In This Edition:
From KFF Health News:
KFF Health News Original Stories
1. They Harvest the Nation’s Food, but a New Rule May Strip Them of Health Insurance New Medicaid work requirements could make a complex system even harder for farmworkers to navigate. (Paula Andalo, 7/10)
2. A New Option for Long-Term Care Costs Washington state has launched the first program to help cover home care and other supports. Several other states are paying attention. (Paula Span, 7/10)
3. The Politics of Health at Midyear Just a few months before the midterm elections, Democrats appear to be doubling down on healthcare as a campaign issue as costs rise and insurance coverage declines. Meanwhile, Congress is taking aim at nonprofit hospitals. Shefali Luthra of The 19th, Victoria Knight of Bloomberg Government, and Rachel Roubein of The Washington Post join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF Health News’ Samantha Liss, who wrote the latest “Bill of the Month.” (7/9)
Here's today's health policy haiku:
IT'S NOT ABOUT HEALTH
HMOs, MAs
reward denying treatment;
others Medi-greed.
- Hank Rodgers
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:
Outbreaks and Health Threats
4. As Cyclospora Cases Top 1,250, Tracking That Pathogen Remains Optional For CDC
It has been a year since FoodNet, the main foodborne-illness surveillance arm of the CDC, made tracking Cyclospora optional. Michigan and Ohio are among the states experiencing an outbreak, CIDRAP reports.
CIDRAP: US Cyclospora Cases Mount As CDC Lags On Tracking In parts of the country, including southeast Michigan and northern Ohio, clinicians are tracking scores of cases of sudden, explosive diarrhea and gastrointestinal illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensi. Michigan now has 1,251 cases of cyclosporiasis, according to state officials today, more than doubling the case count reported over the July 4 weekend. Typically, Michigan reports around 50 cases per year, but during the last week of June state officials first noted an outbreak of 170 cases that has since skyrocketed. Of the 1,251 patients, 44 have been hospitalized, according to the case count. (Soucheray, 7/9)
ABC News: Why Cyclosporiasis Testing Is Challenging As The Intestinal Disease Spreads Cases of cyclosporiasis are continuing to rise across the United States, with infections confirmed in at least 18 states. As of Thursday, there have been 1,251 reported cases in Michigan and another 177 cases reported in Ohio. Testing for Cyclospora -- the parasite that causes cyclosporiasis -- is not typically included in routine U.S. laboratory stool testing and must be specifically requested by a healthcare provider, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Sharma and Miao, 7/9)
On Legionnaires’ disease, parasites, and avian flu —
ABC News: Legionnaires' Disease Cluster In New York City Grows To 46 Cases A Legionnaires' disease cluster in New York City is growing, with 46 cases now confirmed, according to health officials. As of Thursday, there have been at least 22 hospitalizations and no deaths, according to the New York City Department of Health (NYC Health). The cluster has affected the Upper East Side neighborhoods of Carnegie Hill and Yorkville, the department said. (Kekatos, 7/10)
Newsweek: NYC Stray Cats Found Carrying Parasites Linked To Serious Human Illness More than half of New York City's free-roaming cats are infected with parasites that can spread to people, according to a new study, with young male cats shedding the highest numbers of parasite eggs into the environment. Researchers tested 87 free-roaming cats captured through a Trap Neuter Return (TNR) program in New York City between May and July 2023. Fecal flotation testing found that 57.5 percent of the cats carried at least one parasite species. (Fleur Afshar, 7/10)
CIDRAP: Cattle, Egg-Laying Poultry In Utah Hit With H5N1 Avian Flu At least eight dairy cows in Utah have been hit with H5N1 avian flu in the past two weeks, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) most recent updates on the virus in livestock. In the past 30 days there have been 26 confirmed detections in dairy cows, with Idaho reporting 15 cases in the past 30 days and Texas reporting three cases. (Soucheray, 7/9)
The latest about the Ebola outbreak in Africa —
