Listen: As Kids Head Back to School, Parents Sort Out Confusion Over Vaccine Access
By Jackie Fortiér
Confusion over federal immunization policy could have major implications for how families with private insurance and Medicaid pay for routine vaccinations. Some doctors are encouraging parents not to wait and get their children shots as soon as they are eligible.
When Hospitals and Insurers Fight, Patients Get Caught in the Middle
By Bram Sable-Smith
About 90,000 people spent months in limbo as central Missouri’s major, and often only, provider fought over insurance contracts. Patients getting caught in the crossfire of disputes has become a familiar complication, as about 8% of hospitals have left an insurer network since 2021. Trump administration policies could accelerate the trend.
Social Security Praises Its New Chatbot. Ex-Officials Say It Was Tested but Shelved Under Biden.
By Darius Tahir
Social Security, under the leadership of a tech enthusiast, rolled out an artificial intelligence-powered chatbot to answer calls. But as beneficiaries complain about glitches, lawmakers and former officials ask whether it’s a preview of a less human agency at which rushed-out AI takes the place of pushed-out government workers.
Watch: How Concerns of CDC Scientists Over Political Interference Have Grown This Year
By Amy Maxmen
KFF Health News correspondent Amy Maxmen traces the political turmoil at the CDC under President Donald Trump.
Senior CDC Officials Resign After Monarez’s Ouster, Citing Concerns Over Scientific Independence
By Céline Gounder
Four senior officials with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced their resignations in recent days, citing what they described as growing political interference in the agency’s scientific work, particularly regarding vaccines.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Glenn Medical Center Closing Up Shop: Willows-based Glenn Medical Center plans to close its emergency department, with the hospital closing shortly after, following CMS’ plan to revoke its critical access hospital designation, effective Oct. 21. GMC still has a path forward to preserve its primary care and specialty clinics. Read more from Becker’s Hospital Review.
Blue States That Sued Kept Most CDC Grants, While Red States Feel Brunt of Trump Clawbacks
By Henry Larweh and Rachana Pradhan and Rae Ellen Bichell
The Trump administration’s cuts of public health funds to state and local health departments had vastly uneven effects depending on the political leanings of where someone lives, a new KFF Health News analysis shows.
An Insurer Agreed To Cover Her Surgery. A Politician’s Nudge Got the Bills Paid.
By Cara Anthony
A kindergartner in Missouri needed eye surgery. Her insurer granted approval for her to see a specialist nearby, yet her parents were confused when they still owed more than $13,000. Then her uncle, a former state senator, reached out to a colleague who contacted the hospital and the insurer.
Daily Edition for Monday, August 25, 2025
Vaccine Coverage Might Be Complicated: Health experts warn that access to vaccines this fall will be clouded by confusion. The FDA is expected to restrict eligibility for vaccines to adults 65 and older and those with underlying health conditions. People covered by private health insurance plans or through Covered California are likely to see significantly fewer impacts, but the situation is much less certain for Medi-Cal enrollees. Read more from the San Francisco Chronicle and The San Diego Union-Tribune.
FTC Has Long Said Products Must Back Up Health Claims. A MAHA Lawsuit Would Upend That.
By Arthur Allen
Xlear, a maker of xylitol gum, has sued the Federal Trade Commission, saying the onus should be on government to prove that ingredients don’t live up to advertised claims. RFK Jr.’s “medical freedom” allies have rallied to the cause.
