Absence seizures: What are they and how can you tell if your child is having one?
(Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU – November 10, 2025)

As part of National Epilepsy Awareness Month, our interim chief of child neurology, Dr. Monica Islam, answers these 7 questions about absence seizures, what causes them and how they can be treated. What is an absence seizure? An absence seizure is a type of seizure that many refer to as a staring spell. Unlike staring that relates to daydreaming or concentrating, absence seizures are caused by abnormal brain activity. Children who have them are usually otherwise healthy and normal in their development.

As Centra ends OB/GYN care in Farmville, experts say more women’s health services are at risk due to changes brought by federal spending bill
(Cardinal News – November 11, 2025)

Kandace Dotten is eight months pregnant, with a due date that falls just 10 days after Centra Southside Community Hospital is set to close its obstetrics and gynecology department. It’s her second and final pregnancy, but this one has come with complications. For now, the drive from her home to the hospital takes about 3 minutes. This has been comforting as she manages cervical bleeding that’s getting worse as her pregnancy progresses. Soon, that short trip will turn into an hour-long drive to Lynchburg. Centra announced the closure in a Nov. 3 press release, also shared on the hospital’s Facebook page.

Baby with Hirschsprung thrives after expert pediatric surgical care at Inova L.J. Murphy Children’s Hospital
(Inova – November 10, 2025)

After a healthy, uncomplicated pregnancy, Lauren welcomed her second child, a baby boy named Jack, in June 2023 at Inova Loudoun Hospital. All seemed fine, but after two days had elapsed without little Jack passing any stool, the neonatology team at Inova Loudoun Hospital transferred Jack to Inova L.J. Murphy Children’s Hospital, home to Northern Virginia’s only Level IV NICU, for evaluation. Jack had Hirschsprung disease, a congenital condition affecting about one in every 5,000 live births. Babies with Hirschsprung are missing ganglion cells in some or all of their colon, small intestine and/or rectum. Without those nerve cells, stool cannot move through the affected portion of the intestinal tract. While about 80% of children have short-segment Hirschsprung, Jack was in the unfortunate minority. He had long-segment Hirschsprung affecting three-quarters of his colon.

Ballad Health Leader David Lester Honored with Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association “Excellence in Governance” Award
(Ballad Health – November 10, 2025)

The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) has recognized David Lester with the 2025 Excellence in Governance Award for his decades of leadership, strategic vision and commitment to strengthening rural healthcare across Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. Lester, a Bristol, Va. business leader and long-time healthcare governance champion, currently serves on the Ballad Health Board of Directors. He previously served on the Wellmont Health System Board, where he chaired the Strategic Options Committee and played a key role in guiding Wellmont and Mountain States Health Alliance through a complex and historic merger that formed Ballad Health in 2018.

Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital and Memorial Regional Medical Center Earn Highest Rating for Heart Bypass Surgery by Society of Thoracic Surgeons
(Bon Secours – November 6, 2025)

Two Bon Secours Richmond hospitals have earned the prestigious three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for patient care and outcomes in isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures. The three-star rating, which denotes the highest category of quality, places Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital in Henrico County and for the first time Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center in Hanover County among the elite for heart bypass surgery in the US and Canada. These hospitals are now distinguished as two of just 195 programs across North America to achieve this distinguished status in cardiac care.

Community Rallies to “Smash Cancer!” with Carilion Clinic and Performance Pickleball ROA
(Carilion Clinic – November 10, 2025)

Nearly 100 players came together on Saturday, Nov. 8, for Smashing Cancer!, a pickleball tournament hosted by Performance Pickleball ROA in partnership with Carilion Clinic. The event raised more than $10,000 to benefit the new Carilion Taubman Cancer Center. The tournament filled Performance Pickleball’s courts as players of all levels and ages competed, connected and contributed to a cause that touches countless lives across the region. “Supporting our community through events like Smashing Cancer! is what Performance Pickleball is all about,” said MacKenzie Cassady, general manager at Performance Pickleball ROA. “Seeing players from our community come together with such energy and purpose to support Carilion Clinic’s cancer care efforts was truly inspiring. It’s a powerful reminder of how sports can unite us for something bigger than ourselves.”