AP: Deportees From US Housed In Same Hotel In Equatorial Guinea As A Suspected Ebola Case, Lawyers Say Migrants deported from the U.S. and detained in a hotel in Equatorial Guinea say that authorities there also have used the facility to quarantine at least one suspected Ebola patient, deportees and lawyers representing them said Thursday. The hotel on a tropical island off the country’s coast, owned by the country’s powerful President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, is being used to house 17 migrants from countries including Angola, Mauritania and Ethiopia under an opaque third-country deportation deal with the Trump administration. (Pronczuk, 7/9)
AP: Death Toll From Congo's Ebola Outbreak Reaches 600 New suspected cases of Ebola have been reported in parts of Congo that were previously unaffected, the government said Thursday, as the death toll in the country’s latest Ebola outbreak reached 600. According to the Congolese health ministry, suspected cases have now been recorded in the provinces of Tshopo and Haut-Uele, signaling the continued spread of the disease beyond the epicenter in Ituri. (Kamale and Kabumba, 7/9)
Bloomberg: Africa CDC Calls On Congo To Settle Payments For Striking Ebola Workers Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is working with the Democratic Republic of Congo to speed overdue payments to striking Ebola responders as the labor dispute threatens efforts to contain the world’s fastest-growing outbreak of the deadly disease. Health workers in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, and neighboring Rwampara remain on strike over unpaid benefits and deteriorating working conditions, Congo’s National Institute of Public Health said in a report Thursday, noting that continuity of essential health services has been compromised. (Kew and Gale, 7/9)
Administration News
5. ARPA-H To Spend $160M On Gene Editing Drug Development
The U.S.’ “moonshot” agency for health research will support seven teams across the country pursuing custom gene editing treatments for a spate of rare diseases that affect different organ systems, Stat reports. Also in the news: the Trump administration’s proposed overhaul of federal grantmaking; a look ahead toward the midterm elections; and more.
Stat: ARPA-H Invests $160 Million To Make Custom Gene Editing Routine ARPA-H, the U.S.’ “moonshot” agency for health research, announced Thursday that it will spend up to $160 million to push forward custom gene editing treatments for a spate of rare diseases. The program, called THRIVE, will back seven different teams pursuing various groups of conditions affecting different organ systems. (Mast, 7/9)
In other Trump administration developments —
Becker's Hospital Review: White House’s Grant Overhaul Proposal: Where Things Stand The Trump administration’s proposed overhaul of federal grantmaking has drawn nearly 99,000 public comments, with the July 13 deadline to submit comments now days away. The Office of Management and Budget’s proposal, published in the Federal Register on May 29, would update how the federal government awards and manages grants across more than 40 agencies, including HHS, the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation. The proposal includes more than 320 changes to the government’s existing grant guidance, according to the Association of American Universities. (Bean, 7/9)
NOTUS: The White House Killed An RFK Jr. Ad Campaign. He Can Blame Kristi Noem. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had big plans for his much touted “Take Back Your Health” campaign last year. The Health Department he leads requested bids for “bold, edgy” pitches for TV and digital ads warning about the dangers of processed foods. Kennedy wanted to appear in ads wearing a device used by diabetics to track blood sugar. None of it ever came together. Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had rained on Kennedy’s parade. (Winfield Cunningham, 7/9)
NPR: Disability Groups Left Concerned, Confused After Ed. Dept. Briefing In a call with disability rights advocates Thursday, officials from the U.S. Department of Education tried to ease concerns about plans to move the agency's special education offices to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The effort seemed to fail. (Mehta, 7/9)
KFF Health News: They Harvest The Nation’s Food, But A New Rule May Strip Them Of Health Insurance Seasonal work. Inconsistent hours. Frequent moves. Cash payments and informal jobs. For farmworkers who rely on Medicaid, these common employment patterns could put their health coverage at risk. It’s a heightened concern for the estimated million-plus farmworkers who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, as new work requirements kick in for the federal-state healthcare program that serves low-income and disabled Americans. (Andalo, 7/10)
