Aug 6, 2026
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee voted along party lines to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt after he invoked the Fifth Amendment and declined to answer questions about his role in the Covid-19 pandemic response.
The Senate Health Committee voted 13-10 to advance Dr. Erica Schwartz's nomination to lead the CDC, despite Democratic concerns about political pressure and vaccine policy under the Trump administration.
President Trump announced that generic drug manufacturers must relocate production to the United States by August 2028 or face 100% import duties, threatening the supply of low-cost medicines used by millions of Americans.
One study found that approximately 77,000 fewer children worldwide received U.S.-supported HIV treatment in the year ending October 2025 than in the previous fiscal year after Trump administration cuts and changes to foreign aid; some may have continued receiving treatment through governments or other donors. Separately, an amfAR survey of 166 PEPFAR-funded organizations in 46 countries reported more than 1,700 clinic and service-site closures and over 16,000 full-time job losses.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced mandatory annual testosterone deficiency screenings for US service members 30 years and older as part of their physical exams, an initiative he said was aimed at improving warfighter readiness.
HCA Healthcare lowered its annual profit forecast on Tuesday, citing a rise in uninsured patients and increased uncompensated care costs driven largely by Americans dropping coverage under Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) plans.
Health insurers offering Affordable Care Act plans are requesting a median 14% premium increase for 2027, marking the second consecutive year of double-digit hikes and intensifying affordability concerns that have already caused millions to drop coverage.
Democrats are positioning healthcare issues, including rural clinic closures and potential congressional oversight, as a central campaign theme for the 2026 midterm elections, with the issue showing potential to sway traditionally Republican voters in states like Iowa while Senate races remain complicated by candidate controversies.
New federal data reveals steep declines in Affordable Care Act coverage across multiple states over the past year, with Ohio and Oklahoma each experiencing losses of nearly one-third of their enrollees.
Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood is resuming after being cut off for most of a year. The restoration of funding ends a prolonged period during which the organization was unable to receive reimbursements through the federal health insurance program for low-income Americans.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced more than $281 million in grant funding opportunities across 15 programs aimed at addressing addiction, overdose, and mental illness. The funding was made available through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The Trump administration has proposed a new regulation through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services targeting hospitals in the 340B Drug Pricing Program, aiming to prevent markups on discounted drugs for Medicare patients and potentially save consumers $1.1 billion next year.
The Trump administration has frozen federal funding for New York's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, with HHS Inspector General Thomas March Bell citing insufficient criminal indictments as the reason for the suspension.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted Philip Morris permission to market its Zyn nicotine pouches as less harmful than cigarettes, allowing the company to market 20 variants of the product with modified risk claims.
U.S. health officials have appointed doctors and pharmacists with deep financial connections to the peptide industry to an FDA advisory panel that will reconsider controversial peptide drugs next month. The appointments raise ethics concerns given the panelists could benefit from regulatory changes they help shape.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders is moving forward with a ban on using SNAP benefits to purchase candy and soft drinks, effective July 1, 2026, despite a recent federal judge's ruling that similar restrictions in other states violated federal law.
Starting July 1, 2026, Medicare will cover select GLP-1 weight loss medications for approximately $50 through a Trump administration pilot program, marking the first time the federal program has covered obesity drugs. The 18-month initiative raises concerns about potential drug shortages.
Multiple U.S. states are implementing measures to regulate pharmacy benefit management companies that oversee prescription drug coverage for health insurers, as part of efforts to reduce medication costs for consumers.
Elevance Health has paid the federal government more than $342 million to settle allegations that it overcharged Medicare Advantage for years. The payment comes amid an ongoing billing probe into the major insurer, which covers approximately 2 million Medicare Advantage beneficiaries.
A coalition of 25 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit in federal court in Boston challenging a Trump administration rule that implements new Medicaid work requirements and narrows exemptions for medically vulnerable people.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been authorized to hire 2,200 people to rebuild its workforce after cutting more than 3,000 employees last year. The agency has secured 600 new hires so far and is seeking 1,600 more positions.
The Office of Management and Budget has proposed rule changes requiring political review of federal scientific grants, while a separate proposal would establish a new science office at the CDC that could give political appointees greater control over agency information and research.
