long After Maui Wildfires Were Extinguished, Study Finds New research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday found higher metal levels, associated with respiratory harm, in nearby residents up to a year and a half after the deadly 2023 fires, AP reported. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/state-watch-092926/

CMS Expects Medicare Advantage Premium Costs To Decline Over 16% Next Year

CMS Expects Medicare Advantage Premium Costs To Decline Over 16% Next Year The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services also predicts MA prescription drug premiums will decrease by 38% year-over-year, Fierce Healthcare reported. Meanwhile, Medicare Advantage enrollment numbers are expected to fall next year. Medicare Open enrollment begins Oct. 15 and continues through Dec. 7. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/health-industry-092926/

More Than Half Of Pennsylvania Counties Report Measles As Case Count Tops 900

More Than Half Of Pennsylvania Counties Report Measles As Case Count Tops 900 Adults ages 25 to 49 make up the bulk of the case count, public health officials say. The country as a whole has seen more than 3,600 cases this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Plus, Stat examines why some parents are so critical of vaccines. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/outbreaks-092926/

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION AP: Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court To Allow Restrictions On Transgender Inmates' Medical Care The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Monday to let it enforce, for now, restrictions on gender-affirming care in federal prison. The emergency appeal comes after lower courts blocked officials from immediately carrying out the policy adopted after an executive order from President Donald Trump. U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth ordered the government to continue providing gender-affirming care like hormone therapy. (Whitehurst, 9/28) https://apnews.com/article/transgender-inmates-prison-hormones-surgery-trump-c8ac248e47fe1c36a9671dfff05132b8?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8ZeN980FZgzk2EpgfWaWma6tXljT2EeyUnqqg5StoXkYs_2Y3bmerfLLwY-LvGkSUPO7_NPBn77KK6wR7N3auvsuCm-g&_hsmi=441541568&utm_content=441541568&utm_source=hs_email The Washington Post: Education Department Officially Scraps Biden-Era Title IX Rules The Education Department will scrap Biden-era Title IX rules that sought to bolster nondiscrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity, officials announced Monday, marking a return to rules from the first Trump administration. The regulations, initially released in 2020, outline how schools must handle reports of sexual misconduct, including setting a stricter definition for what constitutes sexual harassment and giving more due process rights to those accused. The rules, which take effect Tuesday, will not change much for schools. The Trump administration has been enforcing its own rules, including targeting schools that allow transgender athletes to play on girls’ and women’s sports teams, since the president took office last year. (Lumpkin, 9/28) https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2026/09/28/education-department-officially-scraps-biden-era-title-ix-rules/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9jwRu4d_JxZRTfO-4BU0LSEqqg3wrieL5MA82-qnN-HlII5Skxn2a4kK5wkXNjni2tl9Mn9YmYeaTywCsSbt-xQE-eXw&_hsmi=441541568&utm_content=441541568&utm_source=hs_email ProPublica: This White House Plan Threatens Funding For Disabled Voters Without Amy Miller, some elderly and disabled people wouldn’t be able to vote. The attorney for Disability Rights Nebraska travels the state, investigating the quality of nursing homes and assisted living facilities. As she reminds the residents how they can report abuse or neglect, she also offers voter registration forms. Last month, she helped a veteran with a traumatic brain injury fill out change-of-address paperwork so he could vote in the upcoming midterm elections. “He 100% knew who he wanted to vote for,” Miller said, but he struggled to write with a pen. (Song, 9/29) https://www.propublica.org/article/disabled-voters-nonprofit-funding-cuts-omb?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--GV9hwBKHKzMfXY2sCD1EML7389Xs_3LLl4f9jVq-NzM1M5Cq8CEzcDvyn-wO-Lb6Dpm4VJL0HJXntup_LVC43115vIA&_hsmi=441541568&utm_content=441541568&utm_source=hs_email Politico: Vance, RFK Jr. And 'Iron' Mike To Headline MAHA Summit Vice President JD Vance and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will speak for the second year in a row Tuesday at an event organized by Kennedy’s Make America Healthy Again allies in Washington. Vance and Kennedy will close the all-day event with a “fireside chat,” according to the agenda. They will talk about MAHA’s “accomplishments, its regulatory reform agenda and its priorities for the year ahead,” according to the organizers. (Paun, 9/28) https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/28/vance-rfk-tyson-hines-maha-summit-01095218?utm_campaign=KHN:+First+Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--iRNpRaWrkS19wnNlb8lJDWUoZEmWEaFrsRdAGZtwDuP4bepE6t55r2dHa3TmVevkJuhJ6rWn0BM6GYsChBpDX1rcgJQ&_hsmi=441541568&utm_content=441541568&utm_source=hs_email

Confusion and Angst Follow State’s Early Rollout of Medicaid Work Rules By Aaron Bolton, MTPR Sept. 29, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/medicaid/medicaid-work-rules-requirements-worries-dropped-coverage-montana/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--COq2MH4Sbb3H1vQQoNNSguz8c83isOvUV2HIrHBzWSKwhaY4m7Lg2aMyEnsY6JqDS1U5QobdS63NbFSSAkUH-zaSFvg&_hsmi=441541568&utm_content=441541568&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: Confusion And Angst Follow State's Early Rollout Of Medicaid Work Rules Bethany Zulick went back to school in January to become a high school English teacher. Years ago, she taught English as a second language overseas and loved it. “It’s so exciting to me to watch someone learn a new word or have that spark of understanding,” she said. Zulick knew she could earn enough money as a substitute teacher to make going back to school financially viable — except for the cost of health insurance. She didn’t want to risk being una

After Failed Execution, Health Workers Say State’s Rules Flout Medical Ethics By Catherine Sweeney, WPLN Sept. 29, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/death-penalty-lethal-injection-execution-doctors-tennessee-carruthers-christa-pike/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--OSoPucaoX76yRctv155uwOQw4sj36BClFfcxozwLLTVDM5zwgJi7C0LKrmMiGuMYMLoto-0X1hXZmfaGsWweUXHYCpQ&_hsmi=441541568&utm_content=441541568&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: After Failed Execution, Health Workers Say State’s Rules Flout Medical Ethics In May, a group of healthcare workers spent about an hour trying to establish complete IV access so they could inject Tony Carruthers, an inmate at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville, Tennessee, with a lethal dose of sedative. Maria DeLiberato, an attorney for Carruthers, was in the room. She said the workers stuck his arms and feet with needles, to no avail. A doctor then tried to insert a central line through his collarbone and shoulder. That didn’t work, either. (Sweeney, 9/29)

