Congo says its mpox outbreak is over after 2 years and more than 2,200 suspected deaths
abcnews - Congo has declared the end of a two-year mpox outbreak, which is believed to have caused over 2,200 deaths
AI Summary: Republic of the Congo announced its prolonged mpox outbreak has ended after roughly two years and more than 2,200 suspected deaths, even as genomic surveillance uncovered co-circulating clades, including evidence of clade IIb lineage A.2.2. Health officials now face the twin tasks of documenting lessons and monitoring for lingering transmission.
White House floats 12.5% budget cut for HHS in FY2027, reiterates reorganization plan
fiercehealthcare - The requested budget cut is about half of what the administration asked, and was denied, last year. However, plans for reorganizing agencies under an Administration for a Healthy America persist, as do calls to eliminate various programs and centers the W…
AI Summary: The administration has floated a plan to cut HHS funding by roughly 12–12.5% in FY2027 while pursuing agency reorganization. The proposal targets discretionary programs including research funding, prompting scientific groups to urge Congress to reject the NIH reductions and warn of downstream impacts on biomedical research and patient care.
- Researchers, cancer groups warn NIH cuts will harm patients (6)
- White House pushes deep HHS cuts, agency reorganization (4)
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Researchers, cancer groups warn NIH cuts will harm patients
White House pushes deep HHS cuts, agency reorganization
All Other Stories
Why 131 Hospitals Are Suing HHS Over Alleged Underpayment
Katie Adams / medcitynews - A group of 131 hospitals has sued HHS over a CMS policy they say improperly reduces Medicare disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments. The lawsuit is the latest in a decade-long legal battle over how the agency counts patient days and calculates pay…
AI Summary: One hundred thirty‑one hospitals have filed suit challenging HHS’s 2023 Disproportionate Share Hospital calculation, arguing the agency’s formula undercounts uncompensated care and systematically underpays safety‑net providers. The plaintiffs seek to overturn the rule and recover alleged shortfalls, warning that ongoing underpayment threatens hospital finances and patient access.
CMS finalizes Medicare Advantage star ratings overhaul, sending billions of dollars more to insurers
Rebecca Pifer Parduhn / healthcaredive - Regulators cut almost a dozen metrics that factor into the quality ratings and reverted back to an older and more generous bonus system. MA plans will get more than $18 billion in additional payments over the next decade as a result.
AI Summary: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services locked in a sweeping overhaul of Medicare Advantage star ratings that will shift billions of dollars in payments and alter plan incentives. The ruling adjusts rating calculations and enrollment provisions, prompting industry and provider concerns about downstream effects on access, plan behavior, and provider-network stability.