Simplicity is a virtue.

• OPM Director Scott Kupor added a second Secrets of OPM blog post about the FEHB and PSHB programs today.
  • “One of OPM’s cultural values is to “ask why.” Why do we do things the way we do them? Why does a process exist? Why do we collect one piece of data and not another? Why are we still relying on a framework developed for a bygone era?
  • “Today, we are asking “why” in the context of one of our most important responsibilities: helping ensure that federal employees, retirees, postal workers, and their families have access to high-quality, affordable health benefits. To that end, we have updated our Guiding Principles for Federal Employees Health Benefits and Postal Service Health Benefits carriers.”
    • In the FEHBlog’s opinion, what’s missing from the guiding principles is any mention of deregulating the FEHB and PSHB programs. Deregulation would be the straightest path to restoring competition and thereby lowering premiums. See motto above.

• OPM also proposed a new workforce rule today which will appear in Monday’s Federal Register.
  • “The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposes to amend its regulations to more fully address the appropriate uses of administrative leave, including use in connection with deferred resignation programs and other workforce realignment initiatives, and for other purposes. OPM is also proposing to amend its regulation on resignations to clarify when an agency may accept or deny an employee’s request to withdraw a resignation in the context of a deferred resignation program.”
  • The public comment deadline should be July 29, 2026.

• Modern Healthcare reports,
  • “President Donald Trump intends to nominate Medicare Director Chris Klomp to be deputy secretary of the Health and Human Services Department.
  • “The pending nomination, which Trump announced on his Truth Social platform Thursday, would further elevate the former healthcare and investment executive within the Trump administration.
  • “Klomp has been director of the Center for Medicare and deputy administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services since April 2025 and senior adviser to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. since February.
  • “Prior to his government service, Klomp was CEO and chair of the health information technology company Collective Medical from 2014 to 2020, when it was acquired by PointClickCare. He previously held numerous positions at the consulting and investment firm Bain & Co.”

• The American Hospital Association News tells us,
  • “The Department of Health and Human Services June 26 announced new efforts to improve the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement. TEFCA is a common set of rules required by the 21st Century Cures Act of 2016 that securely and more easily exchanges healthcare information between networks and providers. HHS said the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology awarded a new contract to improve oversight of the network and verify that participating organizations are following TEFCA requirements. ONC is also conducting additional reviews of Qualified Health Information Networks and their participants to help ensure compliance. HHS said that the number of health records exchanged through TEFCA has grown from 10 million to more than 1 billion in less than one year.”
    
• STAT News adds,
  • “A new charter for the panel that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine use substantially refocuses the responsibilities of the committee, downplaying its role in recommending the use of new vaccines and giving it responsibility to assess alternatives for disease prevention.
  • “Whereas previous iterations of the committee’s charter stressed the importance of vaccine research-relevant experience in the selection of its members, the new version, posted to the CDC’s website on Thursday, merely stipulates that the panel as a whole should “represent a balanced range of scientific, clinical, and public health expertise relevant to the Committee’s mission” — a broad umbrella under which people with little experience in vaccines or vaccination policy might conceivably fit.” * * *
  • “The new charter is dated May 14. Several news outlets have reported having seen copies of it in the weeks since. But it’s not clear why it has only been posted now, and the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the CDC, has not answered previous questions about why it had not been posted.”

• Healthcare Dive relates,
  • “The HHS provided an update Thursday on its plans to help speed the adoption of artificial intelligence in clinical care, part of a bid to improve Americans’ health and bring down healthcare costs.
  • “During a webinar, department leaders laid out takeaways from a request for information released late last year asking the sector how the HHS could use its regulatory, research and reimbursement powers to accelerate the use of AI in healthcare. 
  • “The industry wants coordination across HHS agencies, support in AI implementation and governance, and assistance in determining what makes a good AI tool, Arman Sharma, the HHS’ deputy chief AI officer, said. “We believe that starting with these three things and acting on constant engagement from this community is what’s needed to establish trust,” he said. “And trust in this technology is the only thing that will lead to responsible, but also effective, adoption.”

• The U.S. Census Bureau notes,
  • “The nation’s fertility rate has dropped nearly every year since 2007, but this national decline masks substantial geographic variation.
  • “Fertility rates differ widely across U.S. counties, and even within individual states there are often both high and low fertility counties.
  • “By combining population estimates data released today on the age characteristics of U.S. counties with birth data released in March, we calculated the general fertility rate (GFR) for every county in the nation.” * * *
  • “There are clusters of high GFR counties in many, but not all, states.
  • “For example, there are high GFR counties in southeastern North Carolina that extend into South Carolina, and in southern Georgia that extend into northern Florida.
  • “Moving westward, many states have at least one cluster of counties with high GFRs.
  • “Notably, there are only a few states that do not have any counties with a GFR above 60, including the entirety of New England: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.”