She Left After Waiting Hours in the Emergency Room. The ER Billed Her Anyway. By Michelle Andrews Sept. 29, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/health-care-costs/emergency-room-not-treated-still-charged-illinois-bill-of-the-month-september-2026/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_hayxIIXc3xGcba0nbgmwTpEXrWK1KipxaYrEOsl08FSrdWNwLt-bRMXeEFLkZKQm7pKP7NzA8rimlrRxMCLrCzYNKdQ&_hsmi=441541568&utm_content=441541568&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: She Left After Waiting Hours In The Emergency Room. The ER Billed Her Anyway Autumn Daniels is no stranger to migraine headaches, which have troubled her since childhood. The migraine tormenting the 32-year-old in April was even worse than usual. After a week of piercing head pain, she went to an urgent care center near her home in Champaign, Illinois, and received an injection of Toradol, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that usually helps with her symptoms. The doctor at the clinic told her that if the pain didn’t improve, she should go to an emergency room the next day. (Andrews, 9/29)

Claude discovers a novel enzyme system with CRISPR-like repeats Sep 23, 2026

https://www.anthropic.com/news/claude-discovers-novel-enzyme-system?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9cPLBMSEcYlQsQlvZMauLelxN7kxpV5X5Iu0ifgjeQaGIeEQkqGWDlyBgMh86OcuCqZbnIapQKkrJaKqZDPSDXjuRnpg&_hsmi=441235571&utm_content=441235571&utm_source=hs_email About Claude’s newest scientific ‘breakthrough’ … Claude discovered the next CRISPR … or did it? Anthropic last week announced that Claude had found a new enzyme system with a series of repeats in DNA, saying that it was “a pattern reminiscent of CRISPR.” CRISPR is the technology that research scientists use in the laboratory to modify the DNA of living organisms. It was adapted from naturally occurring editing systems found in bacteria. But some experts have been disappointed by the way Anthropic is marketing this discovery. “Finding a weird cluster of genes and repeats is often the easy part,” wrote Lucas Harrington, co-founder of Preventive and Mammoth Biosciences, who earned his Ph.D. in the lab of CRISPR pioneer Jennifer Doudna. “The hard part, and where the real discoveries come from, is figuring out what the system actually does.” Anthropic itself says that it does not yet know what this system’s function is, meaning there’s still a possibility that it’s nothing. While it is helpful that Anthropic is sharing this early in its discovery process, and the project illustrates how AI might be useful in scientific pursuits, it’s hard not to feel like this is marketing for Claude’s scientific capabilities as Anthropic approaches its long-awaited IPO. Who corrects all these feel-good headlines if, after lab investigations, it turns out to have no value? — Brittany Trang https://x.com/CRISPR_LuCas/status/2102878373160906938?s=20&utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-88ss6G1WoOrFW2yZCMeaapZgmnClgbG2cP9-sAvcPTrVsBD8QkgwBCPCMPyqTA03fiDiVKkJv8rZ8KbQNdA3YrMX7Zqg&_hsmi=441235571&utm_content=441235571&utm_source=hs_email

Trump administration uses rare authority to claw back nearly $1B in spending approved by Congress Most of the cuts are focused on HHS programs that serve refugees, unaccompanied minors

https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/25/trump-administration-cancel-spending-hhs-programs/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_WEyGOgLTB7QhA_QlGylBlx_6doGXBNgj8hGaq6UKmThusr-fTMPK4iEfsSQ4pu4zRRJBEo-21bsBRzjv58FW0GrYgHw&_hsmi=441235571&utm_content=441235571&utm_source=hs_email By Associated PressSept. 25, 2026 Trump uses ‘contested’ power to cut more funding to HHS Late Friday night, the Trump administration clawed back nearly $1 billion in spending approved by Congress. It targeted several HHS programs focused on immigrants and diversity, including a study on barriers to primary care among people of color, a project on racism in emergency medicine, and money to improve access to transgender care for youth of color in rural areas. The administration cancelled the spending using something known as a “pocket rescission,” which the AP described as a “rare and contested power.” The Office of Management and Budget said the cuts focused on “the most harmful government spending.” But in a fiery statement, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), pushed back, calling the rescission another attempt by OMB to “undermine Congress’s Constitutional power of the purse.”

AI is eroding the barriers that kept biological weapons rare A genetic blueprint created by AI can become an actual pathogen in weeks

https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/28/ai-bioweapons-pathogens-guardrails-policy-warning/ By Ashish K. JhaSept. 28, 2026 Jha, a former White House Covid-19 response coordinator, is a senior fellow at the Belfer Center at Harvard Kennedy School. He is also co-founder and CEO of BioRadar, a public benefit company that builds systems to detect biological threats.

Once described as obesity medicines for ‘patients,’ GLP-1s are increasingly lifestyle drugs for ‘customers’ Novo Nordisk, a pioneer in the field, has leaned hard into the shift

https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/28/glp1-marketing-shift-obesity-medicine-weight-loss-drug/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--vZmTMF5QLZYAeSl9E4nyjDt7xqcBIMBFNQJWHVYcf1OvdcOgnazgl954apBYr8qMrHDape2MUERguqJXBEdDhnGxNFQ&_hsmi=441235571&utm_content=441235571&utm_source=hs_email By Elaine ChenSept. 28, 2026 Chen, a national biotech reporter, is the co-author of The Readout, a newsletter about the business, science, and politics of biotech. “Live lighter” and “summer glow up” sound like magazine cover taglines. They are also, it turns out, slogans Novo Nordisk has used to promote its GLP-1s. STAT’s Elaine Chen has taken note of the way Novo and other companies have reframed their marketing of these important medications. “Once promoted as tools to address obesity as a medical issue, GLP-1 drugs are increasingly being seen — and marketed — as a way to look and feel better generally,” she writes. Why are they making this shift? Elaine unravels that mystery, weaving together the way insurance companies’ coverage decisions have shaped how these medicines are used.

