Measles Elimination Status: What It Is and How the U.S. Could Lose It Author: Josh Michaud Published: Apr 7, 2026

https://www.kff.org/other-health/measles-elimination-status-what-it-is-and-how-the-u-s-could-lose-it/ Measles has been officially “eliminated” from the U.S. since 2000, which means the country had not seen very large outbreaks and had not had 12 months or more of uncontrolled domestic transmission of the virus since before that time. However, a series of measles outbreaks began in the U.S. in early 2025 that continue today: from January 2025 through the end of March 2026, U.S. states have reported over 3,800 measles cases. Several factors have contributed to the ongoing transmission of measles in the U.S. These include funding and staffing cuts for public health efforts at the federal, state, and local levels that have affected measles prevention and response efforts across the country, along with mixed messages from federal health officials such as Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. regarding measles response at the same time there has been no Senate-confirmed leader at CDC for almost the whole period since these outbreaks began. Further, there is increased skepticism among the public about the safety and effectiveness of measles vaccines and a decline in trust of health authorities in general, which has contributed to lower measles vaccination rates and complicated outreach and communication efforts in addressing the current outbreak.

KFF Tracker: America First MOU Bilateral Global Health Agreements Published: Apr 7, 2026

https://www.kff.org/global-health-policy/kff-tracker-america-first-mou-bilateral-global-health-agreements/ On September 18, 2025, the U.S. government (USG) released its new America First Global Health Strategy, which details how the U.S. will engage in global health efforts moving forward. As part of this new strategy, the U.S. has announced that it will be establishing bilateral health cooperation agreements with countries that receive U.S. global health assistance. These agreements, or Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), between the U.S. and partner countries represent five-year plans (for the period 2026-2030) outlining U.S. engagement in each country’s health efforts with the goal of “helping countries move toward more resilient and durable health systems.” Central to these plans is transitioning country programs from U.S. assistance to long-term country ownership, with a pledge from each partner country to increase its domestic health spending, or co-investment in health, over the next five years as the U.S. decreases its health assistance. The U.S. began signing these agreements in late 2025 and this process is ongoing. Implementation is slated for later this year.

Tracking Key Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Actions Under the Trump Administration Authors: Nirmita Panchal and Heather Saunders Published: Apr 7, 2026

Tracking Key Mental Health and Substance Use Policy Actions Under the Trump Administration Authors: Nirmita Panchal and Heather Saunders Published: Apr 7, 2026 https://www.kff.org/mental-health/tracking-key-mental-health-and-substance-use-policy-actions-under-the-trump-administration/ In 2024, over 61 million adults in the U.S. experienced a mental illness and deaths due to suicide, gun violence, and drug overdose remained high. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic and necessary public health responses exacerbated an already existing mental health and substance use crises. At the same time, many people experience difficulties affording mental health treatment or finding providers. Among insured adults who described their mental health as fair or poor, 43% reported at least one time in the past year when they needed mental health services or medication but did not receive them; some groups – including communities of color, youth and young adults – experience greater barriers.

The HPV Vaccine: Access and Use in the U.S. Published: Apr 8, 2026

https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/the-hpv-vaccine-access-and-use-in-the-u-s/ The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is the first and only vaccination that helps protect individuals from getting several cancers that are associated with different HPV strains. The vaccine holds the promise to safely prevent many kinds of cancers attributable to HPV that have long been responsible for the deaths of women and men. Since its introduction to the U.S. in 2006, the vaccine covers more strains of HPV, the dosage has dropped from three to two shots and the cost is fully covered by private insurance and public programs. The vaccine was originally recommended only for girls and young women, but was subsequently broadened to include boys, young men, and people of all genders. Uptake in the vaccine has risen over time, though there have been notable declines in vaccination rates since the COVID-19 pandemic. This factsheet discusses HPV and related cancers, use of the HPV vaccines for both females and males, and insurance coverage and access to the vaccine.

Viewpoints: Surgeries In The US Create Tons More Waste Than In Other Nations; Pharma Tariffs Are Illogical

https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/viewpoints-surgeries-in-the-us-create-tons-more-waste-than-in-other-nations-pharma-tariffs-are-illogical/

Psychiatric Help Ordered For Marine Veteran Charged In NC Mass Shooting

Psychiatric Help Ordered For Marine Veteran Charged In NC Mass Shooting The suspect, who is charged in the deaths of three people at a waterfront bar in Southport on Sept. 27, was evaluated by three separate mental health experts. They concluded that Nigel Max Edge was not fit to stand trial but that he “may be restored to capacity through appropriate treatment, including medication and counseling,” at which point the legal case would resume. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/psychiatric-help-ordered-for-marine-veteran-charged-in-nc-mass-shooting/

