Fenit Nirappil

Average Obamacare premiums are set to rise 30 percent, documents show The price increases — affecting up to 17 million Americans who buy coverage on the federal marketplace — are by far the largest annual premium increases in recent years.

SCOOP!

Post reporter Paige Winfield Cunningham obtained documents showing that average Obamacare premiums are set to spike 30 percent.

This escalates the stakes of the government shutdown fight over soaring insurance costs wapo.st/477rixd

How a Joe Rogan-Mel Gibson podcast inspired Florida’s cancer research focus Following a Joe Rogan, Mel Gibson podcast, Florida wants to study whether ivermectin could work against cancer. There is not yet evidence it would.

Ivermectin took on symbolic power during the pandemic, despite being ineffective against coronavirus. Now, Florida wants to study it for cancer.

My @washingtonpost.com latest examines how a Joe Rogan, Mel Gibson podcast translates to research dollars

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

These drug-safety programs have saved lives, but they could disappear A decade after a historic HIV outbreak in Indiana, syringe programs that helped contain the crisis are at risk of disappearing due to federal funding restrictions and local opposition.

An HIV outbreak in Indiana a decade ago showed the urgency of clean syringe exchanges.

@davidovalle.bsky.social went to that community to report on the stakes of Trump's crackdown on these programs. Powerful photography from Maxine Wallace too www.washingtonpost.com/health/inter...

This hormone condition affects millions of women but is often misdiagnosed Polycystic ovary syndrome affects millions of women worldwide, causing reproductive and metabolic issues, but often goes misdiagnosed due to lack of awareness and funding.

Polycystic ovary syndrome affects about 1 out of every 10 women of reproductive age worldwide.

Yet it is often underfunded and under the radar, making it common for women to suffer major discomfort before learning they have the condition.

Medicare backs off plan to pause doctor payments amid shutdown The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services backed off a plan to pause Medicare payments to doctors amid the government shutdown.

UPDATE: Hours after saying they were pausing all payments, Medicare says they’re NOT pausing all payments.

More ➡️ www.statnews.com/2025/10/15/c...

Medicare doctor directory, a Trump team priority, launches with errors The directory, intended to help older Americans navigate Medicare Advantage open enrollment, produces conflicting responses about which providers are covered by health plans.

New: Trump officials unveiled a tool intended to help millions of Medicare patients pick their plans, as open enrollment begins today.

But the tool — a directory that was intended to match providers with their plans — was rife with errors, The Post found.

More here w/Akilah Johnson

Hundreds of CDC layoffs reversed, but biodefense preparedness staff hit More than half of the roughly 1,300 CDC layoff notices have been rescinded, but workers at health agencies who work on biodefense and mental health still lost their jobs.

NEW: The Trump administration's ouster of federal health workers includes employees with top secret clearance responsible for monitoring and protecting the United States from biological, chemical and nuclear threats, @lenasun.bsky.social reports www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

NEW: @CDCgov hit hard by massive firings that several staff describe to me as a “bloodbath.”
Among those RIFd:
—leadership of the center for immunization and respiratory diseases;
—leadership of global health center
—leadership of the measles outbreak response; 1/4

She left the medical mainstream and rose to be RFK Jr.’s surgeon general pick Casey Means, the surgeon general nominee, has criticized the medical establishment. She could be put in position to change it.

This story is the culmination of months of work from @laurenweberhp.bsky.social & @rachelroubein.bsky.social wapo.st/46LWoKQ

Means did a YouTube video titled “Unbox My Genova Metabolomix+ Nutrition Test With Me! 🧪” about a test that can cost hundreds of dollars. Genova Diagnostics is a sponsor of her book tour and newsletter, according to her financial disclosures, for $20,000 and listed as a partner of her book launch on her website. She did not expressly disclose that connection in the video, but did note viewers could get 10 percent off in the description. She also did not disclose the partnership in a May 2024 newsletter when she promoted the brand.

NEW: A Washington Post deep dive into surgeon general nominee Casey Means found she blurred sponsorship lines as she promoted supplements and products outside the medical mainstream.

Here’s one example.

And a gift link to read more: wapo.st/46LWoKQ

She left the medical mainstream and rose to be RFK Jr.'s surgeon general pick Casey Means, the surgeon general nominee, has criticized the medical establishment. She could be put in position to change it.

She left the medical mainstream and rose to be RFK Jr.'s surgeon general pick

Read my and @rachelroubein.bsky.social @washingtonpost.com deep dive on Casey Means

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

YouTube video by NBC News Top Story with Tom Llamas - Oct. 8 | NBC News NOW

Was so great to talk in-person about our latest TikTok reporting with Tom Llamas last night! Thanks to the great folks at NBC for having me.