Science Literacy Project Daily Digest Science Controversies in the Media (++++ ++++)

Science Literacy Project Daily Digest Science Controversies in the Media Current and future RFK Jr. aides criticize his science-rejectionist vaccine views Politico https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/28/current-and-future-rfk-jr-aides-criticize-his-science-rejectionist-vaccine-views/ Now AI almost started a war with China CNN https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/28/now-ai-almost-started-a-war-with-china/ Trump administration clears the way for speedy approvals of once-restricted tobacco vapes and pouches Wall Street Journal https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/28/trump-administration-clears-the-way-for-speedy-approvals-of-once-restricted-tobacco-vapes-and-pouches/ 80% of Americans take (mostly useless) supplements for their health Pew Research Center https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/28/80-of-americans-take-mostly-useless-supplements-for-their-health/ Viewpoint: 4 very real AI doomsday scenarios Associated Press https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/25/viewpoint-4-very-real-ai-doomsday-scenarios/ After Idaho criminalized abortion providers in 2022, one-third of obstetricians fled. Health care advocates are making rural health the case for repealing the ban New York Times https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/25/after-idaho-criminalized-abortion-providers-in-2022-one-third-of-obstetricians-fled-health-care-advocates-are-making-rural-health-the-case-for-repealing-the-ban/ Anti-GMO activists in Pakistan rev up their campaign of dire warnings The News International https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/25/anti-gmo-activists-in-pakistan-rev-up-their-campaign-of-dire-warnings/ How can we know if social media bans actually help teens? STAT News https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/25/how-can-we-know-if-social-media-bans-actually-help-teens/

Viewpoint: SCOTUS poised to address First Amendment tension between mandatory vaccines, children’s health and religious freedom Sarah Boden | September 28, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/28/viewpoint-scotus-poised-to-address-first-amendment-tension-between-mandatory-vaccines-childrens-health-and-religious-freedom/ Amother in New York State who claims to oppose vaccines because of her Catholic faith lost an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) this week—though Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch said they would have granted her application. For now, the woman’s kindergarten-aged son must be vaccinated to attend school.

Viewpoint: Activist environmental NGOs are turning from public funding to activist billionaires to support their campaigns. It won’t end well. David Zaruk | September 28, 2026

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2026/09/28/viewpoint-activist-environmental-ngos-are-turning-from-public-funding-to-activist-billionaires-to-support-their-campaigns-it-wont-end-well/ Environmental-Health Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are going through a difficult period with the decline in public funding, the increase in scrutiny and the rise of political extremism in Western democracies. With wars, economic uncertainty, and a more aggressive social dialogue landscape, NGOs are starting to struggle to keep the public trust, financial support and campaign engagement.

Viewpoints: FDA Nominee Danced Around Abortion Questions, But There's No Doubt Where She Stands; What Did We Learn From The 2001 Anthrax Attacks?

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-fda-commissioner-nominee-sidesteps-abortion-questions-lessons-we-hopefully-learned-from-the-2021-anthrax-letters/

Newsom Signs Package Of Gun Control Bills Into California Law

Newsom Signs Package Of Gun Control Bills Into California Law Among the 10 gun safety laws that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Saturday is one that would require some gun owners to take a four-hour safety class, CalMatters reported. Some of the measures are expected to face legal challenges. Also: California's wealth tax, healthcare premiums in Maryland, and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/state-watch-092826/

Absent A Contract Agreement, Brigham And Women's RNs Will Walk The Picket Line

Absent A Contract Agreement, Brigham And Women's RNs Will Walk The Picket Line The Massachusetts Nurses Association has voted for an open-ended strike if a deal can't be reached. Nurses want a limit on the hospital's use of temporary nurses, better pay, and affordable health insurance with plan choice. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/health-industry-092826/

The CDC, Once A Guiding Force For Healthcare, Toils Under Administration's Heavy Hand

The CDC, Once A Guiding Force For Healthcare, Toils Under Administration's Heavy Hand Staff reductions, gutted programs, leadership vacancies, red tape, political interference, and dysfunction have made it difficult for those who remain to maintain the level of competence that defined the agency, current and former staff told The New York Times. Health and Human Services responded that the “CDC continues to protect the health and safety of the American people." https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/administration-news-092826/

US Rejects UN Pledge For International Collaboration In Future Pandemics

US Rejects UN Pledge For International Collaboration In Future Pandemics At a high-level United Nations meeting last week, the United States rejected a proposed pandemic preparedness document mostly on ideological grounds. The European Union also expressed strong disagreements over intellectual property protections, The New York Times reported. The declaration will be revisited at a future meeting of the General Assembly. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/outbreaks-and-health-threats-092826/

Using A Smartphone By Age 12 Increased Likelihood Of Disordered Eating By Age 14, Study Finds

Using A Smartphone By Age 12 Increased Likelihood Of Disordered Eating By Age 14, Study Finds The research used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, a long-term inspection that looked at brain development and health in American children. The study showed that 24% of 12 year olds who owned their own phones reported at least one eating disorder symptom at age 14, CNN reported. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/mental-health-092826/

'So Alarming': Sudden Infant Deaths Among Black Newborns Are Rising

'So Alarming': Sudden Infant Deaths Among Black Newborns Are Rising Sudden unexpected infant death rates have increased since 2020 for Black infants while they’ve stayed relatively stable for white infants, CIDRAP reported. Preterm birth was the No. 1 reason for the difference in infant mortality rates between the two groups, CIDRAP reported. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/public-health-092826/