Bloomberg: EPA Proposes Rollback Of Emission Standards For Heavy-Duty Trucks, Buses The US Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday proposed rolling back emission standards for new heavy-duty trucks, including buses, garbage trucks and semis. Under the proposal, EPA is looking to scale back future warranty mandates from 10 years to 5 and to delay requirements to extend the period in which the vehicles are subject to pollution limits. If finalized, this action could result in lower costs for truck manufacturers while potentially also boosting air pollution. (Hirji, 7/9)
The latest from Capitol Hill —
The Hill: Lawmakers Urge HHS To Monitor For Assisted Suicide Discrimination A bipartisan group of lawmakers is urging Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to set up new monitoring rules for hospices to root out discrimination against vulnerable populations in the provision of medically assisted suicide. In a letter sent to Kennedy on Thursday, Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Reps. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.) and Luis Correa (D-Calif.) recommended that Kennedy’s HHS establish reporting requirements in the hospice program to better monitor the provision of medically assisted suicide for discrimination against people with disabilities, older adults and other vulnerable populations. (Huiskes, 7/9)
The Hill: Thomas Massie Calls Out Republicans For Obamacare Inaction Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie (R) on Wednesday said ObamaCare might as well be renamed “Trumpcare” as premiums increase and Republicans haven’t moved to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). “Might as well call it Trumpcare now. Our party has made no serious effort to repeal Obamacare and legalize affordable health insurance after taking control of the House, Senate & White House,” Massie wrote Wednesday on the social platform X. “Why? Because the current system enriches insurance and hospital companies,” he added. (Fields, 7/9)
Gearing up for the midterm elections —
The Hill: Planned Parenthood's $47M Midterm Election Investment Planned Parenthood is investing a near-record $47 million into the November midterm elections aiming to unseat the Republicans who voted to cut off the organization from federal funding last year. The “We Decide” campaign from Planned Parenthood Votes — an independent Super PAC affiliated with Planned Parenthood — will target ads and voter outreach in battleground House races in Arizona, California, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. (Weixel, 7/9)
The 19th: Planned Parenthood Survived Medicaid ‘Defunding’ — Just In Time For Elections A year ago, abortion opponents were celebrating one of their biggest victories under the Trump administration: Planned Parenthood, the movement’s arch-villain, had been temporarily kicked out of Medicaid, one of the nation’s largest health insurance programs. (Luthra, 7/9)
KFF Health News: KFF Health News’ ‘What The Health?’: The Politics Of Health At Midyear As health costs rise and insurance coverage falls, Democrats appear to be doubling down on the healthcare issue as they press their case to take control of Congress in November’s midterm elections. Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, Republicans — and some Democrats — are taking aim at nonprofit hospitals and whether they are delivering enough “community benefit” to justify not having to pay taxes. (Rovner, 7/9)
The latest about the Mitch McConnell mystery —
CNN: McConnell Was Loaded Into Ambulance On A Stretcher, According To Eyewitness And New Video Emergency responders took Sen. Mitch McConnell to an ambulance on a stretcher after being called to his home last month for a report of an unconscious person, according to new video of the incident and an eyewitness account. (Grayer, 7/10)
Science And Innovations
6. Medical Journal Retracts Liver Transplant Studies Over Concern Organs Were 'Procured Unethically'
The two Chinese studies were published more than a decade ago in the Journal of Hepatology, MedPage Today reports. Other research news is on diabetes drugs and autoimmunity risk; long covid and heart-related fitness; and more.
