By Dawn Attride for Sentient Climate.
Broadcast version by Edwin J. Viera for Connecticut News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration
Since President Donald J. Trump’s inauguration on Monday, public health officials have found themselves at a confusing — and potentially dangerous — standstill. On a global scale, the newly elected president has pulled the U.S. out of the World Health Organization (WHO), and now, has paused external communications for a number of government agencies. The move comes at a critical time for public health as human cases of bird flu have slowly increased, resulting in one death earlier this month, and a number of former public health officials have said the government is not testing enough for bird flu.
The sudden freeze means agencies like The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are unable to release communications such as scientific reports and health updates. Of particular concern: the pause has no concrete end date, which has left agency employees “confused” on its scope, according to The Washington Post.
Key Public Health Meetings and Research Canceled
Among the fallout is the cancellation of National Institute of Health (NIH) grant review panels, study sections and an indefinite ban on travel. “Asking for a pause on issuing new policy or regulations is reasonable while the new administration settles in, but a blanket freeze on all communications is unusual and could impair critical functions like outbreak response,” Sarah Sorscher, director of regulatory affairs for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, tells Sentient.
These specific measures for health agencies are worrying researchers nationwide, who have taken to social media platforms to air their experiences and frustrations. “All NIH study sections canceled indefinitely. This will halt science and devastate research budgets in universities,” writes Prof. Jane M. Liebschutz on BlueSky.
“Above and beyond the immediate fear and confusion that this freeze and communication blackout has caused, the longstanding implications will largely be determined by how long this situation lasts (I’ve seen insider estimates of February 1) and what is removed from NIH during the freeze,” Daniel P. Moriarity, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, writes to Sentient in an email. Interruption of NIH funding, for example, “could have direct consequences on the availability of physicians and clinicians to provide health care,” he writes.
While it’s unclear how long this freeze will last, the 2025 presidential advisory meeting on combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria scheduled for January 28 and 29 has been canceled, indicating the pause could continue for quite some time.
How Will the ‘Pause’ Affect Public Health Warnings?
It appears the freeze is already delaying CDC publications, such as their main weekly report that provides the public with timely health advice and research. This week’s iteration — scheduled for earlier this week –– has not yet been published and was supposed to include new studies and data on the ongoing H5N1 avian influenza virus outbreak. This is not the first time these CDC reports have been affected by the Trump administration — in 2020, officials at the HHS tried to “change, delay and prevent” such reports, particularly those related to COVID-19.
There is also ambiguity as to the breadth of the communications covered, according to a Center for Science in the Public Interest statement, which could hinder agency coordination during an outbreak of foodborne illness.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) tells Sentient that a pause on communications and public appearances are “not directly related to emergencies or critical to preserving health.” They also said, “This is a short pause to allow the new team to set up a process for review and prioritization. There are exceptions for announcements that HHS divisions believe are mission critical, but they will be made on a case-by-case basis.” A representative for the CDC declined to comment.
Halting Agency Coordination Could Exacerbate Bird Flu Outbreaks
The shutdown of external agency communications and delayed report from the CDC on key bird flu updates comes at a critical time for vital health messaging between federal agencies and the public, considering the current outbreaks.
Avian flu has been circulating on factory farms, where the virus can spread through direct contact between workers and animals or droppings between infected (usually wild) birds and farm animals. The close-quarter conditions of factory farms makes them particularly susceptible to outbreaks, requiring stringent biosecurity protocols to stop the spread. Although rare, humans can get bird flu by coming into contact with infected animals, which is why dairy workers are largely affected by the current H5N1 strain, which has infected cow herds in 16 states, mainly California. So far, 67 humans have been sickened and one person has died from bird flu in the U.S.
At present, the current strain of avian flu cannot spread human-to-human, but this may change if the virus mutates, which is why epidemiologists rely on accurate data from agencies like the CDC to track the spread. Another cause for concern is raw milk, which has been found to contain the virus but so far has only infected animals who consumed it.
As the pause only came into effect Tuesday, it remains to be seen how long this directive among federal health agencies will continue to hinder key reports, research and public health information.