MILITARY HEALTH ++

MILITARY HEALTH Military.com: VA Urged By DOGE To Cut 435 Programs Last Year Totaling $1.1 Billion: OIG The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) once led by trillionaire Elon Musk encouraged the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to scrap hundreds of contracts last year totaling approximately $1.1 billion, according to a new government watchdog report. The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) report issued Tuesday was described by the watchdog as a review of contracts "terminated for convenience," or contracts that the government ended "because it was in its best interest." (Mordowanec, 9/26) https://www.military.com/va-urged-doge-cut-435-programs-last-year-totaling-11-billion-oig?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9g-FnIroNPV5ad8gnBMybmUxkLpvgEHVHdDpzo-yA5p7tknsBjfkg0l2qVgudiltxNlsB2jzHB4dY8vfDKdODD2-2rIQ&_hsmi=441266635&utm_content=441266635&utm_source=hs_email Military.com: VA Launches 18th Food Hub As Veterans 7.4% More Likely To Experience Food Insecurity The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has reopened a food hub as part of its pilot program it is running to combat food insecurity among the veteran population. The VA Memphis Healthcare System reopened its hub, Lt. Col. Luke Wathers Jr. VA Medical Center, last week through a partnership with Mid-South Food Bank, allowing veterans to access groceries and other supportive resources in Tennessee. It had initially opened in May as part of a soft opening before the recent full launch. (Plummer, 9/28) https://www.military.com/va-launches-18th-food-hub-veterans-74-percent-more-likely-experience-food-insecurity?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9_7e6zuNfGCil15uzf7_XXyFq9XX4k4vKc2dCyncwatdXtd_S4OOc5SoC9to1y9uD9_gv5Rtoknj_2aCyYiKU2bP-Zyw&_hsmi=441266635&utm_content=441266635&utm_source=hs_email

Democratic senators accuse Kennedy of not adhering to ethics agreement in vaccine lawsuit Comments: by Joseph Choi - 09/25/26 5:58 PM ET

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/6112311-kennedy-hhs-vaccine-lawsuit-democrats-doubt/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_6B03GMPrS6BCggOr_IxCkUQHIO3NkqgX2VXV1sftNPxJgRJnDSwwQ_Px97kMeVb3jGTWIn4uYR8uQWIhsauhl1jxdWQ&_hsmi=441266635&utm_content=441266635&utm_source=hs_email The Hill: RFK Jr. Faces Scrutiny Over Vaccine Lawsuit Divestment A group of Senate Democrats questioned whether Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. potentially concealed an agreement to collect money from a settlement with a vaccine manufacturer despite pledging to divest from the lawsuit. At the time of his confirmation process last year, Kennedy was still involved in a lawsuit carried out by the law firm Wisner Baum against Merck over its HPV vaccine Gardasil, alleging that it caused neurological and autoimmune injuries. (Choi, 9/25) THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION The New York Times: U.S. Rejects U.N. Declaration On Preparing For Future Pandemics The United States on Friday rejected a declaration by member countries of the United Nations that pledged international collaboration and solidarity in preparing for and responding to pandemics. The European Union also expressed strong objections to parts of the statement. The declaration, the product of a high-level U.N. meeting on pandemic preparedness, is largely ceremonial. It is not legally binding, and does not set rules for what countries should do during pandemics. But its universal endorsement would have signaled a powerful expression of global political commitment to the issue. (Mandavilli, 9/25) The New York Times: ‘Zombified’ C.D.C., Hobbled By Cuts, Struggles To Fulfill Scientific Mission For decades, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was the undisputed global leader in public health. Its scientists helped train health officials worldwide. In the United States, it was the primary source of guidance for prevention and treatment of diseases, including diabetes, H.I.V. and the seasonal flu. But after a year and a half in the cross hairs of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s drive to remake public health policy, the agency is a skeleton of the powerhouse it was. (Mandavilli, 9/26) AP: CDC Vaccine Policy Recommendations Grind To A Halt Under Kennedy The Food and Drug Administration recently approved a new flu vaccine that tested well in older adults. But the federal agency responsible for telling doctors and the general public how to use it has made no recommendation on it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s inaction on the mFlusiva vaccine marks a break in longstanding practice. It’s also an example of how the agency’s vaccine review-and-recommendation process has been blown up in the past year, grinding decision-making to a halt. (Stobbe, 9/25) The Hill: RFK Jr. Faces Scrutiny Over Vaccine Lawsuit Divestment A group of Senate Democrats questioned whether Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. potentially concealed an agreement to collect money from a settlement with a vaccine manufacturer despite pledging to divest from the lawsuit. At the time of his confirmation process last year, Kennedy was still involved in a lawsuit carried out by the law firm Wisner Baum against Merck over its HPV vaccine Gardasil, alleging that it caused neurological and autoimmune injuries. (Choi, 9/25) CNN: The Trump Admin Said It Would Prioritize Ending Mother-To-Child HIV Transmission. Health Workers Say It Cut Services Dr. Theopista Masenge was at the hospital in Mbeya, Tanzania, rolling out new treatments for children with high HIV viral loads when she got the call: Stop work, now. (Kent, 9/27) Modern Healthcare: H-1B Visa Fee Hike Proposal Draws AMA, AHA Opposition Healthcare providers are urging the federal government to exempt clinicians from a proposed increase to visa fees. The Homeland Security Department in August proposed a regulation that would require employers filing certain H-1B applications to pay a new $103,265 fee in addition to other applicable costs. Healthcare employers, especially in short-staffed rural areas, often hire physicians and other clinicians through the H-1B program. The change would worsen staffing shortages and financial challenges already facing the industry, trade groups told the agency in comments submitted this week. (Kacik, 9/25) The Washington Post: White House Has Not Acted On RFK Jr.’s Push For Proof Ultra-Processed Foods Are Safe Earlier this year, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seemed poised to challenge the powerful food industry. The Department of Health and Human Services had concluded that food companies should produce “any detailed safety studies” showing that certain ingredients common in ultra-processed foods are generally safe and aren’t contributing to chronic health conditions, according to a March draft of a letter that the secretary sent to the White House for review, and that was obtained by The Washington Post. (Roubein, 9/25)

Journalists Discuss What RFK Jr. Recently Told the Anti-Vaccine Group He Founded Sept. 26, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/on-air/on-air-september-26-2026-aca-fraud-claims-rfk-chd-california-heat-protections/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_ttpI0VG1_HSlETdhZMpQIGwiNBMcg78YMl7ohePlBYfDfh4p2jvi2lPgPGvHR6-ENAyZRA_0ZOZDEKFK29LLnKbcHog&_hsmi=441266635&utm_content=441266635&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: KFF Health News’ ‘On Air’: Journalists Discuss What RFK Jr. Recently Told The Anti-Vaccine Group He Founded KFF Health News contributor Erin Rode discussed California prison heat protections on KVPR’s Central Valley Daily on Sept. 24. (9/26)