From the Food and Drug Administration front,

• Genetic Engineering and BioTechnology News reports,
  • “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in the middle of a cultural and operational shift that goes beyond leadership changes. U.S.–China biotechnology competition is driving discussions around regulatory reform in the U.S. where traditional paradigms are being reviewed and reconsidered, particularly for rare diseases. And patient perspectives need to be a more integral part of the drug development continuum.  
  • “Those were some of the major themes that emerged from a town hall that took place at this year’s Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) meeting in San Diego, which featured members of the current FDA leadership team. 
  • “John Crowley, BIO president and CEO, moderated the discussion with the acting directors of Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) and the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER) and the acting chief of staff at the FDA. During the hour-long conversation in a room packed to the hilt with BIO attendees, they spoke about the agency’s current priorities and its plans to increase its headcount, among other initiatives. 
  • “Much of the discussion centered on ongoing plans to stabilize the agency’s workforce following the massive reduction in staffing implemented by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as well as departures of several leaders in rapid succession. The panelists acknowledged the disruptions to operations, the loss of institutional knowledge, and the past unpredictability at the agency, but did not dwell on it.  
  • “The consensus seems to be that stabilizing the agency’s workforce is an important prerequisite for successfully launching several planned initiatives. In fact, Michael Davis, MD, PhD, acting director of CDER, noted that this has been one of his top priorities. His initial efforts were aimed at “fortifying the center and specifically the workforce” as well as finding ways to retain staff retention and boost recruitment.”  

• MedTech Dive relates
  • “Aidoc has received the Food and Drug Administration’s breakthrough device designation for an artificial intelligence feature designed to read chest X-rays and generate draft report text, the company said Thursday.
  • “The system, called First Read, is expected to generate preliminary reports on more than 100 pre-specified findings, a spokesperson for Aidoc wrote in an email. A radiologist still must sign every report made by First Read. Aidoc declined to provide the full list of findings as the product is not yet on the market. 
  • “Aidoc CEO Elad Walach said in a statement the feature is intended to help reduce the time radiologists spend on reporting and interpretation.”

• Radiology Business adds,
  • “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared a new artificial intelligence-enabled tool designed to assist with the segmentation of brain tumors. 
  • “Denmark-based Cercare Medical has received 510(k) clearance for its Oncology Virtual Expert, an AI-powered brain tumor segmentation tool that can streamline and standardize neuro-oncology imaging workflows. It enables fast, consistent and semi-automated tumor delineation directly from routine MRI studies. The clearance marks a key milestone in the company’s expansion into the North American market. 
  • “The module generates automated tumor segmentation maps from standard MRI data. This reduces reliance on manual contouring, which can be a cumbersome and time-intensive process that is vulnerable to inter-reader variability. The on-premise system can be integrated directly into existing PACS and workflows. It was designed this way so that it can operate within hospital IT constraints, such as strict HIPAA and data governance requirements that can inhibit cloud-based AI adoption in some networks.” 
• and
  • “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated its list of cleared artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, and radiology still maintains its vast lead over the rest of medicine.
  • “The agency’s June 16 update showed 68 new radiology algorithms were cleared just in the first three months of 2026. There are now a total of 1,524 FDA-cleared AI algorithms as of March 30, 2026, and 1,163 of them are for radiology, which now accounts for 76.31% of all FDA-cleared AI. The actual total for medical imaging AI listed under other specialties like orthopedics, cardiology and neurology brings the total closer to 80%.
  • “The FDA has seen an increasing number of AI approvals for the past several years, now clearing about 30 a month. In 2024, the  FDA was clearing an average of 21 per month.”

• Cardiology Business informs us,
  • “Medline, the Illinois-based medical supplier, is recalling thousands of procedure kits used by cardiac surgeons due to quality issues identified during a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspection. The recall includes more than 6,500 cardiovascular procedure kits primarily used during open-heart surgeries, and more than 500 general surgery trays.
  • “All convenience kits contain Lidocaine Hydrochloride Injection, USP and/or Bupivacaine Hydrochloride in Dextrose Injection, USP. Quality issues with these anesthetics are what prompted the recall.” * * *
  • “Click here for more information from the FDA.” 