Dawn Attride wrote this article for Sentient.
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As federal Medicaid cuts loom, consumer advocates are celebrating Washington's new bill limiting hospital prices for state and public school employees.
Senate Bill 5083 caps reimbursement rates for nearly 700,000 people covered by the Public Employees Benefits Board and School Employees Benefits Board.
Sam Hatzenbeler, legislative director for the Economic Opportunity Institute, said public and school employees pay more than twice what the federal government said is a fair price for Medicare, with some hospitals charging up to four times more.
"At a time when everyone is going to be asked to tighten their belts due to federal cuts, it's more important than ever to be prudent with our health care resources," Hatzenbeler contended.
Washington hospitals pushed hard against the bill, warning it will add pressure to their already stretched budgets. Hatzenbeler pointed to a similar law passed in Oregon in 2019, which saved the state more than $100 million and cut out-of-pocket costs for patients by nearly 10%.
Adam Zarrin, director of state government affairs for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, said large hospitals consolidating through buying up their competitors is one of the reasons health care costs have grown out of control.
"States can and should take action to try to increase competition in this health care space," Zarrin argued. "Because we know that those market factors can help drive and keep costs down."
Public and school employee health insurance rates have risen more than 6% annually since 2021, compared to roughly 10% annually for other plans. Hatzenbeler added while the cap is a step forward for public workers, lawmakers must expand the relief statewide.
"The data tell us that there are plenty of ways to trim excessive spending," Hatzenbeler emphasized. "For example, we can look at healthcare CEO salary data. But we simply can't shift more costs onto the backs of people who are already struggling to get health care."
Disclosure: The Economic Opportunity Institute contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy & Priorities, Education, Livable Wages/Working Families, and Senior Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
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By Marilyn Odendahl for The Indiana Citizen.
Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the Indiana Citizen-Free Press Indiana-Public News Service Collaboration.
In a move applauded by advocates and lawmakers alike, the Indiana General Assembly will be taking a closer look at the estimated $2.2 billion in medical debt that is saddling many Hoosiers and often causing a devastating impact beyond the household budget.
“We all want to be able to care for ourselves and our loved ones, but medical debt poses undue financial hardship that prevents this from being a reality for countless Hoosiers,” Zia Saylor, researcher at the Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute, said in a press release. “It is important that lawmakers recognize the medical debt crisis we have and the urgent need for policies to address it.”
The Legislative Council included medical debt among the 22 topics that it assigned for further examination by the interim study committee process this summer and fall. On Wednesday, the council members unanimously passed a resolution that divided the topics between more than a dozen interim committees.
Initially, the Legislative Council began with 100 proposals for study topics this summer, plus 300 agency reports that presented more topics for possible review, according to George Angelone, executive director of the Legislative Services Agency. Through a “bipartisan process,” the list was whittled down to less than two dozen.
Other subjects scheduled for study include the economic value of Indiana’s public land for recreation, barriers to entering licensed professions, teaching water safety as part of the K-12 curriculum, salaries for K-12 administrators, the usage and cost of long-term-care insurance, and pollution caused by improperly discarded cables. Also, the Government Reform Task Force has been charged with reviewing the “efficiency and effectiveness” of various state boards, commissions and councils, and the Artificial Intelligence Task Force, established by state statute in 2024, will continue to examine the use of AI technology and the potential effects on Indiana residents’ constitutional rights, employment and economic welfare.
After the council hearing, Senate President Pro Tempore Rod Bray, R-Martinsville, said the work of the interim study committees are an important part of the legislative process. It allows state representatives and senators to dive into the topics and enables the public to provide input as well, which is helpful, he said. Bray and House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, serve as chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Legislative Council, which is comprised of eight members of the Indiana Senate and eight members of the House.
“Maybe it doesn’t end up in a proposed bill for the next legislative session, but people are always going to walk away with more facts and more information about that particular subject,” Bray said.
Democratic lawmakers were upbeat about the assignments to the committees. Senate Minority Leader Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, said the Democrats pushed topics that focused on improving Hoosiers’ lives. Many families, she said, are struggling to raise their children, care for their aging parents and stretch their wages to cover rising costs.