Republicans and Democrats Find a Unifying Target: Pharmacy Benefit Managers By Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio Sept. 28, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/health-industry/pharmacy-benefit-managers-pbms-drug-costs-common-ground-tennessee/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--dDY3_u0No9JfjWF98os4mcf8Zk0aUn7Ovly0nWt-qE56D7uOGwQdr3vh6LMQ665DQR92_hM6JCQnBm68XMhc7gOUWmw&_hsmi=441266635&utm_content=441266635&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: Republicans And Democrats Find A Unifying Target: Pharmacy Benefit Managers Amye Joseph says America’s political polarization has made it an “interesting time” in her Tennessee household. She and her husband, Charlie, have been married 35 years. She’s a Republican. He’s a Democrat. But their shared disenchantment with profit-driven healthcare has provided a unifying target: pharmacy benefit managers, known as PBMs. The Josephs’ frustration is focused on CVS Health. The conglomerate, which reported $400 billion in revenue last year, includes a major health insurer (Aetna), one of the country’s dominant PBMs (CVS Caremark), and America’s largest retail pharmacy chain. (Farmer, 9/28)

Food Safety Finds a Place Among ‘Kitchen-Table’ Political Issues By Stephanie Armour Sept. 28, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/elections/food-safety-concerns-midterms-kitchen-table-politics/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--iCpvo1qIvvaZOjwbVb93-TqU3Ji4Y0cADDGTk25QR_AOFzrgBxo-ui-YxcCtdHH_0l2Dcb9-RvYsDA4dB3CazY_28hA&_hsmi=441266635&utm_content=441266635&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: Food Safety Finds A Place Among ‘Kitchen-Table’ Political Issues The run-up to the midterm elections is turning into a food fight — literally. The summer was marred by a massive foodborne outbreak that sickened scores of people and the recall of tens of thousands of pounds of imported meat, turning the safety of the U.S. food supply into a topic of national conversation and a political cause. (Armour, 9/28)

Common Regulatory Deficiencies of Hospital Employee Diversion September 27, 2026 By Larry K. Houck —

https://www.thefdalawblog.com/2026/09/common-regulatory-deficiencies-of-hospital-employee-diversion/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=common-regulatory-deficiencies-of-hospital-employee-diversion The Controlled Substances Act (“CSA”) and Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) regulations mandate legitimate handlers of controlled substances to obtain a DEA registration, create and maintain certain controlled substance records and reports, and implement effective security to guard against diversion. The underlying purpose of those requirements is to ensure controlled substance accountability by registrants. High profile, large-scale hospital and healthcare system employee diversion has been a recent theme in our FDA Law Blog posts (here and here). A number of common deficiencies were present in most or all of those cases. And while the cases involve hospital and healthcare diversion, the deficiencies are also found in employee diversion from pharmacies, physicians, dentists and veterinarians. The common deficiencies for employee hospital diversion cases include:

Legislative Trajectory of Mental Health and Substance Use-Focused Bills in the US Congress, 1989-2023 Bismarck C Odei, MD , Sonu Bae, MD , Mackenzie Paxton, MPH , Brooklyn Richins, BS , Caroline McLeskey, BS , Olinto Linares-Perdomo, PhD , Damon Klebe, PhD

https://academic.oup.com/healthaffairsscholar/advance-article/doi/10.1093/haschl/qxag263/8836464?rss=1&login=false

Physician Transitions Out of Clinical Practice: Age, Sex, Generational and Specialty Effects Erin Fraher, PhD MPP

https://academic.oup.com/healthaffairsscholar/advance-article/doi/10.1093/haschl/qxag257/8836463?rss=1&login=false

Private Equity Ownership and Artificial Intelligence Adoption by Hospitals in the United States Rocco Friebel, PhD , Daniel Arnold, PhD , Michael Anderson, PhD , Jonathan Cantor, PhD , Yashaswini Singh, PhD, MPA

https://academic.oup.com/healthaffairsscholar/advance-article/doi/10.1093/haschl/qxag261/8835447?rss=1&login=false

Cash Transfers And Child Health In The US: What Is Known And What Questions Remain Aditi Vasan,Meredith Matone,Jordan I. Wood,andRebecka Rosenquist July 16, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/briefs/cash-transfers-and-child-health

Housing First And Health: What The Evidence Says Leah Robinson,Kyle Moon,Sabriya L. Linton,andCraig Evan Pollack August 13, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/briefs/housing-first-and-health-evidence Housing First has a strong and extensive evidence base demonstrating that it improves housing stability. Findings on health outcomes and costs are mixed, although it is not clear whether this reflects a true absence of health effects or challenges with research and implementation.

Same-Insurer Coverage Associated With Fewer Hospitalizations, More Outpatient Visits Among Dual-Eligible Enrollees Authors: Hyunjee Kim kihy@ohsu.edu, Angela Senders, Maanyatha Cheekati, Sara Edelstein, Stephan Lindner, Sheldon M. Retchin, and Jeah Jung

https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01411

New Medicaid State-Directed Payment Limits Are Likely To Decrease Medicaid Spending By 10–25 Percent In 17 States Author: Debra J. Lipson

https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2026.00116

Real-World Brinkmanship In Hospital-Insurer Negotiations Authors: Jason D. Buxbaum jason_buxbaum@brown.edu, Neil Mehta, and Andrew M. Ryan

https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2025.01663

Same Care, Different Score: Medicare’s Quality Bonuses Are About To Reprice On Data, Not Medicine Mika Newton September 25, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/same-care-different-score-medicare-s-quality-bonuses-reprice-data-not-medicine?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_8M30TOqtTJnDUeM68FuxzhpWUvuqwGSJMfhjxhTLwMd1UrFZL_PI-dxFvvICxYIa7WJukz-iq7zBy9WuDB9ZkFZVtOg&_hsmi=441023134&utm_source=hasu Regulators can take steps to ensure the system grades care rather than connectivity.