MedPage Today: Liver Transplant Studies Retracted Over Organ Harvesting Concerns Two Chinese studies related to liver transplantation published more than a decade ago in the Journal of Hepatology were retracted by the journal's editors. The editors said concerns were raised that the transplants described in both studies may have involved organs "procured unethically." (Bassett, 7/9)
MedPage Today: Newer Diabetes Drugs, Including GLP-1 Agonists, Tied To Autoimmunity Risk Analysis of hundreds of thousands of patient records showed differing risks for autoimmune disorders for new users of the more recent types of antidiabetic medications. (Gever, 7/9)
MedPage Today: Targeted Therapy Reverses Weight Gain From Rare Cause Of Obesity Treatment with setmelanotide (Imcivree), a melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) agonist, led to significant reductions in body mass index (BMI) and hunger in individuals with acquired hypothalamic obesity, the phase III TRANSCEND trial showed. (Monaco, 7/9)
CIDRAP: Having Long COVID Worsens Heart-Related Fitness, Study Finds People with long COVID often report fatigue and other symptoms that make it challenging for them to enjoy life like they once did. A study published recently in JACC: Advances found that people with more long-COVID symptoms are less active and have poorer cardiovascular health measures. But more investigation is needed to understand the relationship between activity levels and cardiovascular disease (CVD) for those with long COVID. (Holohan, 7/9)
CIDRAP: Persistent Vision Problems After COVID Linked To Ongoing Inflammation, Nerve Damage Long-lasting vision problems following mild cases of COVID-19 may stem from persistent inflammation and nerve damage, even as the results of standard eye examinations appear normal, according to a study today in Nature Communications. Although less well-known than other long-COVID symptoms, ocular symptoms like pain, light sensitivity, blurred vision, and difficulty reading affect up to 31% to 35% of people with the condition, the study authors note. But this abnormal eye behavior can’t be detected by standard methods, making it difficult for patients to get a diagnosis or treatment. (Bergeson, 7/9)
State Watch
7. ACA Coverage In Texas, Connecticut Shrinks After Federal Enhanced Subsidies Expire
February data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services showed that year-over-year effectuated enrollment declined in 49 states after the expiration of federal Obamacare subsidies, but the drop was less steep in Texas than in most other states, The Texas Tribune reports. In Connecticut, the CT Mirror reports that more than 22,000 ACA enrollees lost coverage during the first six months of this year after failing to make premium payments — a 75% increase over the same period last year.
The Texas Tribune: Texas’ ACA Enrollment Down 4% From Last Year The number of Texans who paid for the first month of their Affordable Care Act coverage dropped 4% this year, the state’s first year-over-year decline since 2019, according to a first nationwide glimpse at how coverage through the federal marketplace is shaking out this year. (Birenbaum and Keemahill, 7/9)
The CT Mirror: ACA Coverage Losses Surge In Connecticut After Subsidy Expiration More than 22,000 people enrolled in Affordable Care Act health plans in Connecticut in 2026 lost coverage in the first six months of the year after failing to make their premium payments — a 75% increase over the same period last year, according to data from Access Health CT. (Golvala, 7/10)
Health sector news from the states —
San Francisco Chronicle: East Bay Health System Averts Layoffs As County OKs $19.3M Lifeline Alameda Health System, Alameda County’s safety net healthcare provider, has rescinded its decision to lay off 92 employees — a cost-cutting move that doctors and other workers had decried for months — after the county allocated $19.3 million to avoid the cuts. The county Board of Supervisors last month passed a budget for fiscal 2026-27 that includes $19.3 million to prevent the layoffs and extend a behavioral health program that had been slated to close. (Ho, 7/9)
Bridge Michigan: Sturgis Closure May Be ‘First Of More’ For Michigan Rural Hospitals Sturgis Hospital shuttered its doors June 19, citing “years of ongoing financial challenges” facing rural health care providers. The facility had 84 licensed beds and about 300 associates working, according to the hospital. There were warning signs. The facility had been winding down services in recent years, even as it obtained a city-issued pandemic relief loan, a state lifeline and new federal status — Sturgis Hospital became Michigan’s first designated rural emergency hospital in 2023, which allows for increased support from the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. It’s not the only rural hospital in Michigan to be impacted by a shifting health care landscape. (Newman, 7/9)