Segment at 30:39: youtu.be/4jH6LmHI1UE?...

I wonder how the Washington Post covers it www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...

Opinion | Six surgeons general: RFK Jr. is a threat to the health of Americans It was our duty in office to warn of dangers when we found them. We’re doing that again today.

“Secretary Kennedy is entitled to his views. But he is not entitled to put people’s health at risk.”

Six former surgeons general condemn RFK Jr.

The CDC's acting director urges vaccine manufacturers to break up the MMR vaccine.

This is a longtime talking point of anti-vaccine activists

Support for Congress to extend the enhanced premium tax credits remains very high, even among Republicans and MAGA supporters.

Hell? Here?
For many Portlanders, the city is something closer to heaven. The trees stay green all year long. The coffee is good at every shop. You can get to a mountain or the Pacific Ocean in an hour, and if you don’t feel like traveling, there are bookstores and parks in every neighborhood, not to mention some of the best restaurants in the country.

It’s great to have a Portland-based reporter like @caseyparks.bsky.social to ground the news in reality www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...

Families push back on Trump’s autism rhetoric: ‘We’re not a disease’ Parents fear that progress toward inclusion is under threat as political leaders call autism a “crisis.”

Important Read: Programs that many autistic people and their families depend on — through Medicaid, the Education Department and the Administration for Community Living — have been targeted for funding cuts by Trump administration. @caitjgibson.bsky.social

www.washingtonpost.com/parenting/20...

The anti-vaccine group founded by RFK Jr. on Trump going after the childhood immunization schedule:

“History is being made right now”

great article that highlights some of the critical research being lost

An X post from Wakefield: President Trump adopts Wakefield recommendations on separating MMR and calls for major reforms in the childhood vaccine schedule. In a bombshell White House briefing President Trump summarized his position on putting an end to the autism epidemic. Alongside all his senior health officials and advisers Trump committed to identifying the causes of the current autism epidemic.

Andrew Wakefield, whose retracted study triggered the vaccines cause autism movement, takes a victory lap after Trump’s attack on vaccines yesterday.

More on the escalation of anti-vaccine rhetoric to the Oval Office: www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Trump’s escalating attacks on vaccines shock public health leaders Trump promoted long-debunked claims that vaccines can cause autism as he called for changes to the childhood immunization schedule sought by anti-vaccine activists.

“That was the most dangerously irresponsible press conference in the realm of public health in American history"

Anti-vaccine rhetoric reached the Oval Office after Trump's prolonged, direct attack on the childhood immunization schedule www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Above the fold on the Sunday front page

Vaccine panel tension exposes broader conflict about science under RFK Jr. Members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices showed a tenuous grasp of process and cited flawed research as they revisited covid, hepatitis B and MMRV shots.

The head of a group of new RFK Jr. appointed vaccine advisers said their “enormous” knowledge about science should be obvious to listeners.

Then they went on to float cancer, autism and contaminated DNA among dangers of covid shots wapo.st/3I5qLSY

Pentagon demands journalists pledge to not obtain unauthorized material Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is imposing strict new rules that would severely limit the ability of journalists to report on the Pentagon.

NEW: The Pentagon told journalists it will require them to pledge they won’t gather any information — even unclassified — that hasn’t been expressly authorized for release, and will revoke the press credentials of those who do not obey. @washingtonpost.com

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Prenatal Exposure to COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 Induces Autism-Like Behaviors in Male Neonatal Rats: Insights into WNT and BDNF Signaling Perturbations - Neurochemical Research The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed the swift development and distribution of mRNA vaccines, including BNT162b2, to address the disease. Concerns have arisen about the potential neurodevelopmental implica...

The study that was apparently referenced was retracted link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Vaccine panel delays vote to end recommendation of hepatitis B shot at birth Vaccine advisers on ACIP are also considering who should receive updated coronavirus vaccines, a highly anticipated decision that influences access to shots.

One of RFK Jr.'s vaccine advisers just asked coronavirus vaccine makers about a study linking mRNA coronavirus vaccines to autism-like behavior in baby rats.

The meeting shaping future of coronavirus vaccines is underway www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

here’s the clip of someone saying “you’re an idiot,” as Levi — one of RFK Jr’s handpicked vaccine advisers — suggests other scientists are being overconfident about vaccine safety data

Very confusing what ACIP is trying to do on coronavirus vaccines www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

Vaccine panel delays vote to end recommendation of hepatitis B shot at birth Vaccine advisers on ACIP are also considering who should receive updated coronavirus vaccines, a highly anticipated decision that influences access to shots.

RFK Jr.'s vaccine advisers have backed away from their plans to stop recommending hepatitis B vaccination at birth, a policy credited for a drastic plunge in infections and nearly eliminating maternal-to-fetal transmission www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...