How Unlawful FDA Regulations Created Drug Patent Thickets—And What To Do Now Alfred B. Engelberg September 23, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/unlawful-fda-regulations-created-drug-patent-thickets-and-do-now?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-842eEELiE_kVbh0ksuh9Qm2KUrESj0wxovOFnzhRP_flnzOXQes05--uJxFf92esbgjOegE8gHNAo0GZoEO74in99_7Q&_hsmi=441023134&utm_source=hasu Eight years after Hatch–Waxman, the Food and Drug Administration issued regulations that turned the law’s aims on their head. The legal and political environment has now aligned to make revocation of these regulations possible.

Beyond The No Surprises Act: The Longstanding Health Care Payment Dispute Resolution Ecosystem Erin DuffyandGeoff Drucker September 22, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/beyond-no-surprises-act-longstanding-health-care-payment-dispute-resolution-ecosystem?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--USf4bx5MXZ8xnOgs_6SRpXSRKyGMo89TDSE_xFYAH1Nb1mTHUoGHKIAtS7Lbobn5n7hDt1ZbWWmZLldXjO4-XEGzt4g&_hsmi=441023134&utm_source=hasu Several strengths of the legacy commercial arbitration and litigation systems could inform improvements to the federal independent dispute resolution process established under the No Surprises Act.

To Protect Patient Access, States Must Modernize Drug Return Laws Soumi SahaandDavid A. Hargraves September 21, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/protect-patient-access-states-must-modernize-drug-return-laws?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--0CPxqsm6Zy-q3Po9MGZDgvZIZVTn7yWrMl1Q9aabNhpOnucB3gNxLHacnIS7S34ALs8BjVOunNMFZ-w6aeKTJXS27GQ&_hsmi=441023134&utm_source=hasu One underrecognized contributor to the financial pressure on pharmacies is the outdated regulatory framework governing the return of expired or unused medications.

Congress Weighs How, Not Whether, To Rein In Private Equity In Health Care Yashaswini SinghandJared Perkins September 24, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/congress-weighs-not-whether-rein-private-equity-health-care?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_I4ccuaq91WphB612PHO727bDw-K_-yrM8xyiKhXn2XV7gbLHNdq-HctlF2Ck4mYI2mfnsppAvYfNvENkwgCACQOLmTA&_hsmi=441023134&utm_source=hasu Six pending federal bills would regulate private equity in health care, from an outright ban to disclosure, licensing, and antitrust tools. Rather than a categorical ban, federal policy makers could learn from states’ transparency-first approach.

CMS’s New Risk-Based Nursing Home Surveys David G. Stevenson September 21, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/cms-s-new-risk-based-surveys-could-make-nursing-home-inspections-more-efficient-but?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-__7IDpb6Vt3Ikz9YAYUAJ-E3NAMMU8hlhAB07f6NhLEpi5KNcDrdZ_zA18qJ23jYvRkTLfPLJgpaUxynbqwAlUty6HCA&_hsmi=441023134&utm_source=hasu The new approach could make inspections more efficient, but stakeholders should focus on the broader goals of improving nursing home oversight and, ultimately, quality of care.

Prior Authorization's Next Era: CMS Reform, AI, and Faster Approvals Jeff ByersandKathleen Haddad September 25, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hp20260924.666381/full/?utm_campaign=podcast&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9SlgiI_kT8Sm3C8QtWJ4cJbvZkGWJLLTki4kMVrEkxEGGS4a5AZ2i-jNwtcmKhoHSpzsa2w6a7BmCCvyUrSKIQIgjN6A&_hsmi=441023134&utm_content=hatw&utm_source=hasu From regulatory efforts to streamline approvals to emerging AI-driven decision-making, this episode explores the forces reshaping prior authorization.

Medicare Advantage Risk Adjustment: Why CMS's Payment Cuts Didn't Raise Premiums Rob LottandNiru Ghoshal-Datta September 22, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hp20260917.752746/full/?utm_campaign=podcast&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_kffXvjwLgXFlUlLqO02DOcjnwR-jUby2XOvJ1lLATq8cYfIUF_N8LWrxJvKfxF-hJUPF5YioVcOM_QfqgOWsnzsbzOQ&_hsmi=441023134&utm_content=ahp&utm_source=hasu Rob Lott speaks with UC Berkeley's Niru Ghoshal-Datta about how changes to Medicare Advantage payments influenced plan offerings and enrollee costs.

Same Care, Different Score: Medicare’s Quality Bonuses Are About To Reprice On Data, Not Medicine Mika Newton September 25, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/same-care-different-score-medicare-s-quality-bonuses-reprice-data-not-medicine?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8-k2qZSpmDe6LobzsnX0naE-sbBOQ5T8eK2LNsX27jSS0YHFbmXdSS23u6OO7eS_xoalthQsgUNH8o6-kdQ43vQxttHA&_hsmi=441023134&utm_source=hasu Regulators can take steps to ensure the system grades care rather than connectivity.

The Referral Was Never The Point: Rereading The Retreat From Social Needs Stephen Farber September 25, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/referral-never-point-rereading-retreat-social-needs?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--69Xgx969EbwO-bkB_km14p-r5qIMB1ijn35pFcLvLH3d3zHGJRDOs3-8dXbvv1KwW41qgPOigwAN9JIrc9CnOvqJjEg&_hsmi=441023134&utm_source=hasu Relationships are not an alternative to infrastructure; they are the very thing that health care infrastructure should be built to support.

Why Nursing Home Reform Fails James A. Lomastro September 23, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/why-nursing-home-reform-fails-building-extracts-care?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_0JPriFT_irQnd_VH6ukS-ETFLR2EXt79_6lhhV2tTV5-q2gK0iJpV453-WbCanAovvmy3iIAe71jVAM6nG93C-7fCeQ&_hsmi=441023134&utm_source=hasu Ownership structure, not plan design, is the central problem in nursing home reform.