A study on COVID vaccine effectiveness that was blocked from publication by the CDC's acting director has been published in an outside medical journal. The research found that vaccines reduced emergency department visits and hospitalizations among healthy adults by approximately half during last winter.
Eli Lilly provided its experimental 'triple-G' weight loss drug retatrutide to a 79-year-old patient through the FDA's compassionate use program, marking an extremely rare instance of pre-approval access to an obesity medication.
The FDA and HHS are implementing sweeping reforms to speed up early-stage drug research in the United States, addressing concerns that pharmaceutical companies have increasingly moved clinical trials to countries like China and Australia. HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the changes aimed at bringing investment back to the U.S.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced a series of measures designed to speed up drug research across all stages, from early investigational studies through late-stage clinical trials, in an effort to compete with China and develop treatments more quickly.
Erica Schwartz, President Trump's nominee to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has committed to resigning from UnitedHealth and board positions, selling healthcare-related holdings, and recusing herself from matters involving former employers if confirmed by the Senate.
The U.S. Trade Representative has initiated a formal trade investigation into Germany's plan to reduce spending on pharmaceutical products, examining whether the pricing policies are unreasonable or discriminatory. The probe could result in retaliatory tariffs on German goods.
The Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against New York state health officials alleging they rigged the bidding process to award a contract for managing the state's Medicaid homecare program to Georgia-based Public Partnerships through a 'sham bid process' in late 2024.
The Trump administration plans to reclassify top NIH positions under Schedule F, making federal workers easier to fire and more politicized. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is spearheading the move.
New CDC data shows approximately 8% of Americans lacked health insurance in 2025, maintaining recent lows. However, experts warn the uninsured rate could increase as the Trump administration implements sweeping changes to health policy.
CVS Health announced it will add Eli Lilly's weight-loss drug Zepbound back to some of its drug lists as an additional preferred option and begin coverage for the drugmaker's newly approved obesity pill, Forza.
Federal officials have imposed a Medicaid funding freeze on California and are threatening similar action against other states, representing a significant escalation in federal-state healthcare policy conflicts.
Medicaid cuts stemming from Republicans' 2025 tax law are now projected to be significantly larger than originally forecast, with estimates reaching $775 billion. This represents a major expansion of expected reductions to the federal health insurance program for low-income Americans.
The Trump administration disclosed plans to reduce Medicaid state directed payments to providers even more than Congress already slashed, setting up a probable confrontation with healthcare provider groups.
ACA Marketplace deductibles hit a record 37% increase in 2026 following the expiration of enhanced tax credits, pushing millions of enrollees toward cheaper, higher-deductible bronze plans. Premium payment rates have also dropped sharply across multiple states.
The National Institutes of Health continues to face a significant leadership gap, with 15 of its 27 institutes currently being led by acting directors rather than permanent appointees, months into the administration.
Multiple states are experiencing significant drops in Affordable Care Act enrollment, with Georgia seeing a 28% decline in premium payments in April compared to the previous year. The trend suggests rising costs from reduced subsidies are causing people to skip payments or drop coverage entirely.
The Department of Health and Human Services issued reduction-in-force notices to dozens of employees who were not included in previous office-wide layoffs, while also moving to convert hundreds of senior positions to a rebranded Schedule F classification.
New ethics disclosures reveal President Trump purchased stock in Eli Lilly and an injectable device manufacturer while his health agencies implemented policies benefiting these companies' obesity drug products.
Multiple hospitals have received federal grand jury subpoenas regarding gender-affirming care for minors, indicating the Department of Justice has begun a criminal investigation into these medical practices.
The FDA has implemented a new policy that will permit some flavored vaping products to stay on the market without agency authorization, raising concerns among public health experts after the agency previously warned about harmful kratom-derived products.
Colorado is charting an independent course on vaccine promotion as the federal government reduces its public health role, with public health advocates and residents starting a public conversation about vaccine importance.
Health officials under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. explored banning certain SSRI antidepressants as part of plans to reduce their use in the United States, sparking significant debate over medication safety and federal regulatory authority.