From the judicial front,

• KFF reports,
  • “A major Medicare Advantage company has paid the government more than $342 million to help settle allegations that it overcharged the federal healthcare program for years.
  • “Elevance Health, which covers about 2 million people on Medicare, sent the money to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services via wire transfer on May 27, court records show. Government lawyers disclosed the payment in a June 22 court filing.
  • “In an email to CMS staff, Elevance described the money as a “remittance of the total overpayment amount” estimated by government audits, court records show. Company spokesperson Leslie Porras told KFF Health News in a statement that Elevance Health “continues to engage in constructive dialogue” with CMS. “We remain optimistic that a resolution can be reached and value our longstanding relationship with CMS,” she said.
  • “The payment was made in response to a CMS enforcement action in February, in which the agency threatened to halt enrollments in Elevance Medicare Advantage plans unless the company corrected what CMS called “substantial and persistent noncompliance” with federal regulations that require health plans to submit accurate billing data and return any overpayments when they are discovered.”

• HR Dive relates,
  • “The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued automotive manufacturer Dana Sealing Manufacturing, alleging the company illegally acquired genetic information from its employees, and issued a warning to other employers as well.
  • “Between 2022 and 2024, the Kentucky-based employer allegedly required applicants to state whether their parents, grandparents or siblings ever had certain listed medical conditions, in violation of Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008, the complaint claimed.
  • “The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act prevents employers from requesting family medical history information from employees and applicants, except in narrow circumstances, none of which applied here,” Kenneth Bird, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Indianapolis District, said in a statement Wednesday. “The EEOC will continue to enforce GINA and other federal anti-discrimination laws.”

From the public health and medical / Rx research front,

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today,
  • “As of June 26, 2026, the amount of acute respiratory illness causing people to seek health care is very low.
  • “RSV activity is low in most areas of the country. Emergency department visits and hospitalizations for RSV are low but remain highest among infants and children younger than 4 years old.
  • “COVID-19 activity is low in most areas of the country.
  • “Seasonal influenza activity is low.
  • “Parainfluenza (PIV), a respiratory virus that can cause illnesses such as croup, is elevated nationally. Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) and rhinovirus/enterovirus (RV/EV), which often cause cold-like respiratory illness, are also elevated nationally but declining. Whooping cough is still circulating.”

• The University of Minnesota’s CIDRAP reports,
  • “After confirming 31 new measles cases last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today added 30 new infections to the US total, which has now climbed to 2,134 confirmed cases. The numbers move the needle closer to the 2025 total of 2,288 cases.
  • “All but 12 of this year’s cases were locally acquired, with the rest related to travel outside the country. Of the total, 21% of infections are in children age 5 and under, and 72% involve kids and young adults to age 19. Six percent of patients have been hospitalized, compared with 11% in 2025. Among all measles patients, 93% are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccine status. 
  • “No measles deaths have been reported this year, compared with three in 2025.”
• and
  • “In January 2026, the Health Resources and Services Administration announced that women could choose self-testing for the human papillomavirus (HPV) instead of having a doctor conduct a Pap or cervical cancer test. Experts hoped that this would increase screening for the virus, which is responsible for 90% of cervical cancer. 
  • “A study published today in JAMA Network Open looked at which patients follow through with home testing. While some participated, more outreach needs to be done to include diverse communities, say the authors, from The Permanente Medical Group and Kaiser Permanente Northern California.   
  • “The findings suggest that a substantial proportion of eligible patients will elect home-based screening, but efforts are needed to support participation across demographic groups,” the authors wrote.” * * *
  • “While one in five people asked for a self-test, only one in 10 people returned it. The researchers suspect patients’ history influences their willingness to use a home test. 
  • “Higher uptake observed among older patients may reflect experience with cancer screenings, concern regarding cancer, or discomfort with pelvic examinations,” the authors wrote.” 

• Beckers Clinical Leadership tells us,
  • “The Trump administration is asking Congress for $1.4 billion to respond to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Politico reported June 25.”

• The American Hospital Association News relates.
  • “Emergency department visits for suspected suicide attempts from 2021-2025 were highest among adolescents age 12-17 at 24.8%, according to a report released June 25 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That age group also had the highest proportion of ED visits for suspected suicide attempts at 82.2 per 10,000 visits. Overall, 60.3% of ED visits for suspected suicide attempts were by women, while men consisted of 39.5% of such visits. The proportion of total ED visits decreased from 2021-2025, with adolescents age 12-17 and adolescent females having the largest decreases. Visit proportions increased among adults older than 26.”
    