The Missing Link In Medicare’s Fall Prevention Framework Pradeepika SamaghandArjun Dutt September 22, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/missing-link-medicare-s-fall-prevention-framework?utm_campaign=forefront&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8HK57lKJ7fh2fcPQ59hzIxFH4fRMFekBDbE0eXD8_uGEHWsCcguoSKQq6JNCtfH0-AwU9MEJJRw265qkQNUaMRjoqGMQ&_hsmi=441023134&utm_source=hasu Medicare has created multiple opportunities to ask about fall risk. It has not created a dependable pathway to ensure that the answer changes care.

Rethinking Justice, One Study At A Time Elizabeth Van Nostrand September 25, 2026

https://www.healthaffairs.org/content/forefront/rethinking-justice-one-study-time?utm_campaign=51133525-Health+Affairs+Sunday+Update&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-93mHY39-mlDg8u3vYXhIFfI_eEJJw351E4E21K9kC6kQFBDDCjIloJ315NeFUWSkm4yp7jM7apSgKQlPEbAaL-pOh4dg&_hsmi=441023134&utm_content=441023134&utm_source=hs_email In a new book review, Elizabeth Van Nostrand considers The Science of Second Chances: A Revolution in Criminal Justice by Jennifer Doleac.

Licensing deals on generic versions of Roche flu drug aimed at preparing for pandemic Eleven companies will be permitted to develop, manufacture, and supply Xofluza in 129 countries

https://www.statnews.com/pharmalot/2026/09/25/roche-xofluza-influenza-treatment-agreements/ By Ed SilvermanSept. 25, 2026 Pharmalot Columnist, Senior Writer

Ohio governor’s race is a battle over Covid, health costs, and trust in science The tight contest between physician Amy Acton and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is a proxy for tensions in the heartland

https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/22/ohio-governor-election-health-care-policy-acton-ramaswamy/ By Sarah ToddSept. 22, 2026 Reporter, Commercial Determinants of Health

Skeptical about modern medicine? I know the feeling — and want to listen As STAT’s trust-in-science reporter, my hope is to better understand how doubt takes hold

https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/21/trust-in-science-nick-florko-on-understanding-growing-scientific-mistrust/ By Nicholas FlorkoSept. 21, 2026 Trust-in-Science Reporter

Drugmakers, biotech VCs show ‘reinvigorated’ interest in osteoporosis treatments Shift by the FDA and frustration with existing therapies have created new opportunities

https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/23/biotech-vc-investors-new-opportunity-osteoporosis-treatments/ By Allison DeAngelisSept. 23, 2026 Biotech Startups and Venture Capital Reporter

Trump administration uses rare authority to claw back nearly $1B in spending approved by Congress Most of the cuts are focused on HHS programs that serve refugees, unaccompanied minors

https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/25/trump-administration-cancel-spending-hhs-programs/ By Associated PressSept. 25, 2026

I worked on the CDC investigation of the anthrax letters. 25 years later, are we ready for the next biothreat? The anthrax letters offer us three lessons for today

I worked on the CDC investigation of the anthrax letters. 25 years later, are we ready for the next biothreat? The anthrax letters offer us three lessons for today https://www.statnews.com/2026/09/26/anthrax-letters-25th-anniversary-cdc-investigation-new-biothreats-ai/ By Daniel JerniganSept. 26, 2026 Jernigan is a contributing scholar at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and previously served 31 years at CDC.

The Health Risks of AI

Healthcare a Vague but Potent Issue for Election 2026

How Unaffordable is Health Care and What Can We Do About It?

Healthcare a Vague but Potent Issue for Election 2026 Episode 464 • September 24, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/podcast/what-the-health-464-midterm-election-obamacare-fraud-september-24-2026/?utm_campaign=KFF-This-Week&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8-6Ni7u1gqep75l5fAmEOMPsBEQAQ8mSPd5d-pYhQaT1XcG59FXnoWKtA-d1UzJlC_CTIwrXDNoRhdDy8Dc9X3I_v91g&_hsmi=440973649&utm_content=440973649&utm_source=hs_email

Developments in Prescription Drug Pricing under the Second Trump Administration Event Date: Nov 20, 2025

https://www.kff.org/event/developments-in-prescription-drug-pricing-under-the-second-trump-administration/

How do prescription drug costs in the United States compare to other countries? By Nisha Kurani, Dustin Cotliar, and Cynthia Cox Twitter KFF

How do prescription drug costs in the United States compare to other countries? By Nisha Kurani, Dustin Cotliar, and Cynthia Cox Twitter KFF https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/how-do-prescription-drug-costs-in-the-united-states-compare-to-other-countries/#Prices%20of%20select%20prescription%20drugs%20in%20the%20United%20States%20and%20for%20comparable%20countries,%202017

KFF/AP Rural Voters Survey Authors: Alex Montero, Shannon Schumacher, Julian Montalvo III, Ashley Kirzinger, and Liz Hamel Published: Sep 23, 2026

https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/kff-ap-rural-voters-survey/?utm_campaign=KFF-This-Week&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8SdydteTbjayeqUW0WkVqTcyZZtRpzdALZ1WP9qX2-fgbf72cSmoPAFryhRqPdUWsmxBZW1hz9L9K_0JxC1ss8PrlbCg&_hsmi=440973649&utm_content=440973649&utm_source=hs_email KFF/AP Survey Probes Rural Voters’ Increasing Anxieties On Rising Cost of Living, Including Health Costs, Before Midterms Rural voters’ frustrations about the cost of living in their community are growing and appear to be chipping away at Republicans’ enthusiasm to vote as the midterm elections near, according to findings from a new KFF/AP survey.

Journalists Discuss What RFK Jr. Recently Told the Anti-Vaccine Group He Founded Sept. 26, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/on-air/on-air-september-26-2026-aca-fraud-claims-rfk-chd-california-heat-protections/

Eleven Minutes Someone in America dies by suicide every 11 minutes.