The Baltimore Sun: $20 Million Surgical Rooms Coming To Luminis With Donation A longtime Anne Arundel County philanthropic family has donated $10 million to Luminis Health Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis. The donation, announced Wednesday, is one of the hospital’s largest philanthropic investments in its nearly 125-year history. (Bhat, 7/9)
KFF Health News: A New Option For Long-Term Care Costs Kelly Haggett figures that a mandatory surcharge added to Washington state’s payroll tax cost her about $500 last year. But she doesn’t really mind. “On a scale of 1 to 10 of my annoyance with taxes in general, this one is about a 2,” she said. “I see the benefits.” The small surcharge on wages provides the funding for Washington Cares, the nation’s first state-operated program for long-term care insurance. It was set to begin distributing benefits July 1. (Span, 7/10)
San Francisco Chronicle: Why Planned Parenthood Opposes The California Billionaire Tax One of the head-scratchers in California’s attempt to levy a one-time wealth tax is why Planned Parenthood, which usually links arms with other progressive institutions, is siding with California billionaires and Gov. Gavin Newsom in opposing the measure. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Santa Clara, who supports the tax, called it “the moral fight of our time for the party.” (Garofoli, 7/9)
More news from across the nation —
Stat: For The Mental Health Crisis In Boys, BCNY Offers Old-School Answer A couple of years ago, a reporter approached the Boys’ Club of New York looking to interview some of its middle-schoolers for a story about the mental health crisis in boys. (Merelli, 7/10)
New York Focus: New York Sued Over 'Unconstitutional' Lack Of Welfare Support New York makes an unusual promise to its residents: Its constitution says the state must provide “aid, care and support for the needy.” But for at least the fourth time in almost 40 years, the state is being sued for failing to live up to this commitment by putting impoverished families at risk of homelessness. (Norris, 7/9)
AP: New York Sues Over 'Forever Chemicals' Used In Cosmetics, Non-Stick Cookware New York’s attorney general sued several large chemical and agricultural companies on Thursday, alleging they knowingly sold harmful so-called forever chemicals used in cosmetics, non-stick cookware and other products. The lawsuit against 3M, DuPont de Nemours, The Chemours Company and Corteva and other manufacturers is the latest legal action over PFAS, which have been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers and developmental delays in children. (7/9)
Iowa Capital Dispatch: Iowa Had Twice The Drinking Water Violations For Nitrate In 2025 As In 2024 A report from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) shows Iowa had 36 nitrate-related drinking water violations in 2025, which is more than double the number reported in 2024. (Koons, 7/9)
New Hampshire Public Radio: For One Seacoast Patient, A Second Kidney Transplant Came With Help From A Neighbor At age 15, Jessica Kahigian was playing nearly every sport she could: soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. So she said she was surprised when she went in for routine blood work and found out she needed a kidney transplant. (Richardson, 7/9)
Health Industry
8. $1B Program To Boost Glove Supply Exposes Challenges Of Bringing Manufacturing Back To US
Bloomberg explores the practical difficulties of making medical products in the U.S. American-made medical gloves are still more expensive than those made elsewhere, and the few U.S. companies that make them without federal help struggle to scale as hospitals and the government aren’t buying them in bulk.
Bloomberg: US Medical Glove Manufacturing Failed To Take Root After $1 Billion Investment When it comes to personal protective equipment, medical gloves are much harder to make than, say, a mask or isolation gown. While the latter use widely available fibers, the main ingredient in medical gloves — nitrile butadiene rubber — is another level of complicated. That’s one reason there isn’t an American-made medical glove, despite almost $1 billion in taxpayer funds doled out to a handful of companies since the Covid pandemic. The goal was to bolster domestic glove production and reduce reliance on imports. None of those companies are making gloves or NBR now. The US government stopped funding the effort. (Fay Cortez and Edney, 7/9)
Fierce Healthcare: CVS' Omnicare Agrees To $440M Settlement With DOJ In Fraud Case CVS Health and its embattled Omnicare unit have agreed to pay $440 million to the Department of Justice to satisfy a nearly $950 million judgment against the company as part of an ongoing fraud case. In April 2025, a federal jury ruled that Omnicare submitted more than 3.3 million fraudulent prescription claims between 2010 and 2018, earning $135.6 million in overpayments as a result. Then, in July 2025, a judge ordered Omnicare to pay $948.8 million in fees and damages as part of the case. (Minemyer, 7/9)