First-ever cancer clinical trial launched at VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital
(VCU Health – November 10, 2025)

For the first time, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center is now providing clinical trial opportunities at VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital. This marks an important milestone for the region and the VCU Health enterprise by expanding local access to advanced cancer care and research for residents in the Northern Neck area. The clinical trial is the first to ever be conducted at VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital. In 2024, VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital became an affiliate member of VCU’s National Cancer Institute (NCI) Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP), giving the hospital access to dozens of cancer-focused trials offered through the NCI’s Clinical Trials Network and NCORP research bases that best meet the need of its patient population.

Hospitals hope for help from $50B rural health program
(Chief Healthcare Executive – November 10, 2025)

The applications have been submitted, and for hospitals, the waiting game begins. President Trump and Congress created the new Rural Health Transformation Program in July, partly as a way to ensure passage of a tax package that would result in significant cuts to Medicaid programs. Healthcare leaders said the Medicaid cuts would be devastating to hospitals and health systems, and especially harmful to rural hospitals. The program offers $50 billion to states for rural health programs over five years, and states had little time to apply. States had to apply by Nov. 5, and the Department of Health & Human Services said the decisions will be made by the end of the year.

Researchers advance new drug development for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
(Children’s National Hospital – November 7, 2025)

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are among the most common preventable causes of developmental disability, affecting an estimated 2% to 5% of children in the United States and Western Europe. Yet despite their prevalence, treatment options remain limited, particularly for the cognitive and behavioral challenges that persist throughout life.

UVA Health marks Lung Cancer Awareness Month
(CBS 19 News – November 7, 2025)

It’s Lung Cancer Awareness Month and UVA’s Comprehensive Cancer Center is encouraging people to take action by getting their lungs checked. Using “Mega Lungs,” a large inflatable lung model, UVA Health is raising awareness on lung cancer screenings. It’s the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States but can be treated if detected early. Dr. Walker Julliard, associate professor of thoracic surgery at UVA Health, says there are a couple people eligible for these scans.

Tips to Prevent Choking
(Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters – November 10, 2025)

When babies begin exploring the world – crawling, grabbing, tasting everything – it’s a time of exciting growth. It’s also a time when parents and caregivers need to be extra vigilant, as children under the age of 5 have an increased risk of choking on food or small objects. Some foods pose a higher choking risk for young children, especially those who haven’t yet mastered chewing and swallowing. A few examples include: Uncut hot dogs, grapes, and cherry tomatoes.

VHC Health expands Tysons facility with imaging, women’s health services
(FFX Now – November 7, 2025)

VHC Health patients will soon no longer have to trek to Arlington to receive mammograms or pregnancy support. The nonprofit community health system recently expanded its Tysons Pavilion at 1760 Old Meadow Road with an imaging center, and it will launch a center focused on women’s health early next year. Located on the building’s fourth floor (Suite 400), the 21,000-square-foot Imaging and Cardiovascular Diagnostics Center opened on Oct. 27 after approximately six months of construction. The Tysons location is VHC’s first to offer off-site imaging services outside its main campus in Arlington.

Arkansas hospitals, nursing homes, EMS providers seek federal rural health transformation funds
(News from the States – November 10, 2025)

Health care providers sent Arkansas officials more than 300 proposals for how to utilize federal funding the state expects to receive to bolster rural health care in the face of impending changes to Medicaid. State officials applied Oct. 31 for nearly $1 billion of the $50 billion in the Rural Health Transformation Fund, which was set aside in the federal budget reconciliation law passed in July. The state asked for $200 million per year over five years, and many of the applicants that sent their proposals to the state in October provided five-year plans for their funding requests. All 50 states have applied for a share of the federal fund. The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it will notify states by Dec. 31 if their applications are approved.

How New Mexico used local influencers to boost Medicaid re-enrollment
(ADAge – November 10, 2025)

The New Mexico Health Care Authority’s silver award-winning Social Media Campaign of the Year campaign “Medicaid re-enrollment” leveraged local influencers and technology to educate hard-to-reach populations.

MHA: Hospital job vacancy rates dropped by 28%
(Worcester Business Journal – November 10, 2025)

Over the past five years, Massachusetts hospitals and health systems have added approximately 10,000 new jobs to the workforce, according to a report released Monday by the Burlington-based Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association.

Making the case: States, hospitals pitch for $50B rural health program
(Chief Healthcare Executive – November 10, 2025)

States have taken different approaches in their applications to the federal government’s new $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program. Congress and the Trump administration created the program as part of the sweeping tax and spending package over the summer. The government will award the money over the next five years. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services says half of the money will be divided evenly among states with approved applications. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will award the other half on a competitive basis.