Eleven Minutes Someone in America dies by suicide every 11 minutes. It’s a tragic and entrenched problem. A new approach to prevention shifts the focus from stopping harm in moments of crisis to upstream policies that give people reasons to live. https://kffhealthnews.org/series/eleven-minutes/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--4tnYkPDxLzyg0hbC3YrQjx6S_Sw8CXEuexhIDdPXar7slBDgZH-S3-ziF9W6Ntk-Bw9MAy2QA_ApAXr8o2GTJLr_DSw&_hsmi=440955276&utm_content=440955276&utm_source=hs_email It’s Hard To Predict Who Will Be Suicidal. It’s Easier To Ensure People Can’t Shoot Themselves. By Aneri Pattani Sept. 21, 2026 https://kffhealthnews.org/mental-health/suicide-prevention-guns-firearms-red-flag-laws-nra-maryland-eleven-minutes/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_WlyRI6m_EWe5tjB3AeGcMix_t9qYezsqjLticOSdm8Z-L_vZpDrMr1wq6ucC0YaI6RJduvWPcnjm0HOjeMAcItE3vOw&_hsmi=440955276&utm_content=440955276&utm_source=hs_email

Economic Frustration Tests Trump’s Standing With Rural Voters, New KFF-AP Poll Finds By Sarah Jane Tribble, Ali Swenson, The Associated Press, and Linley Sanders, The Associated Press Sept. 23, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/rural-health/ap-kff-poll-rural-voters-economy-costs-trump-midterms-senate/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Ocyde2XzAwqk02-6-EOtBmEKfMM4RVcehPumcBKKTHVTGm5qnHf0j_SFjjKmcukKlf-MXr9CI5_C5k0sk_zgdVK44nA&_hsmi=440955276&utm_content=440955276&utm_source=hs_email About half of rural American voters believe the economy is worse off now than when President Donald Trump returned to office, according to a new survey that points to economic frustration among a key group that has backed Trump and other Republicans in recent elections.

As Health Insurance Costs Soar, Healthcare Workers Also Feel the Pinch By Hayat Norimine Sept. 22, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/health-care-costs/uninsured-doctors-obamacare-affordable-care-act-aca-rising-premiums-idaho/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--PWetfbUh2DlRc4nVS8zmF5CHcVFO64rfvES6mcCo_pOOMBuNlYhm9mLteOH9EQrGB4u9StlwG8OsbgctGv2qgStuslA&_hsmi=440955276&utm_content=440955276&utm_source=hs_email I’m Hayat Norimine, a regional editor on the rural health team at KFF Health News. I’m based in Boise, Idaho. Got ideas for stories about rural communities? I’d love to hear them. Reach me at hayatn@kff.org. By Hayat Norimine It’s been a familiar story this year — the small-business workers weighing whether to drop health plans that are as costly as their mortgages. But you wouldn’t expect your doctor to lack health insurance. Joshua and Ashley Durham bought their health coverage on the Affordable Care Act marketplace for two years after they began their family medicine practice in Boise. He’s a primary care physician, and she’s a pharmacist who manages the office. This year, a similar health plan for their family of four would have cost them several hundred dollars more per month, with premium payments totaling $1,600. So they opted out of health insurance. Instead, the couple have been relying on $50,000 they had set aside over the years in a health savings account. “It’s nerve-racking,” Joshua Durham said. “It just takes, you know, one little accident, and then you got a big fat bill.” Nationwide, healthcare workers are less likely to go uninsured than employees in other fields. In 2024, just 7% of them went uninsured, compared with 11% of all adults under 65, according to a KFF analysis of the most recent American Community Survey data. Among doctors, the uninsured rate was even lower: 2%. But the Durhams’ story illustrates that as health insurance costs rise each year, even healthcare workers are feeling the pinch. The struggle to afford coverage is a universal experience, regardless of how familiar patients are with the industry, said Jill Kordick, a retired healthcare executive in Norwalk, Iowa. Congress opted last year not to renew expanded Obamacare marketplace credits enacted during the covid pandemic. Subsidies remained for people with low incomes, but the covid-era credits had helped reduce premium payments for many other Affordable Care Act marketplace enrollees. Roughly 15 million more people are expected to go uninsured over 10 years because of the expiration of the expanded ACA subsidies and cuts from President Donald Trump’s signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Healthier people are the most likely to opt out of insurance. That leaves insurance covering a smaller pool of people who tend to be sicker and need more expensive care. Joshua Durham and his family are mostly healthy. He just worries about a worst-case scenario: a car crash, a sports injury, a serious diagnosis. But his family hasn’t faced any major medical issues — or huge bills — so far this year. The couple’s decision to opt out of insurance has paid off, Durham said. At least for now. Priced Out America’s Health Insurance Crisis Skyrocketing healthcare 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--dXkmDOyuzIDZYCnMzftmCaAq289MYVdhqiDAfpeaOTX-aCsi72BtgAS29eCawww1VboB_fOPHCM8xjLSnNGQPFR4lEg&_hsmi=440955276&utm_content=440955276&utm_source=hs_email

KFF Women’s Health Survey Explores How Women Navigate Contraceptive Information Joel Luther , Hagere Yilma , and Irving Washington

https://www.kff.org/health-information-trust/kff-womens-health-survey-explores-how-women-navigate-contraceptive-information/?utm_campaign=22234741-KFF-Information-Trust&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_BwX0lKRFlwj_ICmlGPOzUTsHkbWO1vQjsxMFe75HHnmXw_sfhXMANnkHzyBlGASnwyq6aeI-i9ZEt4fFd8KIDcvLZfg&_hsmi=440685649&utm_content=440685649&utm_source=hs_email The 2026 KFF Women’s Health Survey finds that health care providers remain the most trusted source of reliable health information for reproductive-age women. Large shares, though, also report using online sources and social media, and many report being exposed to false or misleading information that can lead to changes in contraceptive use, like starting, changing, or stopping a birth control method. And as AI tools become more embedded in health care and government, some institutions are developing new AI governance policies around their use, but most government AI policies do not address health, and those that do are largely not public. One Ohio health department’s new AI policy offers a rare look at a health-specific policy, explicitly addressing accuracy and public trust.

Americans Navigate 'wild West' Of Health Insurance Options After Dropping Obamacare Plans Sriparna Roy

https://www.medscape.com/s/viewarticle/americans-navigate-wild-west-health-insurance-options-after-2026a1000zwn Sept 25 (Reuters) - When Stacy Cox, a self-employed photographer in Kanab, Utah, dropped her Obamacare health insurance plan this year, routine preventive care became a financial dilemma. Now she finds herself weighing $1,200 for a mammogram against survival of her business.