“That why our caucus fought very hard to make sure that this year’s study committee didn’t just check a box (but) that they had something meaningful to offer to Hoosiers,” Yoder said after the hearing. “We pushed hard for real topics, real impact and we have many successes to point to.”
‘Medical debt is no-fault debt’
For Democrats, the legislature’s decision to study medical debt is a win.
The interim study committee on the courts and the judiciary has been tasked with examining medical debt, the only topic on its agenda. As part of its study, the committee will look at financial protections for individuals through caps on monthly payments for such debt and limitations on collections or liens on property, along with restrictions on garnishment of wages. Also, the committee will focus on nonprofit and county hospitals by reviewing the definition for charitable care and the requirement to offer payment plans in addition to notices about medical bills to patients.
Speaker Huston and Sen. Fady Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis, both suggested the medical debt topic.
Huston said the topic was spurred by the many different constituents who reached out, telling their stories of the immense financial burden that overdue medical bills can be.
“We will at least take a look at it and understand it, particularly for low-income folks or people that have had some kind of… large, expensive medical procedures,” Huston said of medical debt. “How do you help them get out from behind the eight ball? We’ll take a look at that and see what the options are.”
During the 2025 legislative session, Qaddoura introduced Senate Bill 317 which sought to address medical debt by offering protections similar to those that will be studied by the committee. The measure died after it was narrowly defeated in a 26-to-23 vote in the Senate.
“We should stop penalizing people for getting sick,” Qaddoura said in a statement. “Medical debt is often unavoidable and disproportionately affects those already struggling. Our goal should be to create a path forward that lifts people up, not holds them back.”
Indiana residents are some of the most burdened with medical debt in the country. A 2022 study by the Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute, Grassroots Maternal and Child Health Initiative, and Prosperity Indiana, found that residents of the Hoosier state had the 11th highest share of medical debt in collections nationwide, which equals $2.2 billion outstanding and was the highest among the state’s Midwestern neighbors.
Delinquent or high medical debt contributes to a number of harmful consequences, according to the report. More than negatively impacting the financial health of a household, medical debt can degrade an individual’s physical and mental health. Also, unpaid medical bills can create barriers to credit and housing and can lead to garnishment of wages, property liens and reduced access to health care services.
“Medical debt is no-fault debt,” Dave Almeida, director of state government affairs for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, said in a press release. “It’s different from other debt because no one chooses to become sick, which means that no one should have to choose between putting food on the table, paying the rent, putting the kids through college, or engaging in life-saving treatment.”
Council bypasses some committees
Six study committee created by statute were not assigned any topics, including the elections body.
The interim study committee on elections has not met since 2017. However, bills that mostly restrict voting and elections have been introduced each legislative session, culminating in a flood of legislation this year that one voting-rights advocate described as “an assault on democracy.”
Bray did not express any concern about not giving any topics to elections and other committees, including education, public policy and public safety, and military affairs.
“We had a lot of legislation in those areas this last session and sometimes you’ve got to let some of those issues bake a little while … before you have a new issue that you really have to grapple with,” Bray said.
Yoder said she was disappointed that the Child Welfare Task Force was not assigned any topics. Passed this session with strong bipartisan support, House Enrolled Act 1273, authored by Rep. Dale DeVon, R-Granger, created the 22-member task force to study child welfare topics. The law requires the task force to submit two reports in October 2026 and October 2027, but does not specify any areas or subjects that should be studied.
Sen. Andrea Hunley, D-Indianapolis, was hopeful the study committees’ examination of the issues most concerning to families, such as clean water, maternal health and medical debt, would yield some legislation addressing key concerns in the 2026 General Assembly session.
“We also know that a single study in the interim isn’t going to fix everything,” Hunley said. “But we also know that it can spark the change that is necessary. It can be the momentum builder that we need to make sure that we’ve got the momentum going into session, so that we can have the bipartisan support necessary to pass important legislation that this is the time where that happens.”
Marilyn Odendahl wrote this article for The Indiana Citizen.
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