In this edition of AcademyHealth’s Situation Report, we cover the ongoing government shutdown, including the possibility of a Continuing Resolution and a filibuster carve out as well as risks to SNAP benefits. We also track continued threats to public health, including over 420 bills nationwide related to vaccinations, fluoride, and milk pasteurization, and more, as well as efforts to counteract these threats. Leading organizations like Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) and the New England Journal of Medicine will begin publishing “public health alerts” to supplement the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Read on for more ways to stay informed of the latest policy changes and counter misinformation through our upcoming course, Communicating to Build Trust.
In today’s issue:
- Congress Debates Path Forward to Reopen Government
- Statehouses Nationwide Consider Measures to Roll Back Public Health Protections
- Public Health Group Launching Alternative to Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
- Watchdogs Highlight Inaccuracies in Private Medicaid, Medicare Mental Health Benefits
- Trump Appoints Alicia Jackson as New Director of the ARPA-H
Congress Debates Path Forward to Reopen Government
As the government shutdown continues, lawmakers are exploring procedural options to pass a budget, including potential filibuster changes and a year-long continuing resolution. Senate Republicans are considering carving-out an exception into the filibuster to end the 23-day government shutdown. A 50-vote carve-out to the filibuster would only require a simple majority to pass a budget bill, rather than the usually required 60 votes. Many Senate Republicans believe it is unlikely that a budget bill would pass under the current Senate rules requiring 60 votes given the Democrats’ unwavering commitment to extending the ACA tax credits. One GOP Senator reportedly believes that President Trump will soon pressure Senate Majority Leader John Thune—who has long been against changing Senate rules for the filibuster—into creating a carve-out to end the government shutdown. Meanwhile, in the House, Republican leaders are considering a new continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through the fiscal year. A new CR, which would expire on September 30, 2026, would need to gain the support of members of the appropriations committees who have been dedicated to new spending levels. Passing a CR in the House would require House Speaker Mike Johnson to call the House back into session, something he has been unwilling to do until the Senate passes the House budget bill. As Senate and House Republicans weigh their options to end the nation’s second-longest government shutdown, employees and important programs continue to be impacted by the lapse in funding. Some 2.4 million federal workers are likely to miss a paycheck, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for November will not be issued to the 42 million people who depend on the nation’s largest anti-hunger program. Some Senate Republicans reportedly believe that a lapse in funding that halts programs like SNAP will cause a “breaking point” that may warrant a change in Senate rules.
Statehouses Nationwide Consider Measures to Roll Back Public Health Protections
More than 420 bills proposing changes to longstanding public health protections have been introduced in statehouses across the U.S. in 2025, according to a recent report by the Associated Press (AP). Topics range from vaccinations, fluoride, and milk pasteurization, all public health issues that have been politicized as of late. Notably, 350 of these bills targeted vaccine laws, including attempts to oppose mRNA vaccines, ban discrimination against unvaccinated people, and criminalize vaccine harm. Experts describe these measures as “anti-science” bills because they contradict established evidence. Four national groups connected to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kennedy supported most of these bills, and these same groups were also flagged by the AP for opposing dozens of evidence-based bills to advance public health. As vaccine rates decline and diseases like measles re-emerge, public health officials warn that misinformation as the basis of legislature threatens decades of public health progress.
For health services researchers, this trend underscores the urgency of defending evidence-based decision-making in health policy and improving how science is communicated to the public – especially in politically charged contexts. This includes proactively addressing misinformation by building trust with communities, meeting people where they are, and disseminating evidence-based health information in ways that will resonate. Researchers looking to learn how to combat misinformation can read our recent blog by AcademyHealth CEO Aaron Carroll here and enroll in our Communicating to Build Trust course by October 24.
Public Health Group Launching Alternative to Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)
In response to increasing distrust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) and the New England Journal of Medicine will begin publishing “public health alerts” to supplement what used to be a trusted source— the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), commonly known as “the voice of the CDC.” The MMWR had previously been known as an evidence-based report sharing information on emerging diseases and new outbreaks on a weekly basis since 1952. The majority of the team behind the MMWR had been laid off at the start of the government shutdown. They were reinstated mere hours after the notice went out. Charlotte Kent, who was previously the report’s editor-in-chief before leaving in February, informed STAT that administration officials had pressured staff to alter how it reports information.
According to CIDRAP Director Michael Osterholm, these public health alerts will “serve to be a way to convey the information that once was shared in the MMWR with all of us in a very timely way” on an “as needed,” rather than a weekly, basis. He encouraged infectious disease specialists and public health experts to submit data and outbreaks they believe ought to be evaluated in the alerts. This is not the first time that CIDRAP has filled gaps left by the federal government. Indeed, CIDRAP created the Vaccine Integrity Project in April, which has its own list of vaccine recommendations that vary from that of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The American Academy of Pediatrics, along with a number of additional professional societies, adopted the recommendations put forth by the Vaccine Integrity Project, rather than those of the CDC. Osterholm indicated that CIDRAP will be rolling out additional projects to rebuild public health infrastructure in lieu of the federal government.
Health services researchers can learn from Osterholm and the CIDRAP’s approach of finding creative ways to rebuild public health infrastructure and address gaps left by the federal government.
Watchdogs Highlight Inaccuracies in Private Medicaid, Medicare Mental Health Benefits
A recent report from the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services found that companies running private Medicare and Medicaid insurance plans listed several mental health professionals as available for their members; however, 55 percent of such professionals listed by Medicare Advantage plans and 28 percent by Medicaid managed care plans were not providing care to any plan members.
The government pays these insurers hundreds of billions of dollars per year to cover members at a set rate per person. While the insurers are required to contract enough health care professionals to serve members in their regions, they are allowed to keep the excess money they do not spend on patient care. The report reveals several plans listed mental health professionals who were not providing care, including some who were retired or no longer working at the specified locations.
As one report author highlighted, reliable access to care is particularly important for patients seeking mental health care. These patients can be particularly vulnerable to roadblocks to care, such as unavailable providers or long appointment booking wait times, dissuading them from seeking services. Researchers continue to play an important role in following the data to ensure all patients can receive the timely quality care they deserve.
Trump Appoints Alicia Jackson as New Director of the ARPA-H
Alicia Jackson, a health entrepreneur, will serve as the new director for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), where she will lead high-risk, high-reward health research. Biden originally considered Jackson to lead the organization but ultimately appointed Renee Wegrzyn, who was subsequently fired by Trump with over a year left in her four-year term. Currently, Jackson is the chief executive and founder of Evernow, which provides virtual care to patients experiencing perimenopause and menopause. Additionally, she worked at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for five years during the Obama administration as a program manager and subsequently as the founding deputy director of the Biotechnology office.
ARPA-H's programming and budget has been threatened by the Trump administration, who requested that Congress sign a $945 million budget, which is approximately half a billion dollars less than the organization’s 2024 budget. Under the Trump administration’s leadership, ARPA-H has recently cancelled a myriad of programming ranging from preventative care to cybersecurity and cancer detection enabled by AI. Researchers should monitor how these shifts influence funding for implementation science and health systems research, both critical to translating discoveries into practice.
Previous Editions
This is the latest in a series of Situation Report updates from AcademyHealth. You can find prior issues here.
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