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Visit KFF Health News for the latest headlines | Morning Briefing | Only a few days left to enter our contest! We want to see your clever, heartfelt, or hilarious tributes to the policies that shape health care. Submit your poem — whether conventional, free-form, or haiku — by noon ET on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Click here for the rules and to enter! In This Edition: From KFF Health News: 1. When Health Insurance Costs More Than the Mortgage As health care costs skyrocket and federal lawmakers pull back help on insurance premiums, more middle-income families are facing tough choices on health care. (Renuka Rayasam, 2/2) 2. It's 2026 and You're Uninsured. Now What? Many Americans are expected to lose ACA or Medicaid coverage in coming months and years as a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the expiration of enhanced pandemic-era subsidies that helped people afford Obamacare plans. Doctors and researchers say there are still ways to find affordable care. (Renuka Rayasam, 2/2) 3. Your Next Primary Care Doctor Could Be Online Only, Accessed Through an AI Tool The largest hospital chain in Massachusetts is offering a new AI-assisted telehealth tool to patients who need primary care. Mass General Brigham says this and other AI tools can help relieve staff burnout and worker shortages, but some primary care physicians in the MGB system see it as a way to avoid fixing structural problems. (Martha Bebinger, WBUR, 2/2) Here's today's health policy haiku: If you have a health policy haiku to share, please Contact Us and let us know if we can include your name. Haikus follow the format of 5-7-5 syllables. We give extra brownie points if you link back to an original story. Opinions expressed in haikus and cartoons are solely the author's and do not reflect the opinions of KFF Health News or KFF. Summaries Of The News: 4. Speaker Johnson Hopeful He'll Secure A Quick End To Government Shutdown Funding measures for Health and Human Services and other departments cleared the Senate, but the appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security has been pulled back for more consideration. The House must again take up votes on the measures passed by the Senate. The Washington Post: House Speaker Mike Johnson 'Confident' Shutdown Will End By Tuesday
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said Sunday that he is "confident" he will have enough support from Republicans in the House conference to end the partial government shutdown by Tuesday. In an interview with NBC News's "Meet the Press," Johnson said the House will vote to reopen the government "at least by Tuesday." (Alfaro, 2/1) Modern Healthcare: Senate Passes Funding Bill Extending Telehealth, Regulating PBMs
The Senate passed legislation Friday to enact key healthcare priorities, but it did so too late to avoid a partial government shutdown starting at midnight. Passage was delayed after Democrats insisted on changes to the portion of the bill funding the Homeland Security Department in the wake of federal agents killing two Minneapolis residents. (McAuliff, 1/30) Also — The Washington Post: In Texas, Democrats Narrow GOP's U.S. House Majority, Win Upset In State Senate
Democrats narrowed Republicans' U.S. House majority and flipped a state Senate seat on conservative terrain in a pair of Saturday special election runoffs in Texas with national implications. Democrat Christian Menefee won the special election runoff Saturday for Texas's 18th Congressional District, paring House Republicans' slim advantage by securing a long-vacant seat in a heavily Democratic area. In a second election runoff in Tarrant County, which includes Fort Worth, Democrats won in a notable upset, with Taylor Rehmet defeating Republican Leigh Wambsganss in a district where President Donald Trump won by 17 points in 2024. (Tucker, 2/1) Politico: Cassidy Questioned RFK Jr. Now Kennedy's Followers Are Out To Get Him.
As Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., seeks a third term, [HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s] followers haven't forgiven the senator for grilling Kennedy at that hearing or for criticizing his efforts as health secretary to cast doubt on vaccine safety. Add to that President Donald Trump's decision this month to endorse challenger Rep. Julia Letlow in the race, and Cassidy is in a fight for his political life. (Ollstein and Levien, 2/2) 5. More States Are Rolling Out New SNAP Work Requirements The requirements mean that 18- to 64-year-olds without dependents will have to work a minimum of 80 hours a month to be eligible. Those not meeting the requirements can receive benefits for only three months within a three-year period. Rollout has been varied across states. Fox Business: New SNAP Work Requirements Take Effect In More States Under Trump-Backed Law
New work requirements are expanding across more states Sunday for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, the nation's largest federal assistance program. Starting Feb. 1, adults between the ages of 18 and 64 without dependent children must work, participate in employment and training programs, or volunteer at least 80 hours per month to be eligible to receive SNAP benefits. Those who do not meet the requirement can receive benefits for only three months within a three-year period. (2/1) On the high cost of health care — NPR: Republicans Try A Timeworn Strategy: Attack Obamacare
At the beginning of the year, it seemed like a bipartisan deal to extend the Affordable Care Act enhanced subsidies was within reach. A three-year extension passed in the House, but talks have sputtered in the Senate. Many Republicans in Congress assert the reason for those stalled talks goes all the way back to the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in 2010. (Simmons-Duffin, 2/2) The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer: Expected Rise In Uninsured Ohioans Could Signal New Stress For Providers, Poorer Public Health
The expiration of enhanced tax credits that helped hundreds of thousands of Ohioans afford health insurance has the health care industry bracing for the possibility that already challenged resources could be further stressed and public health could decline long term. (McGowan, 2/2) The Baltimore Sun: Poll Shows Maryland Families Skip Medical Care Due To Cost
Maryland families are feeling the squeeze from rising health care costs, while many expressed confidence in steps the state is taking to provide relief, according to a new poll from the Chamber of Commerce-affiliated Health Means Everything Consumer Alliance. (Hille, 1/30) MedPage Today: High-Deductible Health Plans And Cancer A Bad Mix
High-deductible health plans (HDHPs) were associated with worse survival outcomes among cancer survivors, according to a cross-sectional study. (Bassett, 1/30) KFF Health News: When Health Insurance Costs More Than The Mortgage
When Noah Hulsman, who owns a skate shop in Louisville, Kentucky, learned he no longer qualified for federal subsidies to help him pay for his "gold" Affordable Care Act health plan, the 37-year-old opted for skimpier coverage. But the deductible is about a quarter of his yearly income. Loretta Forbes realized she would have to drop her plan after her monthly ACA marketplace premiums jumped tenfold in 2026. (Rayasam, 2/2) KFF Health News: It's 2026 And You're Uninsured. Now What?
Health policy changes in Washington will ripple through the country, resulting in millions of Americans losing their Medicaid or Affordable Care Act coverage. But there are still ways to find care. Over the next decade, the GOP's One Big Beautiful Bill Act is expected to slash nearly $1 trillion in spending from Medicaid, the state-federal program for people with low incomes and disabilities. The implementation of new work rules will cause some beneficiaries to lose their Medicaid coverage. (Rayasam, 2/2) In related news about prescription drug costs — The Washington Post: In Florida, Thousands Of HIV Patients May Lose Medication Access
Medications have kept Tori Samuel's HIV at bay for decades. The part-time worker from Ocala, Florida, has thrived, marrying her husband and giving birth to three children, none of whom have the virus. But now she risks losing access as Florida prepares to drastically restrict eligibility for free medication, putting treatment potentially out of reach for thousands of residents A caseworker told Samuel, 43, that her family's household income of just over $3,800 a month is too much to receive assistance for pills that cost $6,000 a month. (Ovalle, 2/2) 6. Justice Department Begins Civil Rights Inquiry Into Nurse's Killing In Minn. Alex Pretti was shot and killed Jan. 24 while protesting federal agents. The Department of Homeland Security is also investigating the shooting, Bloomberg reported. Bloomberg: Justice Department Probes Civil Rights In Shooting Death Of Alex Pretti
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the department is conducting a probe of the Jan. 24 shooting of Alex Pretti during a protest against the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. The Department of Homeland Security also is investigating the shooting by its agents. (Wasserman, 1/30) AP: ICE Presence At Hospitals Triggers Friction With Workers