Modern Healthcare: Memorial Hermann Health Plan To Exit Commercial Insurance Business Memorial Hermann Health Plan is winding down its commercial insurance business in response to industry challenges. The subsidiary of Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System will shut down the commercial group health plans it offers to employers, according to a fact sheet posted to its website. Financial headwinds and difficulty expanding its commercial division to meet member needs led the system to axe the plans, the organization said in the fact sheet. (DeSilva, 7/9)
Modern Healthcare: AdventHealth, UNC Health Buy Land For Hospital Expansion Health systems are buying up hundreds of acres in fast-growing markets with two goals — extend their reach by adding hospitals and ensure competitors don’t get there first. Building a hospital is a yearslong commitment requiring extensive due diligence. Systems evaluate sites based on several factors: Will the property have to be rezoned? Is there room for parking? Is there easy road access? (Hudson, 7/9)
In related physician news —
CNN: Can You Trust Health Advice On Social Media? What A Doctor Says Not sure what type of bug bit you or what caused that rash? Many Americans hashtag their questions and turn to social media for health information, whether they are looking up symptoms, researching a diagnosis or learning about a treatment. (Hetter, 7/9)
Modern Healthcare: Physicians See Promise In Consumer Wearables: AMA Study More physicians are looking to incorporate patients’ consumer wearables, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, into their care — but barriers to wider usage remain. Increased interest varies across specialties. Some cardiologists and endocrinologists already review data from the devices and are more optimistic about potential care benefits. Other physicians, such as those working in primary care, are more hesitant to add wearable devices to the mix, according to a survey from the American Medical Association. (DeSilva, 7/9)
Boston Globe: How A Boston Doctor Built A Following As A ‘Loud And Unafraid’ Voice In Trump Era Jeremy Faust cuts through a hallway of Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital on his way to see a patient who is struggling to breathe. It’s the start of his evening shift, and the emergency department hums with ambient sound: bleeping monitors, the rumbling wheels of medical carts, the squeaky soles of hustling staff. People on gurneys line the corridor, some wincing in pain, others chatting with relatives. (Kuchment, 7/10)
Public Health
9. Parents' Device Devotion Is Unsettling To Their Children, Study Finds
In a study of 600 U.S. children ages 12 to 17, researchers noted that "parental attention to screens during bids for connection left them feeling devalued, dismissed, or unimportant.” Phone use “could really unfavorably impact their attachment security, which they will carry for life,” said Don Grant, the lead author of the study.
The Guardian: Parents’ Attachment To Phone Screens Can Lead To Anxiety In Children – Study The term “phubbing” was conceived several years ago to describe the modern-day phenomenon of a person ignoring the social setting in front of them in favor of their phone. That act has long-term negative effects when parents do it around their children, according to new research. A study titled, “Mommy, do you love your phone more than me?”, published in the peer-reviewed journal Frontiers in Psychology in June, found that parents and caregivers’ attachment to screens can exacerbate anxiety and insecurity in children and teens. (Kerr, 7/9)
The Hill: Millions Of Eye Drops Recalled Nationwide: Here's Why Millions of bottles of eye drop medication widely used to treat allergies and inflammation have been recalled across the country, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Prednisolone Acetate Ophthalmic Suspension eye drops were recalled due to the potential presence of a foreign substance, according to the recall notice. Lupin Pharmaceuticals Inc., the manufacturer of the prescription drug, is voluntarily recalling more than 2.5 million bottles of its product. (Euzarraga, 7/9)
MedPage Today: Eye Specialists Flag Concerns About Pricey Lenses In Cataract Surgery Patients undergoing cataract surgery are often given the choice of a standard lens that's covered by insurance, or "upgrading" to a multifocal lens that uses newer technology -- at a much steeper out-of-pocket price, often around $5,000 per eye. There's a perception that the more expensive version is better, but ophthalmologists are warning that's not necessarily the case. (Fiore, 7/9)
MedPage Today: In 20 Different Cancers, Men More Likely To Be Diagnosed At A Later Stage Men had a higher likelihood than women for late-stage diagnosis of 20 different types of cancer, data from a national registry network showed. The analysis of 30 nonreproductive organ cancers showed men had higher odds ratios for regional or distant metastasis at diagnosis in two-thirds of the cancer types. Men had a significantly higher risk of regional spread at diagnosis for 16 cancers and distant metastasis for 17. The largest male/female disparity was for tongue, thyroid, and salivary gland cancers, as later-stage diagnosis occurred twice as often. Only for bladder cancer did men have significantly lower odds of later-stage diagnosis (for both regional and distant spread). (Bankhead, 7/9)