New York: New generation of health system CEOs take the helm amid federal regulatory shift
(Crain’s New York Business – November 10, 2025)

Three of the city’s largest hospital systems have announced CEO replacements in the last two years, a rare shift coming as the industry braces for federal Medicaid cuts and mounting financial pressure.

Research funds in Nevada are limited. Federal cuts for medical studies may make it worse.
(The Nevada Independent – November 9, 2025)

Every summer for the past 25 years, the Shakespeare Ranch in South Lake Tahoe has opened its gates for a festival and rodeo. But the event isn’t just about bull riding, barrel racing or barbecue. It’s hosted by the Keep Memory Alive Foundation as a creative way to fund neurological research into degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s at the foundation’s Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. The rodeo is one example of the many 5K runs, galas and other fundraisers in Nevada and across the country that are sponsored by foundations, nonprofits and professional societies to raise research funds.

Why a quarter of NC’s Medicaid members could lose coverage
(STAT News – November 10, 2025)

There’s lots of concern that some Medicaid members could lose coverage because of the work requirements in Republicans’ tax bill. Those concerns are intensified in North Carolina, where the proportion of people who risk getting kicked off is much larger: almost one-quarter of current members, or about 685,000 people.

With no deal on health care subsidies, Coloradans face possibility of going without insurance next year
(CPR News – November 10, 2025)

Congress appears prepared to end the longest federal government shutdown in history without addressing Democrats’ main demand: an extension of a tax credit to that made health insurance more affordable for 225,000 Coloradans. Laura, who asked that her full name not be used because her job doesn’t allow her to speak publicly, said when she heard the news, “it brought me to tears.” She and her husband live in the San Luis Valley buy health insurance on the state exchange and received the enhanced premium tax credit that made it affordable. She works for a non-profit and doesn’t get health insurance through work. He is self-employed. “We have a really good plan right now and we’re paying about $935 a month,” she explained. Currently they’re on a Gold plan — the highest coverage tier. “When I looked at plans the other day, the cheapest plan we could get for next year is over $1,700 a month and that’s, like, a pretty basic plan.”

ACA health care premiums are rising. These 8 Americans showed us how much.
(The Washington Post – November 9, 2025)

Americans are coming face-to-face with the rising health insurance costs at the center of the longest government shutdown in history — and what it means for their pocketbooks next year. Since open enrollment started Nov. 1, they’ve been able to buy health plans for 2026 on Healthcare.gov and state-run marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. Nearly all are finding they will have to pay more — some, significantly more — for their monthly premiums. Costs are soaring because health insurance is getting pricier and enhanced subsidies Congress approved nearly five years ago are going away. The government is shut down because congressional Democrats won’t vote for a spending bill unless it extends subsidies beyond their Dec. 31 expiration date. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-New York) said Friday his caucus would vote to reopen the government in exchange for a one-year extension of the subsidies, but Republican leaders dismissed the proposal.

Insurers slammed by medical costs, regulatory pressures yet again in Q3
(Fierce Healthcare – November 7, 2025)

Health insurers felt the sting of elevated medical costs yet again in the third quarter, with the congressional debate over the Affordable Care Act subsidies looming large for investors. UnitedHealth Group was the most profitable company in Q3, bringing in $2.3 billion in earnings. The Cigna Group was the next-highest earner with $1.9 billion in profit. The quarter marked significant downswings for multiple players, including huge losses for both Centene and CVS Health as the companies wrote down expenses. For Centene, this amounted to a $6.6 billion loss after incurring a $6.7 billion impairment charge on its “goodwill,” while CVS posted a $3.99 billion loss with a $5.7 billion impairment. Centene attributed the impairment to multiple factors, including changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and its own decreasing stock price. CVS, meanwhile, linked its charge to its Oak Street Health unit.

Payers continue to predict Medicare Advantage, ACA marketplace enrollment losses
(Healthcare Brew – November 7, 2025)

Normally, you want more customers, right? Apparently not if you’re a health insurance company and those customers come with high medical costs. With enrollment now underway for next year’s Medicare Advantage (MA) and Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace plans, major payers are spiking prices and reducing benefits—an approach they hope strategically curbs growth amid elevated medical costs, according to those companies’ Q3 earnings calls.