Intensive care nurses immediately doubted the word of federal immigration officers when they arrived at a Minneapolis hospital with a Mexican immigrant who had broken bones in his face and skull. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents initially claimed Alberto Castañeda Mondragón had tried to flee while handcuffed and "purposefully ran headfirst into a brick wall," according to court documents filed by a lawyer seeking his release. But staff members at Hennepin County Medical Center determined that could not possibly account for the fractures and bleeding throughout the 31-year-old's brain, said three nurses familiar with the case. (Brook, Mustian and Biesecker, 1/31) The 19th: Fear Of ICE Is Keeping Pregnant Immigrants In Minnesota From Critical Care
Pregnant patients increasingly aren't showing up for prenatal visits. Those who are are asking if they can have fewer. Some are going without proper nutrition because they're scared to go to the grocery store. (Luthra, 1/30) The 74: Children With Disabilities Particularly Vulnerable To Minneapolis ICE Crackdown
The Trump administration's weeks-long immigration enforcement campaign in Minneapolis, which has shuttered schools and terrified students and parents, has left one group particularly vulnerable: children with disabilities. (Napolitano, 1/30) Axios: How ICE Operations Are Affecting Children's Children's Mental Health
As the Trump administration ramps up federal immigration enforcement, experts say children across the country may be absorbing the fear and uncertainty of ICE operations — even when they don't understand all the details. (Bragg, 1/30) AP: Somali-Run Child Care Centers Targeted After Minneapolis Video
It all began after a viral video alleging fraud in Somali-run child care centers in Minneapolis: strangers peering through windows, right-wing journalists showing up outside homes, influencers hurling false accusations. In San Diego, child care provider Samsam Khalif was shuttling kids to her home-based center when she was spooked by two men with a camera waiting in a car parked outside, prompting her to circle the block several times before unloading the children. "I'm scared. I don't know what their intention is," said Khalif, who decided to install additional security cameras outside her home. (Balingit and Kramon, 2/1) In other news about race and health — AP: Newsom Files A Civil Rights Complaint Against Dr. Oz Over Allegations Of Hospice Fraud
California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office is demanding a civil rights investigation of Dr. Mehmet Oz, saying he discriminated against Armenians in a video claiming hospice fraud in Los Angeles, the latest front in the state's ongoing battle with the Trump administration. The Democratic governor's complaint, filed Thursday, came after Oz posted a video on social media in front of an Armenian bakery in Los Angeles, alleging that roughly $3.5 billion in hospice and home care fraud has taken place in the city and "quite a bit of it" was run by "the Russian Armenian mafia." (Ding and Swenson, 1/30) 7. Judge Takes Death Penalty Off The Table In UnitedHealthcare CEO Slaying Judge Margaret Garnett has dismissed two charges against Luigi Mangione, who is accused of killing Brian Thompson in 2024. However, Mangione still faces a charge of second-degree murder in the case. The judge also ruled that evidence collected from his backpack is admissible. Prosecutors have 30 days to appeal the death penalty decision. The New York Times: Mangione No Longer Faces Death Penalty in Federal Case
A Manhattan federal judge on Friday ruled that prosecutors would not be able to seek the death penalty at the trial of Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old man accused of assassinating UnitedHealthcare's chief executive in 2024. The judge, Margaret Garnett of Federal District Court, said the case would still proceed to trial on two other counts, which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole, in the killing of the executive, Brian Thompson. (Meko, Weiser and Bayya, 1/30) More health care industry developments — The CT Mirror: CT Officials Approve UConn Acquisition Of Prospect-Owned Hospital
The Connecticut Office of Health Strategy on Friday evening approved a $13 million deal for the state's flagship medical institution — the University of Connecticut Health Center — to purchase Waterbury Hospital, one of three struggling hospitals owned by bankrupt hospital operator Prospect Medical Holdings. (Golvala, 1/30) Modern Healthcare: Cleveland Clinic, CommonSpirit Push AI For Claim Denials, Coding
Health systems are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to limit claim denials and streamline prior authorization processes as providers look to boost revenue and get paid quicker. Providers and insurers are gearing up in an AI arms race in pursuit of controlling reimbursement. Health systems have automated claims management to free up clinicians and counteract insurers that are looking to lower reimbursement. (Kacik and Broderick, 1/30) KFF Health News: Your Next Primary Care Doctor Could Be Online Only, Accessed Through An AI Tool