Six former FDA officials shared their reasons for leaving the agency following significant staffing cuts and policy changes under the Trump administration. The departures come amid concerns about the agency's capacity to respond to public health threats like the ongoing hantavirus outbreak.
A key GOP lawmaker is investigating whether the American Medical Association's medical billing codes are contributing to healthcare fraud, broadening Republican efforts to combat fraud in the healthcare system.
Hundreds of hospitals nationwide face potential closure following Medicaid cuts from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, prompting state lawmakers to explore emergency loans and financial assistance programs to prevent healthcare access disruptions.
UnitedHealth's insurance unit announced it will eliminate prior approval requirements for 30% of healthcare services, reducing delays and paperwork for patients and doctors. This represents a major policy shift affecting one of the nation's largest health insurers.
Millions of Americans are dropping health insurance coverage after Congress refused to extend federal tax credits for Affordable Care Act plans, resulting in significantly higher premiums that many cannot afford.
The FDA has rejected RP1, a breakthrough melanoma treatment, twice despite its promise in treating skin cancer. The rejections have left medical professionals puzzled and concerned about implications for future drug approvals.
Cigna announced it will exit Affordable Care Act individual insurance markets next year, adding to market instability after Congress failed to extend enhanced subsidies that helped people afford coverage. ACA membership is declining significantly.
Americans are expected to spend more than $1 trillion on prescription drugs in 2026, according to a new report from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. The surge is largely attributed to the growing popularity of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.
The Supreme Court heard oral arguments on a case involving 'skinny labeling' practices that have significant implications for generic drug availability and access, with justices appearing to signal the practice may survive legal challenge.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that its temporary BALANCE model program to cover GLP-1 drugs for obesity in Medicare will not launch as scheduled in January, effectively extending the current coverage approach.
Multiple new studies project that delaying hepatitis B vaccination after birth—as recommended in new U.S. policy that offers the vaccine only to at-risk infants—will lead to increased infections, decreased survival rates, and lifelong health complications among newborns.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and FDA announced a new pathway to streamline Medicare coverage for breakthrough medical devices, cutting red tape and providing predictability for device manufacturers and faster patient access to life-changing technologies.
U.S. health officials have prevented publication of a study on COVID vaccine effectiveness, prompting concerns from Senator Dick Durbin and others about the muzzling of scientists and doctors. This follows earlier halts to CDC communications.
President Trump has reclassified state-licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act, marking a major federal policy change long sought by advocates. This represents the most significant shift in federal marijuana policy in decades.
Major health care firms and trade groups are spending unprecedented amounts on lobbying as the Trump administration intensifies scrutiny of their business practices ahead of midterm elections, with new disclosures showing record first-quarter spending.
A former Imperial Brands executive has been appointed to a senior CDC position, marking the latest example of tobacco industry influence in the Trump administration according to public health advocates.
Limited distribution and pricing barriers are preventing millions in low-income countries from accessing a highly effective HIV prevention drug, raising concerns over global equity and pharmaceutical control of life-saving treatments.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued new guidance implementing limits on federal Medicaid and CHIP funding for certain noncitizen populations, representing a significant policy shift in immigrant healthcare coverage.
Multiple policy changes under the Trump administration, including higher Medicare Advantage payments adding $13 billion to insurer revenues, have primarily enriched health insurance companies despite campaign promises to clamp down on the industry.
The White House is negotiating new drug-pricing agreements with smaller biotechnology companies facing the threat of 100% tariffs on imported medicines, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the meetings.
A Public Citizen analysis found 446 hospitals at high risk of closing or cutting services due to roughly $1 trillion in Medicaid cuts from the "Big Beautiful Bill." Services most at risk include mental health, maternal care, and rural emergency care, with some major health systems already laying off staff.
A Harvard-backed study found that the Inflation Reduction Act's drug provisions are helping Medicare beneficiaries stay on their medications. However, the reforms have not yet reduced overall healthcare costs or financial anxiety for beneficiaries.
Health insurance premiums for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans are projected to rise by a median of 14% in 2027 according to preliminary insurer filings analyzed by KFF, marking the second straight year of double-digit increases and creating significant cost pressures for middle-income Americans.