UnitedHealthcare rolls back remote monitoring coverage for most chronic conditions
(Fierce Healthcare – November 7, 2025)

Despite the momentum of remote monitoring uptake, UnitedHealthcare has quietly pushed out a massive change to its coverage policies that could impact thousands of Medicare beneficiaries. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Make America Healthy Again campaign has focused on the treatment and prevention of chronic diseases. The first major physician pay rule to come out of RFK Jr.’s Department of Health and Human Services expanded remote monitoring and incentivized upstream advanced primary care, which often includes remote monitoring of chronic conditions. UnitedHealthcare’s new policy says remote patient monitoring (RPM) is only medically necessary in two instances: to treat chronic heart failure and hypertension during pregnancy. It explicitly says the use of RPM for Type 2 diabetes and hypertension – two of the most popular uses of RPM – will no longer be covered.

4 tips on protecting health systems from cyberattacks
(Healthcare Dive – November 7, 2025)

Healthcare has never been more vulnerable to cyberattacks. A transition to digital medicine, utilization of electronic health records and an explosion of threat actors has made the sector ripe for attacks. Cyberattacks don’t only take down online systems, they can also threaten patient care. As cyberattacks rise, hospitals must prepare for the worst, or risk compromising patient health and data. And, in addition to protecting patients, providers must ensure they’re complying with differing state and federal cybersecurity regulations, experts said during an event hosted by Healthcare Dive on Nov. 5. They must face all this while navigating historic financial challenges in the sector, including low margins, federal spending cuts and high workforce turnover.

He was given 2 years to live. 3 years later, he helps other cancer patients fight.
(The Washington Post – November 4, 2025)

Three years ago Jordie Poncy was 39 years old and about to start his dream job: counseling patients at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. His father had been treated there for bladder cancer years earlier and Poncy saw it as a chance to give back. In the weeks before he was supposed to start, he was having stomach aches. Poncy has a history of ulcerative colitis. He decided to go to the emergency room and get it checked out. After tests, Poncy learned that he had a rare and aggressive form of cancer, neuroendocrine carcinoma. The data suggested he had two years to live. He delayed his start at Moffitt and entered the cancer center as a patient rather than as a clinical psychologist.

How to avoid seasonal depression, according to the expert who discovered it
(The Washington Post – November 6, 2025)

For millions of people, the shorter, darker days leading into winter also portend a darkening of their mood. Many have seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression typically beginning in the fall or winter and marked by lower moods, lethargic energy, diminished pleasure and excessive sleepiness that affects an estimated 5 percent of Americans. Women are four times as susceptible to developing SAD. Many more people are believed to experience a milder version, known as the “winter blues.” “If you are one of those people who really feel it and feel badly, you’ve got a lot of company and there’s a lot you can do about it,” said Norman Rosenthal, a psychiatrist at Georgetown University School of Medicine.

Most healthcare organizations face significant financial, operational impact from cyber threats: survey
(Healthcare Dive – November 6, 2025)

Most healthcare organizations have faced significant financial, operational and clinical consequences from cyber threats in the past two years, according to a survey published this week by Ernst & Young and Klas Research. More than 70% reported moderate to severe financial impact from an incident in the past two years, according to the report by the health IT researcher and the consultancy. Additionally, 60% said they faced significant operational impacts, while 59% cited clinical challenges, like delayed treatments or compromised patient trust.

Science got peanut allergies all wrong – until the scientific method got it right
(CNN Health – November 3, 2025)

It was a question Dr. Gideon Lack asked often, when giving lectures to fellow allergists and pediatricians on the topic of food allergies: How many doctors in the room had a patient allergic to peanuts? After conventional wisdom seemed to make peanut allergies worse, a 15-year scientific journey led to “landmark” recommendations that now appear to be reducing their incidence.

Where the COVID surge is “very high” and what to watch for this winter
(Axios – November 8, 2025)

Pockets of the country are seeing COVID activity ahead of the winter months. The big picture: COVID-19 cases boomed in the summer, and many health experts are seeing another bump — mostly through common variants that have surged this year. Though the United States has declared the public health emergency over, the spread of COVID-19 has continued to impact the country and its workforce — leading to an increase in work absences and exits. Driving the news: Global cases are on the rise, surging by 30,000 over the last week or so, per data shared on the World Health Organization’s COVID dashboard.

Why more systems are creating security-focused leadership roles
(Becker’s Hospital Rev9ew – November 7, 2025)

As workplace safety remains a top concern for healthcare workers, several health systems are responding by creating leadership roles dedicated to security and emergency preparedness. Rising incivility continues to challenge hospitals. In 2024, separate studies showed nearly half of nurses reported increased violence in their units over the past year, and that emergency department nurses experienced verbal or physical violence on a daily basis. In October, two organizations introduced such roles, including Baton Rouge, La.-based Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, which appointed its first chief security officer.