Cardinal News: As Firefighters In Southwest And Southside Spend Most Of Their Time Responding To EMS Calls, Training Evolves Today’s firefighters in Virginia and across the nation are expected to do far more than extinguish blazes — they are also a critical part of the emergency medical response system. In fact, contrary to what the job they’re named for implies, the majority of calls to which firefighters respond are to provide emergency medical services. (Solorzano, 7/10)
Diagnoses discussions —
MedPage Today: 'A Big, Black Hole': Katie Couric Opens Up About The Day Her Memory Vanished Journalist Katie Couric recently shared her experience of sudden memory loss that persisted for several hours during a recent trip to Colorado. Doctors diagnosed the episode as transient global amnesia, a temporary condition that stops new memories from forming for a short period of time. (George, 7/9)
Stat: Bryan Johnson's Diagnosis Shines Light On Hard-To-Detect Disease Longevity entrepreneur Bryan Johnson shared some bad news on social media recently. “I have an autoimmune disease. My stomach is eating itself,” he wrote on X. The good news? “I’m going to try and solve it.” (Todd, 7/8)
Also —
The New York Times: How To Turn Your Phone Into A Personal Health Dashboard The health app on your phone’s home screen has many uses, even if you don’t have a smartwatch or fitness tracker. With a little manual effort, you can use the app to get a better idea of your general wellness. For example, you can keep a food-and-fitness diary there. Most phones provide a free basic step-counting function. And you can link other exercise and diet apps you use to streamline your data. Many medical providers let you import records from your doctor, and you can create a “medical ID” for your phone’s lock screen in case of emergency. (Biersdorfer, 7/9)
Weekend Reading
10. Longer Looks: Interesting Reads You Might Have Missed
Each week, KFF Health News finds longer stories for you to enjoy. Today's selections are on death, smoking, fertility, and more.
The San Diego Union-Tribune: For Years, This Chaplain Helped People Cope With Death. He Also Removed Brains For 26 years, Joe Davis has been a one-man support system for people who work daily with death. He was a volunteer chaplain in the county Medical Examiner’s Office, providing help for staffers and grieving families. He also picked up a rather unexpected duty: removing brains to be donated for science. By his count, he’s removed around 800 of them. (Kucher, 7/5)
Bloomberg: Why Airports Can’t Quit Smoking Lounges So far, 89 countries have banned smoking from airports completely, according to the World Health Organization’s most recent data. But as of 2025, indoor smoking rooms — the most contentious variety — are still allowed in more than 100 countries. (Meaker, 7/2)
The New York Times: A Conservative Role Model For Ending The Fertility Crisis Emma Waters, pregnant with her third child, is crafting policy to encourage early parenthood. Some think she is pushing an ideology that does not meet reality. (Hartocollis, 7/8)
NPR: What's Behind The Push To Make Peptide Therapies More Readily Available Marketed for longevity and wellness benefits, the unproven therapies are sold through a grey market online. Compounding pharmacies say they should be able to make them legally to meet demand. (Stone, 7/8)
The New York Times: The Unknown Universe Inside Your Gut The human microbiome is essential to our health, but scientists have only begun to understand why. Two researchers set out to map this largely uncharted terrain. (Interlandi, 7/8)
Editorials And Opinions
11. Viewpoints: ACA Premiums Rise, Affordability Falls; As Extreme Heat Increases, So Does The Death Toll
Opinion writers take on these public health topics.
The Washington Post: ACA Premium Increases Show That Health Care Remains Unaffordable The government encourages higher prices through policy. (7/10)
Chicago Tribune: Climate Change's Heat Is Baking Us To Death. We Must Act. It isn’t just the U.S. Heat waves have rocked Europe, but these inconveniences to most are nothing compared to what lies ahead if we don’t change course. (Elizabeth Shackelford, 7/10)
Stat: Primary Care Can’t Fix The U.S. Health Crisis In March, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) released its annual report to Congress on Medicare payment policy. The data related to physician payment are clear: By every metric we track, primary care in America is succeeding, and it has been for years. (Christopher P. Childers and Thomas C. Tsai, 7/10)
The Boston Globe: Are The Feds Trying To Kick Sick People Off Medicaid? The new interpretation of work requirements creates too many administrative hurdles. (7/10)
The Washington Post: How To Improve Your Health While Aging Decline in old age isn’t inevitable. Here’s what older adults can do to prevent it. (Leana S. Wen, 7/9)
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