TheVoiceOfJoyce The Latest KFF morning briefing and their discussion of our health. There are now 2000 cases of Measles and Trump had two scientists who criticized his policies thrown out of Diabetes Conference. They are the experts on Diabetes Research and are against Trump and RFK, Jr anti science approach. With RFK IN CHARGE OUR MEDICAID & Medicare are under attack.

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From KFF Health News:

KFF HEALTH NEWS ORIGINAL STORIES1. MAHA’s Treatments for Autism: Camel’s Milk, Stem Cell Injections — And Spelling Therapy Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s new autism panel is championing a controversial communication method popular among parents of severely autistic people. Critics warn of abuse — and fake “telepathy.” (Arthur Allen, 6/8)

2. By September, Nearly a Third of Americans Will Live in States With Legal Aid in Dying Despite widespread support in polls for legalizing aid in dying, the number of people who go through with the practice remains very small. (Paula Span, 6/8)

3. Gounder Fills In Details Behind Ebola, GLP-1, and Trump Headlines KFF Health News’ editor-at-large for public health discussed Ebola, GLP-1 drugs, ultraprocessed food, and more in TV appearances this week. (6/6)

Here’s today’s health policy haiku:

DON’T ASK DR. OZ

Unqualified top
spy czar? Slush fund? War a flop?
Trump spokesman won’t speak.

– Timothy Kelley

If you have a health policy haiku to share, please Contact Usand 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:

HEALTHCARE COSTS4. TrumpRx Program Bulks Up Its Offerings, Adds 160 Medications 

The direct-to-consumer drug platform listed 43 medications when it launched in February. Now it touts more than 800. President Donald Trump claims his most-favored-nation policy has saved Americans more than $400 million since TrumpRx debuted, The Hill reports. Plus, local governments are suing over changes the government made to Affordable Care Act exchanges.

The Hill: TrumpRx Platform Adds 160 More Prescription Drugs President Trump on Friday announced that over 100 prescription medications would be added to his administration’s direct-to-consumer drug platform, TrumpRx, the second expansion of the initiative in as many months. “I am pleased to announce that TrumpRx.gov is adding another 160 Prescription Drugs, at highly discounted prices, for a new total of over 800 of the most commonly-used Prescription Drugs,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “TrumpRx.gov will now provide clear, transparent, and DISCOUNTED offerings for FOUR OUT OF FIVE of every prescription filled by Americans,” the president added. (Brams, 6/6)

On the Affordable Care Act —

Modern Healthcare: HHS Faces Lawsuit Over ACA Exchange Rule For 2027 Chicago, Baltimore, Columbus, Ohio, and Pima County, Arizona, want a court to toss a recent health insurance regulation that they maintain includes policies never authorized by federal law. The plaintiffs contend that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services violated the Affordable Care Act of 2010 and the Administrative Procedure Act of 1946 when it issued a final rule last month that will make major changes to the health insurance exchanges next year. Pima County is home to Tucson, the second-most populous city in Arizona. (Early, 6/5)

On Medicaid —

Politico: How Sick Is Sick Enough? New Medicaid Work Rule Worries Patient Advocates, States The 40 plus states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act thought they knew what to expect when Republican’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act outlined last year which low-income residents might be shielded from work requirements because they are too “medically frail.” … Patient advocacy groups, physicians and state officials say they fear that chronically ill people, whose ability to work often fluctuates, will fall through the cracks and become uninsured at a time when they most need care. (Ollstein and King, 6/7)

The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer: As Ohio Targets Medicaid Fraud, Elderly Ohioans And Those With Disabilities Fear Losing Their Independence  Allegations that Medicaid is losing billions of dollars to fraud have sent Ohio Republicans racing to overhaul the state’s home-care system before their summer break. But as conservatives rush forward with a sweeping reform bill, critics are questioning whether lawmakers are moving too quickly to understand how the changes could harm elderly and disabled Ohioans who depend on this kind of care to live independently. (Staver, 6/7)

The CT Mirror: CT Community Health Workers Still Waiting For Medicaid Support In 2023, lawmakers passed a measure requiring the state’s Medicaid program to pay for services provided by community health workers who help patients navigate the medical system. The law passed but didn’t specify an implementation date, and the budget didn’t earmark funding for the initiative. Today, community health workers and advocates are still waiting for the state to come up with the money to make the measure a reality. (Golvala, 6/5)

On Medicare Advantage and hospital-at-home services —

Modern Healthcare: Clover Health’s Win Could Upend Medicare Advantage Star Ratings A recent federal court ruling could shake up the Medicare Advantage Star Ratings program. The decision only requires the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to recalculate 2026 Medicare Advantage star ratings for Clover Health, but its consequences could reach further and lead to higher quality scores, and more bonus revenue, across the industry. (Tepper, 6/5)

Modern Healthcare: Hospital-At-Home ROI Grows With Readmission, Discharge Programs Health systems are getting a bigger bang for their buck by using hospital-at-home platforms for other services. Virtua Health, Wellstar Health System, Mass General Brigham and other providers are finding success using remote patient monitoring equipment and staff to track patients released early from the hospital or those at high risk for readmission. Finding opportunities to spread the cost of hospital-at-home infrastructure across other services could convince more health systems to launch the programs. (Eastabrook, 6/4)

LIFESTYLE AND HEALTH5. TSA Updates Medical Marijuana Policy; Experts Suggest Travelers Be Careful 

Patients who use medical marijuana for chronic pain, anxiety, nausea, or other qualifying conditions may pack their medication for use at their destination, Fox News reports. But medical experts urge caution and emphasize waiting until arriving at a destination before using the substance. Also: MAHA, ultraprocessed foods, food contamination, and more.

Fox News: TSA Updates Medical Marijuana Guidelines, But Experts Urge Caution The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently updated its medical marijuana guidelines, adding specific instructions to its “What Can I Bring?” directory for both carry-on and checked bags. Patients who use cannabis to manage chronic pain, anxiety, nausea or other qualifying conditions may travel with their medication for use at their destination. (Quill, 6/7)

On MAHA, nutrition, and autism —

Politico: RFK Jr.’s Movement Was Supposed To Save The GOP’s Majorities. It’s Not Even In The Game Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again movement isn’t doing much to help Republicans maintain control of Congress. MAHA Action and MAHA Institute, the movement’s political organizations spreading Kennedy’s message on healthy food and vaccine safety, have largely stayed out of the races that will determine the makeup of Congress. Tony Lyons, the publisher of Kennedy’s books who’s taken a lead role in running the groups, has struggled to turn Kennedy’s appeal into the juggernaut Republicans had hoped would enable them to hold onto their House and Senate majorities. (Chu, 6/6)

The Hill: Steak N’ Shake Touts Endorsement Win In Iowa Governor Primary: ‘We Like Getting It Right’ Fast food chain Steak ‘n Shake is touting its political prowess after the Republican candidate it endorsed for Iowa governor defeated a challenger backed by President Trump. … Steak ‘n Shake threw its support behind businessman Zach Lahn in the gubernatorial race in late May, calling him the “only MAHA-supporting candidate” in the field, a reference to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. (Brams, 6/5)

CNN: Ultraprocessed Food Scientists Say Americans Are ‘Fed Up’ With Industry And Government Inaction The ultraprocessed food industry is yet again under attack, and it’s not just MAHA moms or scientists who study food calling for change. Some 77% of frustrated Republicans, Democrats and Independents are now calling for mandated “large warning labels” on all packages of ultraprocessed foods, or UPFs, according to a new poll. (LaMotte, 6/5)

CIDRAP: WHO Attributes 866 Million Yearly Illnesses, 1.5 Million Deaths Around The World To Contaminated Food Today, as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigates two new outbreaks of foodborne illness, the World Health Organization (WHO) released global data estimating the annual number of illnesses and deaths tied to unsafe food at 866 million and 1.5 million, respectively. The WHO report, published in The Lancet Global Health, also found that, despite children younger than 5 years making up only 9% of the population, this age-group represents nearly one third of all cases of foodborne illness—especially deadly diarrheal diseases. (Van Beusekom, 6/4)

KFF Health News: MAHA’s Treatments For Autism: Camel’s Milk, Stem Cell Injections — And Spelling Therapy Elizabeth Bonker is a silent woman with a loud mission. She wants government agencies to cover the costs of training people with autism in a form of communication called assisted spelling. One problem: Leading professional organizations don’t believe it works. “All nonspeakers above the age of 5 should be given the opportunity,” typed Bonker, who is 28 and cannot talk. Her mother, Virginia Breen, held a wireless keyboard for her. They sat on a hotel patio before an April 27 meeting with a senior aide to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Allen, 6/8)

More health and wellness news —

The New York Times: Police Remove Diabetes Experts From Conference For Distributing Critique Of Trump Administration  Several diabetes experts were escorted out of an influential medical conference by the police on Friday after they handed out copies of an editorial criticizing the Trump administration’s attacks on scientific research. The incident took place Friday morning at a meeting of the American Diabetes Association in New Orleans, shortly before Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the National Institutes of Health, was scheduled to speak. An organizer announced just before Dr. Bhattacharya’s session that he would no longer be speaking; a senior adviser at the N.I.H. took his place. (Blum, 6/5)

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Alternative Medicine Clinics Sell Hope For Defeating Disease, Aging – Often At High Cost Ron Evangelista’s first appointment at Progressive Medical Center left him feeling hopeful. For years, Evangelista, 82, had been dragged down by osteoarthritis in his neck. The pain was so persistent that it had become challenging to do the simple things he loves, like walking the dogs or dancing with his wife, Kathy. She, too, had some chronic health issues. (Robbins and Teegardin, 6/8)

NPR: Can A Vibrating Belt Fend Off Bone Density Loss? Andrea Bloom, 59, of Pleasanton, Calif., learned she had osteopenia, or low bone density, after a bone density scan. “When I saw my results, it was pretty shocking because I was one-tenth of a point away from an osteoporosis diagnosis,” she says. More than 40 million adults in the United States aged 50 and older have osteopenia, which can progress to osteoporosis, leaving bones brittle and weak. (Aubrey, 6/6)

NBC News: Insulin Resistance May Be An Overlooked Clue To Heart Disease, Diabetes And Fatty Liver A chronic condition that affects how our bodies regulate blood sugar may be an overlooked culprit behind heart disease, diabetes, fatty liver and possibly some cancers. (Syal, 6/7)

OUTBREAKS AND HEALTH THREATS6. US Measles Cases Top 2,000, On Pace To Break 2025’s Record-Setting Year 

NBC News maps out the states that have experienced surging cases since late April, noting that outbreaks in Florida, Pennsylvania, Utah, and Virginia threaten the country’s measles elimination status. Plus, updates about the Ebola outbreak in Africa, and health concerns ahead of the World Cup.

NBC News: Where Is Measles Still Spreading In The U.S.? Cases Reached 2,030 Across 30 New Outbreaks This Year Measles cases in the U.S. reached 2,030 on Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. That’s just a few hundred shy of the 2,288 logged in all of 2025, a record-breaking year that saw more measles diagnoses than any year since 1991. There have been 30 new outbreaks this year, compared to 48 last year, the CDC said. The majority of cases are children and teenagers. More than 92% are unvaccinated and 6% (127 of the 2,030 patients) have been hospitalized. (Edwards, 6/5)

CIDRAP: CDC: Only 1 In 10 Hospital Patients Early In The West Texas Measles Outbreak Had Underlying Conditions A new study in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from scientists with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and their state partners analyzes the patients hospitalized during the first two months of the measles outbreak that swept through West Texas in 2025, finding that nearly all were unvaccinated children, only 11% had preexisting conditions, and respiratory complications were common. (Bergeson, 6/5)

ProPublica: What ProPublica Found In The Genetic Code Of America’s Measles Outbreaks American children lined up for the world’s first measles shots in the early 1960s, but it took nearly 40 years of shoring up immunization programs before the infamous contagion had been so thoroughly controlled that a panel of experts declared in 2000 that the United States had eliminated measles within its borders. For a quarter century, the U.S. only saw outbreaks when infected travelers brought the virus in from abroad. The resulting waves of measles didn’t last more than a year. Those days are gone. (Lash and Callahan, 6/8)

The latest on the Ebola outbreak —

ABC News: Ebola Outbreak Could Exceed 20,000 Cases In 3 Months Without Urgent Public Health Measures: CDC Without urgent action, there is a strong likelihood the Ebola outbreak in Africa will exceed 20,000 cases and 4,000 deaths within three months, a new modeling estimate from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests. The cases and deaths would be centralized to the current outbreak region, the model, released Friday, suggests. (Benadjaoud, 6/5)

AP: Health Workers In Congo Fight Ebola Outbreak With Little Pay Or Rest Dr. Richard Lokudu, the medical director of Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital, has received barely any compensation for his work on the front line of one of Congo’s deadliest Ebola virus outbreaks. Lokudu and several of his colleagues work all day at the hospital treating an influx of patients. Notifications of suspected cases come even late at night. “I have not received my allowance (and) what happened to others could happen to me as well,” Lokudu told The Associated Press. (Kabumba and Adetayo, 6/8)

KFF Health News: KFF Health News’ ‘On Air’: Gounder Fills In Details Behind Ebola, GLP-1, And Trump Headlines Céline Gounder, KFF Health News’ editor-at-large for public health, discussed a recent study that suggests ultraprocessed foods are linked to increased dementia risk on CBS News 24/7’s The Daily Report on June 3. Gounder also discussed the Ebola outbreak in central Africa and the impact of U.S. health funding cuts on CBS News’ CBS Mornings on June 3. (6/6)

On health concerns at the World Cup —

NBC News: Why Measles And Flu — Not Ebola — Are Front Of Mind For Doctors Ahead Of The World Cup The World Cup is presenting a unique challenge for public health officials. Dozens of teams from around the globe — along with millions of their dedicated fans — will descend on major U.S. cities in the coming weeks. It’s the largest in FIFA history, with 39 teams setting up training camps in the United States. The first match in this country will be June 12 in California, with the last match more than a month later, on July 19, in New Jersey. (Edwards, 6/5)

Politico: The Disease Detectives Suiting Up To Fight Ebola At The World Cup When the United States, Canada and Mexico formally submitted their co-hosting bid to soccer governing body FIFA in 2018, they touted the safety of the region, noting “no major endemic infectious diseases across any of our Host Countries.” Now, as the three countries prepare to welcome one of the largest international gatherings around the globe since the Covid-19 pandemic, infectious diseases are front of mind. (Bluth, Gardner, Negesse, Sarkissian and Kaufman, 6/6)

PHARMA AND TECH7. Study Used To Win FDA Nod For Amgen’s Vasculitis Drug Is Under Review 

The FDA has proposed pulling Tavneos from the market. Now, the New England Journal of Medicine is investigating allegations that the drug was approved based on manipulated data, Bloomberg reports. Tavneos treats a rare form of blood vessel inflammation called ANCA-associated vasculitis.

Bloomberg: Amgen’s Tavneos Faces Scrutiny As NEJM Investigates Approval Study The New England Journal of Medicine is investigating allegations of research misconduct in a key study used to approve Amgen Inc.’s drug Tavneos. The US Food and Drug Administration recently proposed pulling the drug from the market, alleging that the medicine was approved based on manipulated data. European health regulators are also reviewing the drug. (Swetlitz and Langreth, 6/5)

On microplastics and plasma exchange —

Axios: Microplastics In Blood Drop After Plasma Exchange, Circulate Study Reports A “blood cleansing” treatment gaining popularity in the longevity space appears to reduce microplastics circulating in the bloodstream, according to newly published research. (May, 6/7)

On cancer —

Undark: Promising ‘Liquid Biopsies’ May Not Be Ready For Primetime An emerging technology seeks to help revolutionize the world of cancer diagnosis: Multi-cancer early detection tests aim to spot signals for different types of cancer from a single blood draw or other body fluid sample. Also known as a specific type of liquid biopsy, MCED tests look for abnormalities that may indicate cancer, like circulating tumor DNA; some tests can indicate the likely origin of a cancer, while others may merely show that cancer could be present without identifying a probable type or location. A key advantage of MCEDs, supporters say, is their potential to identify cancers at earlier, more treatable stages. As such, they may help save lives. (Cohen, 6/8)

The Wall Street Journal: The Era Of The One-Size-Fits-All Cancer Drug Is Ending Investors have poured billions into the hunt for the next Keytruda. The latest data carries a sobering message: there may be no single successor to Merck’s mega-blockbuster in cancer. No company is riding that hope harder than Summit Therapeutics. A couple of years ago, the biotech backed by billionaire Bob Duggan published data suggesting its drug, ivonescimab, beat back a form of lung cancer longer than Keytruda did. The stock rocketed, turning a company with no approved product into one worth over $20 billion at its peak, more than Moderna is worth today. Investors began to believe something better than Keytruda had finally arrived. (Wainer, 6/6)

The Wall Street Journal: 20-Somethings Are Getting Double Mastectomies As Cancer Rates Rise In Young Adults The summer before Sophia Benson started graduate school at New York University, her mom threw her a “boob-voyage” party, a farewell to her natural breasts. When Benson was 18, she learned her father had a BRCA1 gene mutation, as did his sister, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 33. BRCA1 significantly increases a person’s risk of developing certain cancers, including breast and ovarian. Benson found out at 21 that she had the mutation, too, and underwent a double mastectomy and reconstruction last year. (O’Brien, 6/7)

On weight loss drugs —

CBS News: This Weight-Loss Drug Hasn’t Been Approved By The FDA. Doctors Are Prescribing It Anyway. Retatrutide isn’t supposed to be everywhere. Touted as the next generation in the GLP-1 craze, it’s an experimental weight-loss drug that is not authorized outside of clinical trials. The Food and Drug Administration hasn’t reviewed whether it is safe and effective, which is the legal path for prescription drugs to come to market. And yet retatrutide is for sale all over the internet, a phenomenon with no modern precedent

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