This Week

The independent source for health policy research, polling, and news.

Kindergarten Routine Vaccination Rates Continue to Decline

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As measles cases rise across the U.S., children’s routine vaccination rates continue to decline while exemptions from school vaccination requirements, particularly non-medical exemptions, have increased. In a new analysis, KFF finds that about 280,000 kindergarteners were unvaccinated against measles in the 2025–2026 school year, and for the sixth year in a row, MMR vaccinations fell below the 95% level needed to prevent community transmission. Read more →

Also, KFF explores the latest state and local policies on school vaccine requirements, which vary widely across the country. Learn more →

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New Guidance on Public Charge Determinations Does Not Specify Key Concepts, Likely Resulting in Immigrant Families Facing Ongoing Confusion and Fear

In this Quick Take, Samantha Artiga, Senior Vice President and Director of the Racial Equity and Health Policy Program, examines new Department of Homeland Security guidance on public charge determinations following the removal of most provisions of the 2022 public charge rule.

Violence Against Healthcare Workers and Staffing Shortages Fuel Hospital Strikes

Healthcare workers at a Michigan hospital have been on strike since last September. Violence on the job is one reason behind it, with federal data showing hospital workers are seven times as likely to be injured on the job due to violent acts as members of the general working population.

Read the story →

Mark Cuban Says You Can’t Fix Healthcare Until Every Price Is Known

With his online pharmacy, Mark Cuban changed how generic drugs are sold — and he has thoughts about how to fix the healthcare system. Cuban talks to KFF Health News’ Julie Rovner to answer the question: “How Would You Fix It?”

Watch →

Question of the Week

Last week, 50% of readers correctly answered that among Medicare Advantage enrollees, 67% of prior authorization denials that were appealed were ultimately overturned by insurers.

How many states allow religious and/or personal belief exemptions from school vaccine requirements?

25

35

45

See how many readers answered correctly in the next edition of This Week.

Health News

How Much of a Cancer Drug Is Too Much? Patients, Researchers Challenge FDA-Approved Dosages

Newsom Promotes Affordable Insulin, but California’s Generic Label Off to a Slow Start

Kennedy’s Quiet Hunt for Autism Culprits Stalls as Trump Orders Baseless Changes to Childhood Shots

What the Health? From KFF Health News: Headless FDA Gets a New Nominee

Medicare’s Paying Less for Cataract Surgery. Eye Doctors Are Turning to Lucrative Lasers.

Drive for Nuclear Power Boosts Uranium Industry — And Tribal Health Concerns in Southwest

What Geriatric Emergency Departments Do Differently

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