• Health Day adds,
  • “Poison control calls linked to GLP-1 drugs have risen sharply.
  • “Semaglutide is named in most reported cases.
  • “Most incidents are due to accidental dosing errors.”
• and
  • “Women on the pill appear to have healthier brains as they grow older, a new study says.
  • “Taking hormone-based birth control as a younger woman appears to protect the brain, maintaining the size of regions vital to memory, cognition and information, researchers report in the July 1 issue of the journal NeuroImage.
  • “Women’s brains also benefited if they took birth control pills during their reproductive years, and then hormone therapy when they entered menopause, results show.
  • “It’s showing a protective effect — using estrogen-based hormone therapies was beneficial for the brain in older women,” co-lead author Amber Watts, a professor of psychology at the University of Kansas, said in a news release.”

• NBC News lets us know,
  • “People are more worried about severe muscular problems when taking statins than they should be: Such side effects are exceedingly rare, research published Thursday in the journal The Lancet Digital Health reaffirms.” * * *
  • “The new study, which used medical record data from nearly 6 million adults in the United Kingdom, found that only about 0.04% of people had a 10-year risk of statin-related serious muscle disorders above 10%.
  • “That’s even lower than previous figures, including from an American Heart Association report, which put the rate of myopathy at less than 1% and the rate of rhabdomyolysis at less than 0.1%.
  • “Even if you increase that tenfold, that is still a very tiny risk,” said Dr. Bart Duell, a professor of medicine at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, who co-authored the AHA report but was not involved in the new research. The risk of muscular side effects “really isn’t a reason to not use statins,” he added.”
    
• The Wall Street Journal reports,
  • “Decades of information-based efforts have failed to improve eating habits, requiring bolder action on several fronts.
  • “A new category of “health-span professionals” with graduate degrees would focus on nutrition and healthy longevity.
  • “Time-restricted eating and fasting-mimicking diets are proposed, alongside treating food as medicine via government and insurer support.”

• MedPage Today adds,
  • “Lower-inflammatory dietary patterns were tied to reduced dementia risk among biomarker-positive older adults.
  • “Benefits appeared strongest for participants with elevated p-tau217, NfL, or GFAP levels.
  • “Findings suggest diet quality may still matter after early Alzheimer’s-related biological changes emerge.”

From the U.S. healthcare business and artificial intelligence front,

• The Wall Street Journal reports
  • “Germany’s Merck MRK KGaA said it struck a deal to buy U.S. life-sciences tools supplier Bio-Techne TECH 0.38%increase; up pointing triangle for $11.3 billion, in an early move under its new chief executive to bulk up its lab-tools business.
  • “The proposed acquisition represents Merck’s biggest deal since its $17 billion buyout of Sigma-Aldrich more than a decade ago and comes weeks after the appointment of Kai Beckmann as CEO.”

• Health Exec relates,
  • “Irish-American medical device manufacturer Medtronic announced today that it is making a major purchase that will expand its offerings for the treatment of nerve-based chronic pain.
  • “In an announcement, the company confirmed its “intent to acquire” SPR Therapeutics, an Ohio-based developer of non-opioid, non-surgical pain management treatments. The deal—valued at $650 million—would give Medtronic full control of SPR’s offerings, including its core “percutaneous peripheral nerve stimulation” devices, which manage pain unrelated to an acute injury.
  • “Medtronic already has a neuromodulation business, meaning the acquisition will add new options to its portfolio. The group boasted that it has been a leader in neuromodulation—which is most simply defined as the use of nerve stimulation to relieve pain—with the division dating back 50 years.
  • “It said the purchase of SPR will allow it to “reach and support more people” who would benefit from non-pharmaceutical pain relief offerings.”

• MedTech Dive tells us,
  • “Labcorp has made the colorectal cancer screening test ColoSense available nationwide, boosting access to a challenger to Exact Sciences’ Cologuard.
  • “The nationwide rollout, which Labcorp disclosed Monday, comes weeks after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services approved coverage for ColoSense, and the American Cancer Society named the test as a preferred option in its colorectal cancer screening guidelines.
  • “Labcorp secured the right to distribute the test from Geneoscopy in 2023. The Food and Drug Administration approved the test in 2024 and authorized a collection kit in 2025.”

• Beckers Health IT informs us,
  • “Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente has reduced MRI patient wait times by more than 60% using an FDA-cleared AI tool that shortens scan duration without degrading image quality.
  • “The AI solution reduces image noise during MRI scans, trimming average scan time from roughly 45 minutes to about 30, according to a June 24 news release. The shorter sessions allowed Kaiser Permanente to schedule more scans on existing equipment — eliminating the need for costly new machines to meet rising demand.
  • “Daniel Yang, MD, the health system’s vice president of AI and emerging technologies, credited governance as being equally important as the technology itself. Kaiser Permanente’s AI councils review proposed deployments before launch, then continue monitoring performance metrics such as scan time, image quality, appointment availability and repeat scan requests.”