Daily Edition for Thursday, August 7, 2025
Death Toll From LA County Fires Might Be Vastly Undercounted, Study Says: The official death toll from the wildfires earlier this year stands at 31, but a study published Wednesday in JAMA estimates that 440 excess deaths occurred during that period, more than 14 times the official toll. Read more from SFGate, the Los Angeles Times, and AP. Keep scrolling for more wildfire news.
Watch: Millions of Americans Live Where Telehealth Is Out of Reach
By Sarah Jane Tribble and Holly K. Hacker and Caresse Jackman, InvestigateTV
In this video report, InvestigateTV and KFF Health News take viewers to Alabama, Idaho, and West Virginia to explore how gaps in internet connectivity and telehealth access cause residents to live sicker and die younger on average than their peers in well-connected regions.
Patient Numbers at NIH Hospital Have Plummeted Under Trump, Jeopardizing Care
By Rachana Pradhan
The renowned research hospital that cares for people with rare or life-threatening diseases has been pummeled by an employee exodus and the gutting of research, both driven by the Trump administration.
Daily Edition for Wednesday, August 6, 2025
LA County Takes Action To Prevent Heat-Related Deaths In Rental Units: Los Angeles County will soon require landlords in unincorporated areas to provide a way to keep their rental units 82 degrees or below to protect vulnerable tenants and combat heat-related deaths. Read more from the Los Angeles Times.
Congress Looks To Ease Restrictions on Veterans’ Use of Non-VA Clinics and Hospitals
By Tony Leys
Veterans often face hurdles when they want the Department of Veterans Affairs to pay for care from clinics and hospitals outside the federal system. A bill in Congress, coupled with a major funding request from the Trump administration, could help clear the path for many rural veterans.
Daily Edition for Tuesday, August 5, 2025
UCLA Says It Will Negotiate With Trump Over Grant Freezes: Senior UCLA administrators outlined answers during a virtual town hall attended by about 3,000 faculty Monday and also at department-level meetings, including at UCLA Medical School, which has lost hundreds of grants from the NIH. But they cautioned that there were no final decisions, and there was no mention of potentially making a payout. Read more from the Los Angeles Times.
New Medicaid Federal Work Requirements Mean Less Leeway for States
By Katheryn Houghton and Bram Sable-Smith
More than a dozen states are seeking their own versions of Medicaid work requirements. But the incoming federal standards pose questions around how much leeway states have to design their rules.
Medicaid: nuevo requisito federal de trabajo deja a estados sin mucho margen de maniobra
By Katheryn Houghton and Bram Sable-Smith
Algunos buscan modificaciones específicas a las nuevas normas para cada estado. Otros pretenden implementar los requisitos laborales antes de que la ley federal entre en vigencia a finales de 2026.
Daily Edition for Monday, August 4, 2025
Imperial Beach Community Clinic 'Is Falling Apart,' Doctors Allege: Doctors at the 54-year-old clinic, a federally qualified health center that provides care for 10,000 uninsured and low-income patients in Imperial Beach and surrounding communities, are publicly accusing clinic leaders of mismanagement. Read more from Voice of San Diego.
Sorting Out Covid Vaccine Confusion: New and Conflicting Federal Policies Raise Questions
By Michelle Andrews
Should you get vaccinated? Will your insurer pay for it? And will you still be able to find a vaccine? KFF Health News tries to sort out where things stand.