CMMI to launch model to lower Medicaid drug spending
(Healthcare Dive – November 7, 2025)

The CMS’ Innovation Center is launching a new payment model that aims to lower drug spending in Medicaid, the agency said Thursday. Under the voluntary model, which will run for five years starting in January, the CMS will negotiate lower prices linked to those paid in select other countries with participating pharmaceutical companies. The agency is now seeking applications from manufacturers interested in participating in the model, as well as letters of intent from states that may want to opt into the pricing and terms eventually negotiated by the CMS. States will be able to enroll on a rolling basis through Aug. 31.

FDA grants 6 more national priority vouchers
(Becker’s Hospital Review – November 6, 2025)

The FDA awarded six additional products a Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher, bringing the total number of recipients to 15, according to a Nov. 6 news release. The pilot program aims to reduce drug review timelines to as short as two months for therapies addressing key public health priorities, affordability or domestic manufacturing, according to an Oct. 16 FDA podcast episode. The agency named its first nine voucher recipients in October. Selected therapies were Cytisinicline for vaping cessation; DB-OTO, a gene therapy for congenital deafness; Teplizumab for Type 1 diabetes; a KRAS inhibitor for pancreatic cancer; Bitopertin for erythropoietic protoporphyria; ketamine and Augmentin for domestic manufacturing efforts; Pergoveris for infertility; and Cenegermin for vision loss.

Immigrants With Health Conditions May Be Denied Visas Under New Trump Administration Guidance
(KFF Health News – November 6, 2025)

Foreigners seeking visas to live in the U.S. might be rejected if they have certain medical conditions, including diabetes or obesity, under a Thursday directive from the Trump administration. The guidance, issued in a cable the State Department sent to embassy and consular officials and examined by KFF Health News, directs visa officers to deem applicants ineligible to enter the U.S. for several new reasons, including age or the likelihood they might rely on public benefits. The guidance says that such people could become a “public charge” — a potential drain on U.S. resources — because of their health issues or age. While assessing the health of potential immigrants has been part of the visa application process for years, including screening for communicable diseases like tuberculosis and obtaining vaccine history, experts said the new guidelines greatly expand the list of medical conditions to be considered and give visa officers more power to make decisions about immigration based on an applicant’s health status.

Six Takeaways From the Senate Deal to End the Shutdown
(The New York Times – November 10, 2025)

After more than a month of stalemate, the Senate on Sunday took a crucial step toward reopening the government, when a small but critical group of Democrats broke from their party and voted with Republicans to advance legislation that would end the longest government shutdown in history. The shutdown is not over yet. Sunday’s 60-to-40 vote cleared the way for the Senate to formally debate the spending measure before a final vote. If the Senate approves it, the package still must be passed by the House — which has been on an extended recess and has not yet scheduled a return date — and signed by President Trump.

Trump Administration Live Updates: Senate Deal Puts Government Closer to Reopening
(The New York Times – November 10, 2025)

The Senate took the first step toward ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history late Sunday, as a group of Democrats broke their party’s blockade and voted with Republicans to advance legislation to reopen the government and fund most federal agencies through January. Ending the shutdown and reopening the government will still take some time. The 60-to-40 Senate vote paved the way for a short-term spending agreement to begin making its way through Congress. It will not become law until it is debated and passed by the Senate, approved in the House and signed by President Trump.

Trump unveils deal to lower prices for breakthrough weight-loss drugs
(Politico – November 6, 2025)

The Trump administration has struck a deal with drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk to offer their breakthrough weight-loss medications at steep discounts for certain Medicare and Medicaid patients, President Donald Trump announced at the White House on Thursday. The deal also includes lower prices for GLP-1 drugs for Americans who use cash to buy them through a new government website, expected to debut next year, that will allow people to buy drugs directly from companies.

What’s in the legislation to end the federal government shutdown
(Associated Press – November 10, 2025)

A legislative package to end the government shutdown appears on track Monday after a handful of Senate Democrats joined with Republicans to break the impasse in what has become a deepening disruption of federal programs and services, the longest in history. What’s in and out of the bipartisan deal drew sharp criticism and leaves few senators fully satisfied. The legislation provides funding to reopen the government, including for SNAP food aid and other programs, while also ensuring backpay for furloughed federal workers the Trump administration had left in doubt.