Category: Public Health

KFF Health News’ ‘What the Health?’: End-of-Year Chaos on Capitol Hill

Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate successfully negotiated an enormous end-of-Congress health package, including bipartisan efforts to address prescription drug prices — only to see it blown up at the last minute after Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump applied pressure. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court accepted its first abortion-related case of the term, and the attorney general of Texas sued a doctor in New York for prescribing abortion pills to a Texas patient. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call, and Victoria Knight of Axios join KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to discuss these stories and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews KFF President and CEO Drew Altman about what happened in health policy in 2024 and what to expect in 2025.

10 top causes of death in 2023: CDC

More than 3 million deaths were reported in the U.S. in 2023, with 10 leading causes accounting for more than 70.9% of all fatalities. 

CDC confirms nation's 1st case of severe bird flu: 5 notes

The CDC on Dec. 18 confirmed a patient in Louisiana has been hospitalized with a severe bird flu infection, marking the first human case of severe illness tied to the H5N1 virus in the country. 

Trump’s Picks for Top Health Jobs Not Just Team of Rivals but ‘Team of Opponents’

The president-elect’s choices to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, FDA, and CDC, hold positions on issues including abortion and vaccination that are often at odds.

Experts slam claims that vaccines overwhelm immune systems

A concern voiced by public figures — including President-elect Donald Trump and his nominee for HHS secretary, Robert Kennedy Jr. — is that the number of vaccines administered to children may overwhelm their immune systems and contribute to conditions …

5 states where virus activity is high: 4 updates

Respiratory virus activity is continuing to rise across the U.S. with flu, COVID-19 and RSV all contributing to increased healthcare visits, according to a  Dec. 13 CDC report. 

How Are States Spending Opioid Settlement Cash? We Built a Database of Answers

From addiction treatment to toy robot ambulances, we uncovered how billions in opioid settlement funds were used by state and local governments in 2022 and 2023. Find out where the money went.

US adult obesity rates drop for 1st time in a decade: Study

In 2023, the United States saw a slight decrease in obesity prevalence among adults, according to research findings published Dec. 13 in JAMA. 

Watch: ‘Going It Alone’ — A Conversation About Growing Old in America

Judith Graham, KFF Health News’ “Navigating Aging” columnist, talks with older adults who live alone by choice or circumstance. They share what it means to thrive in later years.

Post-discharge mortality high among hospitalized flu patients: Study

Influenza surveillance systems that focus solely on in-hospital deaths may miss up to 50% of flu-related deaths because many occur post-discharge, according to a study recently published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.