Struggling Minnesota Hospital, Facing Imminent Closure, Seeks State’s Help

Struggling Minnesota Hospital, Facing Imminent Closure, Seeks State’s Help Hennepin County Medical Center has faced a string of financial hardships, and changes in Medicare eligibility under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act could cause even more stress. A proposed tax increase, if passed by the Legislature, might stave off a June closure of the safety-net hospital. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/struggling-minnesota-hospital-facing-imminent-closure-seeks-states-help/

New ACIP Charter That Tweaks Criteria For Membership To Go Into Effect Soon

New ACIP Charter That Tweaks Criteria For Membership To Go Into Effect Soon The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' amended charter — which calls for a “balance of specialty areas" — was published Monday in the Federal Register and likely will be filed next week after a required seven-day notice is fulfilled. This comes after the previous committee was blocked by a federal judge. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/new-acip-charter-that-tweaks-criteria-for-membership-to-go-into-effect-soon/

Many Cancer Patients Are Missing Out On The Most Advanced Treatments

Many Cancer Patients Are Missing Out On The Most Advanced Treatments A study in JAMA found that many patients are not receiving genetic sequencing, which can often greatly improve a person's chances of survival. Patients with a low income, Medicare or Medicaid coverage, and those of Black or Hispanic ethnicity were less likely to receive sequencing. Also, advocates worry New York may be rolling back Medicaid coverage of biomarker precision testing. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/many-cancer-patients-are-missing-out-on-the-most-advanced-treatments/

After Pledging To Change, Insurers Have Cut Prior Authorizations By 11%

After Pledging To Change, Insurers Have Cut Prior Authorizations By 11% There's also been a 15% reduction in prior authorizations for Medicare Advantage since June, when about 50 plans signed on to the reform pledge, Fierce Healthcare reported. In other industry news: Jefferson Health sues Aetna; most Americans still prefer getting medical advice from providers over AI; and more. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/after-pledging-to-change-insurers-have-cut-prior-authorizations-by-11/

For Now, Abortion Pill May Remain Available By Mail, Judge Rules

For Now, Abortion Pill May Remain Available By Mail, Judge Rules The state of Louisiana has argued that allowing the sale of mifepristone at the federal level prevents it from enforcing its strict ban on abortion. Federal Judge David Joseph, a Trump appointee, said that he would follow an FDA study of the drug that is in the works and asked the FDA for an update of its investigation within six months, AP reported. https://kffhealthnews.org/morning-breakout/for-now-abortion-pill-may-remain-available-by-mail-judge-rules/

Editorial p329 GoGoVax dispels hopes for gonorrhoea vaccination The Lancet Infectious Diseases +++ +...

Global burden of lower respiratory infections and aetiologies, 1990–2023: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2023 GBD 2023 Lower Respiratory Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance Collaborators† https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(25)00689-9/abstract?utm_campaign=update-laninf&utm_medium=email&dgcid=hubspot_update_feature_updatealerts_laninf&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9YkrU4L2xT0Cfeh3Wft_X_2CwEktNcOLhb79Onj5XevJ5Qmqsi4QzxcXDnfDvzyLqg0Wn8B9kFNriq8fb6eDheWMrmwg&_hsmi=412601668&utm_content=412559272&utm_source=hs_email Comparison of the performance and costs of testing algorithms using rapid diagnostic tests for detection and treatment of syphilis among pregnant individuals and men who have sex with men: a modelling study Ying Zhang, MPHa,b Ying.zhang2@monash.edu ∙ Prof Eric P F Chow, PhDa,b,c ∙ Prof Lei Zhang, PhDa,b ∙ Prof Christopher K Fairley, PhDa,b ∙ Prof Jason J Ong, PhD https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(25)00588-2/abstract?utm_campaign=update-laninf&utm_medium=email&dgcid=hubspot_update_feature_updatealerts_laninf&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9BAEyXWlgFdU5dpWWY8mycWwGaqYnooxSFQQuFGOUUMyCNEOfrrcOOvm_lXCOSSzUV_4antqw7nNQqElQxRknIcpnzpg&_hsmi=412601668&utm_content=412559272&utm_source=hs_email Breaking the under-reporting cycle for zoonotic diseases in low-income and middle-income countries through national-level integration of community-based surveillance and response: insights from Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mali Katherine E L Worsley-Tonks, PhDa katherine.worsley-tonks@pasteur.fr ∙ Mahamat Fayiz Abakar, PhDb,c ∙ Zanan Coulibaly, DVMa,d ∙ Marie Paulette Deya-Yang, DVMe ∙ Linda Esso, MDf,g ∙ Jean Marc Kameni Feussom, DVMe,h ∙ et al. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(25)00421-9/abstract?utm_campaign=update-laninf&utm_medium=email&dgcid=hubspot_update_feature_updatealerts_laninf&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--gSgdiEPQD65jXGwsvVQV2VenIsym4qwA3kmoI1szPyJ3_3pXsy6JjMrpVWSYpf0yP1UhS_kzXIPjvygN_Aon6XfFHYA&_hsmi=412601668&utm_content=412559272&utm_source=hs_email Editorial p329 GoGoVax dispels hopes for gonorrhoea vaccination The Lancet Infectious Diseases https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/issue/vol26no4/PIIS1473-3099(26)X2003-5

Estimated effects of food taxes and subsidies on health, economics, and equity in Australia: a modelling study +++

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a parenting programme to improve family wellbeing in England (TOGETHER): a multicentre, single-blind, randomised controlled trial Prof Richard G Watt, PhDa r.watt@ucl.ac.uk ∙ Annemarie Lodder, PhDb ∙ Leandra Box, MAc ∙ Andrew Brand, PhDd ∙ Jabeer Butt, MAc ∙ Prof Mike Crawford, MDe ∙ et al. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(26)00046-0/fulltext?dgcid=hubspot_update_feature_updatealerts_lanpub&utm_campaign=update-lanpub&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9uZRPbltgW-s3RPZLbnsUO1dWfAIgqtxsqY9tsrzfsCXfJw8FUQpzRCVb-s7YSL9JseAi840T9OInJhiKSAKOFDRjTow&_hsmi=412607848&utm_content=412559115&utm_source=hs_email Efficacy of front-of-package nutrient labels designed for mandatory implementation in the USA: an online randomised controlled trial Brittany Lemmon, MSa ∙ Anna H Grummon, PhDb ∙ Alejandra Marquez, MSc ∙ Prof Lisa M Soederberg Miller, PhDc ∙ Lauren E Au, PhDd ∙ Susan D Brown, PhDe ∙ et al. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(26)00027-7/fulltext?dgcid=hubspot_update_feature_updatealerts_lanpub&utm_campaign=update-lanpub&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--M5Y4b4_XTd8RtBvVLl1LiqeLnIqtU_RTHSVgYTDzKOc8FQj1Y95F_FrFYDh8ZJ9Q5hljAExeM7MEes_I4IC_MG4G-sg&_hsmi=412607848&utm_content=412559115&utm_source=hs_email Estimated effects of food taxes and subsidies on health, economics, and equity in Australia: a modelling study Tazman Davies, MSca tdavies@georgeinstitute.org.au ∙ Linda J Cobiac, PhDb ∙ Prof Lennert Veerman, MDb ∙ Daisy H Coyle, PhDa ∙ Eden M Barrett, PhDa ∙ Prof Jason H Y Wu, PhDa,c ∙ et al. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(26)00043-5/fulltext?dgcid=hubspot_update_feature_updatealerts_lanpub&utm_campaign=update-lanpub&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8SBM17GorBUK4mspCPHq5C-78Cv7H9VAo92fgUs25LLoi6MdIjeCdT-BLnhxsiuJ-bdSxOuK7JcOaaggl4HjfXm2nh6A&_hsmi=412607848&utm_content=412559115&utm_source=hs_email

Expanded Access to Investigational Drugs for Treatment Use - Questions and Answers April 15, 2026

https://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/expanded-access-investigational-drugs-treatment-use-questions-and-answers-0?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery Expanded Access to Investigational Drugs for Treatment Use - Questions and Answers April 15, 2026 https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/expanded-access-investigational-drugs-treatment-use-questions-and-answers-04152026?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Optimizing Pregnancy Registries Public Workshop May 7 - 8, 2026

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/optimizing-pregnancy-registries-public-workshop-05072026?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

FDA’s Office of Clinical Pharmacology Announces Release of Its 2025 Annual Report

https://www.fda.gov/media/191717/download?attachment=&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Trump’s immigration crackdown may put doctors out of jobs

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/04/07/health/trump-immigration-crackdown-doctors?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_nazpTgeEjz00bN2kcs3pu2ULb3DtPeOel3Qr10RFd2IH3kmd2qgsXA2tgy234RPOnDABSza1ExfP4EIDv7_3wOPKIhg&_hsmi=412757094&utm_content=412757094&utm_source=hs_email CNN: Trump’s Immigration Crackdown May Put Doctors Out Of Jobs Nearly 1,000 patients come to Dr. Faysal Al Ghoula’s pulmonology clinic in southwestern Indiana every year. Some come to manage chronic lung disease; others reckon with a new lung cancer diagnosis. The 38-year-old doctor also spends weeklong stretches in an understaffed ICU, watching over patients as ventilators hum and conversations tip between survival and loss. On his days off, he volunteers at a clinic for uninsured patients. The father of two summed it up: “It’s busy.” But even as demand for Al Ghoula grows, he fears that his ability to care for patients is at risk. He’s from Libya, one of the 39 countries officials now call “high-risk.” (Ruprecht, 4/7)

Listen to the Latest ‘KFF Health News Minute’ April 7, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/listen-to-the-latest-kff-health-news-minute-2026/?utm_campaign=KHN%3A%20First%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--2hXXEiMxS-QieexrSSdyfdXyYuVP6NkJh6fWLov1EjbOmav4mRzRqdgV0edLpbP_YIvqRrgG3ZVqtZY5VJLnc4bgjqA&_hsmi=412757094&utm_content=412757094&utm_source=hs_email KFF Health News: Listen To The Latest 'KFF Health News Minute' Arielle Zionts reads the week’s news: Scientists say staff losses at the National Institutes of Health could lead to fewer medical breakthroughs. Plus, doctors worry they’ll see more kids with potentially deadly complications from measles, as cases surge. (Cook, 4/7)

Urgent Care Clinics Move To Fill Abortion Care Gaps in Rural Areas By Kate Wells April 8, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/abortion-providers-clinics-closing-urgent-care-michigan-upper-peninsula/ KFF Health News: Urgent Care Clinics Move To Fill Abortion Care Gaps In Rural Areas Providing abortions was the last thing Shawn Brown thought she’d be doing when she opened an urgent care clinic in this remote town in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. But she also wasn’t expecting the Planned Parenthood in Marquette to shut down last spring. Roughly 1,100 patients relied on that clinic each year for cancer screenings, IUD insertions, and medication abortions. Now the area has no other in-person resource for abortions. “It’s a 500-mile stretch of no access,” Brown said. (Wells, 4/8)

Trump’s Personnel Agency Is Asking for Federal Workers’ Medical Records By Amanda Seitz and Maia Rosenfeld April 8, 2026

https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/trump-opm-federal-workers-medical-records-privacy/ KFF Health News: Trump’s Personnel Agency Is Asking For Federal Workers’ Medical Records The Trump administration is quietly seeking unprecedented access to medical records for millions of federal workers and retirees, and their families. A brief notice from the Office of Personnel Management could dramatically change which personally identifiable medical information the agency obtains, giving it the power to see prescriptions employees had filled or what treatment they sought from doctors. The regulation would require 65 insurance companies that cover more than 8 million Americans — including federal workers, retired members of Congress, mail carriers, and their immediate family members — to provide monthly reports to OPM with identifiable health data on their members. (Seitz and Rosenfeld, 4/8)

FDA Seeks Input on Digital Health Technologies in Clinical Investigations for Drugs and Biological Products April 8, 2026 By Adrienne R. Lenz, Principal Medical Device Regulation Expert —

https://www.thefdalawblog.com/2026/04/fda-seeks-input-on-digital-health-technologies-in-clinical-investigations-for-drugs-and-biological-products/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fda-seeks-input-on-digital-health-technologies-in-clinical-investigations-for-drugs-and-biological-products FDA recently issued a Federal Register notice (Docket No. FDA-2026-N-2476) announcing a request for information and comments titled Advancing the Use of Digital Health Technologies in Clinical Investigations for Drugs and Biological Products. A digital health technology (DHT) is a system that uses computing platforms, connectivity, software, and/or sensors, for health care and related uses. There were several goals for enhancing use of DHTs to support drug development and review as part of PDUFA VII. In the first year of PDUFA VII (FDA FY 2023) we saw significant progress on these DHT goals, as we blogged about here. In late 2023, FDA finalized its guidance on use of DHTs for remote data acquisition in clinical investigations, which we blogged about here and in June 2024, FDA held its second of five public meetings or workshops. Recently, however, discussion of DHTs at the Agency has been relatively quiet.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ON CAPITOL HILL + ++

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION +++ +++

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

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

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

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

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

Trump Admin Shifts Focus Of Title X From Contraception To Conception

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

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

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

Midwest Food Pantry Network Shutters, Affecting 300,000 Families

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

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

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

Studying Autism And Alzheimer’s Together May Unlock New Treatments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Living near Salton Sea linked to reduced lung growth in children

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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