President Trump’s administration moved quickly on health care priorities last week, signing an executive order that restructures the federal vaccine agenda. The directive remakes existing policy with little evidence to support the changes, drawing criticism from the World Health Organization. Vaccine manufacturers also signaled they would not align with the new approach, a move that follows years of warnings about the dangers of splitting up combination vaccines.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. toured California last week to promote the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” message. His public tone shifted away from divisive topics like vaccines, focusing instead on broader wellness initiatives during the California visit.
Separate actions from the agency targeted food additives and gender-affirming care. HHS announced that companies must notify the Food and Drug Administration before adding new substances to human or animal foods, requiring proof that the additive is “generally recognized as safe.”
Related: Luigi Mangione pleads guilty to killing UnitedHealthcare CEO
On Medicaid, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized a rule blocking federal funds from covering gender-affirming care for minors. Legal challenges are expected immediately, though experts suggest this specific restriction may be the administration’s most legally viable strategy against such treatments so far. The agency also referred a large number of providers for investigation regarding billing codes related to gender-affirming care.
Another rule released last week focused on addiction and homelessness. The toolkit prioritized faith-based interventions while rejecting harm reduction principles. Released two years after methadone treatment regulations were modernized, the document only passingly mentions medication proven to drastically reduce the risk of opioid overdose death.
Deal activity in the physician practice management sector has slowed significantly. Over a dozen states have enacted laws enhancing oversight of private equity deals in health care, creating a patchwork of regulations that complicates transactions.
Paul Pitts, a partner at Reed Smith who advises health care providers, explained the impact. “Each of the state laws are different, and so it creates more uncertainty and just it’s a lot more work to figure out how a particular transaction triggers each of the state’s laws,” Pitts said.
Related: Lindsay Clancy Case Reveals Limits Of Postpartum Psychiatry
Data reflects this slowdown. In 2021, there were 851 deals. The first half of 2026 saw just 105.
The March of Dimes released its biannual report on maternity care deserts last week, highlighting a persistent crisis in rural access. Between January 2024 and May 2026, at least 96 labor and delivery units closed across the country.
In nearly 60% of the counties where a unit closed, the facility was the only local birthing option. About one in three U.S. counties are now classified as maternity care deserts, lacking obstetric clinicians or facilities. The report warns that incoming Medicaid changes could further restrict access for women in these areas. Additionally, about one in nine reproductive-age women remain uninsured, with the highest rates found in the South, rural regions, and maternity care deserts.