Health Care News, Analysis and Opinion from POLITICO
- 2 researchers charged with smuggling mpox into the USby By Carmen Paun on June 3, 2026 at 2:10 am
Employed at a National Institutes of Health lab in Montana, the two allegedly brought deactivated virus from the Republic of the Congo without a permit.
- Milk’s the drink of choice at RFK Jr.’s event with swing-district Republicanby By Simon J. Levien on June 1, 2026 at 9:49 pm
The health secretary appeared at a Wisconsin dairy farm with embattled Rep. Derrick Van Orden.
- States balk at the high price of Medicaid work requirements amid budget crunchby By Robert King and Alice Miranda Ollstein on May 31, 2026 at 2:00 pm
States dealing with budget shortfalls are facing tens of millions of dollars in new costs ahead of the federal Jan. 1 deadline.
- Ebola response puts Trump on collision course with global health bodyby By Sophie Gardner and Carmen Paun on May 30, 2026 at 11:00 am
The Trump administration has implemented some of the United States’ most stringent travel restrictions for infectious disease ever.
- Montana senator wants monkey bite, and lab where it happened, investigatedby By Carmen Paun and Megan Messerly on May 29, 2026 at 5:15 pm
Tim Sheehy’s request comes after a monkey with Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever bit a researcher at the Rocky Mountain Laboratories.
- RFK Jr., states at odds over cause of Obamacare’s enrollment declinesby By Robert King and Kelly Hooper on May 25, 2026 at 8:00 pm
Trump administration officials point to their work on fraud as the reason for dropoffs while states and insurers blame higher premiums.
- Anti-abortion activists’ frustrations escalate after abortion pill rulingby By Alice Miranda Ollstein on May 25, 2026 at 11:00 am
Abortion opponents are demanding action from the FDA and other federal agencies.
- US well-positioned to deal with current Ebola outbreak, Deborah Birx saysby By David Cohen on May 24, 2026 at 8:15 pm
She said the country has “a deep bench” even in federal agencies without a confirmed leader.
- CDC says green card holders who were recently in countries where Ebola is spreading can’t reenter USby By Sophie Gardner on May 23, 2026 at 12:25 am
The move expands existing travel restrictions barring foreigners who’ve recently been in Congo, South Sudan and Uganda.
- Relief group is phasing out vaccines RFK Jr. believes are unsafeby By Carmen Paun on May 22, 2026 at 8:47 pm
The health secretary has blocked $600 million for Gavi, which provides shots to poor countries, because of his concerns about a mercury-containing preservative.
- RFK Jr. announces ‘the largest autism fraud bust in American history’ and it’s in Minnesotaby By Carmen Paun and Robert King on May 21, 2026 at 8:59 pm
The arrests have the Trump administration again accusing Gov. Tim Walz of poor oversight of federal funds.
- RFK Jr. fires leaders of group that determines what insurers must coverby By Carmen Paun on May 20, 2026 at 7:39 pm
The health secretary has said the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force erred by failing to recommend screening for Alzheimer’s disease.
- Pharma’s legal assault on Medicare negotiations hits a SCOTUS wallby By Lauren Gardner and David Lim on May 20, 2026 at 4:21 pm
Supreme Court decision not to hear pharma cases gives “strong signal” that Medicare price talks will continue.
- Relief group says Trump cuts ‘led to delayed detection of deadly Ebola outbreak’by By Carmen Paun on May 19, 2026 at 10:21 pm
The International Rescue Committee said the cuts are partially to blame for the rapid spread of the disease in the Congo.
- Abortion clinic protesters eligible for payouts from new Trump ‘anti-weaponization’ fundby By Alice Miranda Ollstein on May 19, 2026 at 9:56 pm
The new fund comes as a pro-abortion rights group says threats and violent attacks at clinics are on the rise.
- Congo opens more centers to treat rare type of Ebola that has killed more than 110by By Associated Press on May 18, 2026 at 9:55 pm
“We are playing catch-up against a very dangerous pathogen,” one expert said.
- CDC announces 30-day travel restrictions in response to Ebola outbreakby By Sophie Gardner on May 18, 2026 at 7:34 pm
The agency is restricting entry into the U.S. for non-U.S. passport holders who have visited areas where they may have been exposed to the virus.
- Ebola risk in US remains low amid Congo outbreak, CDC saysby By Kelly Hooper on May 17, 2026 at 8:23 pm
The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak in central Africa “a public health emergency of international concern.”
- 1 of RFK Jr.’s biggest fans in the Senate wants Bill Cassidy’s jobby By Simon J. Levien on May 17, 2026 at 6:26 pm
Sen. Roger Marshall, a Make America Healthy Again devotee, is angling to replace the defeated Louisiana senator atop the Health Committee.
- Hospitals are taking the fall for high health care costsby By Amanda Chu on May 17, 2026 at 6:00 pm
On right and left and among industry rivals, everyone is pointing the finger at the caregivers.
- RFK Jr.’s department to make it easier to fire career staffby By Carmen Paun and Sophie Gardner on May 16, 2026 at 12:33 am
Managers received notices Friday that job classifications were changing.
- Acting FDA leader tries to explain past Planned Parenthood work to abortion opponentsby By Alice Miranda Ollstein and David Lim on May 15, 2026 at 5:05 pm
Kyle Diamantas, who was elevated to FDA acting commissioner earlier this week, is telling anti-abortion groups he asked to be taken off a case defending Planned Parenthood due to moral objections.
- Supreme Court extends order maintaining abortion pill accessby By Alice Miranda Ollstein and Josh Gerstein on May 14, 2026 at 9:37 pm
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented from the majority decision.
- White House cuts $1.3 billion in Medicaid payments to Californiaby By Robert King on May 13, 2026 at 8:02 pm
CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz has repeatedly targeted the state over hospice care.
- RFK Jr.’s next vaccine moves could upend White House election-year messagingby By Lauren Gardner and Cheyenne Haslett on May 13, 2026 at 2:00 pm
Trump says vaccines are off the agenda. Kennedy’s next moves may say otherwise.
- Makary’s time atop FDA over, Diamantas named acting commissionerby By David Lim and Lauren Gardner on May 12, 2026 at 4:43 pm
The gastrointestinal surgeon’s tenure was marked by mass layoffs, persistent churn among senior leaders and policy fights.
- Makary keeps working amid questions over his FDA futureby By David Lim and Sophia Cai on May 11, 2026 at 8:13 pm
The embattled FDA chief is still scheduled to testify Wednesday on Capitol Hill.
- Supreme Court extends order maintaining abortion pill access until Thursdayby By Alice Miranda Ollstein and Josh Gerstein on May 11, 2026 at 8:03 pm
The temporary punt gives the justices more time to figure out how to handle competing arguments from Louisiana, the Trump administration, and drugmakers.
- One American has tested positive for hantavirus, another has mild symptomsby By Sophie Gardner and David Lim on May 11, 2026 at 2:55 am
A flight carrying 17 Americans who were on a cruise ship where a hantavirus outbreak occurred is returning to the U.S.

