When her doctor died suddenly in August, Tammy MacDonald found herself among the roughly 17% of adults in America without a primary care physician. MacDonald wanted to find a new doctor right away. She needed refills for her blood pressure medications and wanted to book a follow-up appointment after a breast cancer scare. She called 10 primary care practices near her home in Westwood, Massachusetts. None of the doctors, nurse practitioners, or physician assistants was taking new patients. A few offices told her that a doctor could see her in a year and a half or two years. (Bebinger, 2/2) Modern Healthcare: How Atrium, Northwell Health Are Using Wearables For Patient Care
Early lessons are emerging for health systems using wearables to manage patients' care remotely. Physicians are increasingly using wearables from consumer companies such as Apple, Fitbit and Samsung for everything from sleep monitoring to treating cancer. Experts say health systems must collaborate with clinicians and device manufacturers when adopting these tools. (Famakinwa, 1/30) Verite News New Orleans: Xavier Receives $3 Million To Launch Med School Scholarship
Xavier University's Ochsner College of Medicine announced on Monday (Jan. 26) that the Kentucky-based health insurance company Humana has established a $3 million scholarship fund for medical students at Xavier interested in pursuing primary care, internal medicine or maternal care in Louisiana. Xavier and Ochsner Health founded the college of medicine in 2024 as the fifth medical school in the country at a Historically Black College and University. (Yehiya, 1/30) The New York Times: When The Doctor Needs A Checkup
He was a surgical oncologist at a hospital in a Southern city, a 78-year-old whose colleagues had begun noticing troubling behavior in the operating room. During procedures, he seemed "hesitant, not sure of how to go on to the next step without being prompted" by assistants, said Dr. Mark Katlic, director of the Aging Surgeon Program at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. The chief of surgery, concerned about the doctor's cognition, "would not sign off on his credentials to practice surgery unless he went through an evaluation," Dr. Katlic said. (Span, 1/31) In obituaries — Modern Healthcare: Meditech Founder A. Neil Pappalardo Dies At 83
Meditech founder and chair A. Neil Pappalardo died Tuesday at the age of 83, the electronic health record company said in a Friday statement. Pappalardo, who started Meditech in 1969, is widely considered to be one of the EHR industry's pioneers. He served as CEO of the Canton, Massachusetts-based company until 2010 and was acting chair at the time of his death. The cause of his death was not released. (Perna, 1/30) The New York Times: Morris Waxler, F.D.A. Official Who Switched Stance On Lasik, Dies At 88
Dr. Morris Waxler, who as a federal health official was instrumental in approving laser eye surgery as a quick fix to replace eyeglasses or contact lenses, then reversed himself a decade later after concluding that the operation could actually impair a patient's vision, died on Jan. 2 in a hospital in Madison, Wis. He was 88. The cause was a stroke, his wife, Carolyn Zahn-Waxler, said. (Roberts, 1/31) 8. A Germy Mix Of Flu, Coupled With Covid And RSV, Is Afflicting The Nation Influenza A rates have remained stable, but influenza B is starting to spread. This comes as the CDC reports evidence of a covid upsurge in 11 states and respiratory syncytial virus in 21 states. Plus, two more children sick with flu have died this season. "It is not too late to get vaccinated," the CDC says. CIDRAP: After 3-Week Decline, Flu Cases Rise Across The US; RSV, COVID Activity High In Certain States
After three weeks of declining cases, influenza levels rose this week and remain elevated across the United States, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19 activity is high in certain parts of the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in its weekly respiratory virus update and FluView report today. Overall levels of acute respiratory illness are low to moderate in most of the country, with only Alabama and Arkansas in the high category. COVID-19 cases are unchanged since last week for much of the country, with levels growing or likely growing in 11 states. Flu cases are trending upward in 13 states, as are RSV cases in 21 states. (Van Beusekom, 1/30) NBC News: Pediatric Flu Deaths Rise To 52, With Unvaccinated Kids Hit The Hardest
Fifty-two children have died of the flu so far this season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday, seemingly putting pediatric deaths on track to outpace last season's record-breaking high. Ninety percent of those children had not received the annual flu shot, the CDC said. (Edwards, 1/30) On vaccine makers — CIDRAP: Sanofi Scraps Plan To Develop Next-Generation MRNA Seasonal Flu Vaccine
French drug company Sanofi yesterday announced it has discontinued development of its next-generation seasonal flu vaccine based on mRNA technology but will continue to pursue a pandemic flu vaccine. Sanofi reported in its 2025 earnings documents that it was discontinuing its mRNA flu vaccine phase 1 trial. "Sanofi has deprioritized its mRNA-based seasonal flu vaccine program and does not anticipate launching an mRNA-based seasonal flu product in the near term," a spokesperson told Fierce Biotech, which first reported the news. (Wappes, 1/30) Bloomberg: AstraZeneca Shares To Start Trading In US After Listing Upgrade
Shares of AstraZeneca Plc, the UK's biggest drugmaker, will start trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Monday following a listing upgrade to replace its American Depositary Receipts that were on Nasdaq. The drug and vaccine maker is seeking to attract more investors by tilting further toward the US, where it makes almost half of its revenue. It has said the move will give equal weight to its UK, Swedish and US listings. It reflects the growing importance of the US to AstraZeneca's business and in turn, a relative shift away from its home country as Chief Executive Officer Pascal Soriot looks to the world's largest pharma market for growth. (Capel, 2/2) In other outbreaks — Chicago Tribune: Two Dead In Chicago From Meningococcal Disease
In the last two weeks, Chicago has had two deaths and at least seven cases of meningococcal disease in adults — a higher number of cases of the dangerous illness than usual for such a short time span, according to the Chicago Department of Public Health. (Schencker, 1/30) 9. Kidney Disease-Heart Failure Link May Be Traced To A Tiny Toxin, Study Finds Researchers have discovered that diseased kidneys secrete tiny particles that are harmful to the heart. Other public health news looks at heart disease among women, how to guard against hypothermia and frostbite, and a salmonella outbreak. The Washington Post: Scientists Finally May Know Why Kidney Patients Die Of Heart Disease
For years, scientists have been working to unravel the mystery of patients with failing kidneys dying from heart-related complications. Researchers now say they've uncovered a clue that explains why people with chronic kidney disease have such a high risk of heart failure — and it could have major implications for the diagnosis and treatment of the two common health conditions. A new study found that diseased kidneys released tiny particles that were toxic to the heart, according to findings published recently in the peer-reviewed journal Circulation. (Chiu, 2/1) ABC News: Heart Disease Remains The Top Threat Many Women Never See Coming
Many women may not realize their greatest health threat isn't cancer; it's heart disease. In 2023, heart disease led to one in five female deaths in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the CDC also found that only 56% of women were aware of the risks. "It is the leading killer of women at all ages so, starting at the age of 18, more women will die of heart disease than breast cancer," Dr. C. Noel Bairey-Merz, a professor of cardiology and director of the Barbra Streisand Women's Heart Center at Cedars-Sinai, told ABC News. (Chhabra, 2/1) AP: How To Stay Safe When It's Cold And You Have No Power, According To Doctors
Freezing temperatures and long-term power outages can quickly create dangerous health situations. Even at seemingly routine winter temperatures, the cold can exhaust the body and overwork the heart over time. The indoor risk of hypothermia and frostbite are especially a concern in areas where the infrastructure isn't built for wintry weather and people aren't as used to it. Here are tips from emergency room doctors on how to stay safe. (Shastri, 1/30) The Hill: FDA Probes Salmonella Outbreak Tied To Superfood Supplements
Federal health officials are investigating a salmonella outbreak linked to two superfood supplements that has sickened 65 people across 28 states, including California. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Thursday that the illnesses have been tied to products sold under the Live It Up and Why Not Natural brands. The supplements were sold on the companies' websites as well as on Amazon, eBay and Walmart. (Palm, 1/31) 10. Viewpoints: Government Has No Power To Fix Falling Birth Rates; The EPA Took Public Health Back A Century Opinion writers discuss these public health topics. The Washington Post: The White House Can't Make Babies Great Again
Governments can't increase birth rates. Instead, learn to cope with a shrinking population. (Matthew Lynn, 2/2) Stat: EPA Value Of Life Policy Betrays A Century Of Public Health Victories
What is the value of a human life? According to the Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency, the answer is zero dollars. (Michelle A. Williams, 2/2) Bloomberg: Nature Study Of DeepMind's AlphaGenome Should Cheer Even AI Skeptics
Google DeepMind's AlphaGenome platform seeks to connect genetic typos to a particular function, which could have applications in predicting the impact of rare genetic diseases and determining which mutations drive cancer. (Lisa Jarvis, 1/30) Stat: Psychedelics Research Has A Transparency Problem
Most drug trials are designed to keep personal experience out of the room. Psychedelic research is the exception. Walking into a psychedelic trial site, you will encounter clinicians, statisticians, and facilitators who often first became interested in this work through their own psychedelic experiences. (Ian Reardon, 2/2) The New York Times: Want To Make A Difference? Donate Your Kidney.
Nearly 50,000 people in the United States die each year because there are not enough kidneys for transplant, which adds up to more than double the number of annual murder victims. (German Lopez, 2/2) | | | | | |
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