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Good morning. We’ve entered the season where ice cream is a daily indulgence. Enjoy!
New Rules for Medicaid Work Requirements
The Trump administration released a much-awaited document detailing the new Medicaid work requirements. This policy, introduced as part of President Trump’s tax legislation last summer, mandates that adults enrolled through Medicaid expansion and those with lower incomes not on Medicare must engage in work, community service, or educational activities for at least 80 hours a month.
Exemptions exist for individuals considered “medically frail,” though there are still questions about which medical conditions qualify. States are preparing to implement these rules by early 2027. For more details, see the report by STAT’s John Wilkerson and Tara Bannow.
1 in 5
This represents the proportion of adolescents aged 12 to 21 who have sought mental health advice from AI chatbots, according to a RAND survey of over 1,000 youths published in JAMA Pediatrics. Conducted in November 2025, the survey shows an increase from the 13% reported in a similar RAND study earlier that year.
Of those using AI, nearly 43% did so monthly, and about 92% found the advice at least somewhat helpful. As chatbots like Gemini and ChatGPT gain popularity, there are growing concerns about their handling of mental health issues.
Accelerated Funding for Experimental Ebola Vaccines
The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations has pledged approximately $62 million to three entities for the development and testing of a vaccine for the rare Bundibugyo Ebola virus. The majority, about $50 million, is allocated to Moderna. Despite this financial support, clinical trials for specific vaccines may still be months away, writes STAT’s Helen Branswell.
Read Helen’s insights on the hurdles ahead and why a CEPI executive believes the world is better poised to tackle this outbreak compared to past, larger epidemics.
Emerging Legal Challenges Threatening DTC Telehealth
With over 30 states prohibiting corporations from practicing medicine, telehealth companies are finding ways to navigate these laws. They collaborate with “friendly” physician-owned medical groups that officially oversee care, while the telehealth company operates as a management service organization.
STAT’s Katie Palmer discusses how this relationship has propelled the growth of virtual-only telehealth companies. Some experts suggest these physician groups are more “captive” than “friendly.” In response, several states have moved to reinforce their corporate practice of medicine laws. Read more from Katie on these dynamics and the telehealth lobbying group’s efforts to contest new legislation.
Evaluating a State’s Medical Meal Program
The concept of food as medicine is gaining traction, particularly with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the helm of federal health initiatives. While awaiting his proposed MAHA box initiative to deliver healthy groceries to SNAP recipients, Massachusetts has piloted a program providing medically-tailored meals to Medicaid patients with diet-sensitive conditions like diabetes and heart failure. A recent study in Nature Medicine reports that participants experienced 31% fewer hospitalizations and 20% fewer emergency visits, with health care costs reduced by $3,433.
Researchers compared data from over 1,800 program participants to nearly 1,400 similar individuals, noting that participants received meals for at least three months, averaging six months. With a cost of about $3,500 per person, the program’s expenses were largely offset by the savings in health care costs.
Thirteen states are exploring food as medicine programs, including meal initiatives. The study’s authors emphasize the importance of testing these interventions in varied settings.
Why Hasn’t the FDA Banned This ‘Punishing’ ‘Torture’?
The use of electrical shock devices for managing dangerous behaviors in individuals with intellectual disabilities and autism has been criticized as “punishing” by the American Academy of Pediatrics and labeled as “torture” by United Nations officials. The FDA has previously attempted to ban these devices, but efforts have been unsuccessful.
In its latest attempt, the agency set a deadline for the end of May, two years in advance. Now in June, there has been no progress. “We’ve come so close, so many times,” nonprofit director Robyn Linscott told STAT’s O. Rose Broderick. If the FDA fails to ban the practice, “it would almost feel like salt in the wound.” For more on this ongoing issue, revisit Rose’s 2024 report.
What We’re Reading
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The painful truth about long Covid, Wired
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Baffling. Frustrating. Frightening. What it’s like to be sued over medical debt, KFF Health News
- At the world’s largest cancer research meeting, data briefly took a backseat to grief, STAT
- Jeffrey Epstein’s sperm may have survived him, New York Times
- No Surprises Act arbitration rule could worsen flood of provider disputes